DVD Recorded discs won't play on Laptop!! ):

[SteveMKIIDub]

Computer: 5 Month old Toshiba Satellite. Vista Premium. Matshita UJ-841S DVD-RAM.
Recorder: Toshiba DVR-2
Discs: Memorex DVD-R and/or FujuFilm DVD-RW

Problem: I burned some TV to the DVD and it played 1-2 times on my laptop but 90% of the time the computer just won't load the discs. The drive makes sounds but just can't do it. Discs put on Dell w/ XP say "Needs DVD Decorder to play".

NOONE on the net has been able to help me. This is driving me nuts. Thanks for any assitance, it is very appreciated!

[ZippyP.]

Did you finalize the disk?

[SteveMKIIDub]

Yah all discs have been finalized and work on a normal DVD Player/ TV.

I'm screwed arn't I.

[hech54]

Laptop drives are notorious CRAP....IMO.

[boldego]

Mine wouldn't play any either until I put Power DVD on it.

[handyguy]

They don't play -R according to some posts.

Drop your writer name in the search box:
http://www.google.com/

[SteveMKIIDub]

Ok, update. I am going to take the recorder back and wait untill one that is a DVD-RAM comes on sale. They can burn to all media correct? Would that solve my problem??

[SteveMKIIDub]

OK, so let me get this straight.

Not many DVD Recorders can record to DVD+R/RW. And if they do, it is less compatible then DVD-R/RW.

However, I cannot get DVD-R's to work with my laptop. I don't think jumping to a different recorder is really the issue - because I am sure even if I had a RAM recorder the discs would likely not work anyways.

What should I do? Keep my -R recorder and not worry about it. It is a great machine and I got it for a great price.. and even if I get a different one.. odds are it wouldn't make a difference..

?? PS I will call Toshiba.

[bunyip]

Here's some more to think about ..

I have two DVD burners on my desktop, a Pioneer (DVR-109) and an LG (GSA-4040B).
The Pioneer can record DVD-R (SL and DL) and DVD+R (SL and DL).
The LG can record DVD-R (SL only), DVD+R (SL only) and DVD-RAM.

Using the same burning software, same ISO settings and DVD blanks from the same batch, identical discs are produced.

Both discs play without problem in other Desktops and on standalone DVD players, however put these discs in my Toshiba Satellite Laptop and it will happily accept and play the LG disc but always rejects the Pioneer disc as an 'Invalid Disc'.

I don't have any answers but it sure looks like a combination of the way the Pioneer drive writes plus the fussiness of the Toshiba drive.

In my case I just have to remember to use the LG burner if I want the disc to be readable on the Toshiba laptop.

[kasfig]

Hi
Just as a matter of interest: how does your laptop fare when you try to playback commercial DVD disks in it
Ian

[Krispy Kritter]

If you open my computer or windows explorer, can you see the discs and the files that are on them? If you can, then you just need playback software with mpeg2 support (PowerDVD, VLC, etc.)...or install an mpeg2 codec. If you can't read the disc, then you are having a hardware or media issue.

[SteveMKIIDub]

I think I am going to just suck it up and keep my DVR. I will have to deal with not watchign it on my computer, which, I probably would have gotten bored with anyways.

It's so tempromental that I really think you guys are right - Toshiba uses ridiculously crappy drives. Commercial DVD's work perfect and the burned DVD's work OCCASIONALY.