Compare DVD Recorders
Most of the major manufacturers have camped into technology groupings behind DVD-RAM, DVD-R/-RW, and DVD+R/+RW formats. The first major comparison you have to do is between these different recording formats. Then, do further comparisons of DVD recorders in the category of your choosing. Compare DVD Recorders - DVD-RAM Introduced in 1998, the recordable and re-writable DVD-RAM was one of the earliest commercially available DVD recorder formats (first DVD-R recorder was introduced by Pioneer in 1997). Invented by Matsushita (owner of the Panasonic brand), you can find DVD-RAM format and further compare the technology's features in selected Panasonic, Toshiba, Samsung, and Hitachi recorders. If you compare DVD recorders based on compatibility with existing formats, the DVD-RAM format is a non-starter as it is not compatible with most current DVD players or DVD computer drives. Therefore, for sharing your work with others, most of the DVD-RAM players have also DVD-R capability, which is the most compatible of all the DVD recorder formats (with reported better than 90% backwards compatibility with existing DVD-Video players and DVD-ROM computer drives). The following DVD recorders have DVD-RAM capability * Panasonic DMR-E55S* DVD-RAM, DVD-R* Panasonic DMR-E95HS* DVD-RAM, DVD-R* 160 GB HDD* Panasonic DMR-E100H* DVD-RAM, DVD-R* 120 GB HDD* Toshiba D-R2* DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW* JVC DR-M10S* DVD-RAM, DVD-R, DVD-RW Compare DVD Recorders - DVD-R/-RW This format has two sub-formats, of which the first is DVD-R, a write-once format just like the CD-R burning format you might be more familiar with. Then there's DVD-RW, which is a re-writable format. You can record and then re-record over the existing information on the DVD-RW disc. The DVD-R is reportedly the most widely backwards compatible DVD recorder format. Therefore, you can play your DVD-R recording in most existing DVD players and DVD-ROM computer drives. DVD-RW discs offer a high-degree of backwards compatibility with existing players as well, but the recordings have to be made in straight DVD-Video mode and the discs have to be finalized. To find devices with DVD-RW format, you should further compare DVD recorders from Pioneer, Sharp, and Sony. * Pioneer DVR-520H* DVD-R, DVD-RW* 80 GB HDD* Pioneer DVR-810HS* DVD-R, DVD-RW* 80 GB HDD* Pioneer DVR-320* DVD-R, DVD-RW* Sony RDRVX500* DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, and VHS videocassette support for recording* Sony RDR-HX900* DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW* 160 GB HDD* Sharp DV-SR3U* DVD-R, DVD-RW* Sharp DV-SR45U* DVD-R, DVD-RW Compare DVD Recorders - DVD+R/+RW The DVD+R/+RW format was developed, unlike the other two major DVD recorder formats, outside of the DVD Forum. As a late entrant to the standards arena, the format was developed as an answer to the incompatibility problems other formats have. For example, you don't need to finalize the DVD+R/+RW discs (as you would have to for the other formats) in order to be able to use them in standard DVD players. To find suitable offers with DVD+R/+RW capability, compare DVD recorders from Philips, Apex, Sony, RCA, and Mitsubishi. * Philips DVDR77* DVD+R, DVD+RW* Philips HDRW720* DVD+R, DVD+RW* 120 GB HDD* Sony RDRVX500* DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, and VHS videocassette support for recording* Sony RDR-HX900* DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW* 160 GB HDD* Apex DRX-9200* DVD+RW, DVD+R
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