A DVD recorder (also known as a DVDR, mainly outside of the UK and Ireland), is an optical disc recorder that uses Optical disc recording technologies to digitally record analog signal or digital signals onto blank writable DVD media. Such devices are available as either installable drives for computers or as standalone components for use in television studios or home theater systems.

As of March 1, 2007 all new tuner-equipped television devices manufactured or imported in the United States must include ATSC tuner. The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has interpreted this rule broadly so as to include apparatus such as computer with TV tuner cards with video capture ability, videocassette recorders and standalone DVD recorders. NTSC DVD recorders are therefore undergoing a transformation, either adding a digital ATSC tuner or removing over-the-air broadcast television tuner capability entirely. However these DVD recorders can still record analog audio and analog video.

Originally, DVD recorders supported one of three standards: DVD-RAM, DVD-RW (using DVD-VR), and DVD+RW (using DVD+VR), none of which are directly compatible. As a general rule, however, most current DVD drives support both the + and - standards, while few support the DVD-RAM standard, which is not directly compatible with standard DVD drives.