Dual-Layer DVD-Rs

[Chronus]

Does anyone use dual-layer DVD-rs for backups? Are they any good?

And I want to backup data, I doubt I'll use them for movies.

Thanks to anyone for their input.

Seeing as it requires dual-layer DVDs, I don't get enough of a success rate burning them to make it worthwhile. Sorry.

Pug - which branded dual-layer DVDs do you use? I tend to stick to Taiyo Yuden for CDs, Taiyos or Taiyo-dye Verbatims for DVDs but have never tried dual-layers. Never had a problem with degrading discs since I started getting Taiyo Yuden - I think they were one of the first to make CD-Rs and were always known as top quality, I did a lot of research at the time and found them so much better than Ridisc, Ritek (which have improved a lot since then0, Prodisc, CMC, etc.

I was thinking of Verbatims but they arent cheap and use the MKM dye. I figured they arent *too* much more than single layer and I need the space saving as well as backing up all my junk!

If dual-layer really isn't that great I'll stay away, or even consider a Blu Ray writer... 25gb would save me space... I have over 2TB in hard disks for 2 computers and NAS now I think.

[Toadtorrent]

I've gone through maybe 300-400 DL's of varying brands. Which brand to use depends for me on the burner I have. The DL's can be a bit finicky I find depending on the burner. NECs for example don't do well at all in my experience with Memorex. My LG's don't seem to like Memorex either nor Maxell's.

Overall, I've had the best success with the more expensive Verbatim DVD+DL discs which can be had for <$1 CDN on sale.

My DVD+/-R's are usually either Taiyo's like Pug, or Ridata cheapies.

To be honest, I stopped using DVDs for backing up data, and just purchased external hard drives which I power up for backup, or dump everything onto a separate file server and back that up. The quantities of data I'm backing up at any given time is usually in the neighbourhood of 80-120Gb so DVDs are just not practical.

BTW...I hear the Verbatim's work just fine for creating personal backups of movies...so I hear.

Words of advice:

Forcing 32kb gaps in burning I find helps too. For more info...read this.

If you want to burn one large file to a dual layer disk, use ImgBurn in "Build" mode. For the filesystem select UDF only (no ISO9660), then select the file to burn.

[Chronus]

My DVD+/-R's are usually either Taiyo's like Pug, or Ridata cheapies.

To be honest, I stopped using DVDs for backing up data, and just purchased external hard drives which I power up for backup, or dump everything onto a separate file server and back that up. The quantities of data I'm backing up at any given time is usually in the neighbourhood of 80-120Gb so DVDs are just not practical.

The Taiyo Yuden comment is my own (not sure if Pug uses that brand). I have a Pioneer burner which was one of the best when I got it.. before that I'd been using Plextor for CD-burning. Amazing that you can get good DVD burners for 30-40 GBP now while back then I'd pay close to 100GBP for a CD burner! I was considering blu-ray too but that is so expensive at the moment.

Your prices for blank DL discs are a lot better too, it's around double here I think.

I have a RAID external setup as well as lots of internal hard drives... I guess I could try and get another 1TB hard drive, but I already have a few TB and should just clear off all my junk and DVD to phone conversions, CD to mp3 conversions etc. I admit I'm a serial hoarder (why else do I have so many things? )

Edited December 1, 2008 by Chronus

[n00b]

I use Verbatim's exclusively and never have a problem. I burn @ 2.4x though (as you probably guessed, XBOX360 games).

[DuDro]

I've never had any luck with the Ri-Data disks. I went through 10 of them and decided to return the rest.

Since then, I've resorted to Memorex discs.

[Toadtorrent]

Amazing that you can get good DVD burners for 30-40 GBP now while back then I'd pay close to 100GBP for a CD burner! I was considering blu-ray too but that is so expensive at the moment.

Your prices for blank DL discs are a lot better too, it's around double here I think.

I have a RAID external setup as well as lots of internal hard drives... I guess I could try and get another 1TB hard drive, but I already have a few TB and should just clear off all my junk and DVD to phone conversions, CD to mp3 conversions etc. I admit I'm a serial hoarder (why else do I have so many things? )

30-40GBP??? I pay $30-40 CDN for my choice of NEC, Pioneer, Toshiba, Sony, etc. I have friends in the UK...and they are always staggered by CDN prices.

As to clearing junk off...with the cost/Gb for HDD storage...it's not worth your time. Keep it all and add more. It's not about the using...it's about the having.

[Toadtorrent]

I've never had any luck with the Ri-Data disks. I went through 10 of them and decided to return the rest.

Since then, I've resorted to Memorex discs.

Ri-Data doubles never worked for me...but single layer burning is pretty tolerant so I can pretty much get away with anything. The Ridata's have been fine for me in either + or - formats. I've gone through a pile of large spindles of these.

As to Memorex...yup. They've worked fine on some machines...just not on others. I find it really does depend on the machine. The stuff I was reading on other forums said to not buy large quantities at first but a few of a couple brands you want to explore. Try each and settle on a brand either by price or performance...but not assume that they will work in your machine right away.

[fakemaster]

If you're going to be rewriting over and over they are not a good choice. better to go with an external HD.

[Pugwash]

Does anyone use dual-layer DVD-rs for backups? Are they any good?

And I want to backup data, I doubt I'll use them for movies.

Thanks to anyone for their input.

I find that expensive DLs work, but cost more than twice the price of decent SLs, so for archiving I gave up trying. Standard cheap SLs proved reliable enough and cheap enough when bought by the 100s that I've not yet needed to investigate further.

[Chronus]

I find that expensive DLs work, but cost more than twice the price of decent SLs, so for archiving I gave up trying. Standard cheap SLs proved reliable enough and cheap enough when bought by the 100s that I've not yet needed to investigate further.

That's what I'd done in the past ... I still have 100 Verbatim single layers lying around.. I think they were around 30 GBP or so at the time.

[Toadtorrent]

That's what I'd done in the past ... I still have 100 Verbatim single layers lying around.. I think they were around 30 GBP or so at the time.

I can pick up a spindle of 100 decent SLs (TDK, Ridata, Ritek, etc) for around $18 CDN...cheap and definitely the best value. Lots of movies I find though I want in full uncompressed quality and go DL.