what's best dvd+ or dvd-

[huskerjacks]

Can anyone tell me what is the best dvd burner to buy. dvd+ or dvd-. and why it is better. I really appreciate it.

[crahak]

While you're at it, you might as well as what's better between Ford and GM, if not then AMD or Intel....

That's about the extent of it. There are a lot of people saying one or the other are better or more compatible. In real life? No idea.

[rdalcanto]

I wondered the same thing before I finally went with -R. I went that route because the disks are cheaper and it seems that Pioneer makes a good burner (and the price is better than the Sony). Also, I don't see the point of owning the Sony - When you go to burn a DVD, you still have to pick one format or the other. If you pick +R, and five years from now -R becomes the standard, what are you going to do with your huge library of +R DVDs? Re-burn your entire library as -R? By then, the burners will be faster and cheaper, or DVDs will be replaced anyway, so I figure I'll buy something different when the time comes if I need to....

Rick

[Xtasy2002]

-R/-RW

End.

[BJ_M]

-r -rw is the standard by the dvd org .. disks are cheaper also ..

[BarryHL]

Okay Here Goes

The main difference between the two formats is that +R can be re-authored and -R can't. But because +R is the newer of the formats the media is a little more expensive.

I think in the long run +R will win when the price of media comes down, but at the moment I would go for -R media because it's cheaper.

Your better to buy the Sony DRU-500a because lets be honest nobody really knows who will win and the Sony drive can write +R and -R. And its not that much more expensive than the pioneer drive.

And as for this

If you pick +R, and five years from now -R becomes the standard, what are you going to do with your huge library of +R DVDs? Re-burn your entire library as -R?

I doubt very much that in 5 years time DVD readers will stop reading any of the two formats so you will be quite safe burning with ethier format.

[BJ_M]

what do you mean win ? no one is going to win anything because the standard for recordable dvd was set years ago and and -r was it .. there isnt even a debate on it anymore ... nor will the dvd org even consider +r

any other type - well they are on thier own .. thoug a lot of players will play +r i understand.

the media is not more expensive because its newer ...

[BarryHL]

The format may have been set by the DVD forum but if consumers start to buy +R over -R then -R will start to lose alot of support. And the main point is that +R is the BETTER of the two formats and alot of DVD players play +R fine but don't play -R.

When people are wanting to buy a DVD writer they are better to keep there options open and go for a -/+R writer.

And the final point is that in alot of peoples opinion is that the sony drive has better support for -R disks anyway.

But there you go thats just my opinion and I think the SONY drive is better than the PIONEER but there are many (yet mis-informed ) people that think the pioneer is better.

[jacknjt]

+r +rw
cause all the manuafacturs are making dvd+rw burners. that mean it's gona be da standard. -r is old just like VCD. I go with the manuafactures since HP, and many others only support dvd+rw, if ppl buy dvd+rw at a store then they gona have to get dvd+r medias, then prices will be down pretty quick. i bet -r gona lose the game for SURE.

SONY made a dual format cause they wanna make money off the drive. Sony is a smart Ass.

[BJ_M]

HP ? the same company that dumped so many bad burners on the market that they got sue'd in a class action lawsuit and lost ?

pick a better example of corporate support ...

dvd-r is not "old" like vcd .. heehehe .. they are just different standards .. who really cares which is best .. as long as either works .. its rather a pointless discussion .... whatever works for you is whatever ... you can burn dvd's on a wafflemaker for all i care (and if they play in your dvd player -- you have invented a really cheap burner )

when i have to make sure a dvd is compatable and im making more than 20 of them -- i get them pressed anyway , which is burned on a dvd-r (pioneer 201, authoring burner) or DLT tape anyway..

[tonyp12]

making more than 20 of them -- i get them pressed anyway

What company presses "real" DVD where they have a price structure
there 20 copies is economically????

[Thorn]

Crahak has a good point... while each has minor differences and advantages, they aren't enough to make it likely for either to go away before they're both outdated by the next gen technology. I went with -R because it's cheaper, discs are cheaper, and the technology is a little more mature. And of course my Pioneer set-top player is almost guaranteed to have good compatibility with -R discs since they invented it.

The bottom line is that the only real factor is if your DVD player prefers one kind of disc (and you anticipate your next one to prefer the same). Also if you want other computers to be able to read your discs, getting the same format is necessary. Otherwise, most users of -R will never have a reason to change to +R, so you'll be fine as long as you choose a format that you can read on your target machines.

[BJ_M]

making more than 20 of them -- i get them pressed anyway

What company presses "real" DVD where they have a price structure
there 20 copies is economically????

well its ussually 100 min. but 20 can be made .. for 100 - 500 its about $1.70 - $2.25 per disk for dvd-5

here is some info on getting them pressed http://www.amtone.com/dvdpress.html

[crahak]

I'm waiting for DVD/R instead (ok, was almost funny)

We'll see how it goes. I don't really have so much of a need for one, and price is still expensive here... I might wait for a blue ray burner? (in 10 years?) Only time will tell.

