As I was at work yesterday and didn't have enough space on my Sky+for all my intended recordings I decided to record the FA Cup final straight to dvd. I set the timer to run from 2.50 to 5.50 allowing for the possibility of extra time/penalties. I was using a dual layer disc which I had already recorded one programme on and which the recorder reported as having 3 hours 8 minutes free in SP mode. However it would not let me set the timer recording in SP mode,saying there was not enough space on the disc. It would not work in SPP mode either so I set it in LP and it recorded ok. Any ideas why it would not accept the timer instruction in SP mode?

How long was the first recording, and at what quality setting was it made?

Approximately 53 mins in SP.

Yes that is very strange. From the Philips manual, the quoted recording space offered on DL discs is 3hr 40min, so with 53min already taken up that could have been an explanation why there wasn't another whole 3hr available. However it doesn't explain the discrepancy between the machine calculating just over 3hr left yet not allowing you to book it. It should certainly have allowed it at SPP where the manual states 4hr 35 total.

Having said all that there is a big discrepancy between the recording space predicted in the manual, and what is available on insertion of an DL actual disc (see a little way down this page of a review on CD Freaks). However this predicts even more space being available, so it's really not clear what's going on in your case.

Lastly, my machine only disallows certain recording quality settings if it is using the 'AUTO' selection in the timer. By choosing SP yourself, then it should have let you do it and prompted you to change a disc if necessary.

I've looked at the manual and you are right in that it says 3hrs 40 mins for a dual layer disc,however when I use a new one it always reports 4 hours free. As was found on the review you directed me to which i've also just looked at.

As an update to this,I set a timer recording for Friday's BBC2 Glastonbury coverage,3 hours,using a new,blank d/l disc. Again when setting it to SP it came up with 'insufficient time' although the status column in the timer display said valid. Put it in standby and it recorded ok.