NO playback on settop DVD players

I have read the FAQs. I am a longtime Adobe Professional, using Encore since
it's Beta days. For that reason, please don't suggest the obvious. I have tried
it, I assure you. I am now using CS3.

I burn a single layer DVD of various sizes, on various professional and consumer
brands of DVD-R. When I place the completed DVD into a Panasonic DVD player. I
get an error. When I place it into any other brand of player (Sony, Toshiba,
Samsung) there is a long and noisy startup before it finally plays.

I have purchased and installed a new DVD burner (Sony DRU-840A) and the problem
is still there. I reinstalled Encore 2.0, now the problem is gone. I put CS3
back in...the problem is back. It is certainly a CS3 problem.

Furthermore, I burn a DVD+R and the problem is gone. It is definitely a DVD-R
problem.

Visibly inspecting the DVD-R burned in CS3 (2 minute test video) and comparing
it to the DVD-R burned in 2.0, I can see a huge difference in the amount of
material burned. The lead out takes up nearly half the disc in 2.0. It is
roughly a quarter or less in CS3.

Have you tried creating an ISO and burning with different software?

Yea. I created the iso from Encore CS3 and it works fine burned from Imgburn.
But, why the extra step? It should burn right out of Encore CS3.

      Visibly inspecting the DVD-R burned in CS3 (2 minute test video) and
comparing
      it to the DVD-R burned in 2.0, I can see a huge difference in the amount
      of material burned. The lead out takes up nearly half the disc in 2.0.
      It is roughly a quarter or less in CS3.




Your inspection would indicate that Encore 3 no longer fills up a DVD-R to 1GB
if the content is smaller than that. 1GB of data fills the disc to about 30-35mm
from the center. This is the area where some players will perform a calibration
test. Unlike a DVD+R, a DVD-R has nothing for the player to calibrate on if
nothing has been burned there.

That's exactly what I was looking for. WOW! In the Imgburn software, I still
have that option. I guess I'll have to move it over to there for smaller videos.
Thank Ruud!