Beginners Guide to DVD Recorders (DVDR)

Recordability was the last obstacle for DVD to overcome in its quest to make the VCR obsolete. At the start of the decade decks finally started to appear that could record on to DVD discs.

Consumers had become used to the superior picture quality of DVDs, and now they could match that quality on recordings. Suddenly those fuzzy VHS tapes were really showing their age.

Recordable DVDs come in various formats, but the underlying principles are the same. A laser in the DVD recorder is used to create a data layer on a blank disc. This layer can then be read by the normal optical pickup of a DVD player.

Different disc formats exist: there is DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R and DVD+RW, but the key point with all of them is that they can capture a picture that is indistinguishable from the original broadcast, making them ideal for storing your favourite programmes. It also makes them perfect for storing digital camcorder footage, saving precious home movies with no loss in image quality.

Most DVD recorders favour either – or + discs, although there are many that offer a choice.

Pros

• DVD recorders can deliver far superior pictures to VHS – storing as much as twice the picture detail

• The technology has been around long enough for prices to have plummeted and there are real bargains to be found

• Most of the functions of a DVD recorder are the same as they are for a VCR – so it’s easy to get to grips with using them

• A library of DVD recordings takes up much less space than a pile of VHS tapes

• The high picture quality makes DVDs ideal for storing digital camcorder footage

• The discs are more robust than VHS tapes, so you’ll be able to enjoy your programmes for longer

Cons

• If you want to store more than one hour on a single-sided DVD you will have to compromise on picture quality (just as with a VCR in long-play mode) but some players can accept dual-layer or double-sided discs to increase capacity

• Some types of recordable DVDs (especially DVD-RAM and DVD-RW/+RW discs) do not play on some other players, so sharing discs may not be possible

• Some discs (DVD-R and DVD+R) can only be recorded on once. The re-recordable versions (DVD-RAM and DVD-RW/+RW discs) are a bit more expensive

• Make sure the recorder has an RGB-capable Scart input. Some models don’t, and you need one to get the best possible recordings from a digibox

• Look for component video or digital video (HDMI or DVI) outputs – they offer the best picture quality, but you need to have a TV with the corresponding inputs

• Look for component video or digital video (HDMI or DVI) outputs – they offer the best picture quality, but you need to have a TV with the corresponding inputs

• Don’t forget the deck will work as a DVD player as well – all the tips for buying a DVD player still apply!

• If you want to share recordings with friends or family, make sure your recorder will be compatible with their players

• If you want to preserve digital camcorder footage without loss of image quality you’ll need a deck with a FireWire input

Component video output – Three sockets that deliver a superior video signal from a DVD player to a TV

DVD – Digital Versatile Disc. Can be DVD Video or DVD-Audio discs

DVD-R/+R – Write-once recordable DVD discs

DVD-RAM – DVDs that can be re-recorded an estimated 100,000 times. DVD-RAM discs usually come in a protective plastic caddy, increasing their lifespan

DVD-RW/+RW – DVDs that can be re-recorded an estimated 1,000 times

DVI – Digital Visual Interface, a digital video-only input or output

FireWire – A high-quality, high-speed digital AV connection, usually used for connecting a digital camcorder to a recording device

HDMI – High Definition Multimedia Input – also known as the ‘digital Scart’, it carries video and audio signals in digital form

RGB – A video signal format that offers better picture quality than a standard video connection. Requires RGB-capable Scart inputs and outputs

Scart – An audio-visual cable that carries pictures and sound from a DVD player or VCR to a TV

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