Dual Layer Discs - Which to get?
 

I am looking at getting some Dual Layer discs, more for my personal collection for sets i have created.

But as they are quite expensive to get, i was just wondering which is the best ones to get price wise and which disc brand to get.

I would like to have several options to choose from and places i can get them from as well. I haven't brought any before so looking for some good advice and a good deal.

i am not looking at 100's, just a good deal for about 10 discs or more. Looking at www.svp.co.uk which ones should i go for?

You only want MKM/Verbatim media. Period.

Anything else will result in coasters and poor performance. No CMC, no RICOH, no RITEK, none of that other crap.

You know, they do sell VERBATIM-branded media in stores in UK. It's not online, but it's in your various retail stores. And if the UK is anything like the USA, there are sales flyers each week in the newspaper, ads for the various stores. Look there, catch a sale.

At SVP, I see this:
>> Verbatim Double Layer (2.4x) DVD+R, Spindle tub of 10
>> Product Code: 3436 - IN STOCK, Customer Rating: 9.2/10
>> £16.99 inc. VAT
>> These excellent Double Layer discs are in very short supply at the moment, but SVP will be working hard to secure as much stock as possible for our customers.
>> ADVDInfo: MKM 001

That's the same price they are in the USA, maybe even a bit cheaper. And yes, I converted GBP to USD. You're looking at around $3-4 per DVD plus tax.

Yes I would recommend Verbatim as well. They are down to about $2-2.50 in the states so the UK price is not that far off what the "norm" is

I have used over 50 RITEK/RICOH ones and while I have not had a failed burn or a failed playback I would not recommend them for something you intend to keep or make a set onto. I got them free from my friend who was unable to burn them in his burner and they do work so I just use them for DVD copies and of course CP's stuff because I dont care if it works or not ;)

Thanks for the info, i will order a pack of 10 just to try them out. I did look at the shops but they wanted about £20 just for 5 discs of the Verbatim.

When I create a disc, how many hours/episodes do you recommend i put on it? Something like my John Doe set or a 1/2 hour episode of any of my other recent sets?

Dual Layer is just 2x what regular dvd's you burn are.

So just take whatever sets you are making and times each by 2, its not like quality goes down or anything because DL discs are just a change in size.

LS and I get 3 to 3 1/2 hours per regular SL disc so on a DL we can get 6-7hrs for example, the quality of each recording does not change as you add to the disc.

I tend to leave at least 500mb of space (so around 7gb or 7.5gb used) just because some DVD players get touchy near the end of a DL disc. Same reason I dont put a full 4.2 or 4.3gb on a regular disc.

So probably 1 whole disc you do now + whatever a disc is - 1 episode.

www.supermediastore is having a sales on Verbatim 2.4 to 8X +R DL discs. I believe they are selling a 20pk spindle for $35.00. Check newegg also.

Thats not bad. $1.75 a disc at super media store.