Is Now The Time To Buy A DVD Recorder?
Aug 17 '02
The Bottom Line You soon know all about recording with DVD
DVD-this DVD-that, it is all DVD now. All about DVD recording formats
Did you buy a Beta recorder? How did it feel to see your product wilt away as VHS took over? Is this sort of thing going to happen to VHS? The answer is simple. Yes. Granted I actually have a Beta machine, nothing will stop me from buying a DVD recorder of some sort. Now this sort of thing is going to happen a lot, you’ll buy a product, see it slowly die, and then need to upgrade. It the principle that if you aren’t up to date, you’re going to need to update soon. It might seem strange, but there is talk that a replacement for DVD is not that far away. It will soon be High Definition DVD didn’t you know? Yes, that could mean the end of the humble source we and many have loved and enjoyed for the past several years. SACD is slowly filtering its way through the world. Everything is going to get better. But does this mean you should hold back on a DVD recorder? The answer isn’t so simple. In this guide we’ll cover all the areas, technical and cerebral into whether you should spend twice that of a budget family computer.
The Formats Rebel
Don’t you think for one second that DVD recording is easy, it is full of misconception and allegory. The manufacturers are separating, instead of a nice simple structure, they are all fighting over which of their products is best. The formats for DVD are suddenly getting very diverse, which makes it almost impossible to see which one will succeed.
DVD
DVD or Digital Versatile Disc, is made up in a similar way to a CD. The principle is to use peaks and troughs in a metallic surface to reflect a laser beam on and off a sensor, basically. This creates a binary (1s and 0s) output, which is converted into audio, data or misc. DVD uses so minute peaks and troughs that it can output enough data to give a DVD player reading it information such as 8 audio sections, subtitles, separate angles and video information. DVDs are currently made of two layers – typically – these are DVD-9 dual layer, one side. Others like a single layer dual side (DVD-10) are available too. Dual layer discs have a golden reflection.
DVD-ROM
Not at all different to DVD, in fact you can get as much storage space on a DVD-ROM as a DVD. DVD-ROM also come in a number of designs (DVD-9/DVD-10). They work just like a regular CD-ROM. They are often used on Computers, where the drives can also play regular DVDs. Drives which are compatible with DVD-ROMs are usually compatible with VCD, CD-RW and other formats.
One side of a DVD
–whatever type or format
it is – can hold roughly
4.7Gb of data. A DVD-9
can hold around 9.3Gb of
data.
DVD-RAM
DVDs are usually sequential, the data is ordered in sequence, this means that data must be streamed off the disc, hence you can only view one video animation at once. DVD-RAM solves this, as it is “Random Access Memory”, this means you can read off video data, while at the same time record to it. DVD-RAM is often produced by Panasonic, and is a worthy investment, it uses a modified DVD-5 (single side single layer) inside a transparent case, much like a MiniDisc. You can find some DVD-RAM which are Dual Sided (like DVD-10), these must be flipped over, although some dives exist which read both sides.
DVD-RAM have also been separated into types, Type One are sealed in, but Type Two allow the disc to be removed. The reason being that you can pop the DVD inside a DVD-Video player, as long as it is compatible. They are supposed to work in DVD-ROM drives.
The main benefit of DVD-RAM over newer recording formats is that they can last much longer. They have a lifespan of 100 years (a rough estimate however they got it!), and can be re-used without fade for 100,000 times.
Unfortunately there are very little of these highly affordable (£20 $28 for one 9.3Gb cart) formats. There is only one model of drive in the UK so far (Panasonic DMR-E20) which lets users have a time slip allowing them to record while viewing video as mentioned earlier, one of the most impressive aspects of this technology. However, as for home transfers, you may have to wait a few years, as it was initially instigated for home computers. This format could be the perfect recording format for the living room, with a protective case and large capacity.
Returning to compatibility, DVD-RAM will work best in the drive it was made for, however Type Two cases will allow you to use them on virtually all-new DVD-ROM drives.
DVD-RW
Enter DVD-R. This and DVD-RW have a little in common with regular CD burners. The only difference being that the recorders for DVD-R and DVD-RW use much more improved lasers. The discs themselves work in a similar way to CD-R and CD-RW. In that they use a chemical which changes state from a transparent to an opaque colour. The difference in the laser assembly is quite simple, they have used a Blue laser, rather than a red one, which makes them more accurate. DVD-R formats are almost guaranteed to work on your regular DVD player. This means you can test write a movie of your own to a DVD-RW and copy that to a DVD-R for your own distribution.
