Gizmodo: dvd-r

Memorex SimpleSave is Easy DVD Recording For Your Grandparents

Jason Chen — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:10:00 EDT

Memorex has a crazy (and expensive) new DVD-R line called SimpleSave, which automatically scans your computer for photos and videos and burns them to disc. From the description, these $14.99 for 5 discs sound like they're perfect for your parents or grandparents who don't really know how to use a burner and have photos scattered all over their machines. If they've got more pics and vids than can fit on one disc, the software will tell them how many more they need to buy and will parse and burn accordingly. Expensive, but neat fort the new user. [PRNewswire via Coolest Gadgets]

New Toshiba HD DVD Recorders Also Write HD to Regular DVDs

Wilson Rothman — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 11:34:33 EDT

Panasonic isn't the only one showing off high-def recording at CEATEC. Toshiba announced three new HD DVD recorders, including the new flagship Vardia RD-X7. All of them can convert MPEG-2 to AVCHD MPEG-4 on the fly, and can store high-def video on DVD-R (2 hrs) and single-layer HD DVD-R (6 hrs) discs. Pricing and availability are not yet announced. [IDG/PC World - Image from Phile-web]

Dymo DiscPainter Is Next Big Thing in Stoner Entertainment

Wilson Rothman — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 10:38:41 EDT

It's an inkjet printer for discs, not the most novel niche product. But the long overdue $279 Dymo DiscPainter prints everything radially as it spins, and it has a clear hood so you can watch the action. The result is mesmerizing, surely no accident coming from the makers of the oh-so-huffable Sharpie. [Dymo]

Avoid Failed Burns: Blank Media Quality Guide

www.gizmodo.com — Fri, 08 Dec 2006 13:28:36 EST

Do you ever wonder why your carefully burned DVDs spontaneously turn into coasters, wasting your relatively expensive blank media? Well, it's probably because you're a cheapskate and opted for the Yi Jhan Tech blanks instead of the more expensive TDK discs.

Unlike stuff like cereal and medicine, brand names matter when it comes to blank discs. Next time you head out to pick up a spindle check this handy reference chart to see which brands are 1st class (95-100% successful burn rates) and which are 4th class (0-50% successful burn rates). Face it, your pirated copy of You, Me, and Dupree deserves better. –Adam Frucci

Blank media quality guide [via Digg]

Sony Announces External DVD-RAM Burner

Jason Chen — Wed, 17 May 2006 08:21:54 EDT

Show your chutzpah by using this Sony DRX-820UL DVD burner to "back up" one of Sony BMG's DRM enabled CDs at 48x. Then "back up" one of Sony Pictures' DVDs onto DVD+R DL at 8x or DVD-R DL at 6x. Finally, "back up" a Sony Playstation 2 DVD onto DVD+R or DVD-R at 16x.

The drive connects to your notebook or PC with both USB2.0 or FireWire, and should be perfect for all your "archival" needs.

Available in May for $179.

Stylish and compact - introducing the Sony external DRX-820UL DVD writer [Sony Europe via Digital Lifestyle Magazine]

Kodak's Gold Preservation CD-Rs and DVD-Rs

Jason Chen — Wed, 19 Apr 2006 11:04:38 EDT

Consumers needing digital archival media that really last, and we mean really last, will no doubt be thankful for Kodak's new 24-karat gold discs. Although regular discs have a rated life-span of anywhere between 20 and 250 years, most of our backups from 1999 have already degraded to the point of unreadability. These new CD-Rs and DVD-Rs last up to 300 and 100 years, respectively. Their secret being the oxidization resistant gold layer inside the disc, and not the eleven herbs and spices we first guessed.

Product Page [KMP Media]

Kodak releases 'archival' CDs, DVDs [Macsimum News]