Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

New DVD Burners To Double Capacity

Posted by simoniker on from the more-data-more-problems dept.

clester writes "CNN reports that new dual-layer DVD-burning drives will be released very soon by Philips and Sony that will double the capacity of DVD drives, making a complete copy of your dual-layer DVDs theoretically possible. It will use dual layer technology that will hold up to 8.5GB, and will cost around $230 for an internal and $330 for external, burning all 8.5GB in approximately 45 minutes."

29 of 420 comments (clear)

  1. Quite a low introductory price! by michael+path · · Score: 4, Insightful

    This is a very low price for the technology to be released at. At those prices, we'll probably see a large number of early adopters. It makes me wonder what we'll see it for next year.

    Considering I spent $250 on an external USB2 DVD+R/RW drive just last year, I can already regret my purchase.

    1. Re:Quite a low introductory price! by pcx · · Score: 5, Funny

      The drive is $250, the blank DVD is $75.00 :-P

    2. Re:Quite a low introductory price! by Tumbleweed · · Score: 4, Informative

      You should find the thing much faster when used with FireWire than with USB2. Even plain ole FireWire a (400Mbps) is much faster than USB2 (at 480Mbps) due to latency type issues. I'd _love_ to have an external Firewire b (800Mbps), Firewire a (400), USB 2, USB 1.1 drive cage to maximum portability/compatability.

      My NEC drive isn't the best 8x on the market, but I'm _amazed_ at how quiet it is. It also doesn't heat up the discs at all, unlike most every other burner I've ever used. It'd be great for a HTPC project. I think the price has dipped even lower than the $110 I paid for it (from newegg.com).

    3. Re:Quite a low introductory price! by agslashdot · · Score: 4, Informative
      At those prices, we'll probably see a large number of early adopters

      I'm one of those early adopters ( bought the 6x DVD-R Pioneer drives right after it debuted ). IMO, it is unwise to splurge on this. The early versions produce few good DVDs & a large proportion of coasters. It took 2-3 months for Pioneer to resolve all the errors & issue a firmware patch, & in a few more months, the 8X drive was out, cheaper than 6x, but with problems of its own :) Best to wait.

    4. Re:Quite a low introductory price! by NanoGator · · Score: 5, Funny

      "Where did you get your $75 price from?"

      He read it in this other article.

      --
      "Derp de derp."
    5. Re:Quite a low introductory price! by NecroPuppy · · Score: 5, Funny

      Where did you get your $75 price from?

      Canada. :)

      --
      I like you, Stuart. You're not like everyone else, here, at Slashdot.
  2. Compatibility??? by parvenu74 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    But will the new dual layer DVD's be compatible with set-top boxes or legacy DVD ROM drives???

    1. Re:Compatibility??? by Martin+Blank · · Score: 4, Interesting

      They're supposedly using DVD+R for the DL discs, which have, as I understand, caused some occasional problems for playback on some DVD players and drives. Personally, I don't care much, since I'm in it for the volume for backups, and an even bigger plus is that Sony's drive will be a +/-. I'd chip in a few extra bucks for that.

      --
      You can never go home again... but I guess you can shop there.
    2. Re:Compatibility??? by pknoll · · Score: 5, Informative
      According to the article:

      The Sony and Philips drives will use somewhat different discs. Sony calls its variant DVD-R DL. The Philips equivalent is DVD+R DL. Both disc types should be readable in standard DVD drives and players.

    3. Re:Compatibility??? by Pieroxy · · Score: 5, Informative

      There we go, site is up - but damn slow:
      93% of the players tested play DVD-R

      87% of the players tested play DVD+R

      --
      Write boring code, not shiny code!
  3. Finally by Gr33nNight · · Score: 5, Funny

    Now I can finally back up my porno collection to 10 easy-to-find dvds...*phew*

    1. Re:Finally by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny
      10 DVDs? 850G? Lightweight!

      You mean "lightweight" in the math department, right?

    2. Re:Finally by bobej1977 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Bah, I print mine out to hard copy and put them in my Porno Bin to swim around in. If only it weren't for those damn Beagle boys...and the paper cuts.

      --
      The meek shall inherit the earth, in 3 by 6 plots. - Lazerus Long
    3. Re:Finally by alexo · · Score: 5, Funny

      > Where I come from, 10 * 8.5G = 85G

      It is a sad day for ./ when grade one arithmetic is modded +3 Informative.

    4. Re:Finally by EventHorizon · · Score: 4, Funny

      It is an even sadder day for /. when a post calling it ./ is modded +4.

      Anywhere else, and I could believe your wit is actually that subtle.
      Here on dotslash, it was probably just lack of proofreadi

  4. Media Reliability? by Cyclopedian · · Score: 4, Insightful

    That's cool that dual-layer DVD burners are coming out, but I have concerns about the reliability of dual-layered dvd(+|-)r media.

    Would adding an extra data layer be much more complex than just having a single layer? I haven't been happy with some of the reliability of some of the single layer DVD-R media I've bought.

    -Cyc

    --
    /.'s 10 Millionth
  5. 'dd' illegal? by IO+ERROR · · Score: 4, Funny
    (The software used to copy encrypted movie DVDs is illegal in the United States, according to recent court rulings.)

