Mac Won't Play Some DVDs

[albloom]

I'm not real experienced with video. I didn't know originally
that our "new" Sharp DV-RW340 (VCR/DVD-RW combo) needed no-X,
1-X, or 2X discs. So I had to throw away a stack of 8-X coasters.
After finding Imation no-X DVD-R at OfficeMax, I'd been happily
converting our old videotapes to DVD. Then the Imations ran out.
I can't find any more of that persuasion.

I found what I thought were adequate replacements (2-X,
no-name, from blank-cd-cdr.com), and the Sharp accepted
them nicely. They also play on our older RCA DVD player.
They are completely ignored in our Macintosh drives: combo
in my MDD G4, CD/DVD reader in Leslye's Sawtooth. Same in
OS9 or OSX -- it's as if I closed the carrier with no
disc inside.

The no-X Imations, and even some pricey Memorex 2-X DRD-RWs
from Radio Shack (I was desperate), play fine in our Macs.

A "tech expert" at Best Buy, where I got the Sharp, said
Sony's "1-X to 8-X" disks would work fine. Spit out of
the unit. Leslye gets to take them back to BB next time
she drives down the mountain to Roanoke.

I'd prefer DVD-R's that play on our Macs. I'd love to know
why the cheapies won't. I don't know enough myself, and I
don't know where to look or who to ask.

Are the cheapies too cheap? I haven't found 2-X (or less)
branded DVD-Rs.

Could it be the Mac drives? Would installing superdrives
be beneficial?

I hate thrashing about in the dark. Can any of y'all help?

Thanks — Al Bloom

[terryj]

Very simply---Are the cheapies actually DVD-R?
or are they DVD+R?

DVD Player 4 on the Mac is finicky, and discs that
it can't que up ( read), it will spit out or ignore
if they are improperly mastered.

Most of us stay away from the cheapies. The last
1x-4x media I bought was TDK, and they don't make it
anymore.
I also alternated and used Samsung Be-All from Meritiline.com.
They make a real good 1x-4x media
(Pink Top), that my G4 and ( former) Pioneer-104 loved
with no problems. Try that brand.

[albloom]

Thank you very much, Terry, for both the brand and vendor info.

I just ordered a bunch from MeritLine.

Fingers crossed.

Al

[albloom]

The Samsungs from meritline came yesterday evening.
They worked like a champ.

Thanks again for the pointers.

[terryj]

Your welcome!
sign up for their newsletter and watch their sales!
Occassionally they'll list 50 pk and 100pk Samsung Bealls
at 60% off SRP!

[dcsos]

BTW there is nothing wrong with 8x media, the quality brands of it should give you excellent 2x burns on this media with your unit
I burn 8x media in 4x and 2x burners to make DVD Player 4.0 "permitted"
recordings easily with TOAST 6.0

A set top recorder should also have no limitations excet quality media

[albloom]

Actually, there's plenty wrong with 8-X media in that
particular Sharp VCR/DVD-RW unit. As I said at the
start, anything but no-X, 1-X, or 2-X is spit out.

That includes Sony's 1X-to-8X discs.

Just because I bought it new-in-box in December
doesn't mean it isn't way old.

[terryj]

too true. At the very least, Firmware stats change,
but engineering stats change at a rate of 3 to 6 months.

Guaranteed that if say Wal-mart has a unit as a new
item on its shelf,
that a place like JandR Electronics will have cleared
that same model out for the newer model.

That's what happened when I bought my Settops.

[dcsos]

I stand corrected..
Its pretty annoying isn't it when it records to only some media!
And what is "NO-X"?
I thought all media had to be speed rated!
After all there's no "NO-X" category on the MEDIA PAGE here
(EVEN IF ITS NOT SO-MARKED OUTSIDE it has a speed)

[albloom]

I stand corrected..

And I sit befuddled. I'm just repeating what the Sharp
tech support critter told me.

If I had to guess, I'd say they're 1-X but of a vintage
before the letter "X" was invented. Or before higher
speed discs came out.

I actually have some -- Imation 51122 16340 -- with no X-ness
printed on the label or the discs. Imation doesn't make 'em
any more.