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Sony DVD Recorder DVDs won't play elsewhere?

My husband has a Sony DVD Recorder RDR-GX3, he is transferring Video films onto DVD discs, he is using DVD-R discs, when he tries to play them back on other DVD's they won't play. Can you tell me if this is a problem with the DVD or the the discs that he is using.

Dave's Answer:

There could be any number of different problems that your husband is encountering in this situation:

First, is he finalizing the disks? In order to use the disks on other players the disk must be finalized, something that might not be necessary for the Sony player itself.

Second, most, but not all DVD players will play DVD-R. Look in the users manual to see what formats yours will play. (My friend's unit will play -R but not +R and I have one that will play +R but not -R). If that's the problem, double check whether it can have its firmware upgraded (go figure) and then play DVD+-R discs. You could also try using DVD+R or DVD+RW disks to see if that makes a difference.

Is he making Video-CD's (VCD) in the transfer process? VCDs will only play on certain DVD player equipment.

Are the disks he is using able to support the recorders write speed? Using disks that do not support the write speed will cause unreliable results. These disks may or may not work on the recorder but will not likely work on other devices.

Will the disks play back in the recorder once finalized? if yes and it won't play on your player see if you have a friend that can play it in their player.

If all the of the parameters are met, i.e., it's the right right speed, format and it is finalized the disk should work in a player that supports the format.

So if it still doesn't work, then you might want to talk with Sony support.

Hope this all helps. Lots of questions and ideas, but this is a tricky question.

Thanks to Larry, Maladon, Chris Thomas, Mike Clark, Chris Buechler and John Marshall for their input on this answer

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Comments

I have a Sony 23" LCD TV, a Sony DVD Player/VCR, and I just bought a cheap DVD Recorder and Player. I "connected" things, but the recorder doesn't work. And now the VCR won't play. I am now thoroughly confused. Where can I find "plain English" help in connecting all components so they work?

Posted by: C Duckett at September 12, 2005 8:30 PM

Dear Dave, We have a JVC DVD/VCR recorder (it's about 3 years old). Today, when we tried to play a DVD on it, the screen came up black instead of the blue screen with the words JVC. Nothing would operate on the DVD section. The VCR section works perfectly. We have two separate remotes, one for the TV and one for the combo. Could we have pressed a button on one of these remotes to cause this to happen? Thanks for your assistance. laurie

Posted by: Laurie at March 16, 2007 12:22 AM

I have a sony dcr-dvd 201 recorder. The discs are finalized and all the video play back and photos can be viewed on my computer. I can copy the photos with no problem The files are .info. From the disc they play back in winDVD and Nero. But when I copy the video to my computer they will not play back in any program. Any suggestions on why the files work on the disc but not on the computer?

Posted by: Ros at April 13, 2007 7:00 AM

I have recently bought a sony w series lcd,and
want to get a dvd recorder to go with it,I have
been told that it must be digital,is this so ?

Posted by: ray at April 15, 2007 7:48 AM

Dear Dave
I recently bought a refurbished Sony RDR GX210 DVD recorder. It started and recorded ok and I used RW+ discs successfully. I have now tried using R+ blanks and while they record well I am unable to finalise them. It could be a problem with initial formatting although they play ok on the Sony or perhaps a software fault on the finalisation . Any ideas /suggestions. Phillips used to supply software updates which cured most of their problems PS the gtee proved useless as the company has gone into liquidation (Isoldit)
I am using good quality x4 or x8 speed blanks Thanks

Posted by: Clive Temple-Court at May 8, 2007 12:57 PM

every dvd i try to burn on my sony elicits a message "this disk is dirty. Ciuk\ld this be a or\problem with the machine of a bad batch of disks?

Posted by: jerry cassidy at November 28, 2007 10:59 AM

re:sony GX330 dvd-recorder. Usual great Sony quality, logic and remote control. Great flex for the scheduling and selection of record time. But with two different units, can't get the recorded CD to play in other players. Your advice above missed the mark. Have tried +r, -r, +RW, and -RW and idfferent brand discs. What am I doing wrong?

