With the quick demise of the old VHS Magnetic Tapes and more recent VCDs, DVD recording is becoming popular. DVD recorders work by "burning/etching" via a laser to a blank DVD disk. Still, a DVD recorder resembles and functions very much like a VCR. All DVD recorders can record from any analog video source. It can also record directly from digital camcorders via an i-link input through Firewire and IEEE1394. DVD recorders are provided with AV inputs as well as onboard TV tuner for recording TV shows directly. They come in different configurations: Standalone, DVD Recorder/VCR Combo or DVD Recorder/Hard Drive Combo units.

Unlike DVD Writers which comes as internal add on card in a PC, the standalone DVD recorders cannot read or write computer data. The great advantage of a DVD Recorder over a DVD Writer is that in order to record video and audio through a PC, the user has to save the video in the computer's hard-disk using Firewire, USB, or S-Video using a video card and then copy the resultant files from the hard-disk onto a blank DVD disk, whereas a DVD recorder can record from video sources in real time, directly to blank DVD.

Standalone DVD recorders do not come with drivers that connect directly to a PC. In some brands, it may be possible through PC video editing software that allows for the exporting of standard DVD video files made on a PC to the standalone DVD recorders using firewire interface.

Copying and Piracy Possibility in DVD Recorders

To check software piracy DVD recorders are designed to detect the anti-copy signal on commercial VHS tapes or DVDs. It will not start the recording and display an error message either on screen or on its front LED panel display.

On the other hand a DVD recorder can copy any homemade camcorder videos or videos made from TV shows, copy Laserdiscs or any non-copy-protected video material. As it has a built in tuner for recording TV programs directly. The tuner is programmed to record a series of programs on different days and times, much like a VCR.

Thus any antenna, cable or satellite set-top box with AV, RF or S-video outputs can be connected to any DVD recorder. But DVD recorders are not designed to accept HDTV signals.

These are the various standardized formats for recording a DVD;

DVD-R; DVD-R DL; DVD-RW; DVD+RW; DVD+R; DVD+R DL; DVD-RAM

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