Is This the Norm?

[TomT]

It's been a frustrating experience with my new TDK 420 burner. I have tried backing up a couple of home (DVD-R+) movies as a test only to find they don't play in my 3 year old Toshiba player or my 6 month old Apex even though the dvdrhelp guide says they should take R+. They do play on my PS2 and I tried it on a friends new VHS/DVD combo drive and they work fine. How come others have reported success with these players and R+ disks? I have been using Phillips media. Would a different media make a difference? Different software? Or is it just my TDK burner. It has been upgraded to the latest firmware. Can future firmware upgrades make a difference? Sorry for all the questions but If I had known there would be this many problems, I probably would have just waited to get a DVD burner.

[rhegedus]

How did you go about backing them up?

[TomT]

I used DVD Shrink and then burned one with Nero and the other with Clone DVD.

[hech54]

I usually create an .iso image of my DVDShrink stuff with IFOEdit....then burn the .iso with DVDDecrypter. Heard too many Nero complaints in my lifetime....even when it was just for CD burning.
"You get what you pay for" is NOT the case THIS time I'm afraid.

[rhegedus]

Everyone's got different methods that work for them. I've had most success with:

Ripping - DVDdecrypter or Smartripper
Transcode (if necessary) - DVD2ONE
Burn - Nero (v5.5.10.28 - never fails)

[Gazorgan]

Not all +R media is created the same. The fact that it plays on 2 other players means you did it right. The 3 year old Toshiba doesn't stand a chance, that's pre +R. The Apex should play it, but it may not like that particular brand of +R disk. Many players will only play certain brands of +R or -R disks, while others will play anything.

[TomT]

Thanks. Guess I will try some different media. I know my 3 year old Toshiba is outdated but I read where some persons have had no trouble playing R+ media on it. Must just be finicky. Wouldn't think different media would make that much of a difference.

[snafu099]

"3 month old apex" does this refer to when you bought it or when it was manufactured. Just bought one for x-mas for grandson to find it was an old model with limited compatibility (new-inbox)

[gll99]

Does the TDK writer permit book type setting to DVD-rom? That could help solve your player compatibility problem.

I am singing the praises of this option since it was anounced that it was now possible to do it for my NEC-1300a dual format writer. I tested it and am very pleased that my older Apex AD600a now plays DVD+RW discs and it didn't do it before.

I don't know your drive but if the TDK-420 is a single format + drive then that option may be available to you.

I'm one happy dude.

[TomT]

I posted a question later about book type. I just learned what it was and sadly mine does not have it. Wish I had known about it before I bough miy TDK. My Apex was checked my its model number on this site and it shows it to read everything. WRONG!