Reliable sources in electronics businesses tell us that (after the Xbox360) the hottest items as Christmas gifts will be DVD recorders and digital cameras.

It is hardly surprising for two reasons:

The latest technologies in DVD recording are Blu-Ray and HD-DVD, two competing technologies. While available (at very high prices), they are still very much in the development stage and again format wars are being waged, with no end in site.

Current popular DVD recorders could be basically divided into four kinds

• + format

• – format

• multiformat (records both + and -)

• recorders with or without a HDD (hard disk drive)

Essentially, there are four types of disks: +R (write once) +RW (Rewritable) and –R (write once) and –RW (Rewritable) The Rewritable Media can be used over and over again, and unlike tapes, do not suffer any appreciable deterioration. Another wonderful advantage of disks over tapes is that they are very inexpensive. Now you can buy Write Once disks in quantity for less that 50¢ each.

Understandably, RW disks cost much more.

For years there was a battle royal between the formats popularly called the plus (+DVD) and minus (-DVD) formats. The proper name for the latter is DVD dash. In former times a larger percentage of the minus (-) than plus(+) discs worked with older DVD players.

Although this issue has never been fully resolved, with the newer DVD players (even the $30 models), it has become a non issue. And most computer based DVD burners accommodate both formats. Today most all DVD either – or + discs play on most DVD set top players (after finalization).

While a –R disk must be completed in one session, you can continue at different sessions to add programs to a +R disks until the disk is full, if you do not finalize it. However, it will not play in a set top player until finalized. You can always test it on your DVD recorder.

Our own personal favourite is the Liteon LVW-5005 Allwrite. It means exactly what is says. Budget priced, it does it all. The folks at Liteon have just released the LVW 5115 which in addition to the above plays the latest DivX recordings. All of this for a street price of less than U.S. $150. These units do not have a Hard Disc but Liteon LVW-5045 does.

May we suggest that before you purchase any unit you might look through the manual. You can download the manual for many DVD models from the manufacturers site. Here's why.

We also own a Malata. This is not a very well-known model. It is a plus format and it has provided us with many hours of enjoyment but we do not recommend it or its peers for two main reasons:

1. The manual is terrible. However, it does have a very nice page at the back which lists the disk brands that work with this machine. Incidentally, the blank DVDs listed work, but others I had on hand gave me a splendid array of coasters!

2. Secondly the menu is far too convoluted. Once you figure it out – and it can take a lot of time – it works very well.

We do not subscribe to the adage “when all else fails consult the manual.” We like to read the manual first so that setup will go smoothly and then be able to play with our new toy as quickly as possible. We do not think we should have to figure it out for ourselves and try to get into the heads of the manufacturer. And the menu should be at least as simple as the menu on the archaic VCR.

Note that -DVR recorders will not record onto + disks nor will +DVR recorders record onto - disks.

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