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should be able to read dual layer dvds in dvd reads, i would personally go for a internal dvd burner, but depending on if you have firewire usb2 will do fine

do u mean DVD Dual layer?

YES.  DVD Dual layer

Sherr

opps didn't read it right, yes dvd players can read dual layer dvd's, depending on what format you burnt the files in

What is the right format?

Sherr

Well, depends what you are trying to do.

Most all computer DVD-Roms and burners should be able to READ most all DVD types; And new DVD-burner you are buying should be able to burn +R and -R DVD's as well, and since you specifu Dual Layer, that too.

If you need to back up Data, you can burn a Dual Layer Data disk but of course you can't read that with your set-top DVD player. Some older set-tops have trouble with burned double-layer media even when formated correctly as a DVD-video disk. Some even have trouble with single-layer burned media.

Presuming you want to burn Double-Layer disk containing video content, you need to make sure you burn the video in the DVD-video file format (a Video_ts folder with .ifo, .bup, .vob files, etc.). It helps if you can set the "booktype" to DVD-Rom (as opposed to DVD+R or DVD-R) - only some burners and software can do this - which helps trick your set-top into thinking it is reading a pressed disk (like one you buy) instead of a burned one (home-made).

What software were you planning on using, and what do you want to burn?

Message Edited by CTskydiver on 12-03-2005 05:16 AM

most dvd drives should be able to read dvd-r and dvd+r new ones will support dvd+-rw too

the file format is also important, most new dvd players support avi mepg, even dvix however to be sure i'd burn your dvds in vob format, eg dvd movie disc this is done in nero visionexpress/ ulead software/ etc

I just placed an order for the Sony DRX-810UL/T DVD burner which can deal with every format out there. The Sony comes with a version of Nero software. I could upgrade if I have to. One of the things that I want to put on to DVD is photos. Video is not a priority right now. But I'm sure that will come next. I want to display the photos on the Dell Dimension 8250 using the internal DVD drive D. Also I want to display photos on a TV using  a Panasonic DVD. But Panasonic has a limited format. Since the Panasinic plays commercial DVD movie disks I assume that it can play a double layer DVD with photos. Any input that you can provide is appreciated as there does not seem to be much information available.

Sherr 

I doubt it will play a double layer DVD with photos (just because it plays commercial DVD movies). You may try making a "Kodak Picture CD" which is one format usually accepted by stand alone units. Or get software that creates a photo slideshow in DVD-video format. You owner's manual of the panasonic will tell you what type of disk it can play. Usually, you'll see "DVD-video", "Music-CD", "Photo-CD", "MP3-CD".

Very few play even MP3-DVD (another data format).

Maybe I'm rushing it.  From what you say the technology doesn't seem to be there yet.

Sherr

The Panasonic plays MP-3 and JPEG. So it looks like it's a GO.

Sherr

 

Well I just burned two photos to CD-RW on the Dell disk drive. Then I played them on TV. Both were JPEG files. I used Googles Picasa 2 to burn the disks. The TV images were unacceptable high grain images. The Dell images were great. File sizes were about 200K each. But the system said that I could not put any more photos on the disk. I don't know why. And I have to improve the qualioty of the TV image.

Sherr 

The technology is here.

You pictures probably looked grainy because TV resolution is VERY MUCH lower than that of your computer monitor. You don't realize it but pause your Tivo (or VCR) and really take a look at a frame of the content. You won't be able to see details in your photos that you can see on your computer screen. Another example - watch TV on your computer (via a tuner card) - the picture is the same (or maybe a little better) than what you see on your TV but you'll NOTICE the difference on your monitor - because you are used to so much more.

Choosing photos for a DVD video array, you need to keep the lower resolution in mind.

Software like Nero or Pinnacle Studio 10 can make DVD photo slideshows in HD quality mpeg2 or mpeg4 even but you still need an HD monitor to see them at their best.

Even HD Plasma TV's have lower resolutions than what you see on your monitor. My 19" ultra sharp has a moderate display of 1280x1024 pixels. My 15" laptop has a dense display of 1920x1200 (2.3 million!) pixels. Dells 42" Plasma HDTV has a display of only 1024x786 (about 786,000) pixels but still looks much better than a normal TV.