Which DVD recorder ? (O/T)

[John Stewart Miller]

Info is coming forward about the best bets in reliable DVD formats (so far; double sided, blu - ray and DVD - RAM are favoured).

I wanted to set up a debate on findings of those correspondants currently involved in home archiving to DVD. What the advantages of set ups or favourite systems are?

I started with Philips, an early machine which unfortunately is erratic. The main advantage of the Philips systems was the original provision of a rewritable disc format compatible with most players (unlike Panasonics DVD - RAM). The machines have an attractive picture indexing system, and copy NTSC material automatically across.

However, I have known the machine to refuse to finalise, turn itself off, write window titles correctly, or lose it's display. This only occasionally happens, but mine is one of the first generation models.

I'm considering a second machine as a back up and secondary replay and copying tool.

'Which' video currently favour the Sony and JVC machines. Panasonic, however have THE video reputation (Sony holding this for audio).

I'm wondering whether users know from experience or hearsay whether what has happened with Philips in the past is applicable to Panasonic DVD machines. In a past article, Ian Levine documented how Philips successor to their original video recorder was less robust and reliable than the first. This appears to be true also of Philips early DVD machines - the DVD R70 and DVD R75 being slated as being inferior to the original DVDR 80.

I mention this point as I've seen a few of the earlier Panasonic HD (hard drive) machines on offer. The price is getting better than the new versions (i.e. for an E85 against the new EH50). Some EH50 users have had some problems with getting true transfers from tape source to the hard drive.

To me the older machines look more attractively and robustly built. What do people advise? Should one opt for an older model which may be better built, or a newer which includes technology modified to cope with latest developments; and may have superceded pitfalls not perfected in previous machines?

[Laurence Piper]

I know this has been discussed before but it's worth talking about again as it's something which affects anyone who archives their recordings.

For what it's worth, I now record exclusively on RAM. Older discs, which are all -R (the older ones being about two years old now, which I don't really consider "old" in archive terms) randomly seem to display minor playback faults such as momentary freezes, pixcellation etc, which were not there originally. Fortunately I keep everything on VHS as back-up now (which defeats the object of recording onto disc, I know, as the quality is less - but it does mean that I don't lose a recording completely). My older RAM discs don't seem to have the same problems though and (from the info I have gleaned from AV forums etc) it seems that RAM is regarded much more highly, with a reputation of being completely reliable. This is the format I will be keeping all my important stuff on until a medium comes along that is reliable to transfer to.

The whole subject is worrying. DVD is being touted as the natural successor to VHS, with the machines and discs drastically coming down in price now and the general public switching wholesale. If the long term reliability of the recordable discs is in question though, it makes amockery of the whole thing and there are going to be a lot of people out there with archives full of failed discs in future (I know that many have transferred their tape collections and junked the tapes afterwards - something i'd advise everyone against)! The manufacturers and the DVD forum need to address this pressing problem NOW.