Panasonic LF-D201 Review

No it cannot write dvd that can be read by standalone dvd players or pc based ones
dvd ram is a completly incompatable fornat with DVD ROM

Mad mardy
http://www.dvdoctor.net/cgi-bin/ubb/Forum6/HTML/000271.html says otherwise

the review i have from IOV focus mag says it can write to all DVD RAM discs and can read all other forms of DVD and cd Media.It also says it has compatability with forth coming desktop and pc based dvd players but then what does that mean?

We reviewed the Panasonic ages ago - back in Oct 2000 - and, sorry to say, IOV focus is a million miles away from being correct.

If you'd like a third opinion, try Ziff's PC Mag. Here's the url to their review: http://www.zdnet.co.uk/pcmag/flooks/2000/11/31.html

Bob C

quote:Originally posted by Mad_mardy:
the review i have from IOV focus mag says it can write to all DVD RAM discs and can read all other forms of DVD and cd Media.It also says it has compatability with forth coming desktop and pc based dvd players but then what does that mean?

quote:Originally posted by Mad_mardy:
No it cannot write dvd that can be read by standalone dvd players or pc based ones
dvd ram is a completly incompatable fornat with DVD ROM

If that's the case then whatever you do don't tell my Boa 9.4GB DVD-RAM drive that, because it can and it does and my Philips DVD751 Standalone player plays them just fine as does my PC. What you do need though is a DVD Authoring package that supports DVD-RAM drives and the only one I know off at the moment (and it's the one I have) is Sonic DVDit v2.3

Regards

Lui

[This message has been edited by Pierluigi (edited 24 April 2001).]

He means Sonic DVDit, probably just a printing error.

all the best

Rob

quote:Originally posted by Chaifox:
He means Sonic DVDit, probably just a printing error.

Oops, that was embarrassing, I've corrected it now. Thanks Rob

Regards

Lui

"The other day I got out my can opener and was opening a can of worms when I
thought, "What am I doing?!"

That was'nt me...Jack Handy said that !!

Sorry i may be going crazy but i originally stated that this pana dvd ram writer was NOT
able to write disks that standard DVD machines could read,this review BOB confirms that so wheres the argument.
This is also what IOV focus states too

That said, other people have confirmed that the Pana LF-D201 CAN write to DVD's without the Caddy/cartridge casing and if written to it using the right software, Sonic DVDit, will play on Standalone DVD players that will play CDRW. That's what i've been told but because some people claim it can't i've held off buying one. I may well go into London and check the stores there, ask them for a demonstration so I can see for myself. I'd just like to get a final word but it seems the only way to get that is for me to get one and try it myself - expensive lesson though...

quote:Originally posted by Mad_mardy:
Sorry i may be going crazy but i originally stated that this pana dvd ram writer was NOT
able to write disks that standard DVD machines could read,this review BOB confirms that so wheres the argument.
This is also what IOV focus states too

There is no argument, I have a DVD-RAM drive and a domestic DVD Player, and I have burnt a DVD disk on the DVD-RAM drive and played it perfectly fine on my Domestic DVD player.

It was true before that DVD-RAM drives could not produce a DVD disk that would work on a DVD player as the formats concerned were completely different. But now with the introduction of the caddyless 4.7GB single sided disk and 9.4GB DVD-RAM drives that can write to a caddyless disk and DVD authoring software like Sonic DVDit v2.3 which recognises DVD-RAM drives it is possible to produce DVD Video disks with a DVD-RAM drive that play on domestic and PC DVD players.

But, and this is a big BUT! not all domestic players will play the DVD-RAM disk, I have two DVD players, a Samsung which can play VCD on CD-Rs but nor CD-RW and a Philips that can handle both. The Samsung cannot play the DVD-RAM disk but the Philips can. I have also tried the DVD-RAM disk in my DVD-ROM drives, I have 4, of the two Toshiba DVD-ROM drives only the newest one would play the disk the other refused to recognise it, The NEC one had no problems, but the Creative one would not read the disk, which concludes that only DVD-ROM drives manufactured within the last year or so will read DVD Video disks burnt on DVD-RAM.

Also I tested the DVD-RAM disks on my friends Pioneer Domestic DVD Player (which also works with CDR and CDRW) and it played the DVD-RAM disk fine. Which concludes that Domestic DVD players that can read CDRW disks can read DVD Video disks burnt on DVD-RAM drives.

I also have an older Panasonic DVD-RAM which can only write to the older Caddy DVD-RAM disks and DVD Video disks burnt on this will only play back in the drive itself and nowhere else.

Now I don't pretend to understand where along the line DVD-RAM drives were suddenly able to write DVD Video Disks, but I am fairly certain that it's a combination of the Caddyless 4.7GB DVD-RAM disk and Sonic DVDit v2.3 software that now makes it possible, as any other combination simply does not work.

Regards

Lui

Cheers Lui,
I feel a lot more
comfortable now on this matter and will probably get the Panasonic LF-D201 scsi DVD Ram drive since my Hitachi(and my parents CyberThing from W H Smiths) standalone DVD player both play VCD's burned on both CD-R and CD-RW CD's. My next question is who sells Sonic DVDit the cheapest ?
Regards,
Craig...

sonic will cost you almost if not at least as much as the drive

Pierluigi writes: "Which concludes that Domestic DVD players that can read CDRW disks can read DVD Video disks burnt on DVD-RAM drives."

I think this is proof by minimal example. I conclude that a particular Pioneer player and a particular Philips player can read DVD-RAM.

