Producing a dual layer DVD ?

[whenevere]

What does it take to produce/burn a DUAL LAYER DVD ? At the current time, is the dual layer technology available and accessible to the consumers? What are needed?

1) Software : does the authoring/encoding software have to have the "dual layer" feature?
2) DVD writer : does it require a special writer to burn a "dual layer" dvd? or can the current generation of writers do it?
3) Media : does it require a special "dual layer" DVD media?

What current software/hardware on the market currently support "dual layer" ??

Thanks

[Baldrick]

1. yep, the authoring and the burning tool must support dual layer. copytodvd and dvddecrypter burning tools supports it, next version of tmpgenc dvd author will support it.

2. yep, you must get a dual layer writer. some few newer single layer burners can be upgraded to dual layer with "hacked" firmwares.
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdwriters.php?DVDname=&cdrs=&cdrws=&dvdrs=&dvdrws=&dvdprs=&d...&Search=Search

3. yep, you must buy dual layer media(dvd-9 media, 8.5GB). https://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia.php?dvdmediasearch=&dvdmediadvdridsearch=&type=6&siz...+or+List+Media

[handyguy]

After that, a dvd player that can play it few do.

[whenevere]

I thought that current generation of players can play dual layer dvd ?! I have commercial U2 concert dvds that are dual layers (greater than 7 gb long) that I play regularly on my Panasonic and Pioneer dvd players with no problems ...

[Grimey]

commercial dual layer dvds are different than burned dual layer dvds. commmercial ones aren't burns, they're just 2 discs mashed together.

[whenevere]

"commmercial ones aren't burns, they're just 2 discs mashed together."

Please clarify and define "2 discs mashed together". I have seen and used a dvd that has 2 sides. I have also seen and used a dvd that has only one side, and that one side is > 7 gb long.

My U2 concert disc, for example, has only one side and it is packed of 7 gb of music videos, and the disc plays perfectly on my two-year old Panasonic 4743 player! As far as I know, my Panasonic player is of the older generation ... so, how come it can play my one-sided 7+ gb disc ??!

[Grimey]

I can't explain it mch more than that, but you can check out the glossary: https://www.videohelp.com/glossary?all#DVD-9

[Baldrick]

Commercial dvds are NOT the same as the one you burn home. dvd-+rw doesn't work on all dvd players. dvd+r dl hasn't been tested on that many dvd players yet but so far doesn't the compatibility loookd that good.
www.videohelp.com/dvdplayers

[turk690]

to Grimey & whenevere: ALL DVDs, pressed and recordable, ARE actually two discs glued together, each 0.6mm thick, making the whole about 1.2mm. Pick up a DVD and a CD and hold the edge of each against the light; it's easy to see a CD is one whole disc, but a DVD is made of two (like LaserDiscs). Either only one or both of the two discs (sides) are used; if only one then that DVD is single sided, and the unused side usually has the label printed on it; if both sides are used then that is a dual-sided DVD, with the label printed on a small ring area near the center on both sides. A DVD side can also be dual-layered, as is usually the case with Hollywood movie DVDs, in which case the content can be as big as 8.5GB altogether, as opposed to just 4.7GB with just one layer. There are rare dual-sided dual-layered DVDs, in which maximum data size can then be 17GB for that disc. Now that there are dual-layer DVD+Rs ultimately we should see dual-sided dual-layered DVD+Rs in the near future.