DVD-R Iincopatability?

I don't see why you can't rip the disks and just re-burn them however you like.

I think in order to rip the discs they will have to be recognized by the computer. The OP mentioned that Windows 7 and 8 didn't recognize the discs but it's unclear to me whether this was a hardware issue or a software issue. If the problem is Windows Media Player and not the drive, I find that the Windows program VLC (VideoLAN) can play almost anything. It would be very unusual for any computer DVD drive to not recognize a DVD-R disc. They've been around for a long time.

Rsjm80,

I assume you do not own a Blu-ray universal player to try your recorded DVD-R disc/s in.

Just a suggestion you could take one of the DVD-Rs you recorded to a B&M box store and try the disc in a few different universal Blu-ray players and see if the problem is indeed the LG recorder recorded DVD-R disc/s. The problem could just be your friend's DVD players are not DVD-R compatible.

For what it is worth I have an old Panasonic DVD-R recorder that I have played recorded DVDs in 3 different model Sony DVD players. Played the same DVDs in two different Marantz Blu-ray universal players, and a cheapo Samsung Blu-ray universal player. No problems at all.
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I did look at some of the specs for the LG players and found that it stated that they won't play on other units because the format is different! Now this sucks big time as I might or will have to search for another unit that will be compatible with what is so precious to me. I just thought that all the DVD layers had universal formats to play everything. Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions.

"08-07-15: Rsjm80
I did look at some of the specs for the LG players and found that it stated that they won't play on other units because the format is different! Now this sucks big time as I might or will have to search for another unit that will be compatible with what is so precious to me. I just thought that all the DVD layers had universal formats to play everything. Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions."

Your owners manual was printed in 2007. What may have been an odd format back then, may be more popular now. Either way, I don't see any other solution besides a computer. If you want your files back, you're going to have to use one. I know I sound like a broken record, but you did say your DVD's are very valuable to you. I would start off by installing VLC like one of the other posters said. Doing that will get a bunch of new codex's installed on your PC, which may allow the OS to recognize your DVD's. If so, then all you will need to do is transcode to a more suitable format. In the event VLC doesn't work, I can walk you through the process of downloading and using a live Linux distro. Its a fairly simple process.