Can't use DVD's I've burned

I bought a CDRW/DVD (DVD read only) drive and a Panasonic LF-D521 DVD writer. Also have DVD X Copy and Nero 1.5.2.

I have made backups of two of my DVDs, both will work on the Panasonic drive that made them. One will work on the DVD reader on my PC but the other works only up to the menu then wont play the movie. Neither DVD will work on either DVD player on the TVs in my house. Both TV-attached DVD players are listed as compatible with DVD-R discs.

I've done some surfing to try and figure out what to try next but I'm pretty new at DVD burning. Perhaps DVD-R isn't the way to go? Maybe I shouldn't use DVD X Copy? there aren't many options to try within DVD X Copy.

Any advice?

Did you check compatibility here?

Have you tried different media brands?

Look at this thread ... very good !

& to repeat Noo's advice (again!) .... Choice of media is even more critical with DVD burning than it is with CDRs .... especially like here when you want to use your DVDs with a standalone player ... The fact that both DVDs work with the player that did them (Panasonic LF-D521) shows they were done 'correctly' by the software ...

I'm very wary indeed of all these 'compatibility' claims with standalone players - how can they test every 'burner' brand with every player ? ...they can't ! My advice is if you want your movies to play on standalone DVD players for sure is not to make DVDs at all but make SVCDs instead ... they work many more places !!!

I just bought DVD Express and the Sony DRU 510... ..couldn't rip The Shield with DVD X Copy.. appears to be a problem with episodic disks... I'm hoping (tepidly) that express will do it. What's the movie?

try www.dvdrhelp.com. good for issues that you're having.

I did buy more brands of DVD-R discs but I've only used one type so far. I will try some of the other discs.

I can't recall the websites I found, I'll have to check that when I'm at home again. The compatibility list looked to be professionally done and recently updated so I had a good impression of its being reasonably accurate and trustworthy.

I'll check your list as well Noo Noo, thanks, also I don't think the DVDRHELP.COM site is one I'd located yet so I'll give that a try too.

The movie I could only read on the DVD writer is X Men 1.5, the movie that works on both DVD drives on my PC is Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail.

Not sure what an SVCD is yet but I'll look into that and check your thread out too, thanks all for the info!

So far DVD Copy is working great. I've backed up 6 disks with no errors. The hardware is the sony 510a and the media is cheap Leda stuff from shop4tech ($134 for 100 DVD-R diskcs). I tried DVD Copy Express and it keeps burning coasters... DVD Copy makes a perfect copy too. No resizing or dealing with SVCD/VCD conversions.