DVD Dual Layer playback

[Brfcrule1]

Hi all,

I am new to this forum I am in the process of recording some Father Ted onto dvd's. I was interested in finding out about DL disks. I know my Panasonic dvd recorder EX77EB can burn Dual layer disks first off can anyone recommend what are the most reliable disks to use? & with regards to playback will they play on all dvd players or just the new players I have a Naiko dvd player which is about 3-5 years old bought from Asda would this player play the disk or would I need to get a dvd player specifically for Dual Layer disks if I need a new player is there any on the market today that someone could recommend?

any help would be gratefully appreciated thanks.

[Case]

first off can anyone recommend what are the most reliable disks to use?

Verbatim DVD+R DL is often recommend here and the only DLs I use.

will they play on all dvd players

All DVD players are required to be able to read both layers on commercial DVDs. I haven't heard of a set top player that could read the first layer of a recordable disc, but not the second layer.
There is a difference in burners though, that some older models only burn single layer, but that does not seem to apply here.

[jman98]

All DVD players are required to be able to read both layers on commercial DVDs. I haven't heard of a set top player that could read the first layer of a recordable disc, but not the second layer.

Actually such players do exist, but they tend to be older players. I have a friend who has a Panasonic DVD player that is about 4-5 years old and it refuses to read beyond the 1st layer of DL media. I've personally seen it. I've tested his player with my Verbatim DVD+R DL discs and when it hits the end of the first layer, the player just stops.

If the original poster's player is from Asia it probably will play DVD+R DL discs without any problems, but the only way to know for sure is to test it.

[jjeff]

Agree with the Verb 2.4x +R DLs recommendation, the only ones I use in my Panasonic DVDRs and also PC. In regards to older players, I had a older(early '00s Apex) that would not play + media so of course it wouldn't play the +R. Panasonic DVDRs tend to prefer the - media over + but again they seem to be OK with the Verbs. Another choice would be Taiyo Yuden -R DLs which also work quite will in Panasonic standalones but they are much harder to find.
Father Ted is a hoot, I get it here on my local PBS channel.

[CobraPilot]

Must you use DL discs?

The reason I ask: The economics of using DL discs has always escaped me, unless physical storage space for the discs is a critical factor.

• DL discs cost anywhere from four to maybe as much as ten times the cost of SL discs.
• Only one or two brands of DL discs are recommended by those "in the know." (SL disc brands vary in quality, too, but for off-air recording, your options may be considerably wider.)
• DL discs are notoriously picky as to the recorder(s) with which they will work.
• DL recorded discs are also sometimes picky as to the player(s) with which they will work (getting better, though).
• Best recording speed for DL discs tends to be 2.4x; for SL, far more and faster options up to 16x (maybe even higher, although burn reliability tends to drop at higher speeds). (How valuable is your time vs. cost of DL discs?)

According to this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Ted

• There are a total of 25 "Father Ted" episodes (including the Christmas special).
• Each episode is about 24 minutes long.
• Depending on your recording speed or compression used, you can put anywhere from two to four (maybe more) on one SL disc for a very low cost.
• You could perhaps double the number of episodes per DL disc at a cost of 4-10 times as much as a SL disc.

As I said, the math of the disc costs of this never works for me, not to mention the vagaries of DL disc recording and playback.