[RAAGAAman]

This war will not be decided until we see set top DVd recorders come down in Price <$300.00. That was how the VHS and Betamax war was decided. I think both formats have their merits. +RW is better because of the lossless linking aspects and -R is better because of the media price.

RG

[Will Hay]

-R/-RW

End.

Well, thanks for clearing that up.
There's nothing like a well-balanced argument.
W.

[vandakeg]

I'll make it easy:

1. -R/RW
2. Ford
3. Intel
4. Pro-life
5. coca-cola
6. mcdonald's

If you would like to know more about how you should live your life, feel free to ask!

[wway]

I'll make it easy:

1. -R/RW
2. Ford
3. Intel
4. Pro-life
5. coca-cola
6. mcdonald's

If you would like to know more about how you should live your life, feel free to ask!

You forgot:

7. The Rolling Stones



wway

[eagle17]

I have to say that +r seems the better tech but -r has the edge in price.

The best thing about this war is that the media is the same dimisnsions and therefore players can play both... I think that untill a new format comes around everyone will just hedge there bets and support both...

After all we already have a ton of players that read both.

For data I much prefer the +r for speed. (all of the +r media I have used always has burned at 2.4x) and for the ability to reburn smaller disks...

as for video I usually burn on dvd-r because of the price and the just incase a relative does not have a +r capable burner (no problems yet)...


As for choosing one over the other, unless you are getting a drive for $150 then get the sony for $300 (and now with $50 rebate)


also TDK's new indi4x dvd+- drive should be out very soon.

[PhilipL]

Withdrawn

[Vejita-sama]

I got an OEM verison of the Pioneer DVR-A05. Why? Cost ($170). Media is also cheap. That's about it.

If +R cost the same as -R, I 'might' have gone +R. As for Pioneer vs. Sony, both make good products. But HP?!? Please...

[jacknjt]

who said +r is not better than -r??? +r is da new format it should be better it's da upgrade of -r. it has to be better. i never had any problem with my dvd+rw it plays in all dvd players.

and brand name media +r cost less than -r brand names in the US.

[Jester700]

making more than 20 of them -- i get them pressed anyway

What company presses "real" DVD where they have a price structure
there 20 copies is economically????

well its ussually 100 min. but 20 can be made .. for 100 - 500 its about $1.70 - $2.25 per disk for dvd-5

here is some info on getting them pressed http://www.amtone.com/dvdpress.html

No way. You cannot get this amount pressed economically. Less than 500 is ridiculous, and only at about 1000 do you get them at a decent rate.

Note that the site says glass master, etc. is extra. You NEED this, and it ain't cheap. A 20 disc run will cost $50 a disc.

[BJ_M]

not what i pay -- and i get about 5000 pressed a year -- but all small lots ..

[thxkid]

well I went with the HP and its worked perfect and NO coasters and on Name brands I get verbatim +R right at my Sam's club for $2 each can't buy any Name brand locally in the -R format that cheap. while I am burning 5-8 +R's a night my brother is having nothing but headaches with his Sony 500UL, my friends send me -R's burnt on Pioneer's A05 and A04's and most have playback problems on the same DVD players my +R's play back perfect on, usually have to reburn the -R onto a +R to get playback correct, also when the -R's of my friends and brothers are taking from 30 to 50 minutes to burn I get mine burned in 18-25 minutes.
By mail is the -R cheaper yes, only if you buy the cheaper no name brands when it comes to name brands I can get -R's or +R's at the same price and locally in Phoenix here the +R's are cheaper in the name brands over -R's and Sam's club don't even sell -R's or -RW's, oh the sell the +RW's for $2.60 ea by Verbatim also, try finding a -RW name brand anywhere that cheap.
Plus I have taken my +R's down to Sams club, frys electronics and Circuit city, they played back correctly in any DVD player I tried no matter what brand it was.

[jacknjt]

you are damm right txkid.

[Jester700]

not what i pay -- and i get about 5000 pressed a year -- but all small lots ..

I'm all ears, brother. How big is "small lots" and how much? We're not talking about a brother in law with a pressing plant, right?

[spiderman2k1]

THX I have a AO4 I alway's make's great DVD-R. I really think both format's are good but some time's people geta bad burner or tthere PC is buggy. I bought a DRu500AX can not burn crap my friend has a DRU500A it burner's ever you put in it but not my DRU500AX. SO I kind of hate sone I wait two month for this burn and it suck's. What im tring to say some thing work for some people and not other's weird but that's they way it is LOL

[bokkasrealm]

I have an AO5 and it has yet to produce one coaster. I burn at 4X with no problems. 20 minute DVD's at my service! I just bought a pack of Ritek White labels (50 count) for $55.00 shipped. These disks work great in my Philips, and APEX DVD players. And crap, Philips supports +R!

The only reason why one company wants you to support one over the other is development rights. Philips has a stake in the +R market because they helped develop it. If the +R market wins out then Philips will make a small profit off of every +R disc sold. The same goes for -R but I forgot who holds the patent on that one.

With all of this said, -R is the way to go.

[jacknjt]

good dvd drive will have no problem installing in a pc. i dont see a lot of dvd+rw having problem at all. it's just da old format dvd-r. they made to cause trouble.