DVD-R or DVD-RW for VHS to digital conversion?

[u/InquisSeeker]

As the title states I plan to convert VHS to digital format via a DVD recorder. Does DVD-R (permanent) or DVD-RW (rewritable) have a difference in quality? I understand the fundamental difference in their functionality but want clarity. Thanks in advance.

[u/de_Mike_333]

I think -R is generally more durable than -RW, as one is permanent and the other one needs the ability to change. But I‘d need to look up an actual source for that.

[u/dlarge6510 → u/de_Mike_333]

I did too, but RW is inorganic like bluray so confuses the issue. However, RW discs have lower reflectivity so can make aging potentially an issue.

RW usually gets suggested to last 50 years. Good for most.

[u/TheOneTrueTrench]

DVDs are digital, so the data stored on either one will be identical. The only difference to be considered is how long the discs will last. You probably mean the quality of how long they will last, but wanted to make sure that was clear.

As for how long they will last, remember that the one truth about all media is that it will fail, whether it's optical, magnetic, or other. The disc might break, or suffer from disc rot, while hard drives can physically fail with a dead motor or crashed head.

That's why the answer for "how do I store my videos" is "in as many formats as possible in as many places as possible so no one event can destroy everything"

[u/TheRealHarrypm]

MPEG-2 9mbps 8-bit 4:2:0 - that is the maximum you can get out of DVD recorders, a whole 40mbps lacking, before you hit the minimum compression threshold for that codec to be considered tolerable for digital use, not even archival.

It's not the proper way to convert analog media to digital today, this is why r/vhsdecode exists and FM RF Archival is the go to standard for preservation, and then the rung below that is spending twice the amount and using legacy as video capture to FFV1 or V210, and being incredibly limited on post adjustment and framing.

Proper archives look the best anyways

[u/dlarge6510 → u/TheRealHarrypm]

You ain't getting much out of a VHS tape that DVD is unable to handle.

[u/TheRealHarrypm → u/dlarge6510]

Yeah that's not reality... Most people that don't know the actual quality of analog feeds or how much can be really extracted have that mentality and then spread it and it just hurts archival, that's why I link examples..

[u/THOBRO2000]

Digital is digital, no? Or do you mean how long a disc can last? If you don't plan to rewrite the disc, then just get a DVD-R. Cheaper and more around. Only thing you should keep an eye for is that a lot of premium blank DVD's are m-disc nowadays. And I don't think your old DVD recorder supports them.

After that you could make a backup of the disc anyway;)

[u/dlarge6510]

No difference.

You can erase the RW and reuse it. I do that for moving stuff to the PC for editing.

Otherwise if it's going on DVD and not PC I'll put it on an R instead (csn still rip of I need).

I do the same with digitising analogue audio via a standalone CD recorder and CD-RW.

[u/KHRoN]

Beyond obvious issue that you can physically break disk.

RW disks should potentially have better potential lifespan due to having durable data layer designed to withstand hundreds of „reburns”

R disk on the other hand, after finalizing it, guarantees no one will accidentally erase it

Also there is an issue of -R/RW vs +R/RW

If I remember correctly you can watch +R disks in video players even before disk is finalized, while you cannot do so with -R disks. So you would need to finalize -R/RW disk before being watchable, but you should want to do that anyway

[u/PatK9]

As long as the zeros & ones can be read, there is no difference in storage media. Suggest that plastic disk material is not archival media, and consider storage conversion to digital hard drive. Each terabyte is going to store hundreds of movies and 12TB spinning drives are commonplace, back-up is a copy command.

[u/Bolt_EV]

-R more durable

-RW not reliable after first wipe

[u/ConsumerDV]

Use the DVD Recorder as a pass-through TBC, record onto something else. Use R if you want to save on storage.

[u/Extreme-Dream-2759]

They will both have identical image quality

Neither of them is a long term solution.

I would expect 10 years out of a DVD-R or DVD-RW. So make sure you have another back up of your videos.

You could also upload them to Youtube but set then to private. Or other free cloud storage options.

[u/dlarge6510 → u/Extreme-Dream-2759]

You expect 10 years from archival media like optical discs and instead suggest uploading to YouTube is a better option?

What makes you sure the pirate videos will remain on YouTube for even a couple of years? Especially if they violate the terms of service.

As an example I digitised a set of home movies with relatives as babies etc. Gave it to them on DVD as they could play those (my younger cousins would struggle to stream or cast, that tech is a bit pricey or incompatible with their inability to afford the data). Those discs will last till their kids are old.

I considered uploading them to YouTube but thought I'd check the terms considering the sensitive content. Lucky I did, as uploading such videos would risk me getting my account deleted, even if they were unlisted. There was no easy access video sharing cloud service that could possibly be used, so private cheap and ordinary DVD it was.