Posted by: J. Nordstrom at December 23, 2007 11:28 AM

What other brands of dvd-r 4x 4.7gb will work in my Sony RDR-VX500 Recorder,other than Verbatim...which i have always used,but can't find them available anywhere.

Thank......

Posted by: W.Spivey at January 1, 2008 2:33 PM

Hi I have a sony dvd recorder RDR-GX210.When I try to play a dvd the dvd tray opens and a message on the tv screen tells me it can not play disc. please can you help many thanks michael.

Posted by: michael randall at February 15, 2008 11:41 AM

I have just bought a Sony DVD recorder PDR-GX350 I recorded and played back OK but when I try to record on the same Disk it come's up disc full all the time, how do I clear it?

Posted by: Sharyn at January 10, 2009 8:14 AM

I have the sony rdr-gx300 dvd recorder. Until recently it would format drd-rw disks. I bought some new ones tdk rw disks and I get a message saying this is unrecordable. The DVD on my computer records on them and after recording THEN the rdr-gx300 will play them. Why doesn't it format disks anymore?

Posted by: gary at January 14, 2009 12:42 PM

I have a jvc everio camcorder hybrid and I bought a sony muti function dvd recorder VRD-Mc5 and it say it can be use with any camcorder well tell how to burn with a sony but not with a jvc I try every thing and i can't get it to burn /copy the vidoes that I have in my camcorder and what I need to do to copy my videos. can you help me out
thanks
Denise

Posted by: denise leese at January 26, 2009 10:20 PM

I'm having problems with my DVD recorder DVD movies I created worked fine for a while untill one by one began the habit of not responding any more. My machine has got into the habit of sometimes plays movies and somretimes it dosn't. The ones that don''t play play seems to respond well in my laptop intervidero software. Why the unpredicability?

Posted by: Geoffrey Thomas at January 27, 2009 3:21 PM

I bought a Sony dvd recorder model gx330 2 years ago and have not had any problems with it until 3 days ago.
I was going to record a show when all of a sudden, it turned off and when it came back on, the only thing that appeared was the WELCOME, and I could not get it to go off.
I did everything my manual said, but so far nothing has helped it.
I can also hear the hard drive spinning after it has been on for about 30 sceonds.
What, if anything could I possible do to correct this problem or is my unit fryed?

Posted by: Loney McKee at April 6, 2009 5:28 PM

i have a dvd player/ video cassette recorder

slv-d380p

cassette portion works fine, with cd in it comes

up "insert disc". i open and reinsert but it

comes up insert disc. please help

Posted by: joseph kammerer at April 28, 2009 2:49 PM

I have a RCA DVD/VCR Recorder. Up until about 3 months ago I could record on discs DVD+R/DVD+RW. Now my DVD recorder will not finalize my discs...could you tell me what might be wrong?

Posted by: Dennis at May 24, 2009 10:52 AM

i have sony dvd but not nero what can i do

Posted by: dhiraj at June 9, 2009 3:38 AM

Dear Sir
Thank you for your ood cooperation.
bughted one Sony dvd DCR-DVD905 when i take photo or play i cant dowonload to my cumputer what i shuld to do .

Posted by: Dr.Wahed Noor at September 1, 2009 3:58 AM

I own a JVC Everio GZ-MG330 camcorder and a Sony VRD-MC5 DVD recorder. I am not able to transfer video from the JVC to the Sony. The Sony recorder posts a "waiting for input signal" message even after I plug the JVC camera in and try to proceed with transfer. I have read that the JVC MPEG 2 file format is an odd one, and now wonder if it might not be compatible with the Sony, but I'm not sure that this is the problem. An older Sony Handycam transfers video over to the VRD-MC5 without any issues. Am I screwed here? Or is there a fix. I certainly appreciate any help in this matter.

Posted by: Jay at October 23, 2009 5:46 PM

I have a lot to say, but ...

I have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but most of all I'd like to say thank you for all your efforts on this Web site by buying you a chai!

I do have a comment, now that you mention it!