Still Baffled About Blank DVDs

Hi:

Please read this posting carefully because I appear to have difficulty communicating my point about blank DVDs in the DVD copying process.

I use a Sansui DVD/VCR Combo Recorder to record movies from TV. This recorder initializes blank DVDs as the first operation on the DVD. I can also re-format the DVD there to produce a DVD-Video or DVD-VR format. The rest of this is not relevant to my point.

When I try to use a blank DVD, one that has been formatted by the Sansui DVD Recorder or one that is "raw" right out of the blank DVD stack, my DVD drive on my PC does not recognize either of these DVDs after I after inserted(one or the other). I cannot find any reference to this operation anywhere online. Also, I have talked to tech support personnel by phone, but we just talk past each other. No one with whom I have talked tell me what to do about this problem. To them, the situation does not occur.

Will someone help me salvage some of hair by telling me what is done with a "raw" DVD before it is used during a recording/copying process? That would be a gigantic favor to me, one that would be greatly appreciated.

wlloyd

 

Hi wlloyd, I had to do some research on that dvd-vr format to see what you were dealing with. That is a special type format used by some stand alone recorders. It uses a DVD-RW (rewritable) disc. This type of disc is used to give you some control over TV recording similar to the VHS tape. You can reuse the disc over and over. From what I read, if the VR format is burned on a -RW disc it CAN NOT be played on a normal player. If the VR format is burned on +RW disc, they claim it will play ok on most players. Any blank(raw) RW disc needs to be formatted before it can be used to write on. This is why the raw disc isn't seen by your PC drive. If the PC dvd drive is a burner, it can format or erase a RW disc. I got this information by just doing a search for DVD-VR FORMAT in Windows. Hope this helps
Jerry

 

wlloyd,

OK, let's see how I do -

1. You have a Sansui DVD/VCR Combo Recorder. This is a standalone unit hooked up to your TV.

2. This unit uses regular DVD's purchased at most any store.

3. The DVD's that are used by your unit are most probably DVD+RW's or DVD-RW’s. I make this statement because you speak of re-formatting your DVD's.

4. You also have a PC with a DVD drive.

Now, I'll make some assumptions, if they are incorrect you'll need to correct them by number.

Assumptions -

1. I am going to assume that your Sansui DVD/VCR Combo Recorder can't use just any DVD RW disc. For the sake of trying to solve your problem, let us say that your Combo unit can only use DVD+RW discs.

2. I am going to assume that your PC's DVD Drive is in fact a burner, meaning that you can record on them.

3. I am further going to assume that when you record something on your PC you can use ONLY DVD-R discs.

(Note: at this point all will hold true if the discs in # 1. are DVD-RW discs and the discs in # 2. are DVD+R media)

If the above are accurate then, what would happen is that your PC wouldn't be able to recognize your standalone's disc because the media wouldn't be correct. It would be possible to play a DVD that had been recorded on your standalone because playing can cross that media line but it wouldn't read the blank because it was the wrong type of media.


There is a final possibility - that is, if the DVD's media that you are using in your standalone are extremely cheap. Your PC might not read them. Most PC's are "classy Ladies" and only sit down to lunch serving quality food. No "Fast-food" like the girls on the bad side of town would go for. To test that theory, serve some quality Name Brand media and see if both will eat.


As to your last query, most DVD’s used in PC’s come “ready to wear”. If it were a previously used RW disc, it would have to be formatted, erased, and cleaned to present a good surface to record on. My assumption about your standalone unit, since it records over and over, it probably re-formats itself as soon as you put it in the unit and press record.

Now, your turn, tell me where I’ve assumed incorrectly or where I’ve misunderstood your question and we’ll narrow it down.

Pete


(I feel like a school kid, wondering if I passed my last math test.)

 

See there Jerry, again, I type too slow

 

Hi there Pete, I'm not much better. My 2 fingers get tired peckin away here. Sometimes I get fancy and add a thumb.
Jerry