| A DVD recorder (or, colloquially, a DVD burner) is an | | | | USD and L69 or less, with even lower "street prices". |
| optical disc recorder that records video onto blank | | | | Early units supported only DVD-RAM and DVD-R |
| writable DVD media. Such devices are available as | | | | discs, but the most recent units can record to all major |
| either installable drives for computers or as standalone | | | | formats DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, and |
| components for use in studios or home theater | | | | DVD+R DL. Some models now include hard |
| systems. | | | | disc-based digital video recorders (DVRs) to improve |
| Technical information | | | | ease of use. Standalone DVD recorders generally |
| Originally, DVD recorders supported one of three | | | | have basic DVD authoring software built in; however, |
| standards: DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW, none | | | | the appearance of the finished DVD is very basic and |
| of which are directly compatible. As a general rule, | | | | usually completely under the control of the unit. |
| however, most current drives support both the + and - | | | | Some believe that DVD recorders will supersede the |
| standards, while few support the DVD-RAM standard, | | | | videocassette recorder (VCR), while others believe |
| which is not directly compatible with standard DVD | | | | that they will remain specialty items as digital video |
| readers. | | | | moves to network distribution. |
| Recording speed is generally denoted in values of X | | | | DVD recorders have several technical advantages |
| (similar to CD-ROM usage), where 1X in DVD usage is | | | | over VCRs, including: |
| equal to 1.321 MB/s, roughly equivalent to a 9X | | | | Superior video and audio quality |
| CD-ROM. In practice, this is largely an issue confined to | | | | Easy-to-handle and smaller form-factor disc media |
| computer-based DVD recorders, since standalone | | | | Random access to video chapters without rewinding |
| units generally record in real time, that is, 1X speed. | | | | or fast-forwarding |
| DVD recorders use a laser (usually 650 nm red) to | | | | Onscreen multilingual subtitles and labeling not available |
| read and write DVDs. The reading laser is usually not | | | | on VCRs |
| stronger than 5 mW, while the writing laser is | | | | Reduced playback wear and tear |
| considerably more powerful. The faster the writing | | | | High-quality digital copying, with little or no generation |
| speed is rated, the stronger the laser is. DVD burner | | | | loss |
| lasers often peak at about 100 mW in CW (225 mW | | | | Improved editing, at least on rewritable media |
| pulsed). Some laser hobbyists have discovered ways | | | | Playlisting |
| to extract the laser diode from DVD burners. | | | | No risk of accidentally recording over existing content |
| Computer-based DVD drives | | | | or unexpectedly running out of space during recording |
| DVD recorder drives have become standard | | | | Easy to find recordings due to chapter menus |
| equipment in many, though not all, computer systems | | | | However, an inconvenience exists in which DVDs |
| currently on the market, after being initially popularized | | | | recorded with DVD recorders must be finalized to |
| by the Pioneer/Apple SuperDrive; aftermarket drives | | | | view in other DVD players. (This disadvantage does |
| as of late 2006 can be US$50 or less. DVD recorder | | | | not apply to DVD-RAM discs, which require no |
| drives can be used in conjunction with DVD authoring | | | | finalization due to their 'random access' nature.) Also, |
| software to create DVDs near or equal to commercial | | | | the implementation of MPEG-2 compression used on |
| quality, and are also widely used for data backup and | | | | most standalone DVD recorders is required to |
| exchange. As a general rule, computer-based DVD | | | | compress the picture data in real time, producing |
| recorders can also handle CD-R and CD-RW media; in | | | | results that may not be up to the standard of |
| fact, a number of standalone DVD recorders actually | | | | professionally rendered DVD video, which can take |
| use drives designed for computers. | | | | days to compress. |
| Most such devices are designed with parallel ATA | | | | A number of manufacturers have combined DVD |
| interfaces; however, external drives using USB 2.0 or | | | | recorders with hard disc-based digital video recorders, |
| IEEE 1394 are also widely available. | | | | allowing for simple recording to large fixed disks, and |
| DVD recorder drives are required to respect DVD | | | | the ability to spool these recordings off the DVD at a |
| region codes when reading a disc, but do not impose a | | | | later date. |
| region code on written discs unless the code has | | | | 8cm miniDVDs are widely used on some digital |
| specifically been written into the disc's content. | | | | camcorders, primarily those meant for a consumer |
| DVD duplication systems are generally built out of | | | | market ("point and shoot"); such discs are usually |
| stacks of these drives, connected through a | | | | playable on a full-sized DVD player, but may not |
| computer-based backplane. | | | | record on a full-sized DVD recorder system. Though |
| Standalone DVD recorders | | | | popular for their convenience (in the manner of |
| When the standalone DVD recorder first appeared on | | | | VHS-C), DVD camcorders are not considered suitable |
| the Japanese consumer market in 1999, these early | | | | for more than casual use due to the much higher level |
| units were very expensive, costing between $2500 | | | | of compression used compared to MiniDV and the |
| and $4000 USD. However, as of early 2006, DVD | | | | difficulty of editing MPEG-2 video |
| recorders from notable brands are selling for $150 | | | | |