DVD recording formats

[Paul Hyett]

OK, now that prices of DVD recorders are starting to drop into my price
range (<£200), can anyone explain the pros & cons of the various
different disc formats, or point me to a URL that does so?

I understand that, like CD's, there are both write-once & re-writable
formats?

[JM]

Post by Paul Hyett
OK, now that prices of DVD recorders are starting to drop into my price
range (<£200), can anyone explain the pros & cons of the various
different disc formats, or point me to a URL that does so?
I understand that, like CD's, there are both write-once & re-writable
formats?

There are three main formats:

-R/-RW - most compatible, slightly more expensive media. This is the
official standard as laid down by the DVD forum.
+R/+RW - slightly cheaper, slightly faster recording. Some players may not
be compatible with the media.
RAM - Hard drive-style access. Pretty much incompatible with anything.

Best bet is to go with a drive that supports both + and - formats (don't
worry about RAM too much), buy one of each media type and see whether it
works on the players you'd want to read them on.

Drives supporting + only media are likely to be slightly cheaper, though, by
around £20. I got a decent Freecom from PC World for £150 which supported
both + and - formats for £150 2 weeks ago so shop around. PC World have a
decent offer on +RW media as well.

John.

[Nic]

Post by JM

Post by Paul Hyett
OK, now that prices of DVD recorders are starting to drop into my price
range (<£200), can anyone explain the pros & cons of the various
different disc formats, or point me to a URL that does so?
I understand that, like CD's, there are both write-once & re-writable
formats?

-R/-RW - most compatible, slightly more expensive media. This is the
official standard as laid down by the DVD forum.
+R/+RW - slightly cheaper, slightly faster recording. Some players may not
be compatible with the media.
RAM - Hard drive-style access. Pretty much incompatible with anything.
Best bet is to go with a drive that supports both + and - formats (don't
worry about RAM too much), buy one of each media type and see whether it
works on the players you'd want to read them on.
Drives supporting + only media are likely to be slightly cheaper, though, by
around £20. I got a decent Freecom from PC World for £150 which supported
both + and - formats for £150 2 weeks ago so shop around. PC World have a
decent offer on +RW media as well.
John.

I think he is talking about DVD Recorders not DVD Writers. I have a E50
Panasonic Recorder and don't regret it one bit. It does -R and RAM.

[Dom Robinson]

In article <3fb3d0ff$0$266$***@news-text.dial.pipex.com>, ***@tome.com
says...

Post by Nic
I think he is talking about DVD Recorders not DVD Writers. I have a E50
Panasonic Recorder and don't regret it one bit. It does -R and RAM.

http://dvdfever.co.uk/reviews/dvdr880.shtml

However, I need to update it now to say that after 9 months it stopped
recording +R discs and while many people have to wait 4 weeks for Philips to
send it back to Belgium for a fix that rarely works (the model is unofficially
referred to by Philips as the "boomerang"), I contacted Richer Sounds where I
bought it from and today got it exchanged for a DVDR75, which they do for £299
now although the only difference between that and the DVDR70 (the next model
down) is the i-Link input and without it the machine is available online for
around £230-240.

I bought the DVDR880 in February when it retailed for £430, but the cheapest
site I found was for £380 inc. P&P, and with RS' price-beat policy they
knocked another £15 off that.

I did ask, just in case since you don't get if you don't ask, if it was
possible to get a refund between the £365 and the £299 of the DVDR75 and,
hence, could I choose the DVDR70 instead (for a bigger saving) but that only
applies to items of up to 6 months old.

Considering that during the four weeks I'd have to wait for a normal repair
the TiVo would have long since lost the will to live waiting for me to record
stuff to DVD and free up space, and with the amount of recording I'd have to
catch up on, it's a small price to pay and at the end of it all they've gone
above and beyond the call of duty to simply replace the unit without question.

