Panasonic DMR-ES25 "creating" unusable disks

[imageplanet24]

I have had my Panasonic (stand-alone) model DMR-ES25 for a year now. (Too long for the warranty, I'm afraid.)

My problem is that, even when I use a high quality DVD-R like the Maxell DVD-R 16 x, the following happens a lot:

I can take a blank disk, and record all I want while leaving that particular DVD-R in the machine.

IF, however, I have some space left, and I remove the DVD from the recorder, and then, immediately or some time after, re-insert the disk and record some or all of the time left, when I try to finalize (and I believe, if memory serves, simply play it) - it gives me the U8 (actually it has three letters/digits) but those are two, meaning that it has found a problem and needs to power off and check the disk. It always finds the disk unusable in the end.

This has been going on for many weeks, now.

I have no idea what to do.

Anyone?

Thanks.

[Krispy Kritter]

Sounds like a laser or tray tracking issue. The only solution would be to have the unit serviced, but it would likely be a better option to just replace it.

Do you also have trouble playing finalized discs in other hardware (another player or your PC)?

[handyguy]

Does it work okay if you keep the disk in it?

[wabjxo]

jjeff has several posts on AVSForum describing how some of his discs "slipped" on the center hub in his older Panasonics, causing similar problems. His temp. solution was to moisten the edge of the inner hub very lightly before inserting the disc. I think his longer lasting solution was to open the case and clean the hub in the drive.

IF your disc is also "slipping" on the hub, it's possibly making the Power Calibration area of your discs unusable? Whenever a disc is inserted, a DVDR runs 15 Power Calibration tests in a test area near the hub. If a disc slips during this test, that *MAY* trash the test area. Without a successful test, the disc will be seen as unusable.

The light moisture thing might be worth a try on one disc to see if it helps... then you'll know if the longer-term solution might be worth pursuing?

[imageplanet24]

"Krispy Kritter" -

If I have to replace it, I'll find a better recommender than cnet.com. That's the site that said what a great unit this was, because the LP quality is nearly same as SP.

I can't try to play finalized disks that the Panasonic screws up, because it screws them up, and declares them unusable before it has ever finished finalizing, so the screwed-up ones don't finalize.

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"handyguy" - Yes, it works ok, even with multiple recording sessions, as long as I leave the disk in the whole time, and don't ever take the disk out and re-insert, until it's full and I've finalized it. I finalize it, just as a precaution. I'm not sure if I have to.

-----------------

"wabjxo" - I'll try to moisten the edge when I test run a new one that I take out and re-insert to record more; if that works, it will have solved the problem temporarily, and you may be right as to the cause. I'll try it on a disk I won't mind losing. Just got 100 brand new blank disks.

Will let you know if the moistening (with water, of course lol) works.

Thanks all.

[Krispy Kritter]

Discs are cheap enough that you could just record and finalize each session. Or you could just use RW discs, which can then be erased and reused after watching (unless of course you are just recording and keeping everything).

The discs don't necessarily need to be finalized if they are only intended to be used in this player. But in order for the discs to be used in other standalone players, your PC, and/or a new recorder if/when this one fails, they need to be finalized.

Not very likely, but you could try a different brand/type of media. It's possible you are using cheap/generic discs or a brand the player has trouble reading/burning. Especially if this issue occurs most often on full discs.

[jjeff]

Immageplanet24-Let us know if moistening the inner hub works. If your Panny is like mine, and occasionally grinds when inserting the disc, or writing to it, this just may work for you.
One of my Panny DVDR's is quite hard to get to, with a snakes nest of wiring. It was crashing discs left and right, so much that I didn't ever use it for anything but recording. No finalizing, editing etc. After a tip from Digado at AVS I caught on to the idea that the disc was slipping in the spindle. His solution was to disassemble the machine and clean the hub of the burner. I didn't like the idea of removing the DVDR from it's present location, so I thought if maybe I could get the disc to stick to the holder a little better, that would test the idea that slippage is causing all the problems. So I just moistened the upper and lower inner part of the DVD, just the clear area. I inserted the disc and no more grinding. I went on to edit and finalize a whole stack of DVD's all with no problems.
Since then if I insert the DVD and it grinds in the least bit, I remove it and moisten the hub and reinsert the DVD and the grinding always stops.
I suppose one of these days I should disassemble the machine and clean the spindle correctly, but I've been having such great luck using my workaround, I think I'll put it off for a while more.

Here's a link to my original post at AVS if you haven't seen it.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=982378

[dvdmeister]

try format the disc before you record. it has always works for me.

