Finalizing a -RW disk means no re-record?

[ShivaDude]

There was an DVD burning article in the local paper (SJ Mercury News) that contained the following:

The DVD-RW disk has formatting issues that allows you either to record, edit and re-record or to record and play -- but not both. Once you finalize the recording session on a DVD-RW disk, it will play in almost any player -- but there's no going back to erase and re-record. If you leave your editing session open for more recording, the disc will play in a very small number of players.

Is this true? I thought the whole purpose of -RW disks was to allow you to re-record. How could finalizing it render it into a DVD-R disk? I have a feeling they're wrong.

[erayboul]

You can always erase a DVD-RW whether it is finalized or not (Roxio's software and TMPGEnc DVD Author can both do it), but you do end up with a empty disk. I don't believe that you can selectively choose which video to keep and which you want to erase. I guess that the SJ Mercury News article is implying that you cannot add video to a finalized disk, which is true, but you can always erase and start over.

Ned

[W_Eagle]

Indeed -- the same is true with Nero and probably most burning software -- RW disks can be erased and re-recorded -- that's why they are RW.

[ShivaDude]

You can always erase a DVD-RW whether it is finalized or not (Roxio's software and TMPGEnc DVD Author can both do it), but you do end up with a empty disk. I don't believe that you can selectively choose which video to keep and which you want to erase. I guess that the SJ Mercury News article is implying that you cannot add video to a finalized disk, which is true, but you can always erase and start over.

Ned

That's what I thought. The way it's phrased makes it sound like it can't be erased again. That's how I read it.

[MysticE]

I don't believe that you can selectively choose which video to keep and which you want to erase.

That's the beauty of -RAM discs, the selective overwritability.

[DaveS]

Finalized -RW need to erase to record more. Finalized +RW can add more after finalization without erase. The + spec is, well, better.