Hardware Why don't my DVD recorder work on ONE type of disk ?

[CannonFoddr]

First some background:- Old PC (about 5-7yrs old) running XP + sp3... DVD recorder is a Optiarc AD-5170A

I'm transferring some homemade VHS movies onto DVD for a friend & I had put a couple onto DVD+R disks for them to try out first...
Found out their DVD player (a Panasonic VHS/DVD combo player - don't know the model though) couldn't play them...something about 'reading' them 'no disk found')

Looking in all the manuals for this type of panasonic player & found out it wasn't DVD+R compatible BUT can play DVD-R disks, so natch I was going to put them onto DVD-R disks - however no matter what programs I use (Pinnacle 12 / Cyberpower director/ CDBurnerXP etc) I am unable to put them onto ANY type of DVD-R disk.(I've tried 3 different manufacturers)

Keep getting messages like 'Unable to burn'/ 'Disk not compatible' etc
- Now I KNOW my DVD recorder can burn onto DVD-R disks (as stated in the Specs & because I had done DVD-R in the past for other people), but now it 's not working.....

I can STILL record onto DVD+R disks, CD+/-R & RW (not sure what what DVD+R9 disks are & I've never done DL), so why is it ONLY DVD-R it's failing to do now ??

I've tried lens cleaning, Uninstall/reinstall DVD from Control Panel/System/Device, unplugged/plugged in drive/ couple of registry edits + other 'tips' I've found on the WWW - but no success (I haven't done a full clean Windows XP install though - to much hassle with all the stuff I've collected over the years,)

I know it's not a driver issue - since XP 'sees' the drive anyway & uses 'generic' anyway (there's also no drivers available on the manufacturer website either)

I'm suspecting it's the drive @ fault & suppose I COULD buy a new DVD recorder (they're only ~ £20-30 for a PATA one)
but am thinking of updating the old PC anyway to perhaps this with a few 'upgrades' like SSD / cooler etc (just not looking forward to reinstalling all the software etc - I'm BOUND to forget something or lost the registration details of some of the software I own)



Why does the DVD drive refuse to work with just the one type of disk (DVD-R) but works fine for all other disks ???
Any suggestions ??
Any other 'tricks' I could try just to confirm the DVD is on it's last legs ??

Thanks in advance

 

[Originality]

I use imgburn myself...

Have you tried setting it to bitset/booktype the DVD as DVD-ROM?
EDIT: With DVD+R discs that is.

 

[CannonFoddr]

I use imgburn myself...

Have you tried setting it to bitset/booktype the DVD as DVD-ROM?
EDIT: With DVD+R discs that is.

Is that a feature of Imgburn ?? is so where is it in the options....
I'm afraid I'm totally lost about 'bitset/booktype' terms - what are they ??

EDIT - I found the option for 'change book type'.... however the ONLY one that doesn't show an error when I select a drive type is the NEC (yet AFAIK the AD-5170A is a Sony)
& when I try to change [Drive DVD+R] to 'DVD-ROM' I get 'Failed Reason parameter value invalid'

EDIT #2: - I tried 'normal' option & it 'changed' sucessfully & when I tried 'DVD-ROM' again it was successful, however it still doesn't work for DVD-R disks
this is the error log IMGBurn gives

Spoiler

I 19:58:13 Destination Device: [0:0:0] Optiarc DVD RW AD-5170A 1.14 (E (ATA)
I 19:58:13 Destination Media Type: DVD-R (Disc ID: RITEKF1)
I 19:58:13 Destination Media Supported Write Speeds: 2x, 4x, 6x, 8x, 12x, 16x
I 19:58:13 Destination Media Sectors: 2,298,496
I 19:58:13 Write Mode: DVD
I 19:58:13 Write Type: DAO
I 19:58:13 Write Speed: MAX
I 19:58:13 Link Size: Auto
I 19:58:13 Lock Volume: Yes
I 19:58:13 Test Mode: No
I 19:58:13 OPC: No
I 19:58:13 BURN-Proof: Enabled
W 19:58:13 Write Speed Miscompare! - MODE SENSE: 8,467 KB/s (6.1x), GET PERFORMANCE: 22,160 KB/s (16x)
I 19:58:13 Write Speed Successfully Set! - Effective: 22,160 KB/s (16x)
I 19:58:14 Filling Buffer... (80 MB)
I 19:58:16 Writing LeadIn...
W 19:59:13 Failed to Write Sectors 0 - 31 - Reason: Power Calibration Area Error
W 19:59:13 Retrying (1 of 20)...

I've been doing some searching about 'Power Calibration Area error'
Some results claim the driver at fault (what driver ?? It's using Windows 'generic' driver),other claim it's the media used (I've tried 3 types), others claim the speed I try burning at (I've gone down to x2 & it still happens), while other claim it MIGHT be the drive is faulty.(if so WHY is it only DVD-R that I can't burn ??)


AArrggghhhhh !!!!!

 

[Originality]

IIRC, bitsetting is only for DVD+R due to +R being the only one that has the adjustable value to make it -ROM. -R lacks that value, so it will always be recognised as -R and there are some DVD players that will refuse to play it because of that. Xbox 360 for example.

If bitsetting a DVD+R to DVD-ROM doesn't work for your DVD player, then I guess your only choice is trying with DVD-R.

Regarding the issue... sounds like laser calibration fault to me, and that's not something I have the skill to fix/advise on (I have some knowledge in the field due to working on xbox 360s, but not the skill). FAST might know enough to offer advice. Might.

 

[CannonFoddr]

Just to bump the thread (& give an update)....

Been looking @ reasons for 'Power Calibration Faults'...Sound like you could be right

IF I understand the threads I've been reading, it seems that DVD recorders 'writes' to part of the disk & tried to read it back... to try & get the power level required to burn the disk successfully (I believe it's somewhere near the middle of the disk)

Most threads I've been reading seems to say.....

• 'Change your disks' - I've tried Maxell, Memorex and a cheap one from my local ASDA
• 'Change the speed' - I've gone all the way down to 2X
• 'Drive f**ked' - still puzzled to why it can burn other disks, but not DVD-R

So NOW I have the choice...

• Do I go ahead & buy the new PC (~£1000 & have to wait a coupl of weeks for it))

- bit like using a Sledgehammer to crack a nut though

• Buy a new PATA DVD recorder & install it into the old PC (around £20-30) - take a couple of days for delivery

- If it STILL don't work then I guess it's all the Disks fault after all (I've not read many threads claiming Windows is at fault),
also when I do buy the new PC I'll [might] end up with 1-2 working DVD recorders... guess I could always sell them on ebay or something

- If it works I know it's the [old] DVD recorder

Still thanks for the help anyway, shame there's not a 'quick fix'

 

[Originality]

I think you should've gotten an external USB DVD writer. They're useful.

 

[CannonFoddr]

Actually never thought of that ... saves having to strip down the old PC to replace it (if I go that route)...
Also it MIGHT even work on the 'ol Laptop I have lying around (it's even OLDER than the PC) - that has a USB port (only a 1.1 I think though)

thanks for the suggestion - Best start looking then & checking the prices