There was a small hiccup when the new machine didn't include a DVD+RW disc
like the DVDR880 did, so I called them back because I'd left it with the duff
machine, and the guy said he'd get the disc out for me and I went back to
collect it.

BTW, the Philips machines record on +R and +RW. My Xbox plays the RW discs
fine although my sister's cheapo Alba DVD player doesn't like Infiniti ones,
but is okay with Philips-own ones. Still, there's only me I'm recording for
99.9999% of the time so as long as they work for me that's enough.

[Hugh Jarce]

Post by Dom Robinson
says...

Post by Nic
I think he is talking about DVD Recorders not DVD Writers. I have a E50
Panasonic Recorder and don't regret it one bit. It does -R and RAM.

http://dvdfever.co.uk/reviews/dvdr880.shtml
However, I need to update it now to say that after 9 months it stopped
recording +R discs and while many people have to wait 4 weeks for Philips to
send it back to Belgium for a fix that rarely works (the model is unofficially
referred to by Philips as the "boomerang"), I contacted Richer Sounds where I
bought it from and today got it exchanged for a DVDR75, which they do for £299
now although the only difference between that and the DVDR70 (the next model
down) is the i-Link input and without it the machine is available online for
around £230-240.
I bought the DVDR880 in February when it retailed for £430, but the cheapest
site I found was for £380 inc. P&P, and with RS' price-beat policy they
knocked another £15 off that.

Erm ... I bet that load of irrelevant crap really helped!

Post by Dom Robinson
I did ask, just in case since you don't get if you don't ask, if it was
possible to get a refund between the £365 and the £299 of the DVDR75 and,
hence, could I choose the DVDR70 instead (for a bigger saving) but that only
applies to items of up to 6 months old.
Considering that during the four weeks I'd have to wait for a normal repair
the TiVo would have long since lost the will to live waiting for me to record
stuff to DVD and free up space, and with the amount of recording I'd have to
catch up on, it's a small price to pay and at the end of it all they've gone
above and beyond the call of duty to simply replace the unit without question.
There was a small hiccup when the new machine didn't include a DVD+RW disc
like the DVDR880 did, so I called them back because I'd left it with the duff
machine, and the guy said he'd get the disc out for me and I went back to
collect it.
BTW, the Philips machines record on +R and +RW. My Xbox plays the RW discs
fine although my sister's cheapo Alba DVD player doesn't like Infiniti ones,
but is okay with Philips-own ones. Still, there's only me I'm recording for
99.9999% of the time so as long as they work for me that's enough.

[Zane Wilson]

Post by Dom Robinson
Considering that during the four weeks I'd have to wait for a normal repair
the TiVo would have long since lost the will to live waiting for me to record
stuff to DVD and free up space, and with the amount of recording I'd have to
catch up on, it's a small price to pay and at the end of it all they've gone
above and beyond the call of duty to simply replace the unit without question.

Dom, what on earth do you do with the mountains of stuff you seem to
record? Archive for your dotage?

Zane.

[Dom Robinson]

In article <1eed81-***@news.wilson.st>, ***@DO_NOT_SEND_UCEwilson.st
says...

Post by Zane Wilson

Post by Dom Robinson
Considering that during the four weeks I'd have to wait for a normal repair
the TiVo would have long since lost the will to live waiting for me to record
stuff to DVD and free up space, and with the amount of recording I'd have to
catch up on, it's a small price to pay and at the end of it all they've gone
above and beyond the call of duty to simply replace the unit without question.

Dom, what on earth do you do with the mountains of stuff you seem to
record? Archive for your dotage?

For those who remember the washing machine scene in the Young Ones episode
where Neil reads out "Insert two 50 pence pieces" and everything grinds to a
halt, the same happens when someone asks "When will I watch everything I
record?" :)

Still, at least on DVD it'll take up less space than on video tape.

