Dual Layer DVD+/-R question

[mojo1701]

I need to backup a video project myself and some friends did a year or two ago for school. I found the original hi-res footage, and would like to burn it to DVD-R so I could watch it on a DVD player. The problem is, is that we have quite a bit of footage we'd like to store, and we don't want to split it onto two DVD-Rs.

My question is, how expensive are dual-layer DVD-Rs? Are they practical compared to splitting to two DVD-Rs?

 

[Viking Bastard]

Well, if you want to play it on a DVD player, get a DVD+R not -R, for one.

And I don't know. Sorry.

 

[trancejeremy]

They're pretty expensive, like $8 each or so (by constrast, that's more than an entire 25 pack of single layer costs at Circuit City, though of their cheap brand). Though maybe they've come down in price

 

[John Crichton]

Yeah, the discs aren't cheap but probably worth it for what you are suggesting.

As far as practicality, it is also a good, safe call. Most big DVD releases (Spiderman comes quickest to mind) are dual layered because the video and sound quality has to be so high. You can easily tell a dual-layer disc because somewhere near the middle there will be what appears to be a minor skip (on most players). This is the player switching to the bottom layer to read the info there.

If you are looking for the cheapest way, just burn it onto two or bring the compression level down so it fit on one disc. But dual-layer should work just fine. Last time I checked the 3-packs were going for $25. Looks like they won't be really affordable for another 6+ months. I really want to back up a bunch of my more-watched and rare DVDs but it's not cost effective right now.

 

[mojo1701]

Well, if you want to play it on a DVD player, get a DVD+R not -R, for one.

Really? Almost anyone I've talked to suggests otherwise.

 

[Dimwhit]

Really? Almost anyone I've talked to suggests otherwise.

Yep, me too.

Go with the dual-layer. They're not prohibitively expensive if you're just doing a couple copies, and you're more likely to keep the quality where it is.

 

[John Crichton]

Really? Almost anyone I've talked to suggests otherwise.

That *is* odd. I've only used DVD+R and it works great on all the DVD players around the house. Haven't really tried DVD-R to be honest. Not any time recently.

 

[Dimwhit]

That *is* odd. I've only used DVD+R and it works great on all the DVD players around the house. Haven't really tried DVD-R to be honest. Not any time recently.

DVD-R is supposed to me more compatible and more expensive. Don't know if that's the case in real world, though.

These days, honestly, there probably isn't much of a difference. Either will likely work 99% of the time.

 

[Viking Bastard]

I've had two generations of DVD players and my burned DVD-Rs would play on neither
while the DVD+Rs did so without any problems.

There is no difference in price between the two, here.

 

[Soel]

Not all players/dvd drives are compatible with dvd-r...