Which is better VR Mode or Video Mode?

[Melekal]

I just got a Pioneer DVR 220 to capture my VHS to DVD on a DVD-RW disk. After this I plan on popping it in my computer to fully edit the stuff before burning to a DVD-R. Because of this I have two questions.

Has anyone had experience with the VR Mode and why it may be better or worse than just using Video Mode? I like the idea of taking the entire disk so that I can copy movies in the best quality possible but I'm not sure if that's what VR Mode does and if it'll even be better that way or not.

Also, does anyone have any good suggestions on authoring software that will work with either mode and give you good options on authoring the DVD?

[waheed]

I would assume that video mode may be more preferable. For a number of reasons, it is more compatible than VR mode with dvd players and commercial dvds use video mode.

[piano632]

Advantages of VR mode (over Video mode):


More defect management (I think).

Discs can be edited on the recorder (though not as accurately as on a PC).

You can delete segments (i.e. commercials) anywhere on the disc and recover the total accumlated space for additional recording (even if the disc has been finalized). (Video mode only allows you to delete the last complete recording - and only when the disc hasn't been finalized).

Individual recordings (or the entire disc) can be write-protected to prevent accidental erasure.

Discs only need to be finalized once and do not need to be finalized again even if you erase all recordings and make all new ones.

There is usually no difference in video quality between the 2 formats at the same bitrate (unless the specific recorder being used has different resolution settings). The only difference is that VR mode gives you more options, but less compatibility.

Of course, the big disadvantage to using VR mode is that very few DVD players are able to play the discs. But you can always record in VR mode, edit on PC, then burn as a Video mode disc.

[Melekal]

Yeah, I don't think I'll have to worry about the compatability because I'll be reauthoring them on my computer. I just thought I read something about how the VR mode was similar to the DVD-RAM in that it would give you a variable bit rate. This would be so that it dedicates more memory to the high action sequences and less to the low action ones for a better quality. I don't know if I'm just confused on this one but that's what I thought I read somewhere.

Second, I thought that in the VR mode you could take up the whole disk without having to choose a set time frame. For instance, if you wanted your 2.5 hour movie to take up the entire DVD for quality purposes you wouldn't have to choose the 4 hour mode like you would in the DVD Video mode. There again I could be confused which is why I wanted to ask those who may have more experience with this mode of recording.

[piano632]

VBR (Variable Bit Rate) is what dedicates more bits to high-action scenes and less bits to slow-moving scenes. I think all the newer models record using VBR on both Video and VR mode. Only some early recorders had CBR (Constant Bit Rate).

FR (Flexible Recording) is probably what you're thinking of regarding fitting a 2.5 hour movie to fill a disc at best quality. Some recorders have this feature, some don't. Pioneer/Sharp recorders have 32-step bitrates to choose from which is essentially the same as FR.

One advantage of VR mode that I forgot to mention is it is like DVD-RAM/Tivo where you can record and play at the same time (on some models). Not possible to do this in Video mode.

Keep in mind that Video mode and VR mode are the 2 ways the file structure can be written on the disc. Things such as VBR and FR are what changes the quality/bitrate, though you are still using Video mode or VR mode.

You can read more in the DVD Recorders forum on this site.