DVD Films - Media query

peter.allison

08-12-2005

I recently bought Hero and Flying Daggers on DVD to have a martial arts evening!

When I received the DVDs in small print on the back of the DVD box it says Dual Layer Format.

Am I correct in assuming that these will only play on a dual format DVD player and that to play on my Pioneer DVR5100H I need single layer DVDs.

If so how come companies are selling dual layer versions without making it clear.

Can anyone offer some advice.

Jean Luc Picard

08-12-2005

Most fairly modern DVD players will play "Dual Layer" DVDs (most discs containing feature films will be dual layer), although some of the less sophisticated machines may hesitate briefly during change between layers, hence the warning on Dual Layer discs "Layer transition may trigger a slight pause".

I have a Pacific Home Theatre system I bought from ASDA for £50, which happily plays Dual Layer discs, and I can't detect the "slight pause".

I doubt if you will have problems, but the easy way to find out is to try it and see.

I suspect, if you check out your existing feature film DVDs, you will probably find many of them are Dual Layer.

Jarrak

08-12-2005

Virtually every retail DVD you can buy will be dual layer (DVD9) which gives the disc just over 9gig of capacity which is more than enough for a movie and extras.
In the very very early days of UK DVD production single layer (DVD5) were released but that was down to a lack of production facilities!

Nothing to worry about

Astaroth

08-12-2005

DVDs have been dual layered for years - it has only recently become big news as DVD recorders are now starting to also be able to write dual layers

As Jarrak says - just enjoy the evening

peter.allison

08-12-2005

Thanks to you all for the replies. I'm obviously well out of date.

PhilipM

10-12-2005

Originally Posted by Jarrak:
“Virtually every retail DVD you can buy will be dual layer (DVD9) which gives the disc just over 9gig of capacity which is more than enough for a movie and extras.”

Although DVD9 discs are always marketed as being twice the capacity, they actually only hold 80% more than a DVD5 (each layer is 10% less dense), giving 8.5GB, not the 9.4GB you'd expect.

The recent introduction of writable Dual Layer discs has caused some confusion, but reading of Dual Layer discs is a mandatory part of the specification of a DVD drive. It probably can't be called a DVD drive without it.