The DVD-R discs are single layer and single sided, which means they are limited to 4.7Gb, this means about 6 hours of video on high compression, and only one on low compression. There is news of dual sided DVD-Rs but these would be easy to get dirty or damage. It would of course mean extra storage of up to 9.3Gb. DVD-R are Recordable only once, you cannot erase or re-write. They work in the same way as regular DVDs, which means you can turn it into a data DVD and a DVD-ROM.
DVD-RW is rewriteable for up to 1000 times, which seems quite decent. You will expect to pay very little for a DVD-R perhaps £10 ($14), and for a DVD-RW around £15 ($21).
Compatibility for DVD-RW gets sensitive, since they use a Table Of Contents (TOC) at the start of the disc so that recording software can add to the disc, or remove items without the need for searching. Unfortunately, like DVD-RAM machines, DVD-RW compatible recorders are rare too, the only recorder currently in the UK is the Pioneer DVD-7000. Pioneer of course developed the DVD-RW format, and are supported by companies like Sharp, while these companies have started to develop the medium (the disc): CMC Magnetics, Hitachi Maxell, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, Pioneer, Ricoh, Ritek, Sony, Taiyo Yuden, TDK, Verbatim, Victor.
On the whole, DVD-RW has been developed as the better medium, but it is DVD+RW which has been wooing the consumer market, even though it is not endorsed by DVD Forum.
DVD+RW
Now this, is quite essentially the competition of DVD-RW. It has been established without endoresment of the DVD-Forum who administer the technical aspects of DVD. This medium was developed by Sony and Philips (hello, the CD inventors), along with a number of insider DVD Forum members, who wish to produce a better platform for recordable media. Some however said that it was done because they would receive very little royalties for the other two DVD-RAM and DVD-RW formats, and so decided to develop their own recordable format.
The DVD+RW format is much like the DVD-RW format, you get 4.7Gb for one side, and 9.3Gb for two sides, this being taken into account for the reason Philips have already launched a dual sided DVD+RW. They can record up to six hours per side, and that 12 for the dual sided one. Another positive is that DVD+RW is slightly cheaper than the competition.
If DVD+RW eventually becomes the leader in the recordable market like VHS did to the Sony company years ago, every company who make a DVD recorder will have to pay fees to Sony and Philips, now that’s using their heads. Which should mean bigger, more affordable market solutions from the pairing companies. Already Philips have released a duet of DVD+RW recorders. The first recorder, the DVDR1000 was on sale for £1,500 ($2,100), it could record to both DVD+R and DVD+RW.
Compatibility wise, DVD+RW are claimed to be completely compatible with normal DVD players, not to mention the latest DVD-ROM drives. Microsoft feel this medium will be the sucessor, them saying they will use it as a recording standard in the next edition of Windows – codename Longhorn.
You Decide
This churns up a new thought. Back to that Beta Vs VHS scandle, remember how Sony had to relinquish to the people behind and supporting VHS (Including inventor JVC RCA and Panasonic). Well, it appears that Sony are going to try again, this time with their own DVD+RW. The decision to which format suceeds if down to demand. It won’t take long before the competition starts to crumble to lower and lower prices. The real downfall will be the incompatibility between both formats. While they both will appear indistinguishable, you may feel the affordability side of DVD+RW come through, thanks to the fees that Sony and Philips will receive.
It comes down to prediction and common sense. You shouldn’t need a DVD recorder yet, if you must then the DVD+RW format definetly sees the prosperous future. What can be guessed from this guide, is that DVD-RAM will dominate the PC market, while DVD+RW will eventually prevaile to take the home market. Probably one of its best elements is its compatibility with regular DVD players, which is a large bonus.
Why Buy
Currrently these technologies are extremely expensive. If you think about it, what can you record from under your TV? Would you enjoy the benefit of a perfect video and audio quality for your favourite soap? Of course the few home recorders like the DVDR1000 don’t allow pirate copies of regular movies. This is been severely looked at, and no-one will see a way of getting around it. The real benefit of these formats is that you can make your own movies even on a budget, distribute it on either DVD-R/DVD+R/DVD+RW. As for PC editing, there are no news on a computer DVD+RW recorder yet, although Pioneer have made an external one for £4000 ($5600).
The machines
Philips DVDR1000 -£1,500-DVD+RW- Philips’ first recorder, it will do DVD+RW and DVD+R, and allows the user to edit movies with eases.
Philips DVDR985 -£900-DVD+RW- A massive price drop, and is easier to record. It even has VideoPlus+.
Panasonic DMR-E20 -£999-DVD-RAM- The first and only DVD-RAM recorder, it will also record onto DVD-R media a way of increasing compatibility.
Pioneer DVR-7000 -£1,299-DVD-RW- 32 levels of recording compression, it works like a regular VCR, and can edit DVD-RWs or record to DVD-R for compatibility with regular players.
Philips are releasing a new recorder at £600. Another is expected to release at £500.
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