Need dual-layer standalone DVD recorder. Your suggestions?

[hamiltjl]

I need a DVD recorder that can record up to 4 hours on a disc (SP quality) so I figured a DL recorder would be perfect. I bought the Panasonic DMR-ES15 but it requires finalizing the first layer before recording to the second - not possible in my application.

Can anyone point me toward a DL recorder on which I can record 4 hours non-stop? Thanks everyone!

[handyguy]

There aren't many.
This is a Pioneer, but they are getting out of the recorder market.
http://www.abtelectronics.com/product/19441.html

[trhouse]

Regarding the Pioneer,

If you dont mind the 4 second pause between the layer change, then you should get it. Personally I hate it. For instance when the layer change occurs it really disrupts the feeling of watching a game or fight continuously without hiccup and also once the layer changes and you want to go to a previous chapter you cannot because now u are viewing the new layer's content so you have to press MENU to go back to first layer. Obviously Pioneer doesnt care about the customers and just put out DL feature to grab customers without fine tuning it.

I know of no recorder that can copy seamlessly across the layer change as can be done on the computer.

[oldfart13]

I believe the LGs can do this. You'll have to do some checking on various sites but I seem to have seen this mentioned on this or another forum....

[hamiltjl]

Thanks for everybody's input. I eventually bought a Sony RDR-GX330 and did a 3-hour test recording in SP mode. At the 1:54:03 mark, the disc switches to layer 2. There is a short, 1-second freeze frame/pause while the layer switches. A little worse than Hollywood movie DVDs but perfectly acceptable for my application.