Hello,
looks like not all is lost :
DVD-R media does not need to be formatted.
The DVD-RW specification leaves formatting to the software on the computer (this is only for the DVD-RW media). The sony drive (previous version to the one in the imacs 'DRU-500A') has pc-software that allows for formatting DVD-RW media in the background : on the mac i suppose idvd takes care of that.
DVD+R media needs no formatting either.
DVD+RW media needs formatting BUT the firmware of the station itself takes care of the formatting, so that (i suppose with the sony software on peecee's only) after about 1 minute you can 'theoretically' copie files to the media. Theoretically, because the sony peecee software has a 'temporary' place for saving the 'copied files'. After the station has finished formatting, the actual files are written to the media.
So because idvd doesn't know about all this (starts formatting the media but can't perform the operation because of different info on the media itself (what are they, what is the max. speed ...) to the DVD-RW specification.
Maybe : if you put a DVD+RW media in the drive, and wait for say 1 hour, and then start idvd???...
Just a thought
Please let us know what works, and what doesn't
Davedive
P.S. i didn't find this out myself : found it in a flemish magazine.