DVD+R v/s DVD-R

[ashvar]

Firstly I want to apologize as this question might have been asked before. What I want to do is make copies of home movies for family & friends. What is a better DVD+R or DVD-R?

[mats.hogberg]

The format that works best (if there is any difference) with your DVD player.

/Mats

[ROF]

It's equipment dependent. Both formats work fine but some equipment likes -r's better than +r's.

[lordsmurf]

http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdformats.htm

DVD-R and DVD+R both work fine. Some players have a hard time seeing one or both of them. You have to use what works best.

Also be sure to buy good media! See www.nomorecoasters.com

I suggest MCC DVD-R media as being the most compatible media, read on the largest number of DVD players. Assuming your data is DVD-Video compliant, required by DVD players.

[Paul_G]

> but some equipment likes -r's better than +r's.

Yes it is certainly a coincidence that expensive popular brands has problems with +r/+rw (but not with +r/+rw bitset) while cheap brands will play more or less everything.

[ashvar]

Thanks.

It is a mixed lot. There are Sony, JVC, Philips and some less known brands. Someone told me -Rs are more universal and the guy at Best Buy told me that Panasonic playes do not play -Rs.

[ROF]

I've also noticed the more expensive a player is the more picky it is about what recordable discs it will play.

[non-linear]

the guy at Best Buy told me that Panasonic playes do not play -Rs.

Most of the people who work at places like Best Buy don't know anything about the stuff they're selling. I have a Panasonic DVD player and DVD recorder and they both play -R and +R, and even -RW (not sure about +RW, I don't have any).

Some player manufacturers don't say they support -R or +R, but that doesn't mean they don't play them. I've yet to come across a player that couldn't play a disc I've burned.

[jman98]

Don't believe ANYTHING a sales droid at Circuit City, Best Buy, etc tells you. Almost none of them know what they are talking about.

I read once that DVD-R works in about 85% of existing players and DVD+R works in about 83%. There are players that won't play one or the other format. Older players probably won't play either format's RW discs. I think the technology is better for +R discs, but they do seem to be slightly more problematic than -R discs. Bit setting (fakes the disc to look like DVD-ROM, so the player thinks it's a pressed disc, not a burned one) sometimes helps. Whatever you choose, I promise you that some player, somewhere is going to choke on it, so pick whichever format you like, get good media (VERY important) and hope for the best. I recommend Verbatim media. Taiyo Yuden media is the best and they make a lot of Verbatim media, although apparently not all. However, I've had best success with Verbatim discs of either -R or +R type over other brands and now I won't buy anything else.

[Rich86]

Firstly I want to apologize as this question might have been asked before. What I want to do is make copies of home movies for family & friends. What is a better DVD+R or DVD-R?

My $.02 . . .

As a general rule, DVD+R with booktype set to DVD-ROM probably gives you the best shot at compatibility across players. But you may not have the ability to set booktype on your particular DVD burner.

DVD-R is usually considered to have a slightly broader compatibility across players than DVD+R without any booktype setting.

However, as others have pointed out, there are no guarantees. Some players can be very finicky even as to brands of media they will play. If you want to enhance your decision making, ask your friends/family members exactly what make and model dvd players they have, and look them up on this site by clicking on the "DVD Players" item under "Lists" to see what experiences others have had with different types of media on each of the players. Then you can make a more informed decision on what media to use. You could even use different media for different family members, if you really want to ensure playability.

[ashvar]

I looked at the website which Lordsmurff suggested (nomorecoasters.com). It was very informative. They lean towards DVD-R. I will have to experiment with both +R & -R.

Thanks again.

[Noahtuck]

the guy at Best Buy told me

What more can be said about that

I've also noticed the more expensive a player is the more picky it is about what recordable discs it will play.

I would say that has more to do with the brand not $$.

As a general rule, DVD+R with booktype set to DVD-ROM probably gives you the best shot at compatibility across players. But you may not have the ability to set booktype on your particular DVD burner.

DVD-R is usually considered to have a slightly broader compatibility across players than DVD+R without any booktype setting.

[lordsmurf]

DVD-R is usually considered to have a slightly broader compatibility across players than DVD+R without any booktype setting.

That's not true.

Prior to booktypes, DVD+R only had like 80% compatibility at best. It was the addition of booktype that put it virtually neck-and-neck with DVD-R, though still slightly lagging behind (around 5% on average).

[DRP]

DVD-R

It has larger capacity at 4488MB vs 4482MB and it is likely to work in more players more of the time.

[Noahtuck]

DVD-R is usually considered to have a slightly broader compatibility across players than DVD+R without any booktype setting.

That's not true.

Prior to booktypes, DVD+R only had like 80% compatibility at best. It was the addition of booktype that put it virtually neck-and-neck with DVD-R, though still slightly lagging behind (around 5% on average).

I don't know, there has been the rare occassion when a player would not play either + or - but would play a + changed to rom

[DRP]

I've never found a DVD player yet that didn't play either with equal ease. I dare suggest the only players that baulk these days are by now very old and probably due to have their lasers wear out very soon anyway. The compatibility "issue" soon won't be at all anymore, so you may as well just use DVD-R for the extra 6MB

[cyflyer]

The format that works best (if there is any difference) with your DVD player.

How is anyone going to know that ? If both booktypes work equally well, which is the case most of the time, this answer only causes more confusion. Personally, I don't see a reason why they still make both types. Why don't they decide and do away with one ?

[lordsmurf]

I don't know, there has been the rare occassion when a player would not play either + or - but would play a + changed to rom

Nobody said the compatibility overlaps. Some will play DVD+R only, but it'll be fewer than those that play DVD-R only. DVD-R has a slight edge overall.

[FulciLives]

Best media is Taiyo Yuden DVD-R discs. Second best are the Verbatim DVD-R discs which were already mentioned by LordSmurf.

Taiyo Yuden DVD-R discs can be bought on-line from a number of websites the most popular being RIMA.COM

The Verbatim DVD-R discs can be bought at many retail stores such as BEST BUY ... in fact this week (up to and including Jan. 28th, 2006) they are on sale at BEST BUY ... the sale price is $14.99 for a 50 pack.

This is what the Verbatim package looks like:



It really is a shame just how many different brands/makes of DVD recordable media there are that are just plain garbage!

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[mats.hogberg]

The format that works best (if there is any difference) with your DVD player.

How is anyone going to know that ?

By buying a few of each type, and burn the same content to all, then play them to see what works and what doesn't. Not harder than that.

/Mats

[Wile_E]

Here is some technical information about the difference between -R and +R. There is a difference in how they work. Supposedly +R has a faster wobble. The discs you buy are not really "blank". They do have some things embedded in them, like pre-pits. From what I read in this article, +R(W) discs have a little better error correction than -R(W). I don't think it has been proven though with tests. Just marketing nonsense. You should be fine with -R or +R. For archiving stuff, it does look like +R would be the better choice because of more error correction.

http://www.cdfreaks.com/article/113