Who's been using dual layer???

[rdefino]

I have a Sony 500a and was thinking of replacing it with a dual layer. That way I won't need to compress or use a double sided DVD when backing up my movies. I just want to know if it's worth it. Does it work with the usual programs, ie: DVD2one, instant copy, DVD shrink? Any info would be good.

Thanks

[nimbles]

why would you need dvd2one or dvdshrink?- you don't hae to compress it anymore- you'd just need dvd decrypter, and something like dvd remake if you want to remove the warnings.

however to me the cost of DL media is just too prohibitive, and i for one am not going to invest in the media at around $10 a pop only to find it will be only readable in the burner i burned the media with. at the moment you may as well buy another copy of the original :sly:

[nwg]

The latest version of Nero 6 will work with dual layer DVD's. It even has technology inside the software to help such as smooth play and to detect the layer change. The same amount of data has to be put on each layer.

I don't think using DVD Decrypter will work all the time. I think there will be problems with the layer change which is why Nero is better.

There will also be people who want do uncompressed film only backups and also try to put two films on one DVD. So software like Shrink will still have a purpose.

[Imperial Zeppelin]

Interesting to note that not a one of us has admitted to spending the money to actually go out and burn a DL DVD.

Bottom line is that with quality DVD-Rs approaching $0.50 each, the thought of paying $10 for a DL DVD+R just so you can hear the directors comments and watch all the useless coming attractions really doesn't tickle our fancy.

Back to the original questions, "HAS ANYONE BURNED DL DVDs???" and if you have, what are your thoughts?

[nimbles]

nwg i was thinking of decrypter more from the point of encryption removal, i would rip to file mode and make any edits to the menu etc. and then like you use nero.

but unless using something anydvd the encryption would still need to be removed right?

putting two movies on one discs- it would surely be quicker and cheaper just to keep using dvd5's surely, and just 1 movie per dvd5 disc?

i'm not saying this is the end of the compression techniques, just that it'll be used less.

as for people who have taken the plunge not sure its in the rules to other forums but if you head over to CD Freaks, in the NEC forum particularly there are people who seem to be having great success in the burning of the media and compatibility with standalones and consoles.

one that i read was a 6.5 GB movie burned in 35 minutes (with dvd decrypter) and successful play back in an xbox console- think they use that bitsetting change to dvd-rom to impove compatibility with standalone players/consoles

[nwg]

but unless using something anydvd the encryption would still need to be removed right?

Yes.

I haven't done any burning but, I know someone who has. He hasn't gone into any great detail yet but, he used Decrypter to create a ISO of the orginal. Then used Nero to burn the image. I took about 45 minutes to burn. I would expect using using AnyDVD with Nero would not have the need to use decrypter.

I haven't done it yet. DL discs are £11 where I am. Burners are only £70 which are cheap enough but, the media is priced high at the moment.

I have also read that not many standalone players can read DL+R's. It was only when bitsetting was used that they worked. Therefore, I would want this on my DL writer. I had it on my old Ricoh drive and it was useful.

[Scarpad]

Yeah playing DVD+r's that were not burned on a drive that allowed bitsetting to a DVD-ROM format is very problamatical. I find only very few play native DVD+R format so that's why I've kept my old NEC ND1000A Drive. I have to agree with the prices of DVD-R disks I am happy doing movie only backups. Movie sizes are being compressed down to 4-5 gb mainly so that the studios can squeeze more crap onto the disks

[Joe Fenton]

I've got a NEC 2510A DL burner, but I've yet to burn any because of the price. I have no intentions of doing so until DL media drops below $5.

[chipvideo]

I won't even consider doing a dl disc until they get a RW version out. $15 is way too much if you can't erase the damn thing.

[ron spencer]

Anyone seen this?

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,116915,00.asp

If quality of blanks if soooo poor why buy them? I think it is a bit of a crock that you can get a ton of dual layer drives, just no media. Any the media you do get seems to be VERY questionable at best. Also, as someone else said, no RW, no -R.....what is going on here....are they really that tought to make. By the time -R and all other problems are fixed up Blue Ray will be here...

For me, I am sticking with my trusy single layer cheap DVD blanks....just no worth the effort for dual now....


hey....just thought of something....what about double-sided DVDs? Can you get them anywhere? Gotta flip them over but still one disc.

[wmansir]

You can get double sided discs at most online stores like supermediaoutlet, meritline, rima, etc. They may list them as 9 or 9.4GB discs but if you check the details and price it is clear they are not dual layer. The prices are generally more expensive than 2 DVD-Rs, but nowhere near dual layer prices, maybe $2-3 bucks each.

For the foreseeable future the only benefit I will see from Dual-layer technology is the reduction of price in single-layer DVD-Rs.

EDIT: As an aside: WOW, DVD-R prices are dropping like crazy. It's actually getting to the point where DVD-R's are as cost effective as CD-R on a per MB basis. Which is very cool. I'm glad I only buy DVD-Rs a 50pk at a time. They last me almost 2 months and in that time the price drops are significant.

[Noah]

Originally posted by wmansir
For the foreseeable future the only benefit I will see from Dual-layer technology is the reduction of price in single-layer DVD-Rs.I don't see that happening at all so far. With DL blanks still $10+ each, there's not much downward pressure on SL discs. I think its just competition among media manufacturers along with higher production that's lowered prices.

