A little tired of the -R is cheaper rant

[Jayhawk]

I understand this gets brought up again and again but I keep seeing casual comments in a number of posts regarding DVD-R being significantly less expensive than DVD+R. There was one post yesterday where the "less expensive DVD-R" comment was used to assist a newbie in choosing which DVD recorder to buy. My concern is that, depending upon the circumstances, the statement may not be true.

As with any product, you can always find one brand selling cheaper than another. For a given brand, you can always find one store selling that brand cheaper. Factor in special sales, rebates, etc. and it becomes even more complicated.

What brand you buy, where you buy it, and when you buy it are as much a part of determing the validity of the "-R is cheaper" statement. I buy both formats and in my personal experience over the last several months (for the brands/speed I buy), +R has been the same or cheaper than -R. Going forward that may not be the case given all the rebate variables. Out of curiosity I did a quick apples-to-apples check of name brand media at name brand stores. This was not an attempt to find the cheapest of each media across different stores. It was simply an attempt to answer a basic question. "If I walked into Store-X looking for same speed Brand-X DVD media, would I pay more for DVD+R". Here's what I found excluding rebates:

Best Buy - same price for either -/+ (Verbatim, Fuji, Memorex, TDK)

Microcenter - same price for either -/+ (Verbatim)

Circuit City - same price for either -/+ (TDK and Liquid Video)

Office Depot - same price for either -/+ (Memorex)

AllMediaOutlet.com - same price for either -/+ (Verbatim)

Meritline.com - DVD -R is generally cheaper

It appears that Verbatim, Fuji, Memorex, TDK, and Liquid Video don't feel that -R is cheaper than +R; and it looks like 4 or 5 of the major retailers agree. Maybe some of the "DVD -R is cheaper" crowd (zealots ?) could start qualifying that statement. Maybe something like "For Brand-X purchased at Store-X, -R is cheaper than +R". Anything else is an opinion and not a fact.

[kabanero]

Well said, Jayhawk.

BTW,

Philips DVD+R disks are on Sale at Office Depot.
Buy 2 15-pack Philips DVD+R for $27 each and get the 3rd one free. That's 45 DVD+Rs for $54 which is around $1.20 per disc.

Offers and prices available in store only. Limit 1 offer per customer.

Sale starts 8/3/03 thru 8/9/03.

[CHAOS]

Ahhhh....
Not quite true....... I have found that overall, "dvd-r" are 1/3 to 1/2 the price of "dvd+r" whether it be compusa, best buy, circut city, pc shows,
The last 2 pc shows i was at, in the last 2 months, "-" was half the price of "+", and last week best buy had dvd-r's, 50 pack, for around $75.00 while "+" were priced at $50.00 for a 25 pack, they were diff. brands but the cheapest of the cheap prices, i think the 50 pack was fujitsu or something, the brand at the pc shows i believe was ritek ?

And i am not an advocate for dvd-r, i have a dvd+r burner and use almost exclusively "verbatim dvd+r's" i can get them the cheap[est at sams club for a 30 spindle, i used ritek once and saw no noticable diff.
at first when i noticed the diff. in prices, i wished i had gotten a "-" recorder but now i seem to feel "+" might end up being the better choice.

[jbenj01]

Really?? Then please tell me where i can pick up either a 50-pk or 100-pk of 4x +R's for ~$1-1.20 per disc.. b/c i'm on it..

[CHAOS]

Really?? Then please tell me where i can pick up either a 50-pk or 100-pk of 4x +R's for ~$1-1.20 per disc.. b/c i'm on it..

Actually, he did

Philips DVD+R disks are on Sale at Office Depot.
Buy 2 15-pack Philips DVD+R for $27 each and get the 3rd one free. That's 45 DVD+Rs for $54 which is around $1.20 per disc.

[thayne]

The + Media has dropped in price at a much faster pace than the - media. Within a month or two the + media will be significantly cheaper than the -

[disturbed1]

Would you pay the same price for media made by TDK, as media made by CMC or Ricoh?

TDK and Philips DVD+R media is made by CMC, TDK -R media is made by either TDK or Maxell.

So in your analogy, you'd pay $189/100 CMC DVD+R, which is just as good as $189/100 TDK DVD-R

Verbatim can be made by CMC or MCC +/-R. -R Verbatim can also be made by Tayio Yuden and Ritek.

Your comparing brands, not manufactorer.

The reason DVD+R media is getting lower in price is because of CMC. CMC has recently added a couple of plants as did Ricoh. Great just what we all needed, more Cheaply Made Crap.

[thayne]

I buy only Ritek (2.4X DVD+R), and it's come down from over $2 a disk 6 months ago to $1.15 today (When bought in bulk)

[LanEvo7]

When people are saying -R is less expensive, they are usually comparing the general price on bulk media. Meaning like 50-500 packs at meritline or rima. This of course doesn't take into account sales at big retail stores like best buy and staples. In those stores they are usually the same price for both. What I do find interesting is that the big retail stores on average have more sales on +R media than on -R media.

[jbenj01]

chaos,

really?? please clarify, as i'm a little 'slow' :P i don't see "4x" anywhere.. ?

[louthewiz]

Well here is my 2 cents I have been going to computer shows and I have bought a certain brand of 2x DVD-Rs for 1.00 a piece and DVD+Rs for 1.25 each now i have the sony dual burner so buy the -rs because I prefer them over +rs and they are usually easy to find.. :P oh and the brand is alterra and Ive never had a coaster in 150 burns 8) 8) 8) 8)

[marvel2020]

Well i'm just f**king pissed off at the whole F**king lot of it.

Enough already of what's the best format and what will win war, I JUST DON'T GIVE A F**K anymore whats the best.

