Focus on the Format: Double-Layer: Burning Issues
Every drive in this roundup can write to 8.5GB double-layer DVD+R discs, which offer enough capacity to hold a standard DVD movie. Unfortunately, in spite of the availability of both drives and media for nearly a year, double-layer writing has faced several barriers to mass consumer adoption.
From the beginning, double-layer has had to deal with backward-compatibility issues. Despite efforts by media and drive vendors to improve compatibility, your double-layer DVD+R disc may not play correctly in a DVD player or in an older, single-layer DVD drive. Dual-layer DVD-R--the DVD Forum's nomenclature for 8.5GB-R drives and media (both due out this spring)--will likely experience complications from the same issues.
Part of the problem is that many older players won't try to play a double-layer DVD+R disc because they fail to recognize its newer media ID or its disc type. With the right software and hardware combination, you can change the disc type to DVD-ROM so that older players might read it.
Even if you're willing to take a chance with double-layer, chances are you haven't been able to find media in your local computer or electronics store. This is due to difficulties in manufacturing double-layer media, a process that has required makers to invest in new and expensive production lines. Those costs (and short supplies) in turn continue to affect the disc-buying public. Disc manufacturers plan to up their double-layer production by summer, which means you'll see a greater quantity of DL-compatible media reaching store shelves.
Even so, disc prices remain high. We recently saw a three-pack selling for $25, about half what the media cost ten months ago. By contrast, single-layer discs typically sell for about 50 cents each (in spindles of 25 discs). Experts expect double-layer media prices to remain high, at least through the summer.
Media manufacturers note that since DL discs are more difficult to produce than single-layer discs, they may never sell at a competitive price per GB. But vendors do expect the price of DL media to drop to as low as $2 or $3 per disc by the end of this year, and perhaps by this fall.
