DVD - & DVD + Help!

[Dan94uk]

I am just about to purchase a DVD burning kit for my comp.
Im going to be editing DV tapes and then putting onto DVD. I am going to buy a system where it burns the image direct onto the disk.
Now do I get DVD + or DVD -. Somebody has told me that DVD + are no use for playing on cheap DVD players. Is this true> and what is the difference?
Somebody please help as my comp man is comming later and I aint even made a purchase yet!
Dan

[hech54]

You'll get an even number of arguements from both sides. Most burners burn both anyway so don't worry about that now....not worth it.

[waheed]

Go for the one which your dvd player is more compatible with.

[drjtech]

My personal experience is that DVD+R burned DVD-ROM booktype is most compatible with my family & friend's players.

But then, your family & friends may have different makes & models of DVD players than mine do. I suggest you burn a sample on DVD-R and DVD+R and try out the players you intend to support.

Just be sure to get a burner capable of both DVD+R and DVD-R. Almost every current model available can do + and -.

-drj

[Dan94uk]

Thanks everybody, the only problem is that these DVD s will be going to various clients all over the country so im after getting the most suitable across the board..... hmmm the plot thickens

[waheed]

Dan94uk, how many DVDs do you plan to make? If the number is in the 100's or even 1000's, then you may want to consider using a professional service that do pressed discs. These will give the best compatibility.

Other than that, I would say DVD-R in my opinion as ive had greater compatibility rates than DVD+R.

[Dan94uk]

Waheed,
Ill probably be compiling 2 to 3 DVD's a day which will be increasing as the year goes on.
What are pressed disks?
I'm kinda new to all this, been crash editing onto VHS for years now!
The plot is getting loads thicker now as when im trying to do the initial edit on the comp thru firewire the time and date will not show on screen which it needs to do.
Arrr

[waheed]

A Pressed disc is different from recordable discs. Recordable media will have a purple surface (colour of the dye) while pressed DVDs are gold/silver in colour.

Commercial DVDs, eg your latest blockbuster movies are Pressed DVDs. They offer the best compatibility. However, companies that offer services to do pressed discs do so in larger quantities.

For now, I would start with recordable media, and consider pressed discs at a later stage when your volume production increases.