DVD-R's/RW's?

[Crewman47]

I just bought my first DVD recorder this week and I was wondering as I have been used to VHS recording and that each video had a limited lifespan for recording if recordable DVD's had any lifespan on them or if you could constatntly record onto them over and over without any degradation, even with constant reformating and deleting?

Thanks

 

[Robert Maxwell]

All rewritable optical media have a lifespan. DVD+/-RW discs can be rewritten about 1000 times. DVD-RAM discs can be rewritten about 100,000 times.

 

[Alaedhros]

Wikipedia bears out Robert Maxwell's numbers, but I've heard other numbers from another source. I work at an electronics store and I once asked one of the supervisors this very question, and his answer was 10-20 times for DVD-RW and near unlimited for DVD-RAM. He could be wrong, but since he's been very knowledgeable about other things I've asked him (and he's always told me when he didn't know the answer to something) I thought I should throw that out there.

 

[JustAFriend]

RW is NOT unlimited storage.

Every time you write a session, a 30-50Mb directory is written.

So at some point, the disk cannot be used further.

Personally, it's not worth the trouble. Get cheap but goo quality write-once -Rs and be done with it.

 

[Alaedhros]

^ If -RW is so bad, why not use -RAM instead of -R?

 

[Lindley]

DVD-RAM disks are bulky, blocky things. At least they were, last time I had a working DVD-RAM driver. They don't fit with the rest of the "DVD" products' look.

 

[TremblingBluStar]

Crewman47 said:
I just bought my first DVD recorder this week and I was wondering as I have been used to VHS recording and that each video had a limited lifespan for recording if recordable DVD's had any lifespan on them or if you could constatntly record onto them over and over without any degradation, even with constant reformating and deleting?

I purchased my first DVD recorder about two months ago, along with a pack of DVD-RW's. Nearly everyday I've deleted and recorded over what was on the disc, with no problems.

So while I don't know what the ultimate lifespan of the RW's are, they can't possibly be less than those of VHS tapes that are recorded over constantly.

While on the subject, I have to say I'm loving the recorder. I wish I could have one with a hard drive (the cheapest of which was $300), but am satisfied using RW's for now.

The only downside I can think of is, you can't record on blank areas before the first recorded area. Meaning if the directory looks like this:

<2 hrs blank>
<90 minutes Desperate Houswives>
<30 minutes blank>

and you set it up to record, it will go into the 30 minute spot, not the 2 hours spot, until the 30 minutes are full and then stop.

 

[GMac]

Lindley said:
DVD-RAM disks are bulky, blocky things. At least they were, last time I had a working DVD-RAM driver. They don't fit with the rest of the "DVD" products' look.

Not any more they aren't - my DVD recorder uses them, and whilst they are a little bit more expensive than DVD-R/RW discs, they don't need a caddy any more (in fact many DVD burners will read & burn them as standard) and last a hell of a sight longer than either of the other rewritable formats.

GM

 

[LaxScrutiny]

^ True. My DVD-RAM disks are indistinguishable from my other disks. I find them excellent for "VCR type" recording, also for backups that I frequently update and overwrite.

DVD-RW, I have been told, are also less tolerant of UV light, and can become corrupted easily, because the chemicals are designed to be "reset" and overwritten. I don't know if that's factual or not, but it makes logical sense, anyway.

 

[Lior .B.]

I'm planning on buying a DVD recorder soon. Can someone explain to me what all the labeling means (or give me link where I can understand it. +/- RW, RAM....)

 

[Kail]

TremblingBluStar said:

Crewman47 said:
I just bought my first DVD recorder this week and I was wondering as I have been used to VHS recording and that each video had a limited lifespan for recording if recordable DVD's had any lifespan on them or if you could constatntly record onto them over and over without any degradation, even with constant reformating and deleting?

I purchased my first DVD recorder about two months ago, along with a pack of DVD-RW's. Nearly everyday I've deleted and recorded over what was on the disc, with no problems.

So while I don't know what the ultimate lifespan of the RW's are, they can't possibly be less than those of VHS tapes that are recorded over constantly.

While on the subject, I have to say I'm loving the recorder. I wish I could have one with a hard drive (the cheapest of which was $300), but am satisfied using RW's for now.

