VideoHelp Forum
+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 12 of 12
Thread
  1. For some years I have been recording by VHS collection onto DVD. I generally use DVD+RW discs (so I can add similar content at a later date) and, being +RW, they've played on various DVD players.
    They were recorded on a Daewoo DE4100P DVD/VHS recorder which has now given up the ghost and cannot be repaired (I've checked).
    I bought a Panasonic EZ49VEB DVD/VHS recorder as a replacement.
    The problem is that it won't play the +RW discs burned on the Daewoo.
    On insertion, it says the disc is not formatted and would I like to format it now (obviously not).
    The manual does say that all discs including +RW discs need to be finalised before they can be played (no option for that on the Daewoo for +RW as I can still get into the DVD section of it and I've looked - it's the video output section that's gone - no TV or VHS capability - although the sound plays - and won't record to DVD from my camcorder).
    It's not the make/type of disc as those burned with Nero on my PC play fine on the Panasonic.
    As I say, it's only trying to play them on the Panasonic that's the problem.
    I've contacted Panasonic but no replies
    It's going to be difficult as many of the original VHS tapes have now been disposed of (all home recorded, not commercial stuff, by the way) so I'm left with the only option of copying the DVDs to my PC and then reburning them.
    That will take several years
    If anyone could offer a reason why this is happening I'd be very grateful to know as it's not making sense to me at the moment.
    If anyone knows how I could get it to play the things, that would be even better.
    Thanks.
    Quote Quote  
  2. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Minneapolis MN
    Search Comp PM
    +RWs don't really need to be finalized but +RWs recorded on a Panasonic do need to go through a similar process as finalizing otherwise they won't show a top menu on anything other than Panasonic recorders. They will play on other players, they just won't have a top menu.
    If your Daewoo has no such option, or it might be called something like make compatable, I don't know what is wrong.
    While I generally like Panasonic DVDRs they aren't very friendly towards + media, especially +RW. If you can return the Panasonic I would suggest trying a Funai based DVDR. Something like a Magnavox, Philips, Sylvania etc. Funai recorders, while they will generally play both + and - are more native to + discs, as Panasonics are more native to - discs.
    In the future regular R discs(either + or -) are generally more stable than RW discs, although with R discs(or even -RW) they will only play on the same type of machine that recorded them, until finalized and which time just about any machine should play them. You can keep adding things at different times but again they won't play on players until finalized.
    Quote Quote  
  3. Thanks for the speedy reply.
    Yes, the discs are marked compatible according to the old recorder and they do, indeed, play on everything else - a couple of cheap players in our bedrooms (Blackstar, I think they are called), my son's dvd/VHS player, my portable DV player, my son's TV bult-in player and my own TV built in player, our Phillips Bluray player - plus the PC of course.
    The only thing that can't see them is the new Panasonic!
    As I said, the +RW discs burned with Nero 6 on the PC are recognized and played so I'm guessing some sort of incompatibility between the two recorders.
    The +R ones burned on the old recorder are fine.
    The Panasonic manual says it plays +RW but then says this in the specs:
    "Playable discs DVD+RW DVD Video recording format/DVD Video format".
    In the manual itself it says under "Discs suitable for recording/playback" :
    "RW(v) before finalisation"
    I'm having the thought that the old recorder may have been recording using (VR) but there's no option/setting to change it and I don't really know how to find out if that's so.
    The Panasonic does say (on screen) that any new disc I insert requires formatting before i can use it.
    I wonder if there's a way of finding out what format the burned discs are?
    Quote Quote  
  4. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Minneapolis MN
    Search Comp PM
    I think you may be onto something with your VR vs Video format, unfortunately I don't know of a way to tell what format your discs are in, maybe someone else will chime in.
    If your stuck with the Panasonic then you'd have a couple ways around your problem. One would be to play your DVDs in realtime(on a player) and record on your Panasonic to -R discs.
    A better option would to use a PC program to make a bit for bit copy of your +RW discs, then burn the image to standard -R discs. Even if you did get the +RW discs to play in your Panasonic I think you'd find the search speeds to be severely limited with the Panasonic DVDR. When I've used +RW discs with my Panasonics I think 4x or maybe 8x is the fastest search speed. Way too slow if you plan on searching your discs much.
    Quote Quote  
  5. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    dFAQ.us/lordsmurf
    Search Comp PM
    DVD+RW is not archival media -- it's only meant for short-term use (few months, max)
    Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
    FAQs: Best Blank DiscsBest TBCsBest VCRs for captureRestore VHS
    Quote Quote  
  6. yes RW are for transferring data/material so it can be edited, not kept in a library, if I were you I would use dvdfab to copy them using a computer, to a - or + R verbatim or taiyo yuden blank, how many have you got !

