Do you need a special dvd burner to burn dual layer dvds?

Solution 1:

You can install the freely available "VSO Inspector" software to determine whether your burner is capable of burning Dual-Layer DVDs from this link.

Solution 2:

In order to burn a Dual-Layer DVD, your burner has to be able to adjust the optical laser used to write data to the disk in a way that allows it to bypass the first writeable layer and write data to the second layer. Dual-Layer DVD's have two writeable layers, and on any dual-layer capable drive I have ever seen, it's labeled as capable of writing Dual-Layer discs.

Look for something like this on your drive:

DVD+/-RW DL
DVD-R/RW DL
DVD+R/RW DL
DVD+RW DL
DVD-RW DL

Although most newer drives are 'multi' drives capable of writing both plus (+) and minus (-) DVDR/RW's, older drives may only be able to read/write one format, either plus or minus. Also, notice the DL on my list above. This stands for Dual-Layer.

If your drive has this DL label, it is dual-layer capable. Make sure you buy the right type of disc if your drive can only read one type and not the other, this is a common mistake since CD-R's only have one format (any CD-R/RW works in a CD-R/RW drive, but DVD's have two (DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW).

Solution 3:

You do. The drive has to be able to realign the write optics to focus on the second layer.