Sounds like a great new series in CV: Not very shiny discs!. If the majority of latest generation DVD players can read DVD RAM and someone can update one of the cheaper DVD authoring tools to support the format, Panasonic could be onto a major winner here.

Come on CV; Be the first to amaze the world!!! Do a test like you did with Little shiny discs.

Andrew

quote:Originally posted by andrewh:
Pierluigi writes: "Which concludes that Domestic DVD players that can read CDRW disks can read DVD Video disks burnt on DVD-RAM drives."

I think this is proof by minimal example. I conclude that a particular Pioneer player and a particular Philips player can read DVD-RAM.

Yes, you are quite right it is a conclusion based on minimal evidence, I have also tried an LG and a Wharfdale and they both worked fine aswell. Unfortunately I don't have enough friends with enough DVD players to do a full complete test. I will try and get the model numbers for the DVD players which I have tested which would be more usefull than just mentioning manufacturers. The Philips I have is a DVD751 model.

Regards

Lui

quote:Originally posted by vega1970:
Cheers Lui,
I feel a lot more
comfortable now on this matter and will probably get the Panasonic LF-D201 scsi DVD Ram drive since my Hitachi(and my parents CyberThing from W H Smiths) standalone DVD player both play VCD's burned on both CD-R and CD-RW CD's. My next question is who sells Sonic DVDit the cheapest ?
Regards,
Craig...

Try http://www.dvdit.com/dvdit_wheretobuy.html this link takes you to the Sonic e-store and also lists retailers that you can buy it from. I purchased direct from them as they offer an online download, therefore you get it straight away.

There are two versions of DVDit, SE and PE, SE is cheaper at $499 but doesn't support widescreen, dolby digital or DLT, I have the PE version which was $999 because I needed dolby digital and widescreen. Do check with Sonic that the SE version supports DVD-RAM as it's not mentioned or their site.

You can also download a 30 day trial copy of DVDit from their site which is fully functional, although it is a 125mb download.

The 4.7GB media is about £18 each, so all in all with Drive, software and media it's quite an investment. If you are planning just to distribute to friends and family I would stick to VCDs or SVCDs, the quality may be lower but it's a hell of alot cheaper.

Regards

Lui

I would say it was "proof" by well reasoned and experienced judgement. What makes you (Andrew) think that a CV test is going to be any more valid. With DVD player firmware updated regularly accross all models there are no guarantees until the bits hit the screen. To be 100% certain that your model X will do what Bobbies model X does is a bit long winded.

Rob

and your breath smells , and your teeth are crooked!

Peter I'm sure I remember Grandma saying "Lay off the sauce till the weekend"

Interesting topic.

Particularly considering that I've just come back from a big Panasonic press conference.

In open Q&A, the Panasonic guys were unable (or unwilling) to make any comment about the compatibility of DVD-RAM with existing set-top players. When I cornered one of them and acted like a rather bad-tempered bald geordie person, I was told that there would be one Panasonic player towards the end of the year (or beginning of 2002) that will play DVD RAM, and there might be a line-up of DVD-RAM compatible players some time after that. But for the moment, I was told that there weren't any players (Panasonic or otherwise) that would play DVD-RAM discs, even if they were removed from the cartridge.

Meanwhile, Pierluigi has discovered that these discs do play on some machines.

This doesn't surprise me, as it's often the case that end-users know more about what a piece of kit can do than the company's own product specialists. There just doesn't seem to be any willingness to 'try it and see' with some companies.

Personally, I'm very keen to take a closer look at DVD-RAM and pass some discs around the staff of our sister titles: Total DVD, What Video and Home Cinema Choice. It could make a very interesting feature.

Cheers,

Pete

Rob, sorry if I angered you but Lui only mentioned two players (one by model number) and having been involved in the design of DVD players, I am ultra-sceptical when it comes to unannounced (or for that matter announced) compatibility.

I wholly agree that you can only prove it by trying it but if a Philips 751 works in PAL-land then I imagine all Philips 751s in PAL-land will work (despite multiple slash versions with different software and hardware). I do not believe many manufacturers remove functionality from a model without changing the model number. However, they often add functionality without telling you. (Proof by counter example: Sony VX1000 )

I would like to see tests done on other players (and Lui has started this as he states). I would also love to see this unanounced compatibility made public by CV. This is the sort of thing that could start to drive prices down as more people would have the confidence to buy.

Andrew

Ok, since i'm the most anxious(deperate) i'm willing to invest the price of a DVD disc and postage to test if Lui is wiling to invest time. What i'd like to do is send Lui the blank disc, and if he's willing to help, to burn some DVD footage to the disc, send it back myway, and i'll test it on every standalone DVd in my reach. I'll also test these machines if they play VCD on CD-R and CD-RW. I'll post my results here, how about it Lui ? Is this something you'd like to help out on ? My email is kingboy70@hotmail.com
Best regards,
Craig Mitchell.

Andrew

Seems I should apologise, I'm just a grumpy old tart.

Rob

Well, I have just had some news that will probably make all this DVD-RAM stuff a mute subject. Pioneer have just launched their DVR-A03 DVD-R/RW drive. Check it out at http://www.pioneer-eur.com/products/multimed/optical/dvrA03.htm
Prices are unannounced at the moment, but rumours are that it will be around the £500 mark, maybe less.

I will keep everyone posted if I get any more info.

Regards

Lui

This is getting even worse, apparantly Panasonic are bringing out a combination DVD-RAM and DVD-R/RW drive for £680. Check it out at: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/010424/152/bmv3b.html

Regards

Lui

the advice here i think is to wait and see what appears and at how much.