Just got a Panasonic DVD/Video combi recorder and want to copy lots of old videos onto dvd but which discs would be best. I know nothing and it all seems very complicated.
Original recordings are not fantastic quality and some quite old and so not bothered about top quality dvd recording - just want to be able to keep them for years to come with as many hours as possible on each disc.
I can use DVD-R, DVD-R DL, +R, +R DL, DVD-RW DL, +RW and of course DVD-RAM.

A lot depends on if you have other DVD players which can only play some formats. For permanent copying the basic choice is between -R and +R. Not a lot to choose between them PQ wise especially given the poor quality of the source material. Be aware that you could be infringing copyright by copying pre-recorded videos.

I've used Verbatim DVD-Rs and never had a fail in almost 100 recordings on my Pannies.

If these are personal recordings (family etc) then I'd make sure you record at least twice for each DVD as there is no long term guarantee the recordings will not fail.

Thanks. Most of them are just series of various old programmes recorded form the tv years ago and I just wanted to put them all onto dvd to take up less space and to, keep them for the future. Nothing of great importance, just lots of them.
It just all seemed so complicated in the operating instructions.

I use either Maxell, Imation or Panasonic -discs to archive all my recordings and have only a couple of bad discs in hundreds of recordings. Don't forget to finalise the discs after recording though!

I bought a 100 pack of 16x Tuffdiscs for £15.

They seem to work fine for me.
The factor that swung it is the extra hard protection layer that they have on.
Not as good as the extra special disks that TDK sell but then again they were not that extra special price either.

For longevity maybe this has to be the only option?

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Correction. Seems the tough layer is only on the top!!!!! Protects from over zealous pen users only!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Last edited by alanwarwic : 28-11-2006 at 12:03

Verbatim (DVD5 + or - R & DL DVD9 - R) or Memorex (DVD5 + or - R) for me; never a let down with them yet (ever).

Brilliant & good value.

If you've just bought a Panasonic, then it will support DVD-RAM discs. They allow editing to remove adverts etc., can be rewritten 100,000+ times and have a 30 year minimum lifetime (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD-RAM). Bit more expensive, I guess, and less compatible with other players, but soooo much more flexible. I don't buy any other format now.

Peter
Last edited by pthomps : 29-11-2006 at 12:17

Personally, i find the TDK 16x dvd+r/rw are the most reliable and most compatible discs out there.

Tried so many other brands and suffered poor quality, incompatibility with other machines and skipping/pausing etc.

TDK really do work on anything.

I have had a Panasonic DVD recorder for 4 years. It now has problems reading DVD-RAM discs, but never pre-recorded DVDs. When I insert a disk I get the U11 or U99 error and the machine shuts down. On occasions recorded programmes tend to merge into one another.

Before I spend money on repairs or a new mchine, might this be the media at fault? The DVD-RAM discs have all been used a number of times, but nowhere near the 100,000 times the literature say they are good for.