I recorded video from my Sony Handycam to the RH387H HDD and then wrote the video onto a DVD-R disc using the XP setting (instead of SP, LP.....). The disc can only playback now on the LG387H, but cannot playback on another DVD players that can play DVD-R disc or not even on my laptop!? Please help.

You can set tape speed SP or LP in record mode only and can not change it in playback mode.
To set tape speed, turn camcorder in camera mode and go to Menu and set SP or LP in record speed option.

The amount of recording time on a disc depends on the recording mode selected. The approximate recording time for each of these modes is listed below:

HQ (High Quality): Recordable time is up to 20 minutes.

SP (Standard Play): Recordable time is up to 30 minutes.

LP (Long Play): Recordable time is up to 60 minutes.

NOTE: If you record in LP mode, the quality of the scenes may be degraded, or scenes with quick movement may appear with a block noise when you play back the disc.

When you indicate that the Canon no longer produces video, what do you get? Anything at all? We may be able to "repair" the Canon to use it to retrieve the info. Please update this with a more detailed description of the symptoms for the Canon. Thanks, Dan

It will only high speed dub in the speed it was recorded in. You can dub, for example, SP on your hard drive to SP on a DVD. You cannot dub high speed, for example, SP on your hard drive to LP on a DVD.

In 1990s Sony camcorder records movie in analog format so playing in digital camcorder like DCR-TRV730 doesn't mean it will be converted in digital format and you can not import file in PC for editing purpose. You will get analog signal while playing back old cassettes.

Regarding SP, LP speed, its decided at time of recording. Camera sens SP or LP automatically in playback and set itself accordingly.

If you want to convert old cassettes into digital format, connect our camcorder to DVD recorder and burn DVD which is digital format, copy DVD files in to PC and do desired editing.

I just got a RH387H in Hong Kong, region 3, but the above method doesn't work, this model has slightly different icon, no "lock" icon, I tried in other similar location but no effect, hopefully someone will provide a method.
ipw

Power up camera on Camera mode, go to menu, select camera settings, go to Record Mode and select SP or LP there. Now your camera is ready to record as per selection.
You can not change speed SP/LP during playback mode because its properties of signal set during recording.

When you recorded your "footage" was the dvd recorder set to 2hr (sp), 2.5hr (spp), or 3hr (LP), etc.?Because for example, you downloaded (recorded to your hdd)your "footage" that is say 3hrs long, and your recorder is set to record at 2hrs mode(sp), then when you put a blank dvd in recorder to transfer from hdd to blank dvd, the 3hrs of your "footage" has been recorded in 2hr mode on your hdd, and will only record in 2hr mode onto your blank dvd. Solution is to set your recorder to the record mode in which your "footage" length is. For example, if your "footage" length is 3hrs, set your recorder mode to LP then when you insert your blank dvd should be okay. Or, set your recorder mode to 2hr (sp) and make two recordings of your "footage" onto hdd, splitting them up: 2hr on one, and 1hr on the other.When you burn to blank dvd you will have to have 2 blank dvds, one for 2hrs, the other for 1hr. I had to same thing happen to me. I hope this works for ya.

First thing to try is updating the picture package software(assuming you have windows XP); http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/swu-list.pl?mdl=DCRDVD403&UpdateType=Everything&SelectOS=7 Probably worth uninstalling and reinstalling the program before applying the update. The update doesn't claim to fix your issue, but try it anyway, there are sometimes additional parts to these updates. Here is the link for the user manual if you need it; http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-documents.pl?mdl=DCRDVD403®ion_id=1 Check page 100 - USB speed setting - see if that makes a difference. Check page 86, it has contact links for pixela, who support the software. If you record a movie, then finalise the disc before trying to transfer the video, this should stop any recording over information without formatting the disc first. then put the disk into your pc dvd drive instead of using the cable link. You should then be able to view the movies using most media player programs. Try a dvd on which there are only movie files, no still images - see if you get the same problem. Hope this helps, please ask again if you still have a problem :)

See the manual, page 8:

What are “Recording modes”? for DVD-RW
There are two recording modes available using this
recorder: VR mode and Video mode. When recording to
a DVD-R disc, recordings are always in Video mode.
DVD-RW discs can be formatted for VR mode recording
or Video mode recording.
VR mode recording
• 4 different picture quality/recording time settings available
(SP, LP, EP, XP)
• Not playable on regular DVD players
• Recordings can be extensively edited
• Total number of titles on the disc should be less than
99.
Video mode recording
• 4 different picture quality/recording time settings available
(SP, LP, EP, XP)
• Playable on regular DVD players (after finalizing)
• Limited editing features
• Total number of titles on the disc should be less than
99.
Note :
DVD-Video Format (Video mode) is a new format for
recording on DVD-R/RW discs that was approved by
the DVD Forum in 2000. You may therefore experience
problems playing recordable DVD discs in some players.
Symptoms include video artifacts, audio and/or
video dropouts and playback suddenly stopping.
Our company cannot take responsibility for problems
playing discs recorded on this VCR/DVD Recorder in
other players.