The search for dual-layer discs

June 10, 2006 8:15 PM

Is there some reason that dual-layer DVD-Rs are hard to find? I can't find them at my tiny city's Office Depot and (rolling eyes) Wal-Mart, and I'm not sure whether this is just a fluke or if big box retailers simply don't carry them.
posted by hodyoaten to computers & internet (12 comments total)

Because no-one buys them because they are not price competetive with single-layer discs.
posted by pompomtom at 8:30 PM on June 10, 2006

I found the same situation where I live, in the suburbs of Philadelphia. I found that Best Buys and Circuit Citys carried them, while most of the office depots, K-Marts, etc. were still not carrying them. My guess is they didn't because it's a new technology.
posted by SteveFlamingo at 8:31 PM on June 10, 2006

Oops... I didn't specifically mean DVD-Rs... I mean DVD+Rs, too, whatever the most popular dual-layer disc is.
posted by hodyoaten at 8:33 PM on June 10, 2006

I found them at office max. But I agree, they probably aren't well stocked because they are so expensive.
posted by Good Brain at 8:37 PM on June 10, 2006

Get them off NewEgg. Even with shipping, you can get better quality media for cheaper than you pay in a brick & mortar store.
posted by devilsbrigade at 8:47 PM on June 10, 2006

I would never buy blank media in a brick and mortar store anyway, at least unless I was truly desperate. Even with shipping you get a better deal, and much wider selection.

example, shop4tech.com: DVD+R DL, DVD-R DL.

In the case of dual layer, demand is very low because hardly anybody uses them due to them being so ridiculously overpriced compared to single-layer. Most DL media cost around two dollars each, whereas you can find single layer media for around 20 to 30 cents each. For most people it just doesn't make sense to pay 5 times more as opposed to just using twice as many discs.
posted by Rhomboid at 9:27 PM on June 10, 2006

In a pinch, I've bought Verbatim dual-layer DVD+R at both CostCo and Sam's Club.
posted by bradlands at 9:34 PM on June 10, 2006

I just got some the other day from Staples, 3 for $16 or something. Not sure if I my burner can handle them yet though.
posted by fenriq at 10:03 PM on June 10, 2006

Yeah, I mean, dual-layer DVD+-R discs are cool and all if you like that sort of thing, but if you want to go for the really rare stuff, try finding double-sided 8cm DVD-RWs. 2.8Gig of shirt-pocketable coolness.
posted by krisjohn at 5:36 AM on June 11, 2006

My local Target has them. Here in fly-over country they are 3 for $10. YMMV.
posted by SteveTheRed at 5:54 AM on June 11, 2006

The conspiracy theorist in me thinks that the movie cartels are pressuring to keep the price of writeable dual-layer media artificially expensive to curb "casual piracy" by Madison Starbucks who might not know that there are tools for transcoding and downsampling retail DVDs to fit on single layer media.
posted by porpoise at 3:25 PM on June 11, 2006

My Micro Center had them last week. They were way more expensive.
posted by QIbHom at 12:03 PM on June 12, 2006