getting my head around dvd-r & dvd+R

[supertrooper105]

I have the plextor 708 dvd re-writer and very pleased i am with it. I have already backed-up several dvd films (using clone dvd and anydvd) i have been using packard bell dvd-r media. this suits all the computers in the house and the standalone dvd plaver (prism dv-302). also my sister and friend has been able to play the discs on there standalone as well.

I also make my home movie films with my panasonic dvd digital camcorder, and with dvd as opposed to svcd the quality is very good, again i have made several videos of the summer hols and my son rowing, but when i send the disc's to my friends in the states they have terrible trouble trying to play them on there standalone dvd's. it say's no disc or disc error. so i am assuming that they have really crap dvd players that do not support dvd-r. Now i know my digital camera is pal and the states are ntsc. but i have had some success with one svcd i did, besides which they should play on the dvd computers.

Anyway the point i am trying to make is my husband just came back from the states and bought me dvd+r media, he also brought back there ntsc panasonic digital camcorder as he had been to a wedding. i used pinnacle 8 to capture, edit and make movie and then create dvd disc (with dvd+r)
the result was i could play it fine on my dvd computer but not my standalone dvd player it came up with the error no disc, so i take it that my standalone dvd player does not support dvd+r. i did the same on dvd-r and the dvd plays great.

so i was thinking of telling my friend in america to buy the cyberhome ch-dvd 500 dvd player as that seems to support all formats. and should play my dvd's (am i right in thinking that)

I have spent the morning going to pc world, curry's and staples trying to clarify what dvd players support all the dvd formats as on the box and shop description it just says dvdr but trying to be specific with the shop assistants when i ask does that mean they are compatible with dvd-r and dvd+r they just look at me as if i am stupid. is dvd+r any good

well i am glad i have got that lot of my chest, any comments would be very appreciated

thanks

mags

[macleod]

I dont know if this will help you, but it is worth a shot.

I encountered the same "type" of errors with a panny e-20 standalone dvdrecorder. The way the standalone structured the DVD, many dvd players could not play it.

To fix the problem, I used TMPGENC's DVD AUTHOR.

I ripped the dvdr to my hard drive then used TMPGENC author to reauthor it onto a new dvd, and then used nero express to burn it. the home movie began playing in ALL of the dvd players that previously would not play them.

I would say to give that a shot (btw, you can use a computer ripper to rip your DVD+r and then reauthor to DVD-R).

For compatibility of multi formats, DONT BELIEVE THE CLERKS AT STORES. Look on the dvd player list on the left for compatibility. If you want sure fire multi format for cheap price, apex 1225 ($35.00). Usually apex's will do everything you want (except divx).

I have never used clonde dvd or any dvd, however, I would recommend that you try dvdshrink (freeware). It should accomplish all of your backing up needs. You can actually download dvdshrinkiso, and dvdshrink and dvddecrpter and have close to a one click backup solution.

[Grant_H]

I'm not exactly sure if I can help here but i'm going to give you my thought's anyway:

When you are Authoring your DVD's are you making them region free? DVDshrink has the ability to make the same disk playable in all regions.

[canijo]

If you are using dvd+r,expect to have compatability issues. So I recomend to author dvd-r it wiil be close to 100% compatible. If you author,rip,and burn,region must be removed and dvd will play anywhere inthe earth.. More,if your burner is dvd+r sell it and get dvd-r burner. Media on Dvd-r will cost less then dvd+r. Good luck....PS dvd+r will go the way the Beta vcr.

[bottle-necked]

My research found that only about 80% of DVD players will play DVD-R, and about 80% will play DVD+R, some will play both. This compatibility issue is why I purchased my Sony DRU-500A burner, it will burn either kind.

So far I've found -R is more compatible with the DVD players in my family, but most of them will play both kinds.