Are DVD recorders as reliable as VCR's?

Why is it that so many DVD recorders (standalone) aren't very reliable--that they screw up disks so often? _

• For example, if I put a disc in and record directly to it for a little while (and then maybe copy some things from the recorder's hard disk to this disc), and then take the disc out and put it back in, why is it somewhat often that the recorder will come back with "DVD+R Empty Disc" even though I KNOW I have just recorded stuff to that disc? What if I can't even recover the videos by using a computer--even that can't find the video files? WHAT is happening? This didn't happen when the recorder was newer, so why does it have to happen when the machine is only a little more than a year old? I hate this because I don't always remember which recordings I've lost that I need to try to find the reruns of, and if it ever happens with things that will only air once, I'm screwed! I thought this Philips machine was reliable, but I guess NOT, now! I should just keep running VHS recordings along with the DVDs, as a backup, huh?

• Answer:

  I never suggest standalone recorders to my customers because these devices have notoriously small amounts of buffer ram, when this buffer ram is used up and an error is encountered a buffer underun occurs and you make a coaster. Often this term coaster means exactly that you burned an oops disc and there is little to nothing you can do, with DVDs this rule is further dug in because DVDs have a purposely picky file structure to prevent circumvention of the file protection of commercial DVDs making it far easier to create unreadable volumes. Consider purchasing a quality capture/tuner device for your computer, much of which offer free software that will automatically record your favorite shows, this will ensure not only that you will have a watchable copy of your favorite shows but it will be far easier and safer to make hard copies on the media type you choose.