Page 1 of Dual Layer DVD Recordable DVD Disc Help??

Hi

I have just purchased a Dual Layer DVD recordable Disc they have four hours to record on at SP (Standard Play). Has anyone used these yet and if so are they any good?

Thanks
Jackie

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I have just purchased a Dual Layer DVD recordable Disc they have four hours to record on at SP (Standard Play). Has anyone used these yet and if so are they any good?

I assume you have a Dual Layer writer to write them in?

If you have a single layer or standalone DVD Recorder, then you bought a disc that AFAIK will only work as a standard single layer 4.7gig 2Hr disc.

And actually...this is summat I was thinking about the other day...VHS tapes used to come in 1, 2, 3 and 4 hour formats (and the occasional 5 hour), DVD discs have always come as 4.7 gig til now, and the 9.4 double sided now DL.....how many people out there are gonna buy DVD recorders, then assume that a 9.4gig DL disc is just a longer version they can use in their Liteon/Grundig/Mico etc DVD recorder???

One thinks there should be more clarity on these matters from manufacturers...

Jimbo : oÞ

....anyone buying DL media at the moment needs their head examined :) Whilst PC DVD writer drives that do DL media are now 50 quid or less, the media is currently 4-5 pounds a *disc*. As opposed to under 1 pound a disc for single layer, there`s currently a non-issue. Now when DL media hits under 2 pounds, then there`s a problem, but it looks like we`re 12-18 months away from that at the moment.

I`m guessing that when the DL media drops enough in price, then the domestic DVD recorders will start using DL-capable drives in their units. What worries me more about the lack of DL drives in domestic recorders is the currently lack of *any* DVD+RW DL media at all (DVD+RW is the best format for recording TV programmes, in case you didn`t know, simply because there`s no finalising and easy editing/overwriting of existing recordings). Unless you`ve got a hard disk recorder as well (in which case, DVD would be strictly for archival purposes), you`d be mad to use anything other than a rewritable format for casual TV recording. Hence my worry about DVD+RW DL media...

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....anyone buying DL media at the moment needs their head examined

why? have you never heard of experimentation?
I think the above poster was buying one or two to check them out.
Yeah, at the moment, DL media is overly expensive for "throwaway" use, but not if you want to get ahead on the technology, as some of us do.

The same argument could be used about buying a standalone recorder, that they aren`t all under £100 yet!
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(DVD+RW is the best format for recording TV programmes, in case you didn`t know, simply because there`s no finalising and easy editing/overwriting of existing recordings).
Actually, the BEST format for rerecording casual TV stuff is RAM, as it actively seeks out blank disc space and records to those sections, regardless of them being linear.
And before this turns into a RAM v (any form)RW(vr), I know it`s 99% incompatible with other standalone players.
Incompatibility isn`t in the frame if we start discussing the BEST overall format, RAM wins that without even trying!

If only Panny would manage to get more players out there to be able to use the RAM discs, we`d be sorted

Oh, and as a point...I`ve been toying with buying a DL disc just to find out how good and compatible they really are! Lol

Jimbo : oÞ

Easy overwriting is definitely there on +RW,in fact easy accidental erasure is one of the formats faults.
+RW(DL) is nowhere near a release,and may never be.The word is that its too difficult to produce,and DL+R has seen a drop in compatibility also.
I would say that by the time DL becomes financially viable for mass market use,anyone interested in increased capacity will already be eyeing up HD-DVD and Blu-Ray,which are about a year away from the UK

This item was edited on Wednesday, 27th October 2004, 21:28

It does seem to be possible that DVD+RW can protect previously recorded titles - there is a protect title feature my DVD+RW recorder*** which stops titles being overwritten.

It is not as good as true random access as found in DVD-RAM, but it helps. To be honest though, I`ve never found over-recording a problem, as we have many years of experience of linear recording with VHS. The fact that DVD have title menus means you can tell at a glance exactly where and how much space you have.

***Philips DVDR610. But please, this is not intended to start another Panasonic vs.Philips debate.

This item was edited on Thursday, 28th October 2004, 00:06

I would say that by the time DL becomes financially viable for mass market use,anyone interested in increased capacity will already be eyeing up HD-DVD and Blu-Ray,which are about a year away from the UK

I agree with that. But don`t forget `Blue Ray Ram`

As opposed to under 1 pound a disc for single layer,

:o a quid !!!!! for 1 disc, maybe a couple of years ago (yes i remember dvd r`s being £6.99 ea) but now you can get a good Printable dvd-r for under 20p :D

I think most Panasonic recorder owners have finally sussed out its more cost effective to use decent discs in the first place than to cut costs and end up with a pile of coasters.Long term reliability of these el cheapos is also in question

trust me, you can get a decent dvd-r for less than 20p, the datawrite yellows i was using around 1-1/2 to 2 years ago still play fine, the Main thing you need to watch out for is traders that try & sell grade b/c/d discs & try to pass them of as grade a >:( this happens a lot with -r`s and was a Very big problem with the ritek tango`s (this is the reason i stopped using them) so i allways try & use the same people when getting discs, these cheap Data-On printables have been very good so far (i don`t think i`ve had a single failure apart from when my burner died) so i`ll stick with em (for now) bulq-pac are the worst, you can use 200 of them without problem, then you`ll get 50 in a row that fail, bad quality control (a generic problem with Many cheap brands) i`m not saying you should get loads of cheap disc`s cos phellings is correct, there are lots of crapp brands out there, But you can generally find an inexpensive brand that suits you`re setup/burner & when you do stick to it. as i say i`m having no problems whatsoever whit my cheapo 16p disc`s :D