Whats the status lately on dual-Layer media?

[Super Warrior]

Been a LOOONG time since i bothered to see what was up in the Dual-Layer DVD area. Last i checked it was pretty darn expensive, but how about now?

Also has the tech become reliable, and able to play in most players without issues like single layer media can?

Edit: I've searched and can't find Dual-layer TYs. Taiyo Yuden does not do DL?

[lordsmurf]

No TY DL.

About $2 per discs for MKM/MCC (Verbatim).
Decent price (remember VHS tapes were $2-3 each for good tapes in the late 1990s)

[budz]

As far as I know TY doesn't manufacture DL media. Well, not yet anyway.

[[_chef_]]

TY makes DL, but only DVD-R DL.

Only choice for normal human beings is to get Verbatim DVD±R DL media MIS.

[jman98]

]TY makes DL, but only DVD-R DL.

Only choice for normal human beings is to get Verbatim DVD±R DL media MIS.

I don't believe this is correct. Unless you can provide a link that says otherwise, NONE of the places I know of that sell TY media have any TY DL media for sale. TY also does not make DVD+/-RW media, although I was told that very briefly they did make DVD-RW, but no longer do so.

I don't recommend DVD-R DL discs from anybody. Verbatim's DVD-R DL discs are fine for quality, but the DVD-R DL format requires special things to be done or the burn will fail. These special steps aren't required for DVD+R DL discs. Made in Singapore DL media by Verbatim is now just about impossible to find. All of their DL discs are now Made in India. If you can find MIS Verbatim DVD+R DL discs, buy they while you can. By the way, DVD-R DL discs are very expensive and if you can even find someone who will sell them, they will cost you close to $3 a disc.

You can pay less than $2 a disc for Verbatim DVD+R DL media. rima.com, newegg.com and others often have it at this price.

Newer DVD players seem to have no problems with DL media, but there are no 100% guarantees. My limited experience is that DVD+R DL has fewer playback problems than DVD-R DL discs.

[OneSickPup]

]TY makes DL, but only DVD-R DL.

Only choice for normal human beings is to get Verbatim DVD±R DL media MIS.

I don't believe this is correct. Unless you can provide a link that says otherwise, NONE of the places I know of that sell TY media have any TY DL media for sale. TY also does not make DVD+/-RW media, although I was told that very briefly they did make DVD-RW, but no longer do so.

_chef_ is referring to these:

http://dvd-r.jpn.org/test2/qcheckform.cgi?mode=main&name=TDK_DL8x

Available around the world but very few sources in the US. Also available under JVC and THAT's labels.

[Rich86]

Verbatim DVD+R DL media is still very expensive. Comparing it to old vhs tape prices may be unrealistic, since the vhs tapes could be used over and over - and if something went wrong with the recording process to a tape - you could just do it over (as opposed to dropping a $2.50 to $3 plastic coaster into the waste bin).

Have any of the folks in here used Ritek DVD+R DL media lately? Their 8x media seems available at a slightly more reasonable price these days ($1.50 to $2). Those of you who have the urge to rant against Ritek media please resist, unless you have recent, hands-on, practical experience using their media. That is what I am asking for - feedback from folks who have actually used Ritek DVD+R DL media recently (preferably the 8x inkjet printable media, which is what I am considering trying out).

[OneSickPup]

I'm also interested in affordable DVD+R DL inkjet printable media. I just can't bring myself to pay Rima $48 (plus shipping) for a 20 pak of Verbatim MKM001. I've been tempted to try the Ritek as it's about $33 for a 25 pak but have not done so as of yet. Wish I could get my hands on a few samples to try first.

[stiltman]

Maybe not what you're looking for but,

I've been using Sony branded Ritek D01 for about a year now. 1 use one a day to burn about 7.5gb of video avi files

So far I've only had 3 coasters.
So far doing radom checks, all avis have played fine

[Super Warrior]

Well after all this time it sounds like DL media is STILL too Expensive, and STILL not very reliable, and TY does not even bother with them either.

