ScooBStu

I want a DVD recorder to transfer the video from a camera - I am getting confused to hell with all the bollocks about DVD-R and +R - Which one should I get - The dual format ones are too expensive really - I already have a set top box with a hard disk in.

I want to transfer the video to DVD and give it to 3 different people - Which format is most likely to work on there cheap DVD players?

Why didnt the useles f*ckers just come up with a generic format.

paulr

DVD-R is the most compatible,cheapest and most popular format.

GC8

I disagree; the + format was designed to address the compabability issues that the original R format had. Its true that DVD-R media is cheaper still, but manufacturers such as Pioneer moved from - format recorders (PC) to dual format recorders because the rise in +'s popularity through 1993..... (at the time it was widely held that the - format would become redundant)

Either format will almost certainly provide you with trouble free playback now though..... Id be more concerned about the quality of the MPEG encoding, rather than the format of the media that the recorder uses.

Simon

Getsum

The format doesn't matter too much these days as the newer players will play most all of them. I currently have a + but my friends have - there's not much of a difference. Think back to when VHS and Beta tapes were going at it in the market place. That's about the same thing in DVD formats.

To copy DVDs, including "backing up" ANY commercial DVD is as simple as downloading DVD Shrink version 3.2. This will decrypt/compress the movie to your hard drive so it will fit on a single DVD. Nero is what I use to burn it to a blank DVD. This is a freeware program and quite simple to use. It even has many features the expensive programs don't like, deleting lead-ins, extra scenes, credits, ect ect. You can basically cut all the crap and only copy the movie. The best thing is it's very simple to use. I taught my wife how to use it in 10 minutes. If you do have a DVD you can't "back up" you can download DVD dycrypter, another freeware program, and use it to dycrypt, then use DVD Shrink to shrink it to a better size.

However, I tend to disagree with the statement that dual layers are too expensive. On www.pricewatch.com one can pick one up for about $44. Of course the govt. will rape you on the import tax. Its' the blank media that is still high. As the competition increases, the price for dual layer blanks will plummet.

If you want my humble opinion, pick one of the formats, it doesn't matter which one, buy the player, get some disks, and burn away. If you need some more guidance, PM me and I'll see what I can do to help you out. Good luck, Lee