

There's also the competing DVD+R format, championed by a group of companies called the DVD Alliance and like DVD-R, there are +R (write once) and +RW (write many times) formats. The official DVD forum standards are DVD-R (for one-time-only recordings), DVD-RW (for erasable discs - the RW stands for "Rewritable") and DVD-RAM, which was originally a data-only format.

There are multiple DVD formats, each with its own supporters. Unfortunately for consumers, it's not quite as simple as VHS recording, where any tape will work in any machine.
#Combination vcr and dvd player and recorder Pc#
The same discs can also be used on a PC for data storage. VHS tapes degrade over time, even if you're not watching them and while DVD discs aren't eternal they're a much more durable format overall.Īll DVD recorders, including combo drives, use recordable DVD media for program storage. This makes for a great archiving tool for old home movies. Most combo drives also allow you to record to one source (DVD or VHS) while watching from the other. These generally allow recording to and from DVD and VHS (with certain limitations: see "What can I record?"), as well as simultaneous recording from two video sources (for example a rooftop aerial and a Foxtel Digital set top box). The real advantage of DVD combo units comes when you consider DVD combos that include a DVD recorder. There are also advantages in terms of cabling, as you only need one power socket and depending on the capabilities of your combo unit, one set of audio visual cables for connection to a display device. Put simply, a single unit that encompasses a DVD player and VHS player will take up less space than having both units. There's an obvious space consideration at play with DVD Combo drives.