And Ritek DL, $2.50 for a disc that'll self-destruct in 6 months? No way.

Eh screw it. By the time they become affordable & work out all the bugs, blu-ray media will probably be around more and they'll be no reason to bother with DL.

[SCDVD]

Taiyo Yuden makes DL-R but only sells it in Japan. There is something about it that supports some sort of copy protection scheme in Japan called CPRM. They released it very briefly in the US but pulled it off the market because of the structural problems DL-R has with layer break issues and player compatibility. If you have a burning desire to get some, you will have to figure out a way to buy it from Japan. But believe me, you don't want to do that. The layer break and player compatibility issues are real. It's an issue with any DL-R media, it's not a Taiyo Yuden problem per se.

[Rich86]

Super[/url] Warrior]Well after all this time it sounds like DL media is STILL too Expensive, and STILL not very reliable, and TY does not even bother with them either.

And Ritek DL, $2.50 for a disc that'll self-destruct in 6 months? No way.

Eh screw it. By the time they become affordable & work out all the bugs, blu-ray media will probably be around more and they'll be no reason to bother with DL.

And what personal experience do you have to offer regarding burning Ritek DL media and having them self destruct in 6 months - or is this just one of those "everything is crap unless it is Verbatim or TY" rants? It's a sincere question - have you had any recent personal experience burning and using Ritek DL media? I've used Ritek media off and on for years - and have had very little trouble with any of it - including randomly testing burned media after multiple years and verifying that it still plays/reads just fine. If you have hands-on personal recent experience to share - we are very interested in it.

btw - if you are paying $2.50/disk for Ritek DVD+R DL media - you are not shopping around enough or very wisely. It is in the $1.50 range now, which is what initiated the question.

[lordsmurf]

e vhs tapes could be used over and over

But quality often degraded so badly that re-using a tape was a worse choice than simply buying another one.

[Super Warrior]

And what personal experience do you have to offer regarding burning Ritek DL media and having them self destruct in 6 months - or is this just one of those "everything is crap unless it is Verbatim or TY" rants? It's a sincere question - have you had any recent personal experience burning and using Ritek DL media? I've used Ritek media off and on for years - and have had very little trouble with any of it - including randomly testing burned media after multiple years and verifying that it still plays/reads just fine. If you have hands-on personal recent experience to share - we are very interested in it.

btw - if you are paying $2.50/disk for Ritek DVD+R DL media - you are not shopping around enough or very wisely. It is in the $1.50 range now, which is what initiated the question.

Not with their DLs but i've had PLENTY of experience, sadly, with burning single-layer riteks and yes those pieces of crap do self-destruct within 6 months or less

I know first hand as i've had many die on me and can only assume the rest of their media, such as DL's, are also unreliable junk. These days with prices down nicely, there is no reason in the world to take the risk with a 4th tier brand like Ritek. Just do yourself a favor and buy TY media, you can't go wrong with it.

There was once a time when it was considered Decent media, now Ritek is almost on the same level as Princo, give or take a few extra months longer for ritek discs to degrade into coasters.

Edit: Also all of my Ritek's were bought from newegg.com, so its not like i got mine from a disreputable seller. I buy my TYs from newegg too.

[Super Warrior]

But quality often degraded so badly that re-using a tape was a worse choice than simply buying another one.

Who cares, i'm just so HAPPY video tapes are gone. Good riddance!

Those large crappy things were always such a pain in the ass to mess with, consumed more shelf space than they deserved, not very versatile, needed rewinding, got chewed up in VCR's, etc. Burn in hell VHS!

Quality of VCDs were never that great, a bit below tape, and couldn't hold as much video. I'd still have taken VCD over tapes anyday. Thankfully we're now knee deep in the GLORIOUS age of the DVD.

