Are DVDs Incompatible Between Mag Recorders?

[Novice20]

I got the Mag 557 DVD recorder to complement (backup) my Mag 513 DVD recorder. I tried using a 513 recorded +RW DVD on the 557. While it will play the DVD it will not let me delete titles. I then tested formatting a new +RW disk on the 557, recorded something and deleted the title. Taking that DVD back to the 513, I get an error message that the disk cannot be used.

Am I missing some step here or are they really incompatible and I need to buy a new stack of DVDs for the 557?

Thank you.

[usually_quiet]

According to one post I recall reading, the new Magnavox 557 uses a different method for recording/authoring than the Magnavox 513, so it makes sense that one cannot delete individual titles recorded by the other.

Formatting/erasing the whole disk should still work. I have reformatted re-writable DVDs recorded by a DVD recorder from another maker or authored using my PC, and they worked fine. So no you should not need to buy new DVDs for your new Magnavox 557 recorder. All you need to do is watch everything on the disc and then format/erase the whole disk.

[Novice20]

Thanks usually_quiet. I thought that deleting all titles was equivalent to formatting. I didn't realize that there is a way to force formatting of an already formatted +RW disk. I'll have to find how to do that - I didn't see it in the manual. It just says that formatting a "new' disk is automatically done.

[usually_quiet]

Thanks usually_quiet. I thought that deleting all titles was equivalent to formatting. I didn't realize that there is a way to force formatting of an already formatted +RW disk. I'll have to find how to do that - I didn't see it in the manual. It just says that formatting a "new' disk is automatically done.

I just downloaded the manual for the Magnavox MDR557H/F7. I discovered something unexpected. Unlike all the older models, it doesn't record to DVD+R and DVD+RW.** It can only use DVD-R and DVD-RW discs. It looks like I was wrong about replacing media, if you only have DVD+R and DVD+RW. That stinks!

[Edit]**The manual doesn't mention any recordable media other than DVD-R or any re-recordable media other than DVD-RW.

[Novice20]

You were not wrong. As usual, your information is right. That's yet another error in the manual! See #9:
http://www.avsforum.com/forum/106-dvd-recorders-standard-def/940657-magnavox-557-537-5...l#post24661094
"+R/+RW DVDs - contrary to manual, THE 557 DOES RECORD TO AND PLAY BACK DVD+R AND DVD+RW, even though they're not listed as either Playable or Unplayable in the manual. See one user report: http://www.avsforum.com/forum/106-dvd-recorders-standard-def/940657-magnavox-557-537-5...l#post25041770

[usually_quiet]

You were not wrong. As usual, your information is right. That's yet another error in the manual! See #9:
http://www.avsforum.com/forum/106-dvd-recorders-standard-def/940657-magnavox-557-537-5...l#post24661094
"+R/+RW DVDs - contrary to manual, THE 557 DOES RECORD TO AND PLAY BACK DVD+R AND DVD+RW, even though they're not listed as either Playable or Unplayable in the manual. See one user report: http://www.avsforum.com/forum/106-dvd-recorders-standard-def/940657-magnavox-557-537-5...l#post25041770

That is good to know. Did you have any luck formatting a DVD+RW with existing recordings so the disc could be re-used?

[Novice20]

No I didn't. It's odd. Being downward incompatible could make sense if they are using a new method/layout to delete files/headers. But the upward incompatibility is not a normal situation. As it can play the disk it has to be able to read the header information, so it should be able to delete it. I suppose the delete software is looking for the "new' format header/files and so doesn't know what to make of the old format.

[usually_quiet]

No I didn't. It's odd. Being downward incompatible could make sense if they are using a new method/layout to delete files/headers. But the upward incompatibility is not a normal situation. As it can play the disk it has to be able to read the header information, so it should be able to delete it. I suppose the delete software is looking for the "new' format header/files and so doesn't know what to make of the old format.

Try reformatting a DVD+RW with a PC. Maybe the Magnavox MDR557H/F7 will be able to format the DVD+RW to video mode after doing that.