I'm trying to copy old family videos from VCR to DVD. I'm using the correct disc type (DVD-R) and there's no copy protection. I've tried both Sony and HP discs. Each time, it seems to be working but reports an error when I try to finalize the disc. Any suggestions? Also, I haven't been able to locate any customer support for GoVideo. I assume they're no longer in business. Thanks
Televison & Video - GoVideo - Go Video VR3840 DVD Recorder/VCR
Answers & Comments
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