dvd recording formats
explained
Written
By Kenny Hemphill
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Picking your way
through the ton of information available on recordable DVD formats
can be a nightmare.
To help you out,
we’ve done our best to distil it into this summary.
Download this page as a PDF file here:
dvd recording formats
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Summary of the dvd recording formats:
There are FIVE recordable versions of DVD;
DVD-R for (General Use) + DVD-R for (Authoring Use)
DVD-RAM
DVD-RW
DVD+RW
NONE of these dvd recording formats is fully compatible with the
other although there are drives which will read, and
in some cases write to more than one format.
DVD-R for General use and DVD-R for Authoring use are essentially
DVD versions of the popular CD-R format, and DVD-RW is a DVD version
of CD-RW.
All THREE dvd recording formats can be read in standard DVD-ROM
drives and in most DVD video players. The difference between DVD-R
for General and DVD-R for Authoring is that DVD-R for
General is a format intended for widespread consumer use and doesn't
support ‘professional’ features such as piracy protection or
duplication in mass duplicators. The Pioneer DVD-RW drive
which is the most popular PC device for writing to DVD uses the DVD
for General format. And as as the case with CD, DVD-RW is
essentially the same as DVD-R except that it can be erased
and written to again and again.
DVD-RAM is slightly different as it is a sector based disc
which mounts on the desktop of a PC when inserted into a drive.
Files can then be copied to it in the same way as any other mounted
media. Some single-sided DVD-RAM discs can be removed from
their caddy and inserted in a DVD-ROM drive which will then
be able to read the content of the disc.
There are DVD video recorders which use the DVD-RAM format.
This enables them to pull off clever tricks like time shifting –
where you can watch the beginning of a programme you have recorded
while you are still recording the end on the same disc.
DVD+RW is the newest format and not supported by the DVD
Forum, the body which sets the standards for DVD. However, it is
supported by some of the biggest electronics and computer
manufacturers, and is therefore likely to stick around.
It is also the format used by Philips in its DVD video recorders.
Despite not being authorised by the DVD Forum, DVD+RW is
claimed by its supported to be compatible with more DVD video
players than DVD-R and DVD+RW writers are found in PCs
from quite a few manufacturers.
Kenny Hemphill is the editor and publisher of
The HDTV
Tuner
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