I've authored a dvd-video with dvdauthor on linux. My videos are mpeg-2 NTSC 4:3 720x480/29.97fps and AC-3 448kbps 5.0 audio (3f+2r) as shown by mplayer. I've burned it on a DVD-RW disk using growisofs from dvd-rw-tools and successfully played it on my dvd player (Philips DVD 711).
Then I tried to burn it on a DVD-R disk. Got no erros and used same parameters for growisofs (-dvd-compat -Z /dev/dvdr -dvd-video dvddir). But the DVD-R disk wasn't recognised by my dvd-player. The strange thing is that, about a year ago, I authored another dvd-video with the same movie specs (except for audio, AC-3 5.1), burned it on a DVD-RW and a DVD-R and BOTH work on my dvd-player.
I can't figure out if the problem is with dvdauthor, my videos or growisofs.
It could be that the particular DVD-R blank you used was defective, or the brand you're using is poor quality (and in contrast your DVD-RW is high quality media). Generally you get what you pay for when it comes to recordable media -- are you using a well-known, name brand such as TDK, Maxell, etc? -- J.W.
This is probably not the case since the media used was the same in both ocasions (PRINCO. Tried with Lg after first drawback and it didn't work either. DVD-RW is maxwell). I think maybe the problem is with growisofs. I know that with DVD-RW it engages DAO (disk at once) burning, which is the best method for DVD-Video burning; but on DVD-R it does Incremental Sequential burning. There are some caveats with this process and it does not ensure maximum compatability for DVD-Video. But, like I said before, I did the process a year ago and it worked. Just can't figure out why it isn't working anymore.
By the way, I tried to use cdrecord.ProDVD since it can perform DAO DVD writing. Unfortunately, cdrecord works when it wants on my system (even non-DVD version) and I lost a couple of medias with it. Couldn't finish one single write (some SCSI error).