Which blank dvd discs to buy

They are, however, the least compatible and most expensive DVD format out there. Be respectful, keep it civil and stay on topic. We delete comments that violate our policy , which we encourage you to read. Discussion threads can be closed at any time at our discretion. What discs should I buy for my DVD recorder? Matthew Panton. Ask the Editors.

A DVD will get you the full resolution. This is a 16x disc with a lined, markable top surface. This is a dual-layer disc that provides twice the storage capacity of normal DVDs. Which one is right for you? Does it even matter what you use? The original DVD-R is a write-once format. You create a disc image with whatever files or video you want, and you burn the disc. The downside is obvious. DVD-RW discs can be rewritten many times, sometimes as many as a thousand.

You can simply use the disc the same way you would a hard drive or a flash drive. This will depend on the write speed of both the disc and the drive. The point is that your maximum speed will be the lowest of either your disc or your drive rating. So, what do these speeds mean in the real world? A speed of 1x is equivalent to 1. Anything above that will simply be a multiple.

The most common write speeds are 8x Now, you might think that writing at 16x would only half the time — or 4 minutes. You can store over a thousand photos and music files on a single disc. This is definitely an ideal product for preserving data on the long term.

One of these discs can be read over a million times. We highly recommend this DVD pack for cash-strapped budget users. This brand is cheaper than better-known brands like Verbatim.

So you will pay less per disc than with a famous brand. But cheap does not mean lack of quality. We found these Smart Buy recordable DVDs to be just as reliable and accurate as a better-known brand.

The unit pack comes with 4. You can store 2 hours of video, about a thousand photos, and more than a thousand other data files on a single disc. The discs in this pack also come with a label that is easy to write on.

Most DVDs have labels with a plastic-like film, which makes it nearly impossible to write on with ball point pens or markers. The labels on these discs have a wonderful matte finish, so you can write using practically anything you can find.

We were impressed with the writing quality of the discs. You can burn a file in less than 10 minutes. Also, the discs are highly durable. Each disc can be read over a million times, so you know this is a purchase you can depend on for years to come.

Have you ever wanted to color code your burned DVDs? Most DVD packs come with discs in a single color. Not Memorex. Each of the Memorex discs is color coded in vibrant shades. Even the writable sides of the discs shine brightly like a kaleidoscope.

While we were impressed by this unusual perk offered by the brand, we were equally impressed with the reliability of the discs as well. If you are looking for recordable DVDs to build an external movie, music, or a data library, then this is definitely the product for you.

Both disc types record data in the same way. But the dash or plus sign determines which brands of players support the DVD. So you can choose the format to best suit your home DVR. Recommended Read: Best 4k TVs. The pack is optimized to keep data uncorrupted. These discs work perfectly with Phillips optical drives and DVD recorders. However, some brands optimized their gadgets for one format over the other.

These DVDs come with write speeds that vary between 1x and 16x. That means you can choose the speed on the software you use to burn discs. Most files burn at speedy 16x. Before you can record a TV program or transfer camcorder tapes to DVD , you need to purchase a blank disc. Blank DVDs can be found in most consumer electronics and computer stores, and can also be purchased online.

You can buy one disc, a few discs, a box or spindle of 10, 20, 30, or more. Some come with paper sleeves or jewel box cases, but those packaged in spindles require separate sleeves or jewel boxes. As stated above, you need to get the correct format discs compatible with your recorder , which will also be playable after recording on your DVD recorder and DVD player s. If you aren't sure what format discs your DVD recorder uses, take your user manual to the store with you and get assistance from a salesperson to help you find the right format discs.

These are for PC use only. Even if you use the correct DVD format disc, not all recordable disc formats are compatible for playback on all DVD players.

In addition to disc format compatibility, the record mode you chose 2 hr, 4hr, 6hr, etc. As the quality gets lower, the instability of the video signal read off the disc, in addition to looking bad resulting in macro-blocking and pixelation artifacts , may result in unwanted freezing or skipping. When considering which blank DVDs to purchase and use, stick with major brands. If you're planning to record a DVD to send to someone, make a test disc, send it to them, and see if it will play on their DVD player.