What blank DVD media do I use

libertino

E-mail is a good way of backing up documents as well. I'll often email myself something so that I've got a copy whichever computer I'm on, and it's there for as long as I want. Gmail's especially good for this, as it is with everything :-)

A lot of mentions about using branded DVDs, can anyone recommend which are good brands please? And when you see printable/non-printable, does that just mean whether you can print a design on one side of the disc? I don't have any intention of doing that, just writing on it in pen.

donnajunkie

a dvd drive on a pc should be able to record and play all types of dvd and cd discs. it should say in the spec for yours on the official site for that brand. if you will want to play on a dvd player connected to your tv then it depends what the dvd will play. if it is not too old it will probably play all dvd+r dvd-r and dvd+rw and dvd -rw. the type of dvd recorders that are connected to tv's and designed for recording off tele can sometimes only work with either dvd- or dvd+ while others are multi format and record both just like pc dvd drives do. so it is a case of checking the info for your dvd player that is connected to your tv to find out what discs that will play.
one thing to consider when useing dvd- discs is it will need finalizing to be able to play on something other than the system it was recorded on while dvd+ are less likely to need finalizing.
as far as which discs to buy goes well personally i just go for the cheap asda brand although they dont do rewritable. there are plenty of brands and any will do really.

BexTech

If it's data important then go for a disc that uses Taiyo Yuden die.

If it's for DVD-Video then have a look at SVP and see which are getting an OK rating.

Bulkpaq are usually dreadful discs, if you can get them to burn without a failure, you'll find 6 - 12 weeks down the line they are unreadable.

I've had some excellent DVD-Rs from SVP in the past and cost 10p and 12p more or less the same price as a CD-R.

donnajunkie

libertino wrote: »

A lot of mentions about using branded DVDs, can anyone recommend which are good brands please? And when you see printable/non-printable, does that just mean whether you can print a design on one side of the disc? I don't have any intention of doing that, just writing on it in pen.

personally i think most brands are as good as each other. anywhere you would have expected to buy video tapes for your vcr will now also sell recordable dvds and cds. we have just got an all in one printer that can print onto discs. so that is probably what the printable discs you have seen are for. i havent seen any myself. so if you dont want to do that then dont bother with the printable discs.

BexTech

Printable discs have a white-top so you can put them in a printer that can print on top of the discs, been available for several years.

I don't bother printing on the disc, that doesn't mean I don't buy printable ones, it just depends on which is the cheapest of the quality dyes.

Non-printable means there is no white top to print on, it will have a brand logo on it and some space to write on with a marker pen.

You can write on the printable ones too with a marker pen.


With blank DVDs you do have to watch which disc you buy, some discs are dreadful, you'll end up with coaster after coaster and if you don't initially a few weeks down the line they could be unreadable.

You might find a disc your writer doesn't like, yet another writer it may be fine with.

Donnie

UKDVDR are sometimes a little cheaper.