Future media for DR-M10

[Coruscant]

While shopping around for media, I stumbled across an upset reviewer who commented that his spindle of 25 Ridata 4x DVD-RWs were useless on his 2004 JVD recorder. The recorder itself he complained was only compatible with DVD-RW v1.1 media and while this is still available, it isn't always clearly marked. 4x DVD-RW are part of the revised DVD-RW v1.2 book. (Strangely, the Ridata website lists their 4x DVD-RW media as being v1.1 and not v1.2 which seems to go against the DVD Forum's specs... maybe a typo.) Wondering about this, I contacted JVC support who replied 1) that the DR-M10SL currently supports only v1.1 media and 2) that there is no information available about a firmware upgrade to v1.2. I'm just wondering if there will be RW media for this device in a couple of years? Does someone have good experience with 4x media on this machine?

[lordsmurf]

I'm sure that, in time, the drive will be able to have a firmware update. I forget what's inside this thing.

On the other hand...
With as much 1x and 2x -RW available, and the machine only writing 1x realtime and all, and seeing as how this is mentioned in the book, it's a bit stupid to buy 4x RW media. A little reading would have helped that reviewer. Alas, this is why most user reviews are pretty worthless.

This really is no different from devices of the past.

It's nothing to worry about yet. No company can guarantee anything (aside for worthless words) about the future.

[KDH]

http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/9334

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=420007

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=445688

[Coruscant]

I think I finally understand how this works. It's like a repeat of the CD-RW where the first generation recorded anywhere from 1-4x and the second from 4-12x. Just as one cannot write data on a second generation CD-RW disc in a first generation machine, similarly, one cannot write data on a DVD-RW v1.2 disc in a DVD-RW v1.1 drive.

Unfortunately, it seems that while making an excellent recorder otherwise, JVC choose to mate it with a first generation mechanism (confirmed by their tech support as v1.1) despite what must have been ample warning. Revised firmware can't compensate for that (again according to their tech support). Maybe their next standalone recorder, will include among other improvements an updated writer like some Pioneer models now have. Or maybe it'll be a dud.

That being said, I'm no longer convinced it's a deal-breaker. 1-4x CD-RW are still common enough in stores despite the availability of high-speed CD-RW. In fact, looking at Future Shop Online, I can't find anything faster than 4x CD-RWs. Best Buy and Staples are scarcely better. This may very well be the case with DVD-RW.

[samijubal]

You can always use DVD-RAM.

[ejai]

DVD-Ram disks don't record well on the JVC-M10, you get plenty artifacts.
Others on the forum have also experienced this problem. Thats why I only use dvd-rw.

[samijubal]

I get more problems with DVD-Rs in it than I do with RAMs. Every R I do has multiple bad spots, only sometimes with a RAM.

[ejai]

What brand of media are you using?

[gshelley61]

Why not just invest in some -RW's that are compatible now? I mean, they can be recorded over and over like 1,000 times each... If you stockpile 20 of them that's 20,000 recordings. I don't know if the burner in that JVC would last 20,000 cycles anyway.

[samijubal]

What brand of media are you using?

Prodisc S03 and S04, they worked fine in the Panasonic. I use a Panasonic player, so maybe it liked the Panasonic recordings more. Got a new JVC player on the way, so we'll see.

[lordsmurf]

I've used many, many PRODISC and MCC discs in the JVC, works flawlessly.

Good point I saw up there. If these are -RW media, you don't need that many. I get along fine on 30 discs. I may add 10-20 more, and I'll never need anything else. The discs will probably last longer than the recorder.

[samijubal]

I must have got another lemon then, I rarely get through a disc without at least 1 or 2 bad spots minimum.

[Offroad]

When I got my JVC I ordered 25 Ritek 2X -RW's from Meritline.
With free shipping the cost was only $31.00

I have yet to have a failure with any of them.

[Coruscant]

Buying thirty discs is good advice. But the only DVD-RW media listed by nomorecoasters.com listed as being first grade is made by Pioneer and I can't find any of it. I can get ten-packs of Verbatim DataLifePlus 1-2x (lifetime guaranteed) at a very good price. Does anyone have experience with this media, preferably when used with the DR-M10s?

[Offroad]

But the only DVD-RW media listed by nomorecoasters.com listed as being first grade is made by Pioneer and I can't find any of it.

I only use the -RW Ritek's either for watching something later or for transfer to the PC for editing. For permanent storage of my VHS captures I am using Maxell -R and these are highly rated by nomorecoasters.com.

Got the Maxell's on a two for one sale at Office Depot.

I know media quality does vary alot and there is definately poor media out there but I have no compaints at all about the 2X Ritek -RW's I'm using. Not a single problem so far at all.

[ckwok1]

I can get ten-packs of Verbatim DataLifePlus 1-2x (lifetime guaranteed) at a very good price. Does anyone have experience with this media, preferably when used with the DR-M10s?

Verbatim DataLifePlus DVD-RW is made by Mitsubish (MCC). Mitsubishi media is in general considered to be good media. I bought 10 of them and so far they work perfectly on my JVC M10S.

[lordsmurf]

But the only DVD-RW media listed by nomorecoasters.com listed as being first grade is made by Pioneer

MXL (Maxell)
TDK (TDK)
MCC (Fuji)

All have -RW media. Equal to -R quality. 1ST class.

[KDH]

http://www.cdfreaks.com/news/10651

"As faster speeds are introduced for DVD-RW and DVD-RAM problems with backward compatibility with slower speeds however arise. DVD Forum therefore wants to introduce a class system and new logotypes to differentiate the high speed discs from the slower ones. For version 1.2 of DVD-RW the 1x discs will be class 0 while the 2x-6x discs will be class 1. For DVD-RAM the 2x-5x discs will be class 0 while the 6x-16x discs when introduced are suggested to be class 1."

[Coruscant]

I just got my DR-M10 this morning after knocking down the rebated price further still as a condition of getting a five-year service contract. Unfortunately, a city of one million doesn't seem to have any high-quality DVD-RWs in stock anywhere. I'll have to wait a week for my 20 DataLife Plus.