Hi there,

I'm planning to buy a DVD-Recorder without a hard-drive. The only blanks I do see have 120 minutes of space. Is this enough? I need at least 4 hours of recording time per disc. Is it possible to reduce quality while gaining space? How does the quality loss apply? Smaller screen? Worse sound? Any experiences? We used a standard video recorder until now so you know what quality I'm accustomed with.

Thanks in advance

You can set the recording quality on the DVD recorder but if trying to get more than 3 hours the video quality will take a dip & at 4 hours a nose dive. However, it might be VHS (LP) quality at that stage.
Just try it and see.

Your best option would be to get one that supports DVD-RAM writing , as well as +R/-R. DVD-RAM disks can be recorded over far better than their DVD-R/+R equivalents & offer time shifting, meaning that you can watch what you are recording at the same time. Handy if you get in 10 minutes to late to see the start of your favourite TV show, you just start to watch it from the beginning whilst it's recording the remainder.

What make of DVD-recorder are you purchasing?

Some are better than others.

The recording times quoted are for standard SP quality level recording which is generally close to source quality. With the longer recording times, most DVD-recorders will lower resolution (image detail) and also sound quality (but this is much less noticeable than loss of image detail).

Some DVD-recorders will allow you to record 8 hours of video on a disc but quality is not DVD quality of course but fairly comparable to VCD.
The recorded quality does depend on your broadcast source.

My Panasonic has modes for 1/2/4/6/8 hour (XP/SP/LP/EP6/EP8) and a flexible rate (it adjusts bitrate between the XP and EP8 Mode so that the content will fit one DVD-R disc) recording to DVD. Most likely you wont see big differences between SP and LP when recording some Talk-shows etc but you will see a rather big difference between SP and LP when recording sports events or where there is fast movement involved (mosquito-noise etc). Compared to VHS the LPs picture quality is worse than VHS(LP) (with sports like Kick-Boxing you will notice a big difference) but audio quality is better. With the 6 and 8 hour (EP) modes you are better off with using DVD+R DL if your recorder allows it or 2 DVD-Rs. The difference between EP6 and EP8 is sound quality. The Flexible rate mode is good when you have programs that are between 2 and 4 hours (like 2 1/2h shows). These are my own impressions with a 2year old Panasonic DVD/HDD recorder and many newer ones seem to have better encoders than the older models. At least thats what the makers say... Also be advised that bad quality for me could be acceptable quality for other persons.

**This topic is not related to media but to video DVD recorders... moved to the appropriate section. **

ArchangelGabriel, why don't you buy a DVD Burner for your computer.
that way, you can copy any DVD you like. DVD recorders are only good for recording TV shows only. And please note: that some programs on TV may
be copy protected which is weird. Download AnyDVD and CloneDVD and you
will be copying DVDs in notime

Actually it IS for recording TV shows My mother is working over night almost always missing her daily soaps. I think these are not protected.
I do have a DVD burner for the pc

True - However it is mostly the chipset and filtering quality that will affect image more so than the bitrates. Some drives provide much better picture quality even at 3 and 4 hour recordings, while others do poorly at anything past SP, due to the excessive filtering (softening) of the image or simply a poor quality codec

Lowering resolution will not necessarily mean lowering quality.

Here's why. If you are recording from tv tuner or from your VHS source, even the lower resolution will be enough. Originally, dvd recorders use 720x480 (or 704x480), which is quite enough if you are converting your MiniDV or S-VHS sources, but overkill for standard VHS and cable. even digital cable does not use that high of a resolution anyways nowadays
It's extra resolution wasted for nothing....... So recorders will use a mode called Half-D1, which is 352x480 (the vertical resolution remains the same). Half-D1 will NOT give you a worse picture than 720x480 for VHS sources or even for standard definition cable.....

The ADVANTAGE in lowering to Half-D1 is that you are doubling the efficiency of the bitrate.

Example:

XP and SP modes use 720x480.....

SP uses an average of 4.6mbit/s (number can vary depending on models, but it is usually between 4.4 and 4.8).

Now say you were recording at 2.4mbit/s using Half-D1.... It would be the equivalent of a recording done at 4.4mbit, since you have less data and the bitrate is used more efficiently. Now I have seen some DVD Recorders that show visible artifacts even at SP or lower bit rates and other recorders show virtually none and handle difficult scenes better.....the type of codec plays a big role.

Yes it would be using MPEG-1 352x240 (which is part of the DVD specs as well), don't expect miracles - Don't even bother recording at that setting with motion scenes

A lot of recorders offer either the 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 hour settings, or 1, 2, 4, 8 hour (a model criticised for leaving out the intermediate 3 & 6 hour settings). some will offer all, or an "exact fit" option as well.

The 3 hour setting is favoured by those who consider the 4 hour quality to be inadequate, while the 6 hour may keep more quality than 8 hour.

8 hour definitely loses quality, I'd say inferior to VHS long play, though perhaps superior to VHS with tapes in any less than perfect condition.