FR mode on DVD-R/RW standalone machines only?

[tommyoz]

I am trying to come up with a reason as to why Sony does not include FR mode recording on their standalone DVD recorders. Looking around It appears that the only ones that do FR mode are the DVD-R/RW machines.
Does anyone have a DVD+R/RW machine that does FR mode?

I do realize that Sony records in all formats but maybe for some odd reason it cannot be included. The latest Liteon LVD-5045 & the LVW-5006 which also record to all formats doesn't record in FR mode either. The Liteons have something called "just fit" which does the same exact thing that Sony's "rec mode" does. It just changes the recording mode to fit on a disc.

Could it be something about the + format?

[spiderman2k1]

I really do not think is has any thing about the DVD+R format as capture. From what i read Sony does have a FR mode but its called some thing else. It only works when you set the timer. Lets say you want to record three hours of TV just set the timer to go off at 7pm to 10pm the DVD will be filled up. Sony has it but did a bad job with setting up the features

[tommyoz]

I really do not think is has any thing about the DVD+R format as capture. From what i read Sony does have a FR mode but its called some thing else. It only works when you set the timer. Lets say you want to record three hours of TV just set the timer to go off at 7pm to 10pm the DVD will be filled up. Sony has it but did a bad job with setting up the features

spiderman2k1, that was me who posted that but I was wrong. Trust me, Sony does not have it. Like I said, it only changes the recording mode. If you set it from 7pm to 10pm, the disk will be filled up but not with the best quality. It puts it in 3 hour mode (LP). The same would happen if you set it from 7pm to 9:45pm, 7pm to 9:30 or 7pm to 9:15. It would all be recorded in LP mode.

[tommyoz]

Does anyone have a DVD+R/RW machine that does FR mode?

[tommyoz]

I apologize for asking again but,

Does anyone have a DVD+R/RW machine that does FR mode?

[lordsmurf]

DVD+VR does not seem to support FR specs. Don't quote me on that, but that'd be my best guess.

[tommyoz]

It sure does appear that way. The Sony's and Liteons were also the + format first. Then became all formats.

[OldeMan]

My Philips DVDR77 has a "fit to space" FR mode for timer recording. Works well except it nearly always leaves a 5-10 minute safety margin that annoys me. I like the Toshiba rdx32 options of setting recording modes better. If the Toshiba supported "+" format , I would have already bought one. I predict DVD RAM is/will be the new betamax.

I think Sony has made serious omissions in not having a program guide and additional editing options for its new DVD recorder.

I don't think "FR" mode is a +/- format thing at all, but rather a choice of where DVD recorder software development dollars are spent.

There is always a design trade off between function and ease of use. To replace VCRs, it must be simpler than dirt. Techies like us always want more function, but Joe or Mary six-pack is not going to read a 200 page manual trying to figure out how to record the superbowl.

Any DVD recorder that can't do a reasonable imitation of Tivo and/or other PVRs will be relegated to the low volume "fringe" market.

"Why is my VCR clock always blinking 12:00 ?"

my $.02

[Capmaster]

Yes. I seriously doubt "+" or "-" has anything to do with it. The FR is a feature of the encoding engine. The format enters into it only for putting it to disc.

[lordsmurf]

What's people fail to realize is that there are really only 3 formats for DVD recorders: DVD+VR (pretty much DVD-Video), DVD-VR (close to DVB), and supposed DVD-Video (but unlike anything you do in software or commercial pressed discs).

The DVD-Video and DVD-VR recorders seem to tbe ones that have it.

My guess is based off the fact that DVD+VR is very rigid. I mean, it calls for things like CVBR instead of VBR, and that's just an awful idea. But you live with it.

It's NOT a "+/-" thing, but truly a "video format" thing.

[tommyoz]

I'm not sure what it is but I just found it to appear that way.

OldeMan, I owned a Philips model (I forgot the model number) at one time. The unit I had claimed the same thing but worked just like the Sony unit. It changed the Recording mode. If I made a recording in 1 hour mode but set it for 1 hour and 15 minutes, (by the way, timer recording is the only time you can use this feature) it would change it to 1 hour 30 minute mode. Also, if you select 2 hour mode and set it for 2 hour 20 minutes it would change the mode to 3 hour mode. That isn't Flex Recording. However, they could have changed things and if you say it does work then I have reason to be more upset at Sony for not including this on their machines. Furthermore, if this is the way video formats work (as LS mentioned), then you can't blame Sony.