Head is SPINNING

[Issachar]

Whew..........
I am glad to find this forum. I have spent the last 3 weeks INTENSELY researching DVD writers. I am sure most of you here have been through the same thing.

I THOUGHT I was all set on a Philips DVDRW208. (where the heck is my cursor going every 10 seconds!!!!??)

I have read much since deciding that. I am putting together a new Video Editing system, 'puter and all. The only item left to purchase is the DVD burner. Obviously, just like everyone else, I want to burn a DVD and have it play in every player out there. I know now that that isn't going to happen.

What is the best burner to get at this point? I've looked at so many options that I am getting burned out. Help?

Thanks, Issachar

[sumibas]

i would go with Pioneer A03 or A04. Since it supports DVD-R and DVD-RW which are the Two format available now supported by most of the latesd DVD players available and more over you can get a DVD-R for as low as 1.58 $ each on the WEB and i have heard lot of good review's about it. sells aorund 400 $. or if you like DVD+RW format buy HP DVD. you can get it for 299.99 at www.tigerdirect.com

[Issachar]

Thank you Sumibas for your reply.
You suggest the Pioneer A04 for DVD-R and DVD-RW and the HP unit for DVD+RW.
That is part of my question though. "-RW" or "+RW"? Just like most folks, I am on a very tight budget and pretty much need to get it right the first time......... at least, as right as I can.
Will it eventually be where all burners will be either -RW or +RW? If so, at the time one or the other is all you can get, are the DVD's that are burned on it supposed to be playable in all players made after a certain date?

Again, thank you for any help...
Issachar

[Issachar]

Perhaps another angle I can pose this question from:

Is there anyone out there burning DVD's, that once you got your DVD burner, you wish you had bought a different one? If so, why?

Issachar

[Issachar]

I just found this on this web site:

"DVD+RW and DVD+R
DVD+RW has some better features than DVD-RW/DVD-R such as lossless linking and both cav and clv writing. DVD+RW is a rewritable format and the DVD+R is just a none rewritable format. DVD+RW is compatible with most newer DVD-ROM drives and DVD-Video players(roughly about 70% off all players). DVD+R discs has not yet been released but they should be more compatible than DVD+RW according to dvdrw.org. These format are supported by the DVD+RW Alliance."

Are the 30% of players that won't play +RW DVD's older ones and now most (90% or more?) of the players will play them?

My primary concern is that if I produce DVD's for folks, will they take them home and not be able to watch them.

In the above quote, it says, "DVD+RW has some better features than DVD-RW/DVD-R such as lossless linking.....".
I don't know how old that comment is, but is it still true?

Issachar

[RAAGAAman]

Issaachar Wrote:
Are the 30% of players that won't play +RW DVD's older ones and now most (90% or more?) of the players will play them?

My primary concern is that if I produce DVD's for folks, will they take them home and not be able to watch them.

In the above quote, it says, "DVD+RW has some better features than DVD-RW/DVD-R such as lossless linking.....".
I don't know how old that comment is, but is it still true

The real compatibility with DVD-RW and +RW is about 50% on newer players. 90% No way. Unless you are talking about Philips and possibly Sony.
DVD+RW does have some features that -RW does not have. You can have lossless linking but I do not know of an DVD-Video Authoring App that takes advantage of replacing data at that level.

The Write once Formats(DVD-R/+R) are your best bet. If you want to go cheap you can go with the LF-D311 that write DVD-R/RAM. That is about
$299.00. Also, RAM is very good for Data backup.



RG

[SLK001]

The blurb that you quoted about DVD+R/RW sounds like the crap that the DVD+RW Alliance put out. These are the same people who also promised that the people who bought the early DVD+RW drives would be able to upgrade via firmware to a DVD+R/RW capability (which, as we know now was an out-and-out lie). If you are on a tight budget, price both DVD+RW and DVD+Rs then compare this to the prices of DVD-RW and DVD-Rs. Its anywhere from 8 to 10:1 difference. As for compatibility, I would say that they miss a decimal point... the true compatibility percentage is probably more like 7.0%, while DVD-R is close to 80+%.

I have a Pioneer DVR-A04 that I haven't had ANY problems with. Burning both DVD-R and DVD-RWs with ease (using NERO 5.5.8.0).

[EricB]

Hey,

I've been testing the LaCie firewire DVD writer. I'm convinced this is the way to go. You can plug it in to any computer with a firewire and away you go!

LaCie uses drives from two sources: Panasonic and Pioneer. Make sure you get the one with the Pioneer (basically an A03 or A04). It has a wider compatibility (ie. -R and -RW, and CD-R, CD-RW) while the Panasonic only does -R and RAM.

I agree that the info about +R and +RW appears to be crap. Consider that Apple is using -R drives in the iMac and that may be the single biggest consumer market for DVD burners right now.

My opinion only!