I kind of liked the 2003-4 models that gave options for this as well as naming the disc. Pioneer 2005-6 still does but Panny E55 2006 and other 2006s seem not to. Give us some info on this.

The Panasonic EH75 (and I presume the EH55) have this as an option, and you make the choice before you burn each disc. I like it (the option) - why not?

My Sylvania gives several different "Finalize" options. I like the flexibility.

Exactly as dsmith901 says - why wouldn't you want the option? I wouldn't want the finalization forced on me, but I do use it very often and like the fact that I can burn a disc without having to do two separate operations on it.

Wouldn't auto finalize get in the way if you wanted to record two or more programs to a disc during separate recording sessions (i.e., you wouldn't want to finalize the disc after the first program is recorded to disc, for instance)? So I having a choice would be the right way to go and auto finalize would be handy most of the time when you are completing a disc during a single session.

Automatic finalization, and the lack of editing, are the major reasons I didn't get a combined Tivo/DVD recorder. I like being able to record things in several sessions to a DVD.

I think I've only used the "DVD Video creation" (IIRC) menu a few times, which lets you dub and finalizes in one step on the Toshibas. Usually I just dub specific things, then when it's full, I manually finalize.

I kind of liked the 2003-4 models that gave options for this as well as naming the disc. Pioneer 2005-6 still does but Panny E55 2006 and other 2006s seem not to. Give us some info on this.

I dont have a problem with an automated prompt for finalization, as long as you can turn off that option in the Setup!

If I was recording one per dvd programs (eg basketball games) it would be convenient... But if was recording music videos or weekly episodes or other non-dvd-filling-programs it would annoy me...