This is sort of a complex question - I hope someone can help me. I've had my DMR-E85H for about eight months, and recently I've had a problem dubbing from the HD onto DVD-R. When using certain brands of blank DVD-R (Fuji and TDK), trying to record anything at all onto the disc (even just writing the disc name) causes the unit to go into "self test" mode and then shut down. However, using "brand X" blank discs poses no problem.

I thought I had figured it out when I realized that some of the discs that were giving me this problem were 8X speed discs - because the discs I had successfully made were only 4X. However, it turns out the TDKs that were giving me a problem are also 4X, so that's that theory shot down.

This is driving me nuts - can anybody help??

Nothing new here as this has been discussed numerous times in various forums. It's simply a case of media compatibility. Certain DVDR units like certain brands of media and dislike others. The speed aspect is for the most part utterly irrelevant. Personally, my Panny love's Ritek's and that's basically all I feed her.

I wondered if it might be something like that - the only thing I'm still not sure about is that while some older (4X) Fuji blanks work, the newer 8X ones do not. Does that follow along with what you're saying?

It follows. Fuji doesn't manufacture the discs they brand, unlike Ritek. Fuji uses various sources and rebrands the discs in question. Sometimes they use excellent media, (Taiyo Yuden's), and sometimes not. Whenever in doubt, look for made in Japan as opposed to Taiwan. It's a relatively quick and simple indicator of high quality media.