JVC DR-M10 won't record
 

I just got a JVC DR-M10, it loads fine, plays fine, shows the dvd being a DVD-R, sp on the display, and a big DV on the display, no errors except the red circle when I try to record or change speeds, I have been through the setup menu, using s-video imput and changed ALL the settings in the setup to all s-video, but it won't change recording speeds, won't show/pass through the vhs video or sound of what I am trying to record and won't record, I get the red circle with the 45* bar...what have I missed?

The JVC will not read a verbatim DVD-R??? and the disks are fine, the samsung R120 records them, the jvc will read some real cheap old no-name-R dvd's I have, let me select the recording modes and seems to be working ok with the cheap ones in...strange.

I have the JVC hooked up directly to the Panasonic 1980 vhs which I can use fine with the samsung but the JVC will not receive the signal, when I try to record, it says "no signal" and the record light will not come on, I have the S-Video set in the JVC setup, I tried all three sets of imputs on the JVC and also composite video, the JVC is not picking up video or audio, do I have something set wrong?

Figured it out...I had to do "aux" to bring up "L-1" then I got signal, :) you can dis-regard the question, thanks for all your help!...still strange it will not do the Verbatim, I thought they were the best disks, is there any brand you recommend for the JVC, I quit using the cheap one because my players don't like them.

I use Verbatim DVD-R in it all the time. Are these Mitsubish 16x Verbatim made in India, Taiwan or UAE -- not the "Value Series" stuff, either?

I think I used some RITEKF1 TDK-branded 16x DVD-R a while back, for some one-off recordings. Those worked. $20 on sale at Office Depot (today is last day for that sale), 100packs. Not archival, but maybe okay for temp discs? Not used any Taiyo Yuden in it, don't really buy a lot of TY DVD-R discs for myself. PRODISC work well, too.

I also use Sony 2x DVD-RW, and those are still available from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B0017TM9S4
These are okay too, but I like Sony's better: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...SIN=B000YTRUP0

Yes, change input to L-1, L-2, etc... you were on DV input mode.

Maybe the laser inside is dirty if it won't write to Verbatim 16x DVD-R?

These are the Verbatim 16x ones sold by amazon, they worked fine in the old Panasonic I have and the samsung R-120, but won't work in the JVC, but the cheap "nexXtech" that someone gave me along time ago work...nothing else likes these and my players don't like them also. Which Verbatim do I need to use? and where do you get them?

I doubt the laser is dirty, the unit is real clean and doesn't look to have been used much, can they get dirty for just age?

Lasers age -- normal household moisture (5-40%) plus airborne particulates make a nice gooey mess on optical electronics, be it exposed camera lenses or laser lenses.

Just follow the guide for properly cleaning a DVD burner.

ok
Do the JVC's get hot like the Liteon's...do you suggest drilling holes in the case or is that not needed?

You'll notice a fan in the rear of the JVC. It keeps the unit well cooled. For extra cooling, raise it off the shelf/desk/whatever with some rubber feet (I use those door jams from Lowe's or Home Depot), and then don't put anything on top of it or directly beside it. Be sure hot air can freely leave the rear of the unit; it can't have a wall or wires blocking the fan or letting the hot air "hang" by the unit.

DVD recorders are not made to be jammed in a closed cabinet.

Bought some TDK and Memorex, neither would load...took unit apart, almost no dust inside, not even on the fan, there are 4 screws on top of recorder unit, removed them and tried gently to pry top off, a couple of what I think are tabs broke off, I guess to identify if it's ever been apart and stopped right there and can not remove from the body of the unit, there are cables that don't seem to have a plug...what do I do?

Attachment 734

Also tried a Maxwell...won't read, all these new ones are 16X and the old nexXtech are 8X, is this what I have to have for this unit?

Found out that his unit is to use...DVD-R which conform to DVD-R standard version 2.0....later it states use disk labeled "1x SPEED"

That's just old documentation -- and incorrect at that. These DVD recorders came out during the age of 4x DVD media. The firmware inside was native to 1x/2x/4x DVD-R media, and 1x/2x DVD-RW media. Also some DVD-RAM.

However, 1x-16x Verbatim ("16x Verbatim DVD-R") usually work well with this machine. It's very, very, very odd for it to not work.