[BruceSD]

If you need to rescue the video recorded by your Panny recorder onto disc that couldn't be finalized, try IsoBuster. I have a Panny E55 and have used IsoBuster to rescue the video I recorded to discs that I didn't finalize and it worked fine. Takes a little while but it worked great. Unfortunately, you'll still end up wasting a blank disc of course, and you'll need to do some more processing if you want to add the rescued video onto a disc with other video you recorded.

[imageplanet24]

Thanks for all the great feedback and things to try. I'm going to try most all of them - will let you know any results / observations for future knowledge re this kind of prob with this "Panny".

Will report back - thanks for ideas guys.

[PuzZLeR]

Take a look at my thread if it helps:

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic348297.html

I solved it with a lens cleaner. And if finalizing a disc is a problem then use NeroVision if you have it. It should find the files regardless and import them to .mpg.

Hope your solution is that easy.

[ntscuser]

Take a look at my thread if it helps:

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic348297.html

I solved it with a lens cleaner.

With respect, that is a Pioneer. When I tried a lens cleaner on a Panasonic the machine spat it out.

[PuzZLeR]

With respect, that is a Pioneer. When I tried a lens cleaner on a Panasonic the machine spat it out.

Sorry to hear that. Maybe it's the type of lens cleaner, but regardless, I understand that some machines will have nothing to do with them.

Nevertheless, imageplanet24 can still try the "unusable" discs with NeroVision.

It's actually a little-known secret that NV can actually find the files on the disc and Import them as .mpg files (using the Import disc command). Since I personally migrate all my content with RW discs to my PC for processing anyway, I stopped finalizing a long time ago now.

Now, hopefully it's not just Pioneer's discs that it accepts...

[jenpt]

Let me just say that I have been fighting with my Panasonic DMR-ES25 for almost a year now refusing to give up! I read the post re. moistening the center hub and IT WORKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I have been able to record on DVD's, but unable to finalize ANY of them!!!! It was ruining all my DVD's, even the expensive ones. I just moistened the center of the DVD as suggested (even with saliva, I might add) and it did great! NO GRINDING! I had called Panasonic and they had suggested the lens cleaner which did nothing! They wanted me to send it in. I didn't want to waste my money. THANKS for this forum!! I actually scared my kids because I screamed so loud with happiness!!

[ntscuser]

A friend in the UK owns two DMR- ES25s. He had nothign but trouble with one of them from when it was ten months old. It was fixed under warranty and failed again a few months later. Faced with a huge service bill he boxed-up the machine and sent it to Panasonic's UK headquarters. Despite saying beforehand that they wouldn't fix it, they had the machine fixed and sent back to him at no charge. Might be worth trying if anyone is desperate?

[jenpt]

I was getting desperate, but figured I didn't have much chance in winning a battle since it is 3 years old. One would think it should last a little longer especially being Panasonic. Right now it is working. I realize this is probably a temporary fix, but for the time being, I'm just going to continue with this solution. I don't want to take it apart as I'm fearful of braking something important. If I still have trouble, I may try sending it to the P headquarters.

[jman98]

Wow. What an unusual thread for 2 reasons.

1) This is one of the very rare times when someone dug up and posted to an old thread more than 1 year old and it was actually relevant to the original thread.
2) This is one of the few threads left that wabjxo posted to and did not later edit and remove his comments. What a jerk he was.

[jjeff]

I'm still doing the saliva trick 2 years after my original post to a couple Panasonic machines that I don't want to take apart. I've burned and finalized hundreds and hundreds of DVDs on them with out a problem. I do it once in a while and only re-do it if the grinding starts or I'm recording a one of a kind event. Unorthodox yes, but if it works it's I'm game

[jenpt]

That is good to know! I have already burned and finalized several DVDs using this unorthodox method. I have been a little fearful that the screen that shows "Incompatible Disc" is going to pop up or that horrific grinding is going to start, but neither have occurred! I feel a little more at ease knowing this may work for a few more years. I think I may even call Panasonic and let them know "the solution" to this problem!! However, I don't know that they'll be willing to use "saliva" in their instruction manual. !!

[John32118]

i realize this is an old post but i will comment for future users

I had the same problem with my ES15...the easisest solution for me was to record everything on a RW disc and when it was full, and use my computer software to copy it to a cheaper dvdr disc once it was full. I would then DELETE the shows on the dvdrw... but don't format the dvdrw as you might get more disc errors....once it is formatted don't mess with it...deleting shows will serve the same purpose.

I also used the instructions here and at avs forum to open the player and clean the spindle...it was very dirty...and that solved the problem for 9 months. Do not remove the disc tray cause it is a nightmare getting it back in.

ps...i had terrible luck with memorex dvdrw discs...a whole bacth of 25 had errors