    I suggest dvdfab as it deals with reading or data errors,
    PAL/NTSC problem solver.
    USED TO BE A UK Equipment owner., NOW FINISHED WITH VHS CONVERSIONS-THANKS
    Quote Quote  
  7. hillneerg
    Quote
    “It's not the make/type of disc as those burned with Nero on my PC play fine on the Panasonic.
    As I say, it's only trying to play them on the Panasonic that's the problem”

    The Panasonic does say (on screen) that any new disc I insert requires formatting before i can use it.

    The manual does say that all discs including +RW discs need to be finalised before they can be played
    Unquote-------------------------------------------
    \

     
    The Manual either does not say that ot IT IS WRONG
    +RW Disks do not require finalizing Period. and most recorders o will not do so. Some units do not like +RW, Mine Will Not Finalize a +RW disk
    I hav been using Verbatim +RW disks for over 3 years Any material;\on them plays fine in any unit that will accept an +RW. An RW disk can be erased in a PC BUT should not be formatted in a PC An erase is OK in some instance but not Format. A properly erased +RW should be read as a blank disk and Prepared/Format by the stand alone unit used in DO not alow a PC burner to format any disk leyt the recorder do it
    Just one example A +or - disk is burned in a liteon unit and finalized. It will play in any machine If If not finalized and placed in a Cyberhome unit. It will say “This recording not made in this unit do you want to make it compatible> If you say yes it will finalize it and change the file structure and it will play in other units including the original. +RW disks can be a problem when used in some units . As they are not finalized but have info on them another machine may not react well especially if not erased or formatted properly. This could be why some users will not use a +RW only -RW which are finalized .
    .
    Quote Quote  
  8. Yes, the manual does say (in several places) about finalizing a +RW but also contradicts itself in just as many!
    Not a great help when reading it . I always knew that +RW didn't need finalizing but if the manual says it................................
    Yes, I know the limitations of +RW but there are times one needs to use them (to add extra content at a later date, for instance) before copying them to +R and that may be more than a few weeks. They don't self destruct, after all . Well, not in the short-term anyway

    I think I may have found the problem - this seems to be the only difference between those that won't play (burned on the old recorder) and those that will (any other DVD).
    The ones burned on the Daewoo contain a Video_TS folder and a Video_RM folder.
    I'm suspecting that the presence of the Video_RM folder is what's causing the problem.
    (Video_RM is, I believe, part of the VR recording for +RW).
    Reburning the DVD without that folder (just the files rom the Video_TS folder) makes them playable!
    In short, the Daewoo records +RW in VR and the Panasonic can't use that at all (it says it can only read V).
    Hope that makes sense.
    Oh well, some considerable work ahead of me...............................
    Last edited by hillneerg; 25th Apr 2010 at 08:03. Reason: additional information
    Quote Quote  
  9. hillneerg

    All the Disks I have burned, +/-R and +RW have the folders you mention and play fine in any unit placed in any unit. The only problem I’ve had is when playing aa +R or +RW in in a machine that didn’t like or want any +disk especially older Toshiba units
    You may not be handling the +RW correctly especially with erase/format and with an erase of only some programs on the disk.

    What Limitations on the +RW
    Quote Quote  
  10. The problem is confirmed that the Daewoo recorded in VR mode (confimed with Nero infotool. Disc IDd as a DVD_VR).
    The Panasonic doesn't recognize or play DVD+RWs in VR mode (so it says hidden deep within the manual).
    Therefore the recordings made on the Daewoo cannot be played on the Panasonic.