DVD > VCD > VHS Tape

[Rich86]

Super[/url] Warrior]

And what personal experience do you have to offer regarding burning Ritek DL media and having them self destruct in 6 months - or is this just one of those "everything is crap unless it is Verbatim or TY" rants? It's a sincere question - have you had any recent personal experience burning and using Ritek DL media? I've used Ritek media off and on for years - and have had very little trouble with any of it - including randomly testing burned media after multiple years and verifying that it still plays/reads just fine. If you have hands-on personal recent experience to share - we are very interested in it.

btw - if you are paying $2.50/disk for Ritek DVD+R DL media - you are not shopping around enough or very wisely. It is in the $1.50 range now, which is what initiated the question.

Not with their DLs but i've had PLENTY of experience, sadly, with burning single-layer riteks and yes those pieces of crap do self-destruct within 6 months or less

I know first hand as i've had many die on me and can only assume the rest of their media, such as DL's, are also unreliable junk. These days with prices down nicely, there is no reason in the world to take the risk with a 4th tier brand like Ritek. Just do yourself a favor and buy TY media, you can't go wrong with it.

There was once a time when it was considered Decent media, now Ritek is almost on the same level as Princo, give or take a few extra months longer for ritek discs to degrade into coasters.

Edit: Also all of my Ritek's were bought from newegg.com, so its not like i got mine from a disreputable seller. I buy my TYs from newegg too.

Right - so you do not have any personal experience with Ritek DVD+R DL media and are simply spewing the usual "if it isn't TY or Verbatim it must be junk" mantra. That was neither informative nor helpful.

[lacywest]

Super[/url] Warrior]

But quality often degraded so badly that re-using a tape was a worse choice than simply buying another one.

Who cares, i'm just so HAPPY video tapes are gone. Good riddance!

Those large crappy things were always such a pain in the ass to mess with, consumed more shelf space than they deserved, not very versatile, needed rewinding, got chewed up in VCR's, etc. Burn in hell VHS!

Quality of VCDs were never that great, a bit below tape, and couldn't hold as much video. I'd still have taken VCD over tapes anyday. Thankfully we're now knee deep in the GLORIOUS age of the DVD.

DVD > VCD > VHS Tape

Not gone yet .... their stacked on shelves in my hallway door and at the place I work at ... their all over the place ... but I ... uh ... uh .... do agree with you ... about them being gone.

But ... every week I would buy a 10 pack of RCA tapes at Walmart and record everything I watched on a Panasonic VHS recorder in LP mode ... much better quality than EP mode and SP mode ... not all my movies were under 2 hours.

I also used a Mitshubishi Super VHS recorder for serious stuff ... works very good.

Plays the tapes I made years ago back in 1994 ... when VH1 [the music video channel] would do their 4 day A to Z music video marathons.

But ... today and for last two years ... I've been using Panasonic DVD Recorders ... mostly the EH50 recorders with the 100 GB harddrive built in.

Oh by the way ... I'm typing this from about 9 feet away.... my monitor is a Panasonic 42" Plasma TV ... using Component Video connections. PC is a Dell GX280 ... video card is a ATI X850 ... I replaced the power supply with a bigger one. Works very ... very nicely .... my wife is not sure if she likes me playing Half Life 2 Deathmatch in bed.

I have a 14 foot USB 2.0 cable strung under the rug ... going under the bed and connected to a 7 Port USB 2.0 hub ... connected to a wireless Logitech Mouse and Keyboard.

[Super Warrior]

Right - so you do not have any personal experience with Ritek DVD+R DL media and are simply spewing the usual "if it isn't TY or Verbatim it must be junk" mantra. That was neither informative nor helpful.

Simply put: Ritek's single layer discs are LANDFILL material, theres no reason why their DL media should be any different. It also is well known among the forum that Ritek puts out fluff quality discs, not much better if any, than the likes of Princo.

Plus i have plenty enough experience of my own with burned Ritek's degrading into useless plastic, thus my conclusion is well justified.

