Formated DVD+RW, Now RCA Recorder doesn't recognize it?

[Virgintamr]

I have a RCA DRC8040N DVD Recorder that I purchased here a while back. It worked fine at first but I think the DVD+RW disk that came with it was used to much because it finally quit being recognized by the recorder. So I bought some more DVD+RW disks and also upgraded my dvd writter on my computer to a Benq 1640 so I could format the +format disks with my pc. I don't know if this is normal or not but I can record something off tv and it plays fine but if I eject that disk, it isn't recognized by the RCA recorder when I insert it back in. So I tried using quick and full format with Nero 7 to bring the disk back to life but my RCA recorder just won't recognize it anymore after this. So pretty much I have a lot of DVD+RW disks lying around now that are pretty much useless to me because I don't need them for my computer. Is there a trick to getting these disks back to normal so the Recorder can recognize them again? These new ones have only been used one time so I know they should last a little longer. One more thing, does that sound normal that if you eject the disk that the RCA DVD Recorder won't recognize it after that? I've already lost the first two weeks of a show that I've been watching for the last two years and I'm a little disappointed that I didn't get to see them. I also figured that my new Benq would be able to show me the vobs on the disk but it showed nothing on there as well. So to sum it up, here are my questions and thx for any replies:

1. Is there a trick to getting these disks back to normal so the Recorder can recognize them again?

2. Does that sound normal that if you eject the disk that the RCA DVD Recorder won't recognize it after that?

3. Even though the disks were not finalized, I assumed my Benq would show me the vobs on the disk but it doesn't. Plus the DVD writer won't recognize them or allow me to do anything. Shouldn't the disks at least show space being taken up on them?

[BobK]

1. Is there a trick to getting these disks back to normal so the Recorder can recognize them again?

2. Does that sound normal that if you eject the disk that the RCA DVD Recorder won't recognize it after that?

3. Even though the disks were not finalized, I assumed my Benq would show me the vobs on the disk but it doesn't. Plus the DVD writer won't recognize them or allow me to do anything. Shouldn't the disks at least show space being taken up on them?

1. Try erasing them and then see if the recorder recognizes the blank.

2. Doesn't sound normal to me.

3. I've used several recorders (although none were RCA) that used +RW. I never had to format or finalize a disk.

[Virgintamr]

1. Try erasing them and then see if the recorder recognizes the blank.

I did and it won't recognize it. I can write to it from my pc but as far as the RCA Recorder, it won't.

[BobK]

Probably could be other things, but the only other one I can think of is that it's a problem with the recorder.

[stackner]

i have a hyundai 900a and have the exact same problem. you do indeed have to format a dvd+rw disc before it can be recorded to the first time. you also do indeed have to finalise it to read it on other dvd players or on a pc.

i went through a handfull of dvd+rw with the same problem where it would format in the recorder and record something but as soon as i took it out the recorder and put it back in or even turned the recorder off and back on it would not recognise the disc again. i would get NO DISC message. for MY machine i found the trick is the following.

note: i finalise dvd+r discs as i keep them but i do not finalise dvd+rw disc's anymore so i just watch them on the recorder then erase them to use again.


put a brand new dvd+rw disc in the recorder.
let it format the disc.
record something on it like you would normally.
watch whatever you recorded but do NOT erase it once you have watched it.
the trick is to leave what you recorded on the disc that way when you turn the machine off then back on it reads the disc becouse it is not empty.
what i do is watch my recording and not erase it. wait until next time i need to record something and turn the recorder on, erase the disc and start recording. without turning the machine off or ejecting the disc between erasing and recording. and do NOT use your pc to erase the disc ive found this also stops MY recording from recognising the disc and sounds like you have the same problem.

let me know how you go. this solved the problem for me.

[Back2Future]

I've encountered a similar problem with my Sony RDR-GX7. After I record on a DVD-RW disk on my pc (Plextor 708A). The disk can no longer be used in the Sony DVD Recorder. The disks are fine because I can take a disk recorded and finalized in the Sony, do a Disk-to-Disk copy to the disk that can't be read in the Sony and the target disk will play just fine in my Panasonic DVD player, but still won't play in the Sony.

I've tried every option I can find to erase, re-record, copy, etc to get the disks to be recognized in the Sony again, but no luck. I have a whole stack of RW disks I would love to use in the Sony again.

Anyone have ideas?

[stackner]

my above suggestion works flawlessly for me. my suggestion is do NOT use a dvd+rw/dvd_rw disc in your pc that you want to use in your recorder (apart from just reading/copying the disc) and especially do NOT erase the disc on the pc. only erase it using the dvd recorder and only when you are going to start recording something again. works for me everytime and i was having the same problems.

[Back2Future]

my above suggestion works flawlessly for me. my suggestion is do NOT use a dvd+rw/dvd_rw disc in your pc that you want to use in your recorder (apart from just reading/copying the disc) and especially do NOT erase the disc on the pc. only erase it using the dvd recorder and only when you are going to start recording something again. works for me everytime and i was having the same problems.

I totally agree to not use a disk on the pc that I plan to use in the DVD recorder. But I had originally created these disks on the pc before I realized the issue. Now I want to re-use the disks in the recorder but can't. (I also trashed a couple trying to figure out where the issue was.)

How can I re-initialize these disks to 'new' condition? (If that's even possible.)

[David K]

How can I re-initialize these disks to 'new' condition? (If that's even possible.)

DVDinfoPro has a very good erase function that cleans out all the data in the root section and should make the RW appear like a new blank to your recorder.

Alternately, use FULL erase (not quick erase) in Nero or RecordNowDX.

[Virgintamr]

I tried the full erase in nero and it didn't work for me.

I also tried the DVDinfopro erase function that returns it to the origional unused state but it says this "This function is only supported Nu/QSI manufactured burners". I have the BENQ DVD DD DW1640.

[Back2Future]

I have tried all possibilities of erase/format in DVDInfoPro and Ulead DVDMF3DC and nothing seems to work.

I'm running out of ideas. Anyone know a DVD Guru that can shed light on this?

thanks,