The only downside I can think of is, you can't record on blank areas before the first recorded area. Meaning if the directory looks like this:

<2 hrs blank>
<90 minutes Desperate Houswives>
<30 minutes blank>

and you set it up to record, it will go into the 30 minute spot, not the 2 hours spot, until the 30 minutes are full and then stop.

Actually, you can. You may not be able to set up a timer recording to fill that first 2 hour spot, but you can set up to over-write the title, but you must do it "live". Meaning to start the recording at the time the program begins.

 

[cylkoth]

Kail said:

TremblingBluStar said:

Crewman47 said:
I just bought my first DVD recorder this week and I was wondering as I have been used to VHS recording and that each video had a limited lifespan for recording if recordable DVD's had any lifespan on them or if you could constatntly record onto them over and over without any degradation, even with constant reformating and deleting?

I purchased my first DVD recorder about two months ago, along with a pack of DVD-RW's. Nearly everyday I've deleted and recorded over what was on the disc, with no problems.

So while I don't know what the ultimate lifespan of the RW's are, they can't possibly be less than those of VHS tapes that are recorded over constantly.

While on the subject, I have to say I'm loving the recorder. I wish I could have one with a hard drive (the cheapest of which was $300), but am satisfied using RW's for now.

The only downside I can think of is, you can't record on blank areas before the first recorded area. Meaning if the directory looks like this:

<2 hrs blank>
<90 minutes Desperate Houswives>
<30 minutes blank>

and you set it up to record, it will go into the 30 minute spot, not the 2 hours spot, until the 30 minutes are full and then stop.

Actually, you can. You may not be able to set up a timer recording to fill that first 2 hour spot, but you can set up to over-write the title, but you must do it "live". Meaning to start the recording at the time the program begins.

Not all recorders-made by different companies, work the same. This is the first I've ever heard of being able to delete a title from a -rw disc, and have that space actualy be blank and useable. My recorder if you have say 3 titles on a -RW, and you delete one, it's actually still on the disc, and the directory merely tells the player to skip it when playing back, and you don't get any extra space back to record new material. You have to format it, to completely erase everything on it.

 

[Geoff]

Lior .B. said:
I'm planning on buying a DVD recorder soon. Can someone explain to me what all the labeling means (or give me link where I can understand it. +/- RW, RAM....)

http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#4.3

 

[Kail]

cylkoth said:

Kail said:

TremblingBluStar said:

Crewman47 said:
I just bought my first DVD recorder this week and I was wondering as I have been used to VHS recording and that each video had a limited lifespan for recording if recordable DVD's had any lifespan on them or if you could constatntly record onto them over and over without any degradation, even with constant reformating and deleting?

I purchased my first DVD recorder about two months ago, along with a pack of DVD-RW's. Nearly everyday I've deleted and recorded over what was on the disc, with no problems.

So while I don't know what the ultimate lifespan of the RW's are, they can't possibly be less than those of VHS tapes that are recorded over constantly.

While on the subject, I have to say I'm loving the recorder. I wish I could have one with a hard drive (the cheapest of which was $300), but am satisfied using RW's for now.

The only downside I can think of is, you can't record on blank areas before the first recorded area. Meaning if the directory looks like this:

<2 hrs blank>
<90 minutes Desperate Houswives>
<30 minutes blank>

and you set it up to record, it will go into the 30 minute spot, not the 2 hours spot, until the 30 minutes are full and then stop.

Actually, you can. You may not be able to set up a timer recording to fill that first 2 hour spot, but you can set up to over-write the title, but you must do it "live". Meaning to start the recording at the time the program begins.

Not all recorders-made by different companies, work the same. This is the first I've ever heard of being able to delete a title from a -rw disc, and have that space actualy be blank and useable. My recorder if you have say 3 titles on a -RW, and you delete one, it's actually still on the disc, and the directory merely tells the player to skip it when playing back, and you don't get any extra space back to record new material. You have to format it, to completely erase everything on it.

Well, I can't speak for your particlar brand of recorder, but I've owned two different kinds, and both had a title overwrite feature. If you haven't, read your owners manual completely.