[damax99]

Help! I have an problem with my Pioneer DVR-420-H in which it starts recording from the HD to a DVD but doesn't finish. I noticed this before when copying a specific commercial VHS from the HD to a DVD and got around it by copying directly from the VHS to DVD. I also saw the problem again when trying to copy a different specific non-commercial VHS from the HD to DVD. I assume that once content gets onto the HD, there should be nothing that prevents it from being written to DVD.


This time, I'm having the problem with a specific television program that was copied from my TiVo to the HD. I copied the Tivo content again to the HD and have the same problem. It appears that 46 minutes of the DVD get used and then the recording never finishes and I need to cancel the copying process.


I'm wondering if the hard drive is too fragmented and the recorder can't keep up and stops? The drive is several years old as I've had it since mid-2004. I was also wondering if I should stick to 8x DVD-R's instead of the 16x I'm using with success except for these specific issues.


Thanks in advance for your help as I'm getting too many coasters! BTW, I did take one of the DVD coasters which had 1h14m remaining and successfully copied other content from HD to DVD.

 

[bobkart]

If the problem was Copy Protection, I doubt it would even start the copy to DVD.


I'll guess media problems. You may want to try a different brand of media. That and the drive may be getting old, and/or the laser lense needs cleaning.

 

[ngohit]



Quote:
Originally Posted by bobkart /forum/post/0


If the problem was Copy Protection, I doubt it would even start the copy to DVD...

and/or the laser lense needs cleaning.

Copy once was my initial thought. VCR->420 HDD=1 as well as Tivo-> HDD=1 [unless signal-> Tivo=1???--I do not have Tivo].


How does one go about cleaning the laser lense? Are there disks available, similar to head cleaning tapes for VCRs?

 

[damax99]

Thanks both. I think I'll try to get some 8x DVD-R's first and will see if I can find some tips on lens cleaning. I did have the DVD drive replaced while under warranty about 1.5 years ago. The TiVo content that I copied to the HDD is nothing special, i.e. not HBO or a premium channel.


Any other thoughts are welcome as well!

 

[bobkart]



Quote:
Originally Posted by ngohit /forum/post/0


How does one go about cleaning the laser lense? Are there disks available, similar to head cleaning tapes for VCRs?

I've never done it on a DVD drive, but my girlfriend's old CD player did benefit from the use of a CD lense cleaner, once when it was skipping. In this case it is just a CD with some little brush filaments hanging off the data side. No doubt during playback those filaments are dragged across the laser lense, in an effort to remove any built-up dust/smoke particles that me have accumulated there over time.

 

[damax99]

Thanks Bobkart, will check around.

 

[ngohit]



Quote:
Originally Posted by damax99 /forum/post/0


Thanks Bobkart, will check around.

Please let us know when you have figured out what's going on and/or have solved the problem. Your findings could be helpful to one of us in the future.

 

[damax99]

I'll post an update as I learn more but it may not be for a couple of weeks as I have some upcoming travel starting this weekend.