    So the 'dd' command is illegal now?

    --
    How am I supposed to fit a pithy, relevant quote into 120 characters?
    1. Re:'dd' illegal? by wfberg · · Score: 4, Informative

      Encrypted DVDs store the encryption key in a special area on the disc that is not writeable on DVD-R/+R discs. So you can't make a bitwise copy that works. You have to use DeCSS to decrypt it first, thereby circumventing the copy protection scheme.

      --
      SCO employee? Check out the bounty
  6. News at noon: MPAA files suit by nurb432 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Hopefully I'm joking, but don't be surprised if they don't file a suit to block sales of the devices in the US.

    Now that you could copy an entire 'real' DVD at once.. with no compression, they might start to panic. Since they obviously buy into the ' pirates are eating us alive syndrome'

    --
    ---- Booth was a patriot ----
  7. usb by maxbang · · Score: 4, Funny

    I don't have usb 2.0 or firewire. will this come with a serial adapter?

    --
    I also reply below your current threshold.
  8. Pictures! Pictures! by prostoalex · · Score: 5, Informative



    see them pictures

    Also, press release from Philips and press release from Sony with even better pictures.

  9. Hardware legal, software banned ?! by agslashdot · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Robert Moore, Founder and President of 321 Studios. "There is no difference between making a copy of a music CD for personal use and making a backup of a DVD movie for personal use."

    DVDXCopy was presumably one of the biggest consumer application for these DVD recorders. People made backups of their existing DVD collection using that software, and why shouldn't they ?

    But 321Studios was found guilty of violating the DMCA, and today we have the hardware to make copies legally available, getting cheaper & faster, while the software remains illegal.

  10. New tech, same problems by saintp · · Score: 4, Insightful
    This is lovely:
    They will be marketed only for Windows PCs, but the external one should work on Macintosh computers with the proper third-party software.
    I suppose Linux is right out. You gotta love desktop dominance. And, of course:
    The Sony and Philips drives will use somewhat different discs. Sony calls its variant DVD-R DL. The Philips equivalent is DVD+R DL.
    Standards!?!? We don't need no stinkin' standards! This is basically everything wrong with current peripherals, writ large. Give me a Linux-compatible DVD writer and a standard DVD format (+ or -, I don't care; leave that to the wonks), and that will be something to care about.
    --
    Another one bites the dust
  11. Re:Ok... by DR+SoB · · Score: 5, Funny

    Blue light is available from Labatt's:

    http://www.labattblue.ca/lb_beer/lb_beer_index.h tm

    --
    Mod +5 Drunk
  12. DVD-r and disk-finalizing times by goombah99 · · Score: 4, Informative
    A discussion of this on Cnet points out that the DVD-R drives from panasonic wont be out for another year. The reason being Cited is that to make these compatible with set-top DVD players there is a tricky issue related to "finalizing" the DVD. Panasonic says they want to get that right and are still puzzling it out.

    Apparently the issue is that to be read as a DVD-ROM the top abd bottom layers have to have exactly the same amount of content other wise the player will misread it. This is not a huge problem when the size of the content is known before the burn starts, but presents problems for dynamically created media like video recording from a camera or streaming source (like a TV signal).

    If the size is not known before writing then the burner must write the second layer out with dummy data before finalization, potentially doubling the burn time. In the case of a video camera it would be unacceptable to make the user wait an hour after filming before he could change or view the DVD.

    --
    Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.
  13. Too... many...letters.... by mblase · · Score: 4, Funny

    So now we can look forward to boxes and ad flyers with specs like "8XDVD+/-R DL 8XDVD+/-R 4XDVD+/-RW 16XDVD-ROM 48XCD+/-R 8XCD+/-RW 48XCD-ROM"?

    I mean, I know what that all means, but it still makes my eyeballs want to scurry behind my ears and hide.

    1. Re:Too... many...letters.... by DavidBrown · · Score: 4, Funny

      8XDVD+/-R DL 8XDVD+/-R 4XDVD+/-RW 16XDVD-ROM 48XCD+/-R 8XCD+/-RW 48XCD-ROM"?

      Nah. That's all going to be done away with, with the new DVD #$%!!!GODDAMMIT!$#&*@!!!+R format, which will undoubtedly be incompatable with all existing formats, including itself.

      --
      144l. ph34r my 133t l3g4l 5k1lz!
  14. Wrong/off-topic, not informative by Wesley+Felter · · Score: 4, Informative

    Blue lasers have nothing to do with dual-layer DVD burning. DVDs are based on red lasers, period.

  15. Re:Linux support? by Prof.Phreak · · Score: 4, Informative

    Does anyone know what DVD burning support is like for linux?

    Better than Windows (well, at least in my opinion). And by that I mean you don't need to purchase any tools to make DVDs.

    You can burn DVDs, make menus, etc., all with open source tools. It may not be as `simple' as point-and-click Windows tools, but at least you know exactly what's happening at every step, and how each little bits work.

    Best of all, you can do everything via the command line (except possibly for creating menus---you can use GIMP for that).

    There are a bunch of tutorials online about how to do pretty much everything.

    --

    "If anything can go wrong, it will." - Murphy