DVD-R: What to Look For?

[moira finnie]

If you're one of those lucky few who've plunked down your hard-earned cash for a dvd recorder since it became commercially available, I was wondering if you could share a few thoughts on the ins and outs of purchasing and using them?
Do you think that the price of the decent ones will continue to fall as vcrs did over time?
Will Blu-Ray replace them soon and make investment in such a luxury item futile?
Are there some recordable dvd discs that are better than others?
Are there some brands of dvd-r to avoid, in your experience?
How difficult is it to integrate the dvd-r with a basic digital cable setup in your home?
Would you recommend buying a dvd burner add-on for your pc computer? What if a person has an Apple?
Do you think that the dvd downloads via broadband will become the next way for everyone to rent films?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[movieman1957]

Moira:

I don't know if it's advice or not but I'll share my little bit of experience. First, the recorder was not at all difficult to hook up to my digital cable box.

I have a Panasonic model VCR/DVD recorder. I had so many things on tapte that seem rare anymore it was a great way to make them more permanent. (It helps too when you have to use a different VCR because the kids want to watch something.)Copying from one to the other is really simple. The drawback comes as I am making DVDs of Laurel & hardy and Charley Chase shorts and some of the Featurettes and of course you can only play them on the recorder until they are finalized.

Blu Ray? I think most people will wait until it's decided which form wins.
Prices? Just like everything else they will work their way down.
DVDs? - I haven't had any real problems. I did hear someone say they had problems with the store brand labeled discs.
Computer burner? - Could be if you're going from one DVD to another.
Downloads? - Not for me. I sit at a desk all day long. I have heard you can link them to your TV so that would be much better.

I will say that I've had people comment on what they thought was good picture quality even from a tape transfer. My kids think it was the best present they ever got me.

Now some people with some real knowledge can chime in.

[pktrekgirl]

Okay.

I have dumped alot of money into my system and have a Panasonic DVD recorder with a 200 GB hard drive. This means I can record tons of films and burn them to DVD at my leisure, more or less.

However, as I record alot of stuff, it has become almost a second job to keep up with my DVD recorder.

Moira - if you travel or are otherwise going to be gone from your home for extended periods, you need a large hard drive. The Panasonic I have cost upwards of $400 less than a year ago, but it is great because I can travel overseas for a few weeks and still record a good chunk of what I would have otherwise recorded if I'd stayed home. Nice feature.

However, if you don't need such a large hard drive, then you don't need to spend that kind of money. Some machines have smaller hard drives...and some none at all. I wouldn't recommend the latter, however, as you are then recording everything in real time directly to disk....and if you then want to edit the recording, you have to run it through an editing program on your PC and burn another disk. And if your disk happens to be bad, then you lose the film completely.

Another feature to watch for is the ability to make chapters easily when editing on the machine itself. I was stunned to discover that, even on my fairly expensive unit, there was no really fast way to make chapters - it all has to be done manually by going through the entire film. In my PC's editing program, however, I can insert chapters ever 5 minutes or whatever I like. Check before you buy...because it is a hassle to create chapters one by one.

[bobhopefan1940]

I have had bad experiences with imation dvd-rs. I avoid them entirely, after I bought a 100 pack on sale. When I burned a few, everything was fine. Then I watched them back - One out of about ten discs had a defect in the media which skipped about 3 minutes of the movie. I'm not sure if this was just with my pack, but none the less I don't buy them anymore. How annoying. The discs are so cheap, I stick with the safe bet of Sony's. I have found Maxells to be really reliable and cheap, too.

I bought my dvd-r for under a hundred bucks. They just got in a new model of dvd-r at Wal-Mart for under eighty bucks - What a steal! Mine is a magnavox, and has really been very reliable (especially with timer recording).

[sandykaypax]

Yep, I only buy the name brand dvd-r discs after getting burned by buying a cheaper brand--Windata. I have had great results with Sony, Memorex, and Fuji blank discs.

I've not tried transfering anything from vhs to dvd. I just try to catch stuff on TCM and record from tv. I've noticed that recording at a slower speed (4 or 6 hours) onto a disc gives a better quality picture than recording on a slower speed on VHS did.

My dvd recorder is a Pioneer. I've had it for a year and a half and have recorded about 400 discs. It works like a charm.

Sandy K

[TalkieTime]

My main interest is early talkies through the film noir era.