[Mega]

I noticed Forbes direct is renting a dvd recorder for £5.50 a week
could be a good way of testing out a dvd recorder?
Assuming there is no minimum rental term.

http://www.forbes-direct.co.uk/index1.htm

[Ben]

Post by Dom Robinson
For those who remember the washing machine scene in the Young Ones episode
where Neil reads out "Insert two 50 pence pieces" and everything grinds to a
halt,

I prefer the one where Vivian is trying to fix the video recorder. The
instructions say "ensure that your video recorder is clean" but neglect
to say "ensure that your video recorder is not full of washing up
liquid". I wonder if we're due for a repeat of The Young Ones? There's
probably a 24 hour Young Ones channel somewhere on Sky, and Young Ones
Gold in case 24 hour Young Ones isn't playing the episode you want, and
Young Ones+ so you can watch it again an hour later, and Young Ones
Gold2 for reasons nobody's worked out yet, and a Young Ones Preview
channel to tell you whats on all the other Young Ones channels.

[Dom Robinson]

Post by Ben

Post by Dom Robinson
For those who remember the washing machine scene in the Young Ones episode
where Neil reads out "Insert two 50 pence pieces" and everything grinds to a
halt,

I prefer the one where Vivian is trying to fix the video recorder. The
instructions say "ensure that your video recorder is clean" but neglect
to say "ensure that your video recorder is not full of washing up
liquid". I wonder if we're due for a repeat of The Young Ones? There's
probably a 24 hour Young Ones channel somewhere on Sky, and Young Ones
Gold in case 24 hour Young Ones isn't playing the episode you want, and
Young Ones+ so you can watch it again an hour later, and Young Ones
Gold2 for reasons nobody's worked out yet, and a Young Ones Preview
channel to tell you whats on all the other Young Ones channels.

Why not ask UK Gold's channel controller, ***@bbc.co.uk as she's the
channel controller. That's ***@bbc.co.uk , ok? Don't forget, it's
***@bbc.co.uk

She shares the same email domain as ***@bbc.co.uk you know.

[JM]

Post by Nic
I think he is talking about DVD Recorders not DVD Writers. I have a E50
Panasonic Recorder and don't regret it one bit. It does -R and RAM.

I call my PC's DVD writer a recorder, so fair point :-)

Still, the comparison of the media still stands.

John.

[Paul Hyett]

Post by Nic

Post by JM
Drives supporting + only media are likely to be slightly cheaper, though,

by

Post by JM
around £20. I got a decent Freecom from PC World for £150 which supported
both + and - formats for £150 2 weeks ago so shop around. PC World have a
decent offer on +RW media as well.
John.

I think he is talking about DVD Recorders not DVD Writers.

Correct. I'm thinking of something to supplement, or eventually replace,
an ageing VCR.

[Dom Robinson]

In article <DUwWBdBUlHt$***@activist.demon.co.uk>, ***@nojunkmailplease.co.uk
says...

Post by Paul Hyett

Post by Nic

Post by JM
Drives supporting + only media are likely to be slightly cheaper, though,

by

Post by JM
around £20. I got a decent Freecom from PC World for £150 which supported
both + and - formats for £150 2 weeks ago so shop around. PC World have a
decent offer on +RW media as well.
John.

I think he is talking about DVD Recorders not DVD Writers.

Correct. I'm thinking of something to supplement, or eventually replace,
an ageing VCR.

Dedee Pfeiffer would stop me worrying about what to record on TV :)

[Paul Hyett]

Post by Dom Robinson

Post by Paul Hyett

Post by Nic
I think he is talking about DVD Recorders not DVD Writers.

Correct. I'm thinking of something to supplement, or eventually replace,
an ageing VCR.

Dedee Pfeiffer would stop me worrying about what to record on TV :)

You are Paul Hyett AICMFP. :) :)

[Paul Hyett]

Post by Paul Hyett
OK, now that prices of DVD recorders are starting to drop into my price
range (<£200), can anyone explain the pros & cons of the various
different disc formats, or point me to a URL that does so?
I understand that, like CD's, there are both write-once & re-writable
formats?

Thanks to everyone who replied.