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Topic: Seeking basic info about DVD "multi-session" (Read 2773 times) previous topic - next topic
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Seeking basic info about DVD "multi-session"

I'm a fairly experienced user of CDR technology, and am contemplating getting a DVD writer. I have tried looking around for some basic info about what the various DVD writing formats actually do, but what I've found so far has me a little confused, so I'm hoping someone here can help me out.

The basic idea is to make a set of DVD-R discs containing loads of MP3 (and/or OggVorbis) data files that I can keep at work for audio accompaniment at my desk. This will save me the task of choosing a few CDs every morning to take to work with me. (I had originally thought about getting something like a Rio Karma, but the DVD route is cheaper and probably more reliable). Now, it strikes me that in all liklihood I won't fill up the discs from the go, so I'd like to be able to add new data files incrementally, while still being able play them on a standard DVD-ROM drive at work. If I was using CDR, I'd just create multisession discs and add a new session whenever I wanted to add more files. In reading about DVD, I *think* this kind of process is known as multi-border recording, but am still unclear about two things:

1. I get the impression that some (many?) DVD-ROM drives will only read the first session/border on a disc. Can anyone confirm this? How rare are multi-border capable DVD-ROM drives? If a DVD-ROM drive can read multi-border discs, presumably it goes to the last session/border on the disc, in the same way that a CD-ROM drive goes to the last session on a CDR?

2. I haven't been able to figure out whether, when adding a new session/border to a DVD-R, it is possible to include links back to the previous session/border so that you can just add a few extra files and still have the complete set available (a la CDR), or whether the new session/border is just a complete replacement, in effect hiding the previous session/border.

3. If multi-border recording on DVD *does* work in pretty much the same way as multi-session on CDR, how much space overhead is consumed for every new session/border?.

My apologies for use of the term "session/border": I am unclear what the correct terminology is.

And finally, can anyone point me at a fairly thorough summary of the various DVD recording formats (eg. multi-border, incremental, restricted overwrite), bearing in mind that I understand CDR writing quite well but am a newbie with DVD?

Thanks.

Seeking basic info about DVD "multi-session"

Reply #1 –
The quotes are excerpts from the RecordNow info I'm reading.
Quote
Multi-Session:
Fewer DVD drives will be able to read the disc.

Meaning the discs may work just fine in the drive they are created with, however the may not work with every DVD drive, e.g.; a compatibility issue. Personally I think creating Multi-Session discs is only alright if using rewrittable discs. Hence if a problem occurs a quick blank/erase and rewrite will nullify any problems, the same can't be said for write-once discs.
Quote
Single-Session:
More DVD drives will be able to read the disc.

Meaning the your discs will be compatible with more DVD drives.

Something else to consider is will you be using DVD/CD authoring software that automatically imports previous sessions. Note: Not all of them do this, and if you forget you may run into problems with the disc. If a previous session isn't imported it may render all of the previous sessions unaccessable through Windows, you'd only be able to access the last session written to the disc. Of course there's restorative software like IsoBuster that could be used to read the disc contents.

Seeking basic info about DVD "multi-session"

Reply #2 –
the best thing is to use DVD-RW discs, you can rewrite them like CD-RW

Seeking basic info about DVD "multi-session"

Reply #3 –
Just wanted to thank those who have given me some feedback on this subject. I have to say I'm still somewhat confused. I suspect that the only way to fully understand what's possible will be to actually buy a DVD burner and do some experiments.

(At last I finally have an excuse to replace my 6 year old Ricoh MP6200S, which is built like a tank, has been absolutely reliable, but is limited to 2x burning and just plain refuses to die, dammit! :-)

Seeking basic info about DVD "multi-session"

Reply #4 –
Quote
I have to say I'm still somewhat confused. I suspect that the only way to fully understand what's possible will be to actually buy a DVD burner and do some experiments.
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They work like regular CD's. You won't notice any difference except for the time it takes to write a DVD, however it "may" be close to the same amount of time your already use to with your 2X drive to write a 650MB CD. Since you've been writting CD's long enough you'll feel right at home, there isn't much to learn, nothing much has changed except that you can fit approximately seven times the data onto a DVD, and possibly loose seven times the data if something goes wrong.

DVD's are also written with UDF. The CD file system is ISO+Joliet, whereas the DVD file system is ISO+Joliet+UDF.