The only people who do care are the ones who make the disc's in the first place and how they can scam more money of you.

To all Moderator's on the board, any more posts like this, please lock them don't let them become useless topic's like they are.

Total waste of my time, your time and the people who reply to them, so this is the last time i will be posting on any posts like this one.

[vtecwil]

This is in refference to the statement made by Disturbed 1 . He stated that TDK and Phillips DVD+R media is made by CMC Magnetics . I dont know about Phillips but TDK +R 4X media is not . All the TDK and Verbatim 4X +R media I've purchased was made by Ricoh . These Ricoh discs are very good and I've yet to have one fail .

[leebo]

I have to agree with marvel2020.

You guys are wasting too much of my precious time! I have to read every post here and you guys aren't making it any easier for me.


I will say, however, that everyone knows PC's are much better than Macs.

[cplevel42]

For what is is worth. DVD-R sells 2-1 over DVD+R in the states. The reason; more TRUE tech geeks buy and use DVD-R. This is simply a fact. Yes, it is true that more computers are being sold with +R, but many of those people go home and never burn a +R disc. My cousin is a good example of this kind of buyer.

Do a poll here, and I think you will find more -R users in the US (not sure about Europe). I'm not advocating either formats, so no need to get into a war.

[cplevel42]

DVD-R media sales for 2002= 90,000,000 units sold

DVD+R media sales for 2002 = 13,000,000 units sold

That should tell ya'll somthing! People who use -R use it more often than +R users. This is surprising since most PCs that were sold with DVD-+RW in 2002 were +R systems. But what no one is telling you is that the people who are buying DVD-RW and installing them, themselfs, are -R buyers. Quite simply, more serious users buy -R. This is NOT to say that there are not any serious +R users. There are many here on this forum.

See here: http://www.afterdawn.com/glossary/terms/dvdplusr.cfm

[jdizzy40]

What's on sale one day is not on sell the next week. I guess fords are cheaper than Chevy's. This is not a good evaluation at all. Who ever based his or her choice on which type of burner to buy, would probally buy 15 magazine subscriptions from a door to door salesman and then figure out he paid 10 times more than if they bought them off the shelf. DVD-R/RW's are on sale at two stores this week. 40% off at CompUSa, came to $59.00 for a pack of 50(Memorex). Best Buy was selling Fuji for $69.00. Bad part is they are both 2x media (slow as crap) compared to 4x +R media. Buy and burn what is compatablie for both your equipment and pocket book.

[Syphic]

Who cares, get a life or get back to burning DVD's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[leebo]

cplevel42 does have a point. -R users are typically much more intellegent than +R users. This is simply a fact that has been proven using scientific methods.

This is why the instructions for +R drives come with more pictures!

[dengar]

The best media is the one that is cheapest at the time of buying. My DVD player plays both so I dont care which one I get. Im backing up my movies for ME, not for anyone else so I can care less if it plays in anyone elses player.

[thayne]

cplevel42 does have a point. -R users are typically much more intellegent than +R users. This is simply a fact that has been proven using scientific methods.

This is why the instructions for +R drives come with more pictures!

Lets see some evidence... My IQ is 140 and I use a + drive, whats yours? I have noticed the - users seem to get more pissed and take these post a little too personally, I wonder why that is?

[Faustus]

The only comment I'll even make is the fact thats already been pointed out. You cannot take recent sales into account when figureing out how much a media cost, because you cannot count on them always being on sale when you need them.

That aside, with dual format burners for about $200 (finally a price point that could be worth it) and single format burners on the cheap, who cares? If some day over the rainbow you decide you just GOT to have the other format, go buy it!

[sparker]

Yawn.....

[leebo]

Lets see some evidence... My IQ is 140 and I use a + drive, whats yours? I have noticed the - users seem to get more pissed and take these post a little too personally, I wonder why that is?

I believe you just disproved your own point.

Not only was I joking about the absurdity of this whole topic, YOU seem very pissed about it!

Next time I make a joke I'll be sure to include lots of picures.

[thayne]

Where did you get that I was pissed? Trust me, if I was pissed you would know LOL!

I think the whole thing is silly and really don't care which format is better, cheaper or will win the so-called war....

[kirpen]

The only reason -r sells more then +r is because it came out first. There are more -r units in homes. It has nothing to do with smart users vs dumb users. They both work well.

[tompika]

-R users are typically much more intellegent than +R users. This is simply a fact that has been proven using scientific methods.

When you guys run out of telling aguments just start BSing.
Like when one of you mates said the blueray won't read DVD+R. Haha...

So what about your IQ when having no DVD-R/W, not even DVD+R/W?
Or just need some help to fill out your profile?

This is why the instructions for +R drives come with more pictures!.

Hmm....pictures....BTW there's a frame missing from your ballet-dancer spiderman, but don't worry we'll work something out to get it fixed.

[harrymj3]

DVD-r is cheaper at this time and they work extremely well. It's a fact. If you don't want to use them, don't. Why would anyone care. .......... harrymj3

[leebo]

tompika, did you understand the word "joking"??? Calm down and get a girlfriend.

[PlasticDVDr]

I buy DVD+RW, why? Because for one the burners are capable of burning and formating the disc at once... I burn a portion of a movie and watch it on my DVD player then take that movie cut and move some things then it burns only the modified layout settings instead of the entire movie again, plus it works on all my DVD players...

I've yet to make a coaster, I've never had compatibility issues, I pay just as much for DVD+RW's as I would for DVD-RW's...

DVD+/- are just mediums which both work well. You're comparing re-fillable pencils with normal pencils... they both work equally well, they can do the exact same thing, just one has different features...