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Here is a link that might be useful: club.cdfreaks

If you use a dvd-r disc, that will be a write once (one time use), if you try to add to it you'll get a message saying the disc already has info and to insert a new blank disc.

With a dvd-rw disc, it will start writing where you left off or add new stuff after whats there.
Sometimes rw discs will let you keep adding on a couple times, sometimes it will let you know it's going to erase what's already on there first.
I guess it depends on how it was burnt, whether it was a multi-session or the disc was finalized.

does a dvd burner in a computer behave the same way as a set top unit designed for tv use? the STB is supposed to be used like a vcr and the manual says it can use rw media over and over but it does not say exactly how the new video is recorded. you can also set the record speed. 1hr, 2hr or even 6 hr. i recall the old days of taping on a vcr and 1/2 the tape could be sp and the rest could be slp. same with this stb. i am sure i will figure it out. i want to record some hd stuff from cable and see what it looks like. hd is awesome.

My standalone DVD burner works just like the VCRs you remember.

With a DVDR you can record, stop, record something else,
stop, record something else at a different quality setting,
stop, and so on until the disk is full or you finalize the disk.

A DVDRW works exactly the same way. Except at anytime you
can erase the disk. You probably can erase one recording at a time,
or you may have to erase the whole disk. See the manual for that.

Pooh Bear

if i use a dvd-r disc and record about 1/2 of the disc and stop. and than start to record later i assume the machine just records where i stopped.

Yes and no. You can continue to record until the disk is full, or you have finalized the disk. It does not record in long loop like the VHS recorders did. Instead you will have "chapters". You can name them and even choose the screen shot that you want to show up on the menu. You will use your remote to type in the show name - it does not automatically do this. If you choose to not type in a name, it will probably just show up as "Title 1" or something like that.

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Each show that you record will be a new chapter on the menu.

You can choose the length of recording time on the DVD. 2 hours is high quality, 4 hours medium, 6 hours low. There should be a button on your remote that allows you to choose the length of record time. Once you choose this on a disk -and start recording, you can't change this. This may differ, depending on the type of recorder you have. This is how it works on mine.

how does it know where to record from? do i tell it where to record from? how? You need to read over the book that came with the DVDR - it isn't too complicated, and is somewhat similar to VCR's. But, until you use it a few times - it can seem complicated. I found the best way to learn was to actually use it.

but if i use a dvd-rw disc, and do the same thing,
It will work in the same manner - but you can reuse the DVD-RW by reformatting (erasing) it in the recorder.

You can only play the DVD-RW in the device that you originally recored it on. If you finalize a regular DVD (not a RW or ReWritable) - you can play it in any DVD player.

Make sure you have the correct media also. Mine requires DVD+R, but not all are the same. Some use + some use - media. Consult your owners manual. Mine came with a couple blank disk also - those should be the correct type if you had some come with yours.

i have 40 2hr 8mm tapes i am transferring to dvd. and 10 full size vhs tapes with school programs. getting the stuff onto dvd is the easiest way to share the stuff with others. dvds are only 20 cents each. almost free.

Sounds like a great project!

You can make them really look nice by naming the chapters, etc.

Hopefully you can quickly burn extra copies with your kids MacBook (as mentioned in an earlier thread).

Like I said in the earlier thread, I can burn copies from disk I have made (with my standalone burner) on my computer by just using the "copy" function. Much faster than real time, and no need to rip it to the hard drive. I am sure Mac has some type of similar software - heck it probably has better software :)