I have a RCA DRC8030N (recorder with 80GB HD). I have had nothing but enormous problems with this unit since I purchased it at Wal-Mart. I am hoping someone here can help troubleshoot and provide, simple, easy-to-understand (non-technical) answers.
According to the manual, the RCA DRC8030N is supposed to be able to BOTH PLAY and RECORD on DVD+/-R and DVD+/-RW discs. I have not tried recording onto + discs but I have recorded onto both -R and -RW discs (using a few different brands).
When done recording, I choose the Make Compatible command so I can finalize the -R or -RW disc and make it viewable on other DVD players and computers. However ... this does not work! I **cannot** get ANY other DVD player or computer to recognize or play ANY -R or -RW disc made on the RCA DRC8030N.
I have read the manuals, followed the instructions, and the other DVD player I am trying to play on **IS CAPABLE OF** playing (and even recordinig) the - format. Usually recording and finalizing a particular format goes hand-in-hand (you don't do one without being able to do the other on the same unit) -- so I do not know why I can't get the (minus) -R/-RW discs made in the RCA DRC8030N to be playable in other machines.
The only hint of a technical glitch or the manual maybe being wrong is a message at the bottom of the screen when I choose the Make Compatible command. It says to select Make Compatible "to make chapter edits of a +RW/+R disc compatible with other DVD players." Since the - (minus) format is omitted from this statement I'm thinking something is amiss.
However ... if -RW/-R discs may not be able to be finalized, then how come they can be recorded onto??? And how come the manual says they CAN be finalized and played on other machines???
When I choose the Make Compatible command the onscreen message DOES SAY to wait because the disc is being finalized. And I do hear the machine doing something and it DOES say it is updating disc information. But if you go back to the Disc Actions section, the Make Compatible command (that is under Disc Actions) is NOT grayed out. This leads me to think maybe the disc wasn't really finalized. I have tried locking and NOT locking the disc to see if that made a difference and it doesn't.
No matter what I do, and despite what the manual says, I cannot get -R and -RW discs to play on other machines that ARE - (minus) format compatible. It seems maybe -RW discs aren't getting finalized at all since all other players I try to play on see the disc as unaccessible. It is the same with -R discs for the most part too, although a time or two I did get my laptop to see the title thumbnail pics on a -R (but it would NOT play titles.)
ANY CLUES??? It is totally illogical to me that the RCA DRC8030N can record on -RW/-R discs but not finalize them. The manual says it is possible, so what is wrong?
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Other Problems with RCA DRC8030N
Help Appreciated
-------------------------------------------
-- Clock is sporadic in keeping time
-- When temporarily pausing during record, machine will not disengage pause and allow the recording to continue. Only way to disengage is to power machine off by unplugging the unit. (Remote and front controls won't work.) This corrupts the disc in the machine and makes the disc unusable. All recordings previously saved to disc are thus also lost.
-- Formatting of discs is erratic and machine sometimes gets stuck in formatting process. Only way to disengage is to power machine off by unplugging the unit. (Remote and front controls won't work.) This corrupts the disc in the machine and makes the disc unusable. All recordings previously saved to disc are thus also lost. (Even though the disc may be new and of a brand name successfully used and formatted before.)
-------------------------------------------
Opinions on RCA DRC8030N Wanted
-------------------------------------------
-- What's your opinion as a user/owner of RCA DRC8030N?
-- I find the unit VERY unfriendly and the remote cumbersome
-- Onscreen menus have too many hoops to jump thru and too much back and forth
-- Edit commands are beyond lousy (my Sylvania DVR91DG has spoiled me)
-- I would NEVER recommend this unit for anyone and highly doubt I would recommend anything RCA
According to the manual, the RCA DRC8030N is supposed to be able to BOTH PLAY and RECORD on DVD+/-R and DVD+/-RW discs. I have not tried recording onto + discs but I have recorded onto both -R and -RW discs (using a few different brands).
When done recording, I choose the Make Compatible command so I can finalize the -R or -RW disc and make it viewable on other DVD players and computers. However ... this does not work! I **cannot** get ANY other DVD player or computer to recognize or play ANY -R or -RW disc made on the RCA DRC8030N.
I have read the manuals, followed the instructions, and the other DVD player I am trying to play on **IS CAPABLE OF** playing (and even recordinig) the - format. Usually recording and finalizing a particular format goes hand-in-hand (you don't do one without being able to do the other on the same unit) -- so I do not know why I can't get the (minus) -R/-RW discs made in the RCA DRC8030N to be playable in other machines.
The only hint of a technical glitch or the manual maybe being wrong is a message at the bottom of the screen when I choose the Make Compatible command. It says to select Make Compatible "to make chapter edits of a +RW/+R disc compatible with other DVD players." Since the - (minus) format is omitted from this statement I'm thinking something is amiss.
However ... if -RW/-R discs may not be able to be finalized, then how come they can be recorded onto??? And how come the manual says they CAN be finalized and played on other machines???
When I choose the Make Compatible command the onscreen message DOES SAY to wait because the disc is being finalized. And I do hear the machine doing something and it DOES say it is updating disc information. But if you go back to the Disc Actions section, the Make Compatible command (that is under Disc Actions) is NOT grayed out. This leads me to think maybe the disc wasn't really finalized. I have tried locking and NOT locking the disc to see if that made a difference and it doesn't.
No matter what I do, and despite what the manual says, I cannot get -R and -RW discs to play on other machines that ARE - (minus) format compatible. It seems maybe -RW discs aren't getting finalized at all since all other players I try to play on see the disc as unaccessible. It is the same with -R discs for the most part too, although a time or two I did get my laptop to see the title thumbnail pics on a -R (but it would NOT play titles.)
ANY CLUES??? It is totally illogical to me that the RCA DRC8030N can record on -RW/-R discs but not finalize them. The manual says it is possible, so what is wrong?
-------------------------------------------
Other Problems with RCA DRC8030N
Help Appreciated
-------------------------------------------
-- Clock is sporadic in keeping time
-- When temporarily pausing during record, machine will not disengage pause and allow the recording to continue. Only way to disengage is to power machine off by unplugging the unit. (Remote and front controls won't work.) This corrupts the disc in the machine and makes the disc unusable. All recordings previously saved to disc are thus also lost.
-- Formatting of discs is erratic and machine sometimes gets stuck in formatting process. Only way to disengage is to power machine off by unplugging the unit. (Remote and front controls won't work.) This corrupts the disc in the machine and makes the disc unusable. All recordings previously saved to disc are thus also lost. (Even though the disc may be new and of a brand name successfully used and formatted before.)
-------------------------------------------
Opinions on RCA DRC8030N Wanted
-------------------------------------------
-- What's your opinion as a user/owner of RCA DRC8030N?
-- I find the unit VERY unfriendly and the remote cumbersome
-- Onscreen menus have too many hoops to jump thru and too much back and forth
-- Edit commands are beyond lousy (my Sylvania DVR91DG has spoiled me)
-- I would NEVER recommend this unit for anyone and highly doubt I would recommend anything RCA
