DVD Writers

[Lydecker]

Hi all. It's been a while since I've been in the hardware knowledge and at anandtech. I can actually remember many years back anandtech was the resource I used for building my first compter. Its good to be back! On with the question...

I was wondering what the state of play was with DVD Writers for the use of the consumer?? Are then available at the moment, If not when, and how expencive? (I gather it's the actual media that is the expencive part?)


Thanks

 

[Rand]

Their available, with prices ranging from roughly $350 on up.
It's a very tenuous time to buy a DVD Writer though as there are three competing DVD Writeable standards on the market right now. Until the market solidifies on one set standard it's tough to advise anyone to go out and buy a drive that may well be obsolete and incompatible with mainstream media within a years time.

With DVD-RAM, CD-R(W), and DVD+(R)W all fighting it out in the marketplace to see which standard succeeds with mainstream acceptance it's an awkward affair for any potential consumer.

 

[Eug]

Current DVD-RW drives support DVD-R as well. $360 and up. DVD-R is by far the most compatible disc type for standalone DVD players. DVD-RW support on these standalone players is limited.

DVD-RAM/-R drives are below $300 now. (Although they support DVD-R, these don't support DVD-RW.)

DVD+RW drives should not be purchased until DVD+R is available (next month). DVD+RW has only limited support on standalone DVD players, but DVD+R is supposed to be better although it remains to be seen if +R support is as good as -R support.

I'm still debating which one to buy.

If it's any indication, Apple only fully supports DVD-R. Windows XP supports DVD-RAM natively. Neither fully supports DVD-RW or DVD+RW natively, and DVD+R doesn't yet exist.

I'll probably buy either DVD-RAM/R or DVD-R/W because I want DVD-R support for my Mac.

 

[rahvin]

<< DVD-RAM/-R drives are below $300 now. (Although they support DVD-R, these don't support DVD-RW.) >>



Nope they don't support DVD-RW, they support DVD-RAM, a rewriteable, packet driven interface that has native support in WinXP. DVD-RAM is also totally compatible and readable in every set top DVD player ever made. Funny isn't it... DVD-RW was supposed to be a big deal because it changed the laser enough to make it so it could burn CD's too, and DVD+RW was supposed to hold more than DVD-RW. It's silly, the original DVD stanards of DVD-R and DVD-RAM do everything people expect (except burning cd's) but it appears no one knows anything about it.

 

[bacillus]

hehe, 3 elite members respond to Lydecker's first post!

 

[Eug]

<< DVD-RAM is also totally compatible and readable in every set top DVD player ever made. >>


Actually, DVD-RAM has the least compatibility out of any of the formats. Only rare set top DVD players (like my Panasonic RP91) can play DVD-RAM discs. Unless the player is specifically made to read DVD-RAM, it won't. >9/10 of players will read DVD-R discs though. Approx. 7/10 players will read DVD-RW and DVD+RW discs. Nobody knows the compatibility rate of DVD+R.

The more I look into it, the more I like the Panasonic DVD-RAM/-R drive, but I'm still looking at the other formats.

 

[Rand]

<< DVD-RAM is also totally compatible and readable in every set top DVD player ever made. >>



The big issue with DVD-RAM is that the overwhelming majority of PC DVD-ROM drives cannot read DVD-RAM discs, only those with a set top DVD player or a DVD-RAM disc can read them... unless you have one of the precious few DVD-ROM drives that recongize DVD-RAM.
DVD-RAM is the least compatible of all of the standards... which in many minds dramatically overwieghs the few advantages DVD-RAM holds over DVD-/+R.

 

[Eug]

<<

<< DVD-RAM is also totally compatible and readable in every set top DVD player ever made. >>



The big issue with DVD-RAM is that the overwhelming majority of PC DVD-ROM drives cannot read DVD-RAM discs, only those with a set top DVD player or a DVD-RAM disc can read them... unless you have one of the precious few DVD-ROM drives that recongize DVD-RAM.
DVD-RAM is the least compatible of all of the standards... which in many minds dramatically overwieghs the few advantages DVD-RAM holds over DVD-/+R. >>


I am a bit confused. You posted that DVD-RAM is readable in every set top DVD player but then said it's the least compatible of all the standards.

All I know is that DVD-RAM actually cannot be read in most set top DVD players (but works in a few like my Panny).

Anyways, the reason I'm considering DVD-RAM is because the drive I'd be getting also supports DVD-R.

By the way, what is the difference between the Panasonic LF-D311 and the LF-D321? I've seen online prices for the former for $300, but my local dealer can only get the latter, at considerably higher cost. LF-D311 LF-D321 If I'm reading this correctly, the only major difference is the 2X DVD-RAM write speed of the latter (which is significant).

 

[HardwareAddicted]

Keep your eye on this then.....

http://www.sonystyle.com/vaio/storage/dru_120a.shtml

It wont be long....

 

[Rand]

<<
I am a bit confused. You posted that DVD-RAM is readable in every set top DVD player but then said it's the least compatible of all the standards.
>>



Sorry, I guess I should have clarified that as my definition of set-top player is specifically NON-PC DVD-ROM drives. From what I've seen a number of those seem to be able to read DVD-RAM discs quite well.

PC DVD-ROM drives on the other hand typically won't read DVD-RAM discs at all.

 

[kylef]

If I remember correctly, CD-Rs would not play in many CD players initially; this was especially true with CD drives for the computer. But now virtually every CD player you can buy will read both CD-R and CD-RW disc types.

Similarly, shouldn't we expect the same to occur in the DVD rewritable arena? Then it becomes only a question of which rewriteable DVD standard prevails before DVD player manufacturers build support to read such discs. But to predict the prevailing standard is nearly impossible; one of the few things we can do is to look at the supporters of different standards and current products available.

DVD+RW: Sony, Ricoh, Hewlett-Packard, Philips, Mitsubishi, and Yamaha

DVD-RAM: Hitachi, Panasonic, and Toshiba

As for current products available, it's still hard to say. Standalone DVD-RAM recorders are in the $1200 range. Philips, Sony, and HP all make DVD+RW drives for the computer in the 400-500 range. Toshiba offers a DVD RAM drive for under $300.

As for media cost, DVD RAM still seem to be the most expensive and least compatible with standalone players, but as I mentioned earlier, if a standard is adopted and becomes widespread, I think that standalone players will be manufactured with the capability of reading whatever standard prevails.

 

[Eug]

<< Sorry, I guess I should have clarified that as my definition of set-top player is specifically NON-PC DVD-ROM drives. From what I've seen a number of those seem to be able to read DVD-RAM discs quite well.

PC DVD-ROM drives on the other hand typically won't read DVD-RAM discs at all. >>

I dunno where you got that idea, but the vast majority of set-top players do not support DVD-RAM. Perhaps you got lucky and just tried a few Toshiba players or that very common Panasonic RP91?