[luphy]

As drives get faster and faster media comes out, the prices of slower media always drops...that's probably the main driving force right now.

[wmansir]

I wasn't saying it was happening now, but I think it will become a factor once DL media actually starts being price-competitive. And since I'm a cheap cheap SOB I don't see myself moving to DL media any time soon, unless it really comes down in price.

[Joergen]

In austria a good ritek 4X DVD-R is about 60 c€nts and a good CD-R is about 16 cents.. 60/4489 = 0.013 and 16/700 = 0.023 so DVD-R is already cost-effective, not to mention environmentally and spatially friendly. I dont use CD-R anymore for anything but audio-cd and I hardly ever need those.

Oh and a Verbatim DVD+DL costs 14€ .. you can buy 23.3 QUALITY DVD-R's for that. :D

[navydoc]

I've done one movie using DL.

I am in the process of creating a 'library' of favorites by capturing movies off Directv using Pinnacle's Movie Box USB. Recently I captured "The Best Years of Our Lives" starring Mirna Loy, Fredrick March and Dana Andrews (the movie won 'Best Picture' in 1946). The movie is 2 hrs, 48 min in length. The capture was Mpeg2 (S video input) which I set at 8500 kbits/sec and was about 7.4 gb in size. I used Tmpgenc DVD Author with the AC3 encoder to author to my hard drive, then used Nero 6 to burn. I didn't create a menu but did create chapter points. I have a Sony 700a burner and the Nero 6 software came bundled with the drive (no problem downloading updates either).

Viewing the movie on my Pioneer 64" HDTV using a Sony DVD player (component output), the quality was every bit as good as the original Directv broadcast.

If I only use DL disks for long movies I have captured and want to keep at the best possible data rate, it's worth the investment to me.

Doc

[wmansir]

Was that movie in HD? Because you can get the original on DVD (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0792846133/qid=1090660749/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl74/102-6296148-6296958?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846) for half the price of a DL blank (if your R1, don't know if it's out in other regions).

That's the main reason DL media's price is too high for the market: It's often cheaper to buy a second copy then to bother backing up an original.

[chipvideo]

Not only that who in the heck would waste a perfectly good disc to get a crappy broadcast off of sat tv anyhow. If people can't see the difference between directv and an original dvd they are blind.

[navydoc]

wmansir,

I realize I could have just bought a commercial DVD of the movie and at a cheaper price but I got the satisfaction of doing it all myself, creating chapter points and menus too if I wanted. Using a DL disk will be a rare thing for me until the prices do come down but if I do get the opportunity to capture a movie I'd like to add to my collection that is too long to use DVD Shrink effectively, I'll probably use a DL disk to copy it on.

chipvideo,

I'm sorry if you get crappy quality video from your satellite setup. I do not. As far as comparing Directv with 'an original dvd', just because a movie is on a dvd disk does not guarantee a high video quality. I've seen several movies commercially sold that are not up to par with the newest releases if only because the movie in question was filmed over 50 years ago. Thanks for your positive contribution to this thread.

Doc

[chipvideo]

everyone gets crappy video quality from directv.

I have a very good eye to video quality.

The difference between directv and dvd is the same regular cable is to directv.

If you cant see the difference between directv and a dvd your either ignorant or your blind. I have had both directv and dish network since 1998 and it doesnt matter where in the country your at. Every signal will look the same in any house in america.

Ive got more experience with watching movies than you think. A $50K home theater to prove it.

[navydoc]

Chipvideo,

If you go back and reread my first post, you will note I never compared my capture from Directv to dvd...only to the original broadcast quality. I also mentioned in my second post that just because a movie is on a commercial dvd, that does not mean the quality will be top rate. The movie in question is in black and white, was originally shot on film not digital media and is over fifty years old. You do know not all dvd movies are equal in quality?

You have made a blanket statement that "everyone gets crappy video quality from Directv". If you feel that way, it makes me wonder why you subscribe to it...or anyone else for that matter. By the way, I have been a subscriber to Directv since May of 1995...and get very acceptable quality viewing.

You also state: "...it doesn't matter where in the country your at. Every signal will look the same in any house in america". While it's true the signal is the same, I'm surprised you don't know that everything else can be different; from the cable used to get the signal from the transponder to the set-top decoder, the decoder itself, the method of getting the decoded signal to your monitor (composite, s-video, component, rgb or dvi) and the ability of the monitor to convert the signal to the end video and audio.

I don't know what the cost of your home theater has to do with your "experience with watching movies" but if you paid $50k for it, I'd say you got ripped off unless that includes the house you built around it.

And finally, I don't appreciate your personal attacks on me by insinuating I must be ignorant or blind because I don't agree with your opinions. If you can't express your opinions without including personal attacks on another member, keep them to yourself. That's not a very good example to set as a "Senior Member" of this community.

This is my last post on this subject.

Doc

[quantum]

Originally posted by navydoc
insinuating I must be ignorant or blind because I don't agree with your opinions. If you can't express your opinions without including personal attacks on another member, keep them to yourself. That's not a very good example to set as a "Senior Member" of this community.
Agreed. Unfortunately it's the same with forums everywhere. If you make a lot of posts, no matter how stupid, you get rewarded with a new title.

[wmansir]

I'm closing this thread because it has gotten entirely off topic and isn't going in a good direction.