Direct to Disk Recording refers to recording methods which bypass the use of magnetic recording tape, recording directly onto disk master.

Prior to the advent of digital technologies, it was a term which originated in professional analogue audiophile sound recording techniques of the era. Today, the term has been banalised and may refer also to modern video cameras which allow the user to record directly to other portable media, such as DVD.

Whilst computer hard disk drives are not strictly a permanent medium, manufacturers will often use the term to apply to such products which store recorded data to this eraseable but non-volatile medium.

Professional analogue sound recording

In order to make the recording, musicians would play in one twenty minute "live" set in a recording studio per side of LP. The recording would be made without the use of multitrack recording, without overdubs. The performance would have to be carefully engineered prior to cutting, and directly recorded in stereophonic sound. Once initiated, the cutting head would engage the master lacquer used for pressing LP records, and is not stopped until the side is complete.

A recording may simultaneously be recorded onto a two-track master tapes for subsequent pressing in the traditional manner.

Advantages

From the musicians' point of view, the advantages Direct to Disk Recording are a greater immediacy and interaction among the players. Technically, it gives rise to a cleaner recording through the elimination of up to 4 generations of master tapes, overdubs, mix downs from multi-tracked masters. Conversion of the signal into digital form and its reconversion into analogue are this also avoided.

The method also bypasses the other weakness of recording tape: tape hiss, wow and flutter, and limited dynamic range.

Disadvantages

Although the spontaneity of performance is preserved, no overdubs and editing are possible. It becomes more challenging for the musicians, whose performance will be captured warts and all. In the event of aborted sides, expensive lacquers are wasted and can't be used again.

Some artists also maintain that musical instruments may drift out of tune: it is not possible to keep musical instruments in tune for the 4 movements on a traditional side of an LP record.

Video recording

Types:

Consumer: From Camcorders to TV top models like TiVo to PC computer based recorders.

High end consumer - Pro: Offline editing systems like Avid, to high-end Camcorders

Professional portable: For recording TV shows/Movies in the field with Professional video cameras in Digital cinematography.

Professional Studio: From small systems able to record 2hours to Large multi port systems with a 100 hours of rec/play time

Consumer

Miniaturization of recording and storage technology for consumer video already allows the non-professional user to directly record home videos to a permanent storage medium such as a DVD.

DDRs are slowly replacing Consumer: DV,Digital8, Video8, Hi8™ , VHS and MicroMV video tape recorders.

Also see Digital video recorder

Professional portable

Professional recording equipment using DtD transfers is beginning to appear. In April 2006, Seagate announced the first professional Direct-To-Disc cinematic camera aimed at the independent film-maker (using their disc drives).

Infinity Series by Grass Valley

Infinity Digital Media Camcorder - Infinity Digital Media Recorder

REV PRO Digital Media Drive-REV PRO Removable Media

Professional studio

Professional Studio DDRs are used to replace VTRs and VTR Cart machines, that play out commercials and TV shows.

The Media Pool (1994)- Disk Recorder by BTS was the first Professional Studio DDR. Received the Outstanding Achievement in Technical/Engineering Development Awards from National Academey Of Television Arts And Sciences in 2000-2001 for Pioneering developments in shared video-data storage systems for use in television video servers - Philips/Thomson.

Profile from Tektronix Models: PDR200-(1996), PDR300, PDR400

Grass Valley:

Profile PVS3000, PVS3500 and other models of DDRs

K2 Media Servers and Media Clients

Profile XP Video Servers

Profile XP Open SAN System

M-Series intelligent video digital recorder (iVDR)

Turbo™ intelligent digital disk recorders (iDDRs)

DVS:

DVS Clipster DDR

DVS 2K Pronto DDR

CarbonHD digital disk recorder

The Digital video is stored on a Storage area network-SAN Hard Disk storage array.

Each year Hard Disks get lager and able to hold hours of movies on Tera Byte systems.

Also see: virtual telecine

Advantages of DDR over tape

Quicker into the edit: no need to digitise

The hard disks can store more than most tapes

Tapes and VTRs are expensive for the higher video data rates

Disadvantages of DDR over tape

Hard disks are more expensive than tapes

Hard disks fail more frequently than tapes

Not practical to store a bank of hard drives for long term video storage.