Login / Register

Search KnowledgeBase

Main > DVD Questions > Technical Information

What's the difference between a dual layer DVD and a single layer DVD?

	Print
	Save to list
	E-mail
	Comment (0)
	Subscribe

Created	2007-02-09
Modified	2007-02-09
Views	267
Author	Russell Pottinger

Single Layer
These are the standard DVD discs that most people have been using for years.

Their code name is DVD5 and they hold around 4.7GB (It would have been 5GB but the design specs set aside around 300MB for indexing of the disc hence 4.7GB)

These discs are very common and very cheap to manufacture, and with the use of a program like DVD Shrink can be used to backup most movies.

Dual Layer
As the name would suggest there are actually 2 layers to these discs. Simply put the laser focuses on one layer and reads 4.4GB on one layer, and then it refocuses on the layer above it and burns another 4.4GB of data.

With these discs you get nearly twice the storage capacity, but they only work with certain burners and they tend to burn at a slower speed.

The major advantage of Dual layer discs is that you can backup most film DVD's without having to compress them.

How to tell the difference
The simplest way to tell the difference is from the logo's. For Dual Layer DVD's you are looking for DVD+R DL or DVD-R DL.

The other obvious way is the capacity of the discs, but you can't tell the capacity through Windows XP or earlier, and will have to use a 3rd party program like Nero or Roxio
or to use a program specifically designed for DVD identification like DVD Identifier or CD Speed

Comments (View All Comments / Add Comment)

I am unable to write up to the full size of the disc. Are the discs faulty? The discs are unlikely to be faulty. The simple fact is that space available can vary depending on what you are trying to store. The size of the files can be...	What is the Media Identification Code (MID)? The MID is the code that is stamped on the disc to allow DVD burners to know which writing strategy to use to get the best results. This also allow users to find out who...	How do I create a design for a label? These instructions show you one way to build a new label starting from scratch, without using a template of any kind. Using a template, or just a text template will always...

Glossary

Saved Articles

Brands

Support Centre

Login / Register

Search KnowledgeBase

What's the difference between a dual layer DVD and a single layer DVD?