Well I wonder what's going on, this unit looks brand new, inside no dust so even though I couldn't get the recorder apart, I bet it's clean, these nexXtech I have tried 20 disks, it read them all and pretty quick and records them!, and my three players, one Sony, Panasonic and Toshiba don't like to read these for playback that's why I don't use them anymore, but I have tried several disks each of the Verbatim, TDK, Sony, Phillips, Memorex and think I am missing one, all 16x and it seems to read them, no error but won't record, change recording speeds, etc, ie. "doesn't work"....what gives?

The only thing left to try is 8x Taiyo Yuden from meritline.

Since you're able to record on the Nexxtech discs, it's clear that you know how to record video.
This is very strange, never seen anything like this in 6 years of using JVC machines, and advising others.

Yes I feel I am descent at this, I have had the following dvd recorders, 2003 panasonic, fair and still works, samsung R-120, still works, RCA, POS and dead, now the JVC DR-M10S and have done as I said with the disks, probably put 30 in it so far, only these old nexXtech 8x will record...I build personal computers as one of my jobs, so I am not illiterate, just learning about this now...and enjoying it! Is there any firmware updates for the JVC's?
I have found the Verbatim 8x in regular and the digital movie ones and I ordered a pack of each.

I know the admin will only clobber/crush whatever I'm about to say, but I've had nice results using DVD-RAM discs in my own exact same model of your recorder. Any branded type that I've tried has worked: Maxell (MXL8), Panasonic (M01J3002), Fuji (M01J3004), etc.
Just offering this information as an option to you...

Are not ram disks more expensive? And I need just plain dvd's to record on, does your JVC M10S record 16x disks?

I've never owned a DVD-R that was rated at 16x...All the burners in all of my PC towers are rated at 8x (so I never bought a disc rated higher than 8x). No reason to- I write (burn) at only 6x on purpose, to minimize the margin for write errors.
-RAM discs are about $1.50-$2.00 each, which is nice- because you can record on them, then later re-write over them about a zillion times if you want!! I've been using them with great results since 2004.
I suggested a nearly endless re-recordable format to you in case you were using this deck to do a (hardware) capture...And later discovered you were not happy with your particular settings. You'd just erase and start again with a full, clean slate.
You can order -RAM discs from here, if you want to try out the format:

http://www.totalmedia.com/store/barg...case-1131.html

...Like I said, I fully expect the admin to refute my words about the -RAM format as soon as he sees these posts I've made...

This site has been very useful to me in the 5 years that I've been visiting it to look for information/answers to my own editing/encoding problems. I'll not ever be sleeping on any bed of money, so it's difficult for me to provide it direct financial support...But: When I believe I can offer a useful (and simple) suggestion to another member who asks a question here, I try to step up and contribute in that kind of fashion.

If you want to use DVD-RAM, you're limited to XP and SP mode.

The other modes create video that is not to the DVD-Video spec, but rather to the DVD-VR spec. A common DVD-VR "less than 720" resolution is 480x480, which can't be watched in a standard DVD player. In "video mode", the DVD recorder records in the standard DVD-compliant 352x480 resolution.

I mostly use DVD recorders as convenient replacements for computers with capture cards. And the better DVD recorders (like this JVC) come with the added benefit of noise reduction, removing both chroma and grain noise. This same kind of NR is just not really possible with a computer card, especially the chroma noise removal.

After the DVDs are recorded, I often rip them to a computer, edit as needed, re-author (either with nice menus or as a menu-less disc), and then re-burn to archival media ... and save an ISO to an external archive hard drive.

That's my workflow, when using a DVD recorder.

There have also been issues with DVD-VR recording on the JVC decks. The IRE can be pronouncedly lighter when using DVD-VR mode -- the source of many "my JVC is too washed out" complaints. I learned about this early on, back in summer 2004.

Since I only have about 60 DVD-RW, and can run out during busy times, it's not uncommon to use Verbatim 16x discs, and just throw them away when the project is done. For other times, the discs are used for samples, tests and other temporary needs. So I guarantee Mitsubishi-manufacturer 1x-16x Verbatim DVD-R work in the JVC lineage of LSI Logic chipset recorders, using at least several per month. Yours just does not want to cooperate for some reason. I wish I knew why.

I have about 10 DVD-RAM discs, Panasonic branded, forget the manufacturer and media ID. Discs are circa 2004. These get used only rarely.

Glad to know you're a 5-year reader/member, dyfan.
You've seen a lot of changes here, and you're about to see several more. :)

Are there just one speed disks, like when they say "16x" does this always mean 1-16x?