DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW objective comparison

[TheInformer]

I could quote all sorts of information I found, or you could just go to:

http://www.tech-report.com/reviews/2002q1/dvdrw/index.x?pg=1

DVD-R drives came out with a 95% DVD player compatibility.

Nice!

[SLK001]

Yes, this is what we (the DVD-R camp people) have been saying all along. The DVD+RW camp has built essentially a high speed transportation system based on a single rail. The problem, is that the vast majority of the rail lines in most countries are double railed. A DVD-R machine, although not a speed demon, is a slow and steady performer (RE: reliable). With only 36% compatibility for the DVD+RW camp, sounds to me like someone is not being "completely truthful" with us (the consuming public).

For me, it was compatibility that was the main focus of my purchasing decision. Of course, I would like a faster speed, but the ability to play my material on virtually all stand-alone machines was the weighing factor.

At 2X, a full burn of data (minus lead-in and lead-out) takes about 28:25 minecs.

At 2.4X, this same burn takes about 23:35 minecs. That 5 minute advantage doesn't even come close to tipping the scale for me.

[MOVIEGEEK]

The Phillips DVD+ unit is faster and to the subject of compatibilty the
author is comparing apples and oranges(DVD-R & DVD-R/W).Take a close look at the"DVD-R/W" & "DVD+R/W" columns:
http://www.tech-report.com/reviews/2002q1/dvdrw/index.x?pg=8

Very little differance.

[shardison]

What's the point? You can be happy with either format. One format will not "win" over the other. Both formats can make DVD player readable video discs. Who cares if my +RW data disc won't read in your -RW DVD-ROM?

The HP DVD200i is out and I'd bet it's +R compatibility is equal to -R; the report cited is too old to cover this.

The question is, "does my home made DVD +/- R" play in most DVD players out there now, and in the future?

I'd say you could purchase a drive that uses either format and you would be happy for years to come.

Even if they stop making -R or +R drives tomorrow, your drive will happily go on making DVD player compatible discs. Only a change in the DVD specification in players will make your disc unreadable. And a change like that would make all commercial discs unreadable. Not going to happen.

[Marc Danapel]

Hi,

the manual for my Phillips 957 says that it is DVD+RW compatible. Many lists in the internet say so too. But all different brands of media I recorded with my Ricoh DVD+R/+RW hang at the middle of the disc no matter what settings I use for creating the disc. Other brand stand alone players and PC-DVD drives play the discs without problem.
I checked other brand new Phillips models at a store, same problem.
I guess there is a general problem with the drive that a firmware update couldn't solve.

I think most tests and statements about compatibility are far from accurate