Last updated on January 23rd, 2024 at 02:30 am
First, let’s be clear that DVD VR and DVD Video aren’t disc types. They are recording modes.
DVD Video is the standard recording mode available through standalone DVD recorders and DVD burners.
DVD VR stands for DVD Video Recording. The two types of DVD VR are DVD+VR and DVD-VR.
Basically, DVD +/-VR is the format used to record and also edit video on DVD+/-R and DVD+/-RW discs.
Philips introduced the DVD+VR format to be used with its DVD+R and DVD+RW drives.
The DVD-VR format can be used to record video on DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM discs through a DVD recorder unit
DVD VR mode vs DVD Video Mode
Video recorded in the DVD VR mode is recorded in a non-linear format. Whereas in DVD Video Mode video is recorded in a linear mode.
When you record video in the DVD VR mode, the video isn’t finalized as in a DVD Video disc.
You can playback a DVD VR disc on a DVD player that supports the playback of DVD VR discs.
If you want to play a DVD VR disc on a standard DVD player, you would have to finalize the disc first.
Advantages of DVD VR
Recording Duration
The main advantage of the DVD VR format is you can create a DVD movie in less time than you would in the Video mode.
Play While Recording
Also, you can play the movie while it is recording. This feature is known as time-slip. This will suit those who don’t want to spend time waiting for the disc to be created.
You’ll not get to watch the video in real-time though. There will be a slight delay.
With DVD Video you would have to wait for the recording to be complete before you can watch a movie.
Add or Delete Scenes
The DVD VR format works very much like a hard disk when it comes to storage space. If you delete a scene on a DVD VR disc, space is freed up. You can then copy another video to fill up the free space.
The more scenes you delete during editing, the more free space you’ll get.
With a standard DVD (DVD Video) mode, you can’t delete a scene and free up space. You would have to erase the whole disc if you want free space. Of course, you can only erase rewritable (RW) discs.
Disc Finalization
In the Video mode, you would have to finalize the disc before you can eject and play it. With the VR mode, you can eject the disc without needing to finalize it.
You can watch the movie and then record another video on it using the free disc space available.
Disdvantages of the VR Mode
Most older DVD players will not play a DVD VR disc. This is because the format is a later addition to the DVD standard.
Even newer DVD players may not support the DVD VR format.
The disadvantage of the DVD VR mode is you can’t create menus for the movie disc.
DVDs recorded in the Video mode can be played on any standard DVD player or recorder.
