I have a dvd that I made using a standalone recorder.(DVCAM master into Toshiba recorder.). it only has a video_ts folder on the disc. I have copied that to the hard drive and have burned duplicates that play without problem. will that trend continue? Is it because it was the standalone recorder adn not "authoring" software that created it?

from what I understand the audio_ts folder on dvd's is always empty and is just there to ensure compatability with older players.

Interesting. Think I should create one and put it on the disk then? I guess it couldn't hurt, right?
Thanks

No, it can't hurt, unless you use an illegal character in the folder name. Just make sure the folder's empty.

Some DVD players won't play a disk without an audio_ts folder. I've had to fix DVDs made without them made by other people so clients could play them.

It's always good practice to have it.

Yes, I've also fixed DVDs that wouldn't play on older players unless there was an AUDIO_TS, which has been invariably an empty folder. If you're worried about AUDIO_TS, then you also have to worry about setting the booktype to DVD-ROM with a DVD burner that allows that.

We're all surprised by the number of older DVD players. Earlier this year, I helped my friend make some DVDs of video we shot in Pakistan. The DVD-Rs and DVD+Rs didn't play on her Sony DVP-S7000 (which I now have in my room) as well as on her friend's DVD player. Amazing. I tried setting the booktype on a DVD+R to DVD-ROM and still no go.

I'm actually wondering if this player is too old and can't handle the reduced reflectivity of recordable DVDs due to its fading laser. Isn't there a difference ?

Players can be finicky about what brand and type of media you use. In the case of the Sony DVP-S7000, which is an older player, several users have reported success with Memorex brand DVD+R, whereas the player will fail on other brands of +R. There's a pretty well visited user experience-based dvd compatibility database at http://www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers where you can search a particular model number to see other users' reports.

Thanks, I forgot all about that site. My friend used Memorex DVD+R, and I've tried TDK DVD+R and DVD-R, as well as Verbatim DVD+R DL. None of those worked on this particular Sony DVP-S7000 .

I'm actually wondering if this player is too old and can't handle the reduced reflectivity of recordable DVDs due to its fading laser. Isn't there a difference ?
It's true; pressed DVDs appear different to DVD players, and they have to be manufactured to be compatible with burned DVDs. Since the DVP-S7000 appears to be a relic from 1998, I am not surprised has caused you trouble. I would try burning at a low speed to ensure that the pits are as clean as possible.