DVD recorder fault

It may have a partial recording on it and needs to be "formatted" to empty it.
Same fault can happen if you try to use a disc thats been "finalized"

Hello sir ,


When did u buy the system ???

E4 is a fault code not an error message. It means there's something wrong with the device. You need to take it to be serviced.

Hi -

I'll try to explain without confusing you any further, but if anything doesn't make sense, please let me know. The instructions on page 79 are contradictory, which doesn't help very much. The upper part of the page suggests you can create extra space on a DVD+RW disc by deleting titles, while the lower part, in the grey box, states you cannot. The bottom part is actually correct.

I'll split this into two sections - blank/unused and used discs then explore a few scenarios.

Blank/unused discs

A DVD+RW is typically 4.7GB and will record approx. 2 hours of video in SP mode or 4 hours inLP mode. If you record more than one programme, they will appear consecutively in the disc editing menu, and shown as numbered blocks in the Title List. The last block shown will always be 'EMPTY', but the actual size of this block can be all or none of the total capacity of the disc.

If you insert a blank DVD+RW disc into the machine and view the title list, you will see this:






Although you can't 'record' to a block labelled EMPTY, this doesn't mean you cannot record to this disc. The blank space on the disc precedes the block labelled as 'EMPTY'.

If you then record one programme of 1 hour duration in SP mode. the title list will look like this:






Once again, although you can't 'record' to the block labelled EMPTY, this doesn't mean this disc is full or that you cannot record anything else on it. The next programme recorder will appear between title 1 and the 'empty' block - as long as there is sufficient space on the disc remaining to record the programme.

If you then record a second programme of 1 hour duration in SP mode. the title list will look like this:






This disc is now full as 2 hours of video has been recorded in SP mode. However, if you'd only recorded 1 hour in total for these 2 programmes, you would still be able to record another hour of video in SP to this disc. The additional programmes would appear between the last numbered title and the 'empty' block - until the disc is full.

The empty block is always present and you cannot 'get rid of it', but it doesn't mean the disc is full or cannot be recorded on.

Hopefully, this goes some way to explaining it, but I still need need to explain what happens with used / full discs when you want to delete programmes and re-record.

There is a maximum length for messages posted on FixYa and I may be getting close to this, so rather than break off in mid-flow, I will continue the explanation for used discs in another message below this one. I will do this right now, but it will probably take me 20 minutes or so to write part 2, so keep checking back. It will be less confusing if you hold any questions until I've written part 2, but I will be happy to answer any after that.

Regards,
BElectric

You might need to finalise the disc first before it will play elsewhere.

First, try to refinalize the disc if it failed the first time by going into the edit menu. Sometimes finalization just fails the first time.

If you are recording on 2-hr mode, and the length of your recording is an 1hr 50 min or more, there will not be enough space left on the disc to finalize. Going forward, your best solution would be to record in 3- or 4-hour mode for every 2 hrs worth of recording (6-hour mode for 3-5 hours of recording, etc.). Just to quickly decipher recording modes: 2-hr mode (sometimes called SP Mode, depending on DVD player) will record about 2 hours worth of material on a standard blank DVD (but some extra space would be required for finalization); 4-hour mode would record 4 hours worth of material on a standard DVD; 6-hour mode would record 6 hours, etc.

As far as salvaging the recordings you have already made - load the burned, yet unfinalized DVD's into your computer. Copy the files onto the desktop or some easy-to-find location on your computer. Then use a program, free or otherwise (I personally reccomend Nero or Roxio), to re-burn the discs. The newer version of Nero automatically finalizes the disc, but some software requires you to select an option that allows you to "close disc" or "finalize" the disc. (In computer lingo, "closing" means the same thing as "finalizing").

Good luck!

-Tha Mp3 Doctor

You just may have an issue with your DVD recorder. Happens.

i tellya what the problem is...


that thar recordification device is broke!

this happens all the time on my dvd player. im just about ready to throw it out the window. ive only had it awhile.
i called customer service. they said you need a dvd cleaner to clean the lens. I bought one called dvd dr laser lens cleaner. unfortunately, it rejected that disc as well. you could try it i guess, but good luck. tell me what happens. in the meantime, i'm going to put this piece of garbage up on ebay or throw it out my window. total waste of 300 something dollars. buy the warranty! i didn't and im paying through the nose.
i payed $80 for a new laser about 2 years ago, it did JACK. so, dont do that either. sorry to sound so aggravated, but i have been working on this for a few hours now. i opened it up and tried to look at the lens. looks fine. good luck.

• Extra Fine mode (3-9Mbps record speed): Approx. 20 min. minimum per side. • Fine mode (6Mbps record speed): Approx. 30 min. per side (1 hour total). • Standard mode (3Mbps record speed): Approx. 1 hr. per side (2 hours total).