Page 1 of Phillips DVDR 880, your help needed please.

I have just purchased one of these fantastic machines, partly because of all the good feedback on this site.
But I have a couple of questions which so far, I have been unable to find the answer to.
Firstly, will it record on DVD-R discs? the info with the recorder only mentions DVD+R discs.
And secondly, when taking back ups of my current DVD collection, is it possible to back up the extra features on the original discs similar to cloning a cd via a PC, I am aware of the macro protection issue which I have resolved,

Your comments greatly appreciated.

No u can only use the DVD+ media on this machine

As regards backs ups the only time I have managed it was by recording the film itself so it didnt include any extras

Thanks, are those the more expensive ones? I`m going to a computer fair tonight but not sure which to buy. Have you tried DVD-R and what problems did you have.

dvd-r and dvd+r are two different formats the philps will only record on dvd+r the dearer of the two medias panasonic dvd recorders use dvd-r the cheaper formats look here for all the info req on dvd writers http://www.dvdwriters.co.uk/news/

Prices are falling all the time though and sites like CDEvolutions.co.uk sell bundle packs at perfectly reasonable prices (buying from Comet/Argos would quickly lead to bankruptcy!).

As for recording extra features- you can record any video from any source, so every piece of `footage` on the DVD can be backed-up no problem (although you`ll have to record them individually if they`re in different sub-menus). Sadly, there`s no way of automatically transferring all the data (along with subtitles/bios etc) so it will always be a piece-by-piece proposition. None of the current crop of stand-alone DVD-recorders can capture things like 5.1 sound or other complex features, so it`s the same for everyone.

tony dvd recorders only produce stereo then
i got a few back ups which inc 5.1 will those of been done on a pc dvdr?

Yes...

I`ve seen a few `unofficial` discs with 5.1 audio myself, but DVD Recorders just don`t have the technology (the lack of a digital input on the 880 is a dead giveaway!). It`s not something that they`ll be adding to affordable decks anytime soon either IMO.

The stand-alone units are generally marketed as a permanent replacement for VHS/SVHS and a great archiving tool. Anything beyond that is `special interest` territory...