Feel free to produce what evidence you have that their DL media quality is any better. I'd be interested to see it.

Edit: For your sake i hope you don't consistently use Ritek media on all your burns. Better stop now, or else one day you'll awake to find yourself knee deep in coasters.

[MJPollard]

Super[/url] Warrior]

But quality often degraded so badly that re-using a tape was a worse choice than simply buying another one.

Who cares, i'm just so HAPPY video tapes are gone. Good riddance!

Those large crappy things were always such a pain in the ass to mess with, consumed more shelf space than they deserved, not very versatile, needed rewinding, got chewed up in VCR's, etc. Burn in hell VHS!

I still know plenty of people who are glad that VHS isn't dead yet. People like my girlfriend and her mom, who simply want to stick a tape in the machine and record their soaps for later viewing. They don't care about quality, they only care about "putting in a tape and pressing the red button." If I tried to show them everything involved with a DVD recorder (or a TiVo-like device), their heads would pop.

(For the record, I'm in the "glad VHS has died" camp WRT retail sales of movies. DVD just blows them away, for a multitude of reasons. But then, I'm a geek, and have no problem handlin' this consarned newfangled tecno-stuff. )

[ROBERT BLACK]

Super[/url] Warrior]

Right - so you do not have any personal experience with Ritek DVD+R DL media and are simply spewing the usual "if it isn't TY or Verbatim it must be junk" mantra. That was neither informative nor helpful.

Simply put: Ritek's single layer discs are LANDFILL material, theres no reason why their DL media should be any different. It also is well known among the forum that Ritek puts out fluff quality discs, not much better if any, than the likes of Princo.

Plus i have plenty enough experience of my own with burned Ritek's degrading into useless plastic, thus my conclusion is well justified.

Feel free to produce what evidence you have that their DL media quality is any better. I'd be interested to see it.

Edit: For your sake i hope you don't consistently use Ritek media on all your burns. Better stop now, or else one day you'll awake to find yourself knee deep in coasters.

What burner,Ritek media code, and software did you use?

In my experience Ritek G03-04s have been decent if underburned and I still have TV episodes that play just fine years later. Ritek G05s on the other hand were awful and did indeed crap out in less than a year. Scans were full of errors. As for DL media the Ritek D01s have been surprisingly decent for me so far. Burnt at set rated speed with TMPEGenc 3.0 and DVDdecrypter and scans were good. The D01s are a good cheap alternative for Verbatim but can result in coasters quickly if your burner's firmware is not up to date or you use Nero. DO NOT for the love of god burn ANY DL media with Nero.

[MysticE]

e vhs tapes could be used over and over

But quality often degraded so badly that re-using a tape was a worse choice than simply buying another one.

That's just not true. A tape that had been used a few times would provide better results than one fresh out of the sleeve.

[wtsinnc]

I tried a three pack of Ridata DVD+R DLs about a year ago and two of the three burned without any problem and still play perfectly. The writer I used was an NEC ND-3500A. The disc that failed simply stopped about halfway through the process. My main burning software was (and still is) 1clickdvdcopy pro and DVD43.

I am curious about the new Verbatim +R DLs being manufactured in India. Has anyone tried them and if so, did you notice any difference(s) -vs- those manufactured in Taiwan ?

[lordsmurf]

e vhs tapes could be used over and over

But quality often degraded so badly that re-using a tape was a worse choice than simply buying another one.

That's just not true. A tape that had been used a few times would provide better results than one fresh out of the sleeve.

Where did you get an insane idea like that?

A single re-use of a tape almost always results in small glitches (viewable on screen) and signal stability errors (not observable until you attempt to convert to a digital format).

Every re-use of the tape results in a degrade of quality and magnetic integrity.

Remember we're talking about VHS here, not a DAT or broadcast-grade S-VHS/Betacam tape (neither of which should be re-used either, but degradation is much less each time).