I just started trying to record my home movies and some tv programs on DVD. But I can only play these recorded DVDs on my recording device (SANYO DRW-500). They won't play on other DVDs. My tv gives me a message like "can't read this dvd." Does anyone know what I might be doing wrong? DVDs are DVD+R. I read somewhere in this forum that DVDs must be finalized. Does anyone know what this means?
Since you using an actual DVD recorder that is connnected to your cable, when you finish recording and wish to watch it you must indeed finalize your disc. It is easy to do. Just go into your recorder's menu, and choose edit disc. Follow the prompts til you get the erase, format, finalize screen, and then choose finalize. If this option is grayed out, the disc has already been finalized. Sometimes just by playing it on the recorder will do the job. You aren't taping with VHS anymore,LOL :>)
What you are doing is closing the disc out, just like your burner does when it burns a disc, you'll see in the log it's "finalizing" the disc.
What I like to do is record a movie or show(one that isn't on DVD) then I'll rip it to my hard drive and run it thru a program like NeroVisionExpress(NVE) 3 or DvdLab(I like the Pro version better, but either will work)) and edit commercials or endings where the show ended but the recorder wasn't stopped, add a custom menu, set chapters, make a custom cover in Nero cover design(I get my pictures and synopsis off the show or movie's site)and presto!
I have a custom, professional looking DVD with an operational menu with which I can navigate my DVD and select chapters.
