Apple and dvd+r ????

[mikepenn]

Apple won't play a dvd+r ????? My laptop won't.

[Frobozz]

Right you are. I've heard that OS 10.3.x and 10.2.8 may recognize DVD+R media. But Apple's superdrives don't recognize that media, except perhaps in the new G5s.

I'd like to hear from someone who knows for certain under what conditions DVD+R media work with Mac.

[mikepenn]

I have a 12 G4 running Panther. I've tried several +r's and none work

[Frobozz]

If your PowerBook has a SuperDrive it cannot read DVD+R media, period. If you check out the specs for your drive at Apple you'll see that it does not list DVD+R media as being compatible with that drive. If you are using an external multi-format DVD recorder with 10.3.2 it may be able to recognize the media. I don't know for sure because with all the advice against using DVD+R media on Macs, I've never bought any to try. I have, however, had success with DVD+RW media with my external DVD burner. DVD+RW, however, would not work with a PowerBook Superdrive because the firmware doesn't support any + media.

[galactica]

the only way to play that disk is to get an external -/+ r drive for the powerbook and even then i dont htink it will run in apple dvd player.

it should load into VLC no problem through external dvd drive however.

but stick with -r media on your powerbook to make life simple

[Expanderz]

To set the record straight, I own a Lacie d2 external firewire DVD drive (DVR-106D). It plays literally everything but then again, its a Lacie. When I load a DVD+RW in it, it mounts on the Desktop of course and can be access by the Apple DVD player. Seemless integration.

[deadsierra]

To set the record straight, I own a Lacie d2 external firewire DVD drive (DVR-106D). It plays literally everything but then again, its a Lacie. When I load a DVD+RW in it, it mounts on the Desktop of course and can be access by the Apple DVD player. Seemless integration.

Yes, 10.3.X has full DVD+R/W support (burning support only for data, not in iDVD/iPhoto (I think) or iTunes), in software, but only the G5's support it in hardware. So, your d2 (very nice looking drive BTW) has + support, and therefore can work with 10.3.

[Jparker]

I've found DVD+R media to be incompatible with way more than just Macs. My set-top player will only recognize them half the time (and by that I mean I have to eject and reload the disc until it reads it properly) and a friend of mine can't use them in his portable DVD player. The Dual 2.0 G5 at work will not play them, neither will my iBook G3 800. However, I can read them consistently on my AGP 400 G4 that I installed a Pioneer 106 in (BTW to Expanderz - your drive is actually a Pioneer in a Lacie case. Lacie doesn't make their own drives). The 106 acts just like a Superdrive, but it can play DVD+Rs.


DVD+Rs still suck, though. Screw you Sony, pay the licensing fees...

[Vintageman]

There a software called DVDPlusTool ( http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/17985 ) that lets you mount your DVD+ disk. DVD Player will not play them but VLC will. But most importantly you can make a backup copy with Toast without having to Rip the whole DVD again.

[destreaga]

I can read them consistently on my AGP 400 G4 that I installed a Pioneer 106.

DVD+Rs still suck, though. Screw you Sony, pay the licensing fees...

The same for me with my G4 400. One thing that is crazy is that I own a Japanese PS2 and it plays the DVD+R's with no problem. But like it says above they still suck.

[thoughton]

Edit: removed my post due to temporary brain death while reading the above.

[Qianlong]

Using an internal Plextor PX 708A inside my QS G4 800. The Apple Finder will pick up and read DVD+R disc but Apple DVD player refuses to play the discs.

So hopefully Apple will add support for DVD+R disc in the next Panther update.

[deadsierra]

Using an internal Plextor PX 708A inside my QS G4 800. The Apple Finder will pick up and read DVD+R disc but Apple DVD player refuses to play the discs.

So hopefully Apple will add support for DVD+R disc in the next Panther update.

No, I think Apple has shown a pretty definite intention by only supporting DVD+R for data. Maybe they will support them for video at some time, but I wouldn't count on it.