Since September 2005 my home recording has been with DVD. I record from TCM and dub selected recordings from my home-recorded videotape collection to DVD. Most of my videotape collection came from pre-2001 AMC. I expect to complete my dubbing project within a week.

I use Panasonic DVRs and DVD/VCR combo recorders, models DMR-ES30V, DMR-ES35V, and DMR-ES15. Panasonics provide 500 lines of resolution at the LP speed, giving four hours per DVD, with high quality color and black and white reproduction. The EP speed, set for six hours per DVD, gives good quality black and white reproduction. (The EP speed may also be set to record for eight hours per DVD.) There are other speed settings giving the best quality with one or two hours recording per DVD. Panasonic's Flexible Recording fits or fills a DVD with the highest quality recording in a variety of circumstances, including time limited dubbing. I have found these last-named Panasonic features to be essential for direct recordings and in an extensive dubbing project.

I have used a variety of DVD media but settled upon DVD-R as the most friendly with my Panasonics. DVD-R is a practical and inexpensive format. The Sunday ads usually have name-brand spindles of 100 DVD-R discs priced around $25.00. I use TDK, Maxell and Verbatim. I no longer purchase Memorex as my last Memorex spindle of 100 DVD-R had one out of every six discs that proved defective. With TDK DVD-R disks I may find one defective disc in every 300-400 blanks.

[vallo]

So far I had luck with my RCA DVr. I purchased one for $188.00 @ Wal-Mart. It has a 80gb hard drive, so I tape films and watch them. If they're keepers I transfer them to disc's. It was one of my BEST purchases. I want to thank "Talkietime" for the tips I found on this suject at the TCM forum.

vallo

[moira finnie]

Many thanks to all who've posted here about dvd-rs and vcrs and combos and tips about recording in general.

I've scraped together $200 smackers to begin shopping around. I may just wait a bit until the Christmas season, (which oddly seems to start around here just before Labor Day), and see what--if any, decent quality dvd-r / vcr pops up at a bargain price. Your contributions about the ins and outs of this new wave of electronics has helped me immeasurably.

My cranky, 17 year old Panasonic vcr seems to be haunted now. Whenever I've tried to use it, it turns itself on and off and will, if ignored for any period of time without running any tape, turns itself on (!), and opens and closes its mouth as if to ask, reproachfully, "Hey, I'm still here! Did you forget me?"

It's a little too Twilight Zoney for me and it won't record at all anymore, though it plays tapes without any problem. Who needs an electronic prima donna?!At least the dvd player that I inherited seems good for now.

[markfp]

At the moment, I use three DVD-R recorders. Two Panasonics and a Toshiba. I do a lot of recording and all three have served me well. The first recorder I got was also a Panasonic, but I had trouble with it and had to return it. The one I got as a replacement hasn't failed me yet. Even the big guys turn out duds now and then.

I like these recorders because they will record and play both DVD-R and DVD+R formats. DVD-R is the more popular and the most compatable with other players. However, by having DVD+R I can record discs in that format for friends.

With $200 in your purse you'll have no problem getting getting a good one. My advice is stay away from the cheap unknown name units that stores like Wal-Mart sells. From what I've read on home theatre boards most of them are trouble.

As for blank discs, I generally stick with name brands like Fuji, Sony, TDK and a lesser known brand called Dynex. When I first started recording I used Memorex, but had many problems with them and haven't used that brand since. Perhaps, they're better now.


I know you'll have fun when you get one. Good luck.

[traceyk]

I've purcahsed DVD-R's from people on ebay--Some come in nice plastic cases, some in DVD sleeves, but the actual DVD is usually pretty good. Not sure where they get these movies, which are supposed to be public domain, but I'm glad to have them.

Tracey

[traceyk]

I've purcahsed DVD-R's from people on ebay--Some come in nice plastic cases, some in DVD sleeves, but the actual DVD is usually pretty good. Not sure where they get these movies, which are supposed to be public domain, but I'm glad to have them.

Tracey

[SSO Admins]

I've purcahsed DVD-R's from people on ebay--Some come in nice plastic cases, some in DVD sleeves, but the actual DVD is usually pretty good. Not sure where they get these movies, which are supposed to be public domain, but I'm glad to have them.

Tracey

You should ask around here first. Lots of us can dupe rare non-commercial DVDs and are willing to do it for free or for a small fee for media and postage.

[traceyk]

Hmmm. Didn't even think of that. Thanks!