I just bought a sony combo DVD/VCR recorder. I recorded a TV show on the EP setting and while it plays back fine on the Sony machine, it will not play on any other, or on my computer. Why is that, and what can I do to get it to play on my computer? If I record on SP will I be able to watch it? Just what is going on here?
Just to make things clear, it was recorded on the DVD recorder half of the dual machine.
You recorded a show, correct? EP mode is something like 4 hours of DVD time (unless you mean EP+ which is 6), and you probably recorded an hour or less. You need to finish filling the DVD and close it before it’ll play on any other device.
Yes, it is like 4 hours of play time. I thought that since it played on the sony it would be fine, but there are instructions on how to finalize the disc, and I guess that is what you meant. I just got this toy, and am still playing around with it.
You don’t have to fill the disc in order to finalize it, of course. To play it on other machines, not only do you have to finalize the disc, with some recorders you have to record it in a certain way (on our Samsung it has to be in “V” rather than “VR” mode) in order to play it with another brand of dvd player. We are able to play either mode on the computer, however. You’ll also want to read your manual and decide what kind of discs are best for your purposes. If you use rewriteables, you can unfinalize them, erasing whatever you’ve recorded, and use them over again (we found DVD-RWs to be the best choice for our recording and viewing habits).
I have a Sony too, and it doesn’t play on anything except itself.
They probably did this to avoid copyright infringement.
If I had known it in advance, I wouldn’t have bought the damned thing…