[mandrake]

By the way, does anyone know why someone may need to use +r media at all? And what they were invented for? I bought once a +r disk by mistake, and it wasn't even cheaper than usual dvd-r. I've simply thrown it to trash (the real one, not that on my desktop) and never returned to this problem any more)

[tompika]

I can read them consistently on my AGP 400 G4 that I installed a Pioneer 106.

DVD+Rs still suck, though. Screw you Sony, pay the licensing fees...

The same for me with my G4 400. One thing that is crazy is that I own a Japanese PS2 and it plays the DVD+R's with no problem. But like it says above they still suck.

By the way, does anyone know why someone may need to use +r media at all? And what they were invented for? I bought once a +r disk by mistake, and it wasn't even cheaper than usual dvd-r. I've simply thrown it to trash (the real one, not that on my desktop) and never returned to this problem any more)

Any players, OS, computers (that came out in the last two years) that can't handle both formats suck big time and should end up in garbage.

[Jparker]

By the way, does anyone know why someone may need to use +r media at all? And what they were invented for? I bought once a +r disk by mistake, and it wasn't even cheaper than usual dvd-r. I've simply thrown it to trash (the real one, not that on my desktop) and never returned to this problem any more)

DVD+Rs were created in order to get around paying licensing fees to the creators of the DVD-R format. If you'll notice, DVD+Rs do not have the "official" DVD logo on them. I've found them to be extremely unreliable. I've read that DVD+Rs work in about 80% of DVD players and DVD-Rs work in 90-95%, but in my experience DVD+Rs numbers are more like 40-50%, and then only somewhat reliably. Now I avoid them like the plague.

[tompika]

There's no compatibility differences between the DVD+R's I burn with my Ricoh5125 and the DVD-R's I burn with my Pioneer106 (over 50 different standalone players)

Of course you can't bitset on a MAC can you...

[Jparker]

There's no compatibility differences between the DVD+R's I burn with my Ricoh5125 and the DVD-R's I burn with my Pioneer106 (over 50 different standalone players)

Of course you can't bitset on a MAC can you...

The problems I've encountered occurred with DVD+Rs burned on both Mac and Windows platforms. I think you have been lucky. I stand by my assertion that DVD+R is a flawed medium.

[tompika]

The problems I've encountered occurred with DVD+Rs burned on both Mac and Windows platforms.

It doesn't matter what platform.
The firmware of your Pioneer doesn't support bitsetting. That was the problem with your DVD+R's in the first place.

Rom booktype on a good media always delivers. Believe me.

[Jparker]

The problems I've encountered occurred with DVD+Rs burned on both Mac and Windows platforms.

It doesn't matter what platform.
The firmware of your Pioneer doesn't support bitsetting. That was the problem with your DVD+R's in the first place.

Rom booktype on a good media always delivers. Believe me.

Hmm... the Windows-burned discs were from a couple of different machines that did not use the Pioneer drive, so it's not a problem that's exclusive to either Macs or Pioneer drives. I'll stick with the actual DVD recordable standard of DVD-R.

[tompika]

You'll stick with DVD-R, I'll stick with both formats 'cause I know how to burn them to be equally compatible.

Good luck with your 'DVD recordable standard'

Peace

[Jparker]

You'll stick with DVD-R, I'll stick with both formats 'cause I know how to burn them to be equally compatible.

Ahh... now I see. What I couldn't figure out is why you would go to the trouble of using a nonstandard format when you had to go through extra steps to make it work properly. Then I noticed that you are a Windows user, so you're totally used to having to do that. It makes more sense now.:P

Good luck with your 'DVD recordable standard'

Thanks! I always have had good luck with them.

Peace

And safe travels to you, good sir.

[Qianlong]

and yes the improved DVD Player in OSX 10.3.3 now includes support for "home made" movie DVD+R discs

[miksu]

Apple Superdrives tend to have tweaked firmware. It may cause some "unsupport", even if oem-drive (Pioneer, Sony, whatever) with oem-software has support for certain format.

Some people have been updating their Superdrives with OEM-firmware, which removes some restrictions.

LaCie uses Pioneer and Nec (nd-2500) mechanisms in their 8x burners.