DVD storage capacity

[dwil]

My DVD-RW says 4.7GB Data 120min 1-2x speed on the label. When I save to it I tell my burner to erase previous contents as prompted but the disc is full after 696 MB of data saving. Why?

[ACtheTROLL]

have you formatted the disc in living memory ...
delete does just that ... it makes the files unavailable ... but doesn't free up space
nor does quick format ... you need to do the full format (bring a book!!)

[VHG]

You sure you have not got your burner set on "CD" format rather than "DVD"?

It is just that CD size is 700mb and it seems strange that you are getting full at 696Mb.

If you HAVE got it set on DVD format then I think the answer is what ACthe TROLL says, there are existing files on the disk.

[ACtheTROLL]

very laterally thought vhg ... I'd not considered that - but you are quite possibly right
(I'm sold - if it's not now ... it will be next time)

[dwil]

Thanks both. I seem to have resolved it now. I carried out a full format. A quick format didn't work as I still needed to erase. Although definitely a DVD the disc yesterday seemed to be reading as a CD - not on the burner but on Properties. Even now the properties of the disc show it as a full disc - all blued in with no free space either on the picture or in writing but it is holding the full 1.3 GB I burnt. Anyway I'll keep my fingers crossed that all's OK.