DVD+R or DVD-R

[eprunner06]

Hello Everyone,
I have a DVD+-R/RW Drive that will burn DVD+R at 8x and DVD-R at 4x. DVD+R media is sooooooo much more expensive though. Also, it looks like DVD-R is compatible with more players than DVD+R media is. Is this true? Also, aside from speed, why would anyone choose to use DVD+R - less compatible and more expensive. I recently heard these two formats being compared to VHS and Beta. In the end, is one of the formats supposedly just going to take over ... If so, which has the better chance.

Thanks!
-Eric

[rhegedus]

What difference does it make if you already have a +/- burner? As for compatibility, most new set-top players will support both +/- so the difference is academic.

I just buy whichever of + or - is the cheapest at any given time and ignore the + vs - war. It's really not worth arguing over.

[eprunner06]

Ok, so there's not a format that newer DVD players are choosing to recognize more than the other ... I suppose if the new ones recognize both then you are right ... it really is not a big deal at all. In the "What is DVDR" section of this site it says that 92% of DVD players recognize DVD-R and 86% recognize DVD+R. I guess I was just assuming that DVD-R was recognized more because more older players recognize it ... and DVD+R was more for the newer players. I guess that's wrong though in that the new ones recognize both. Was I right that most of the older ones will only recognize DVD-R though?

Thank You!
-Eric

[eprunner06]

Just thought of one more question ... lets say that I burn right now with DVD-R, but then later on I decide that I want all of my burned DVD's on DVD+R .. is it possibly to copy from a DVD-R to a DVD+R and vice versa. I have a +/- burner.

-Eric

[offline]

Was I right that most of the older ones will only recognize DVD-R though?

That's the theory, but with the price drop across the mid to low
range and new units supporting both formats and more, I doubt
it will be an issue. Many early adopters are on to their second or
third DVD player already and DVD was only introduced in volume
3rd quarter '99.

What I do not understand is the price gap between +R and -R
media at the moment? (excluding 8x) Are +R sales slowing?

is it possibly to copy from a DVD-R to a DVD+R and vice versa.

Yes. no problem

[rhegedus]

Was I right that most of the older ones will only recognize DVD-R though?

No - many older ones also recognise + as well as - . The problem is that we rely on people trying things out for us before we commit ourselves to burning a particular format.

Take the case of my first DVD player, a Wharfedale 750. When I was looking into buying a burner, only those with - burners had any success playing burned disks. Now that the +/- burners are more prevalent, people try things out and sure enough, it also plays + disks.

It all depends on who makes the jump first to try an untested format on a player.

Just thought of one more question ... lets say that I burn right now with DVD-R, but then later on I decide that I want all of my burned DVD's on DVD+R .. is it possibly to copy from a DVD-R to a DVD+R and vice versa. I have a +/- burner.

Yes.

[rhegedus]

What I do not understand is the price gap between +R and -R media at the moment? (excluding 8x) Are +R sales slowing?

Dunno. For some reason no-name - disks seem to be cheaper than the equivalent + disks. But over here in the UK, the price of branded disks is about equal for + and -.

[Stas]

My experience says that you should look for media produced by reliable company and doesn't matter if this is + or - format.

Some of the perfect disks I already use:
Maxell 4x DVD-R,
Ritek 4x DVD-R,
Memorex 4x DVD+R (RICOHJP01).

I had some problems with Plextor 4x DVD+R (TAYO YUDEN) with my Plextor 708A. But I hope the problem wasn't in the media type.

I am also satisfied by Princo 4X and Nashua 4x media - no problems with them.

One another question: I heard that +R disks had longer (100 years) data keeping term. I'm not shure if this is true. (Not yet tested! ).

[Spinout113]

Nobody can be sure about the life span of the discs because (drum beat............) It hasnt been 100 years yet. They can only simulate aging

[eprunner06]

Ok, thank you everyone ... what I get from all of this is that I'm not going to worry about what format I buy ... I'll probably go with DVD-R so I can save some bucks.