# Program to format DVD-RW's **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 3, 2005, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-format-dvd-rws/282781 "2005-01-03T02:57:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-format-dvd-rws/282781/1 "2005-01-03T02:57:21Z")
I have a Sanyo VCR/DVD recorder combo, bit it has a problem formatting DVD-RW’s in VR mode. Once it’s done formatting, it stays stuck. It has a timer, which stays at 0 minutes 0 seconds until I unplug the machine and plug it back in. The DVD is perfectly usable, and this is only the second time it happened, but I don’t want to be doing this forever. I don’t think I can return it, nor do I want to, since this is the only problem. I’m hoping maybe there’s a program I can get for the PC that will format DVD’s in VR mode. I have Nero, but that only seems to recognize +RW DVDs, which my DVD recorder doesn’t recognize. Anyway, I’ve looked on line and can’t find what I’m looking for, so if any of you have any suggestions, I’d appreciate it. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2005, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-format-dvd-rws/282781/2 "2005-01-03T14:25:45Z")
From what I understand, DVDs recorded in VR mode use the same _disc format_ as other DVDs… VR data is just a different format of data that is placed on the disc. On your machine, is this disc formatting done before you record? (In other words, do you have to prepare the disc before recording in VR mode? (I’ve never used a machine that records in VR mode.) ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-format-dvd-rws/282781/3 "2005-01-04T02:22:10Z")
If you put in a DVD R, it automatically records in Video Mode. This doesn’t allow any editing or adding chapters, or anything like that. If you put in a DVD RW you can format it in Video Mode, or VR mode, which is less compatible with other players, but allows for editing options. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-format-dvd-rws/282781/4 "2005-01-04T02:44:23Z")
And as for what VR mode is - [VR Mode](http://www.ulead.com/learning/general/video_04_1.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-format-dvd-rws/282781/5 "2005-01-04T02:49:28Z")
> [@Master Control](#): > > I’m hoping maybe there’s a program I can get for the PC that will format DVD’s in VR mode. I have a Panasonic recorder that uses DVD-RAM discs. It records in the VR mode as well. When I transfer the data to my computer, I can go through the command prompt and change the extension from .VRO to .MPEG and, poof!, it’s an MPEG file that can be edited with any MPEG editor. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-format-dvd-rws/282781/6 "2005-01-04T02:50:44Z")
When I’ve tried to format a VR disc and put it back in the recorder, however, the recorder gives me an “Unsupported format” error and I have to reformat it in the recorder. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-format-dvd-rws/282781/7 "2005-01-04T02:53:23Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > I have a Panasonic recorder that uses DVD-RAM discs. It records in the VR mode as well. > > When I transfer the data to my computer, I can go through the command prompt and change the extension from .VRO to .MPEG and, poof!, it’s an MPEG file that can be edited with any MPEG editor. Let me rephrase. What/which PC program(s) can I use to simply format a DVD-RW disk to VR mode, so that I can pop it into my DVD recorder and use it. Actually, thinking about it, I said I tried Nero, but that’s not quiet right. I used InCD with a DVD +RW. I’ll try Nero itself with a DVD -RW but if that doesn’t work, other programs that could do the job would be appreciated. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-format-dvd-rws/282781/8 "2005-01-04T02:56:57Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > When I’ve tried to format a VR disc and put it back in the recorder, however, the recorder gives me an “Unsupported format” error and I have to reformat it in the recorder. Well, if it comes to that, well, I don’t think I have my reciept, and we’ve owned it a couple of months now, so I don’t think I can return or exchange it, plus, we (my wife and I) bought it to replace a VCR/DVD player that was on the fritz and I don’t want to have to get yet another replacement. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-format-dvd-rws/282781/9 "2005-01-04T03:00:55Z")
[Look at this forum entry](http://www.videohelp.com/forum/archive/t246174.html) ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2005, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/program-to-format-dvd-rws/282781/10 "2005-01-04T03:03:07Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > [Look at this forum entry](http://www.videohelp.com/forum/archive/t246174.html) OK, will do. Thanks.