My second DMR-ES-40V dual deck failed, so I took that one back to Costco too, for a full refund.

I then purchased the latest model Panasonic that Costco sells, which is the DMR-ES-46V. I wanted to stay with Panasonic, since I had so many unfinished and not yet finalized +R disks, left over from the failed 40V model.

But, when I set it up I found that it demands that I now format the +R disks, before recording to them. Does anyone know why that should be necessary, when the +R disks worked fine on the 40V model, without being formatted?

The ones that I did finalize (without formatting) on the 40V model, do play fine in two other brands of DVD players that I have.

I also found out, that while the new 46V model can read the old 40V disks, it will not write titles to the recordings that I had not yet written titles to.

Also, it will not finalize those unfinished 40V disks at all, so I can play what is on those unfinished disks, only on the Panasonic, not on any other DVD player.

I am hoping there is some way around that situation. Does anyone know of any way to change some of the settings, of the new 46V, at least temporarily, so that I can get all the unfinished 40V disks finalized?

I find it almost incomprehensible, that Panasonic would make a new DVD recorder which is not compatible with its previous models!!!!