Wait a little while folks!! (DVD Forum)

Member Name: macutmore

Product:	DVD Forum
Date:	30/11/00 (103 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: All in one

Disadvantages: need some computer knowledge

DVD is great; there is no doubt about that. The problem of course, is that we need to record on it now! At least this was what I originally wrote here back in 2001. We had to wait until ?the third quarter? of 2001 before we saw a DVD+RW machine. I had visions of factory?s somewhere, making the machines as I wrote. What a rush! Who needed a DVD ?player? when one could have a DVD recorder and actually watch it on a proper TV screen- not your computer monitor wherever that may be!

What?s more we needed region free players, by hook or by crook it would seem that many machines are ?hack able? for this- you just need to know! I wanted a DVD recorder / player that was cross compatible with CD-R and CD-RW, One that could also be plugged into my computer, should I need it to be.

I said it would come folks, I said just wait till September 2001, then the DVD player you have now will be no good to man or beast!!! - the rundown..

STOP PRESS:
I understand that current top selling model DVD players are having problems playing certain discs! This confirms the software is developing faster than the hardware, it seems I was right! Hang fire, I think.

Further STOP PRESS:
UK's first DVD Recorder available!

The UK's first long awaited DVD recorder is now on the market. Priced at around £1300, we can now finally record on DVD, over and over again, with the superb picture and sound quality only DVD technology can deliver. Termed 'DVD+RW' the technology enabled two-way compatability. Playback of existing pre-recorded DVD's as well as CD's and CD-RW. Coupled with all the standard features of a VHS video recorder, it was believed it was only a matter of time before the price of the product tumbles with mass production.

It turns out that what I actually wrote above (many moons ago), was not that far from sound. My dreams have certainly come true with the likes of affordable PC multi compatible drives now a
reality, but there are a few myths about DVD that I would love to comment on.

Firstly, don't be fooled into the belief that DVD means the highest possible quality - it does not. The nature of MPEG-2 compression used means that in order to fit a complete movie on a disc, much is removed. It is impossible to remove so much data without compromising something, but DVD is about as good as you can get considering. Any DV or Digital 8 camcorder gives the ultimate DV with very little compression. Convert (or record) DV to DVD and you will know what I mean!

Secondly, consumer (pre-recorded), pressed DVD's are manufactured differently to recordable blanks. They are dual-layed discs (about two hours on one side). Recordable blanks are only single layered, so at a similar, (or lower) quality you can only get one hour on the disc! - That is unless you sacrifice the very thing that DVD is renowned for - quality of course.

If you want two hours of top quality on one disc, it has to be double sided - flipped mid program, and have NO label on the faces! But we are there. A Computer DVD recorder is probably more versatile that a stand alone recorder machine because it can have virtually any software choice, can be used to record data, and read DVD ROM functions. The only disadvantage is computer boot up and slow access (starting software etc). I understand that standalone recorders are merely computer drives bundled into the necessary hardware case.

With DVD+, and DVD-, and DVD RAM multi compatible machines now availiable at less than £90 NOW is the time!!!!!!!!

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