    The problem then was that the two recording units are incompatible as far as the use and reading of the DVD+RW discs is concerned (ie those recorded on the Daewoo). DVD+RW discs are fine recorded on other equipment.
    They all play fine on everything else I have.
    This problem does not arise with finalized +R discs, of course.
    The only solution is to ditch the Panasonic (well, return it as I asked specifically if it would play them when I bought it) and get a dual mode machine (which I have ordered - a Toshiba D-VRI9DT which, the Toshiba site says, will ) that reads both VR and V discs.
    Maybe there was an option on the Daewoo as to whether VR or V should be used but I couldn't find it - not that I was aware they even existed at the time.
    Last edited by hillneerg; 28th Apr 2010 at 16:27.
    Quote Quote  
  11. Originally Posted by hillneerg View Post
    The problem is confirmed that the Daewoo recorded in VR mode (confimed with Nero infotool. Disc IDd as a DVD_VR).
    The Panasonic doesn't recognize or play DVD+RWs in VR mode (so it says hidden deep within the manual).
    Therefore the recordings made on the Daewoo cannot be played on the Panasonic.

    The problem then was that the two recording units are incompatible as far as the use and reading of the DVD+RW discs is concerned (ie those recorded on the Daewoo). DVD+RW discs are fine recorded on other equipment.
    They all play fine on everything else I have.
    This problem does not arise with finalized +R discs, of course.
    The only solution is to ditch the Panasonic (well, return it as I asked specifically if it would play them when I bought it) and get a dual mode machine (which I have ordered - a Toshiba D-VRI9DT which, the Toshiba site says, will ) that reads both VR and V discs.
    Maybe there was an option on the Daewoo as to whether VR or V should be used but I couldn't find it - not that I was aware they even existed at the time.

    Just as addition, the new Toshiba works fine and is dual mode (VR and V) so the problem is solved. It was also only half the price of the Panasonic. True, the Panasonic did have more bells and whistles (which I didn't really want).
    It took a LOT of research to find this out and the stores seem totally oblivious about it (including the tech experts - also at the recorder manufacturers as well.
    Just to restate. This only applies to +RW discs which, due to their nature are, pf course, unfinalized but normally play in DVD players as they are. This problem would only happen when using DVD recorders - not players in general.
    The panasonic is unable to read (or understand) the data on a VR mode +RW disc and "sees" it as a blank +RW Disc.
    The giveaway is on the box when it says it plays DVD+RW(V - or Video). That stands for the mode, not the fact it's a video on DVD (as opposed to data).
    Just remember this if you need to replace a recorder at some stage.
    Quote Quote  
  12. I'm adding a further comment to this thread after finally receiving a reply from Panasonic.
    You will see that the DO actually use the word FINALISE for DVD+RW disc.
    Hopefully, this information will be of help to others with the same problem which seems to be little known.
    Even though he thread is no longer active as far as replies go, it will remain in the archives to help others.

    Regards,

    Hillneerg

    ISSUE RESOLUTION: Dear Mr xxx

    Thank you for your e-mail enquiry. Firstly, please accept my sincere apologies for the uncharacteristic delay in our response. Due to unexpected technical difficulties, we have been unable to provide as speedy a response as we would normally.

    In response to your enquiry -
    The DMREZ49 will not read a +RW if the DVD has not been finalised (this function is called "create top menu" for a +RW disk and "finalise" for a -RW). Unfortunately the only way that these DVD's will play back on the Panasonic is if they can have top menus created on the original recorder.

    I trust that the above information will be of assistance to you. However, of course, if you should have any further queries, please do not hesitate to contact us by either emailing us at customer.care@panasonic.co.uk, by fax on 01344 853213, or by telephoning our Customer Communications Centre on 0844 844 3852.

    Regards,

    Simon Coventry
    Customer Communication Centre
    Quote Quote  



Similar Threads

Visit our sponsor! Try DVDFab and backup Blu-rays!