Dual layer DVD drives?

wbtczn wrote on 1/5/2006, 9:41 PM
I'm looking for some guidance / input on dual layer DVD drives. Any input on what is best, what to look for, what to look out for, etc.? Or do any of you have links to reviews / comparisons? Seems like most of the things I find when I google are over a year old. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong places.

Also - do older home DVD players have the capability to read these dual layer DVDs?

One last question -- my friend told me about an HP drive that writes dual layer and also etches the DVD -- any feedback on these?

Thanks!!!

Comments

GerryLeacock wrote on 1/6/2006, 3:23 AM
I can answer part of this. The etched DVDs are done with what is called Lightscribe technology. There is quite a number of burners out there now that are available with this feature. For more info on this, go to the source: www.lightscribe.com
IanG wrote on 1/6/2006, 3:42 AM
One last question -- my friend told me about an HP drive that writes dual layer and also etches the DVD -- any feedback on these?

I'm assuming this is a Lightscribe drive? Personaly, I think they're pointless - the media are twice the price of printable DVDs, the etching's slow, they're monochrome and they fade with time. That said, I've already got an Epson R300, which does a great job of printing DVDs even with the cheapest compatible cartridges. Maybe I'm biased!

Ian G.
Chienworks wrote on 1/6/2006, 5:09 AM
Dual layer technology has been around for a long time. I've got some DVDs that i bought, oh, maybe 6 or 7 years ago that were dual layer and the DVD player i had at the time played them just fine. I wouldn't think the fact that a DL disc was burned rather than pressed would make any difference in that respect.
dibbkd wrote on 1/6/2006, 5:16 AM
I thought they just came out maybe two years ago at the most.. or has time flown by that quickly? And to be clear, I'm talking about the 8.5GB DVD's vs the 4.7GB DVD's that *most* of us have.

I have a DL DVD Lightscribe burner that came with my HP that works well. Granted, I have only burned the regular 4.7GB DVD's, because I can't afford the dual-layer media yet and the single layer is enough for me for now.
ScottW wrote on 1/6/2006, 7:42 AM
go to www.cdrinfo.com - they have lots of drive reviews (in the optical storage section).

It is very important to pick a drive that either by default burns +R DL media with a booktype of DVD-ROM, or a drive that has the ability to set the booktype via a burning utility such as Nero.

When +R DL media was released, it was assigned a new booktype, and many players that are currently in use don't recognize the new booktype and will refuse to play the DVD - but, if you burn with a DVD-ROM booktype, the player generally cannot tell the difference between the +R DL media and a commercially stamped DVD.

--Scott