Panasonic DMR-E50 and DVD+R DVD+RW discs

[250a]

Has anyone managed to get the Panasonic DMR-E50 to play DVD+R or DVD+RW discs?

Mine just says No Read when I try.

DVD+ discs are supposed to be >80% compatible with DVD Players and as the Panasonic DMR-E50 is only about a year old I would have thought it would play DVD+R and DVD+RW discs even though the manual doesn't mention them in the list of playable or non playable discs.

Has Panasonic disabled the playing of theses discs?

[Meritocracy]

Stop thinking of this player as a standard playback unit. It's a recorder and a dash one at that. It will not play either +R or +RW. In any event, in an effort to keep the unit functioning as well as possible for as long as possible why would you even bother using it as your dedicated playback machine? I only use mine for recording and playback of DVD-RAM.

My 2 cents...

[donpedro]

I think same.... Recorder should record and you should limit use of "laser" part of this very nice and expensive unit.

BTW: Page 11, part "Discs that cannot be played" they mention "+RW". So it is there....

[tompika]

Has Panasonic disabled the playing of theses discs?

Exactly...
When $40 Chineese standalone players play any fomat
thats the only thing the DVD Forum can do...
Don't get me wrong, I burn plus and minus medias but thats the truth...

[250a]

Thanks for the replies.

I wasn't trying to say anything bad about the DMR-E50, I think it's superb, I was just asking if anyone had got it to play +R/+RW discs. Yes donpedro the manual does say it will not play +RW discs, but it doesn't mention +R discs at all.

Since I made this post I have purchased a Panasonic SC-HT900 Home Theatre Sound System which even though the manual says it will not play +RW, -RW disc, it does!!!

So my problem is over, I can now just use the DMR-E50 to record on DVD-RAM and DVD-R and use the SC-HT900 for playback of DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R and DVD+RW, which I have tested and it plays them all.

The manual for the SC-HT900 says it will not play DVD-RW, +RW but it does!

[Satanico Pandemonium]

My DMR-E50 (European model) is working with +R's.

[handyguy]

It should play +r, maybe its the way you wrote your disks?

[250a]

I wrote the disc the same way that I write DVD-R discs and they work OK in the DMR-E50. The DVD+R disc that I wrote does play in my Panasonic SC-HT900 as mentioned, so it must be written correctly for it to play in that.

I edit the disc in TMPGEng DVD Author and then write it as a DVD-Video in Nero 6.

[donpedro]

Mine US version of E80H does not play +R.

"Cannot read. Please check the disc."

[Chuffster]

I work in the trade (in the UK) selling most of the major brands of home AV equipment. Last time I spoke to the Panasonic representative he told me that much of their equipment would support +R inspite of what the manual may either say or omit to say. If I only had the time at work to play about with all the equipment we sell I'd be able to give a more conclusive answer.

My advice, if you are thinking of buying, is to test the equipment in a store with some of your own discs. You will find in most shops that the staff will be happy to demo for you.

Off on a slight tangent...

The Panasonic DMR-E50 is being discontinued shortly. The intended replacement is the DMR-E60 which has a DV input, SD Card slot and PC card slot type III. With those specs it seems aimed at the digital camera and camcorder user market. Expect the initial selling price to fall sharply. A lot of people don't need the digital connectivity, so the price will have to come down to fill the gaping hole in the market that the DMR-E50 will leave. Expect to see it around £300-£350 in spring and lower by summer when more manufacturers jump on the DVD-Recorder band wagon.

Here's some interesting information for you. The values apply to a large national UK based company with many outlets. It also refers to my own personal experience and as such should not be considered as gospel truth

• The DMR-E50 is the best selling DVD-Recorder in the UK
• It outsells it's nearest competitor, the Philips DVDR70 by a ratio of between 4 and 5 to 1 (nationally through the chain I work for)
• Of the approximately 250 DMR-E50s we have sold in my store not one has come back for repair
• Of the approximately 60 DVD70s we have sold in my store at least 5 have come back for repair

One more thing. If you own a DMR-E50 it would be wise to buy a Panasonic DVDS35EBS (or the slightly more expensive DVD75EBS) DVD Player so that you can watch your RAM discs on another TV and more importantly copy a RAM disc from the player to an -R disc on the recorder easily.

[Gil T Pleasure]

The Panasonic DMR-E50 is being discontinued shortly. The intended replacement is the DMR-E60...

I thought the replacement model for the E50 is the DMR-E55?

[elfdez]

I have a E30 and it reads DVD+R and DVD+RW burned in Book type DVD ROM if you have a burner that supports changin Booktype or Bit settings from DVD+R to DVD-ROM. or DVD+RW to DVD-ROM, Panasonic will read them you can go to http://www.dvdplusrw.org/resources/bitsettings_pc.html

[donpedro]

I have a E30 and it reads DVD+R and DVD+RW burned in Book type DVD ROM if you have a burner that supports changin Booktype or Bit settings from DVD+R to DVD-ROM. or DVD+RW to DVD-ROM, Panasonic will read them you can go to http://www.dvdplusrw.org/resources/bitsettings_pc.html

But that is something totaly different. You are fooling it to think that it is DVD-ROM. I would call it "workaround", but not realy that it plays +R/+RW.

[elfdez]

Yes but if you like me have a HP200i (maybe the 300i) that writes the +R
in DVD-ROM by default, or a similar burner , and Haven,t tried another burner like a Pioneer A06 that writes the +r in DVD+R mode, and you can't change it , you will assure that it plays +R ' this may be the case of who is saying that theirs play +R, so I would say Panasonic plays DVD+R if burned in DVD-ROM ,will play +R with no problems at all. So I would conclude that it plays "some" DVD+R.

[donpedro]

Yes but if you like me have a HP200i (maybe the 300i) that writes the +R
in DVD-ROM by default, or a similar burner , and Haven,t tried another burner like a Pioneer A06 that writes the +r in DVD+R mode, and you can't change it , you will assure that it plays +R ' this may be the case of who is saying that theirs play +R, so I would say Panasonic plays DVD+R if burned in DVD-ROM ,will play +R with no problems at all. So I would conclude that it plays "some" DVD+R.

Good point. I didn't know that some Writers urn +R media as DVD-ROM as default. I thought that you have to make change manualy. I guess that might be the reason why some report that Panasonic plays +R even that it does not play "true +R".