Dual Layer DVD advantage

[fkubick]

I've read the forum and can't find any answer to this: When you record from the HD-DVR to a dvd recorder, is there any improvement to quality if you use a dual layer dvd as opposed to single layer? I've been using single layer for years with no problem but I think my DVD recorder is showing its age and may need replacement. I'm thinking of getting a dual layer recorder but I'm wondering if I'm gaining anything.

Anyone out there have any experiences in this? Any advice or recommendations? TIA.

[njeske]

dual layer just refers to have much space the disk can hold. a dual layer disk can hold about twice the information a standard dvd can hold.

[doctrsnoop]

Single layer is 4.7 GB ish
Dual is 9.4 GB
A commercial DVD is dual layer and about 9.4 GB

At the recommended bit-rate, you can record 2 hrs on a dual layer and 1 on a single layer.

So you can get better quality with a dual layer in that you can record longer at the higher quality.

Of course dual layer DVD's are 4x - 5x the cost of single layer

[JerryElbow]

It also depends on whether or not your DVD recorder can even handle recording to a dual-layer disc. Not all can, especially older ones. If it can, you can take advantage of the extra space to record at the highest quality setting for a longer period. However, since DVD recorders still use real-time MPEG encoding, the quality is definitely NOT going to be anything like a 100% exact copy and you still will not get multi-channel Dolby Digital or DTS audio. It will NOT improve the quality over the same "highest quality" setting onto a single-layer DVD; it'll just give you that same level of quality for a longer period of time.

[joed32]

It also depends on whether or not your DVD recorder can even handle recording to a dual-layer disc. Not all can, especially older ones. If it can, you can take advantage of the extra space to record at the highest quality setting for a longer period. However, since DVD recorders still use real-time MPEG encoding, the quality is definitely NOT going to be anything like a 100% exact copy and you still will not get multi-channel Dolby Digital or DTS audio. It will NOT improve the quality over the same "highest quality" setting onto a single-layer DVD; it'll just give you that same level of quality for a longer period of time.

Are you sure? I would think that if you set your recorder for 1 hr it would record at the highest quality for 1 hr. If you set it for 2 hr it would record at the 2 hr speed and quality for 2 hrs. There would be no way for it to know to stretch the 1 hr out to 2. If you record at 4 hrs the PQ gets to be pretty bad.
So I can't see any PQ advantage to DL recording. Hope someone lets me know if I'm wrong.

[Drew2k]

With my Panasonic DVD Recorder I could choose the quality setting from a short list (Good, Better, Best, for example) or I could choose "variable" as a quality setting and specify the recording duration and then the Recorder would automatically measure the capacity of the media (single-layer or dual-layer DVD) and calculate the settings to use to fill the disk with the best quality recording.

[joed32]

With my Panasonic DVD Recorder I could choose the quality setting from a short list (Good, Better, Best, for example) or I could choose "variable" as a quality setting and specify the recording duration and then the Recorder would automatically measure the capacity of the media (single-layer or dual-layer DVD) and calculate the settings to use to fill the disk with the best quality recording.

Thanks.

[Church AV Guy]

In my experience with Verbatim DVD+R DL media, they format to 8.5GB, not 9.4. It is a little over 90% what two single layer disks would give you. It even says this on the box.

The use of record settings like XP, SP, LP indicate recording quality. They are usually given in terms of time for a single layer disk for simplicity and comparitive purposes. XP is usually defined as one hour per disk, that is per SL disk. If you use a DL disk, you will get 1:49 (about) using XP quality.

Your question:
is there any improvement to quality if you use a dual layer dvd as opposed to single layer?
The only way you can increase the quality of your recordings is to take advantage of the increased capacity and bump up the quality setting. There is no inherent quality improvement from using DL media.

[sdirv]

Are you sure? I would think that if you set your recorder for 1 hr it would record at the highest quality for 1 hr. If you set it for 2 hr it would record at the 2 hr speed and quality for 2 hrs. There would be no way for it to know to stretch the 1 hr out to 2. If you record at 4 hrs the PQ gets to be pretty bad.
So I can't see any PQ advantage to DL recording. Hope someone lets me know if I'm wrong.

My DVD recorder will do recordings in 2hr, 4hr, or 8hr on single layer discs. The 2hr mode gives the best quality, each increase in the length of the recording worsens the quality some.

If I want to record something that is 2 hours and 15 minutes......I have to switch it out to 4 hr mode. The difference in quality is barely noticeable, works fine for recording older/classic films, many of which (ones I want) are in black and white :). If I want a movie to be perfect, with full surround sound, I'll just go buy it on DVD or Blu-Ray.

[harsh]

Single layer is 4.7 GB ish
Dual is 9.4 GBDual Layer is about 8.5GB.Of course dual layer DVD's are 4x - 5x the cost of single layerDual Layer discs cost a little more than double the price of single layer discs. About $1.70 for DL versus $0.80 for SL in the 25 disc spindles.

[joed32]

My DVD recorder will do recordings in 2hr, 4hr, or 8hr on single layer discs. The 2hr mode gives the best quality, each increase in the length of the recording worsens the quality some.

If I want to record something that is 2 hours and 15 minutes......I have to switch it out to 4 hr mode. The difference in quality is barely noticeable, works fine for recording older/classic films, many of which (ones I want) are in black and white :). If I want a movie to be perfect, with full surround sound, I'll just go buy it on DVD or Blu-Ray.

You must have a Toshiba? Mine has the same recording times. The cheap Magnavox recorders $98 from Walmart have 2, 2.5, 3, 4 and 6 hr speeds and I use 2.5 hrs a lot. I like the Toshiba but I only use it for recording of 2 hrs or less.

[mdavej]

Dual Layer is about 8.5GB.Dual Layer discs cost a little more than double the price of single layer discs. About $1.70 for DL versus $0.80 for SL in the 25 disc spindles.
I routinely get SL for about $0.20 each. Cheapest DL I've ever seen is $0.80. So, yes, SL x 4 = DL. If you're happy paying DL prices for SL, that's cool. I don't much like making coasters at a buck or two a pop, so I stick with SL.

[TomCat]

...If I want to record something that is 2 hours and 15 minutes......I have to switch it out to 4 hr mode...On the Pannys (mine was bought over 5 years ago) you can actually squeeze about 2:23 into a 4.7 GB disc at "2-hour" quality. You have to use the automatic feature that chooses the quality level, but dialing in anything under 2:24 automatically chooses the "2-hour" quality setting, which is an undocumented feature of most Pannys. This has come in handy a number of times when copying a movie that is just over 2 hours long.

[mdavej]

On the Pannys (mine was bought over 5 years ago) you can actually squeeze about 2:23 into a 4.7 GB disc at "2-hour" quality. You have to use the automatic feature that chooses the quality level, but dialing in anything under 2:24 automatically chooses the "2-hour" quality setting, which is an undocumented feature of most Pannys. This has come in handy a number of times when copying a movie that is just over 2 hours long.It's called FR (Flexible Recording) mode on newer pannys. It uses the max quality possible for any arbitrary time, so it essentially has an infinite number of recording modes, which is a huge advantage over other makes. It's the reason I've used panasonic exclusively for several years.

[scooper]

I've never bought a standalone DVD recorder - I've always captured with a Hauppauge TV tuner card and burned the DVD's on my PC. That Feature makes the Panasonics sound nice.