Why can't I get this right?

[tw]

I'm a bit frustrated by now. I've been trying to backup with DVD with a sony 500a with every authoring program and guide out there, and I still can't get it to play in my standalone DVD player. Please tell me what I'm doing wrong.

I've tried using DVD Maestro to author, I've used DVD2one, I've tried DVD2DVD-R, everytime I put it in my DVd player, it just stops. I've tried DVD+ and DVD-. I even tried it on another DVD player, it still doesn't work. The strange thing is I've done a small home video project with SpruceUp and it actually worked on the player, but once I used any other program, it doesn't work. So I don't think it's a media problem, I just don't know what it is anymore. Has anyone else experienced this incompatibility problem before? (My standalone player is a Panasonic). The other kicker is I popped the same burned DVD in an Apex player, and it played fine. So once again, is this a media incompatibility problem, or is it the panasonic player that's the problem. Please help. I'm frustrated after 2-3 wks of constantly burning unworkable DVD's.

[macleod]

how about telling us what model number your panasonic is (or have you already confirmed that it accepts DVD-R media from using the compatibility list on the left)?

What are you doing when you author it. What is the source? what are you bruning it with(nero for example). What are the settings.

FYI, I have an apex player and it plays EVERYTHING, so that wouldnt be a good test. I probably could get my apex to play a cookie if I did it right

[presto]

My standalone player is a Panasonic

That's not enough information. Have you used the DVD Players link over to the left there to see what media and formats your player should handle?

Also Nero has just changed their program so that it burns Video DVDs in a way that is more universally compatable than it did before. If your research shows that your panasonic should be able to play a DVD R try using Nero for the burn stage.

(My apex 1100 W plays almost everything too. Chocolate chip works fine but not oatmeal raisin.)

[vv]

I dont think the issue is with your authoring programs or the sony 500a.
Ot has to be your Panasonic DVD player. Take your DVDR to a shop like 'BestBuy' or CircuitCity and try playing it in the demo players there. If they play you know the answer.

[tw]

I'm thinking it's the player too. But why should the DVD play OK if I use SpruceUp for the home video (I remember for that project, I used Spruce to do an image file, then used RecordNow to compile and burn). It played fine then.

One more puzzling issue is throughout this time, I've been burning Spiderman, so I had to use its original VIDEO_TS files along with the authored VTS_01 VOB files (in order to keep the menus). So whenever I put the DVD in the player, it plays the beginning scene (meaning the VIDEO_TS file, but stops before the menu comes on (meaning before the VTS_01_0 vob file is played) If this is a media issue, should it even recognize the DVD, much less play some part, and not another? I also checked the media compatibility list for the player on via this site, it should play DVD-R & -RW, and I've been using the -RW.