I think the problem is that in a DVD recorder the laser is more
stressed than in a DVD-RW drive for a PC. Most of the time a DVD-RW or
CD-RW unit for PC is used less than once a week, for example, or 15
minutes everyday. In the case of a CD, you can burn a full one in less
than 4 minutes. In the case of a DVD, probably in less than 15 minutes
the PC will burn one. Now, if you put the same laser inside a DVD
recorder, and have to maintain it turned on for the full amount of the
recording, it could be that the laser can be on as much as four hours,
for instance. So, while the DVD-RW drive for a PC burns a disc in less
than 15 minutes, the DVD recorder can´t do the same, and has to
maintain the laser turned on during the full lapse of the recording.

I could be wrong, of course, but I think that would explain why the
laser in a DVD recorder is short lived compared to the laser of a
DVD-RW drive for a computer.

That is a very valid point, as is the one about heat, although many of the
DVDRs do have a fan in them. Part of the point I was making though, is that
the technology *as a whole* works when used in a computer. The technology,
again *as a whole*, seems not to work reliably, when made into a stand alone
unit, with its own proprietry 'operating system' - or control software if
you prefer. Sory if I did not make that clear. Probably, only 50% - maybe
less - of the ones that I see for repair, are actually down to bad lasers.
Many suffer from obscure 'soft' problems, that defy even valid analysis, let
alone repair ...



Don't most of them save the content onto an internal hard drive then
burn it to a disk? If not then that's how they really ought to work.
I've never used one myself since I don't have any sources to record from
in the first place, I just rent DVDs.