Hi All
I need some OBJECTIVE advice on the type of DVD burner I should purchase. I know there are strong feelings against DVD+RW but looking at those threads I find them biased to say the least
I need some hard and proven arguments telling me why I shouldn't buy a DVD+RW (I have a Lenco DVD02 and it can handle both DVD-RW and DVD+RW so that isn't an issue)
Any help is appriciated!
cheers
Leo
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Equipment:
Athlon 1700 XP system
512 Mb RAM
Geforce 3 Ti500 64mb
1x 100 Gb hard disc (IDE)
1x 40 Gb hard disc (IDE)
1x 40 Gb hard disc (firewire) -
How to start a flame war in one easy lesson!!
I have a Pioneer A03 (DVD-R) and am happy with it so far, but from what I have read about DVD+R, its mostly down to personal choice, cost (drive & media) and intended use. Basically, read as much as you can about both drive types and make your own mind up. -
I have a Pioneer A03 as well and am also very happy with it. At the time I bought it, DVD+RW was the only + format available. Still, I had decided not to buy +R/RW and would choose -R/RW again today because, although I am not a video professional, it is the format currently most used (Authoring and General) by video professionals. Also, it is an official approved format (for whatever that is worth). Both these facts made me more comfortable with my choice to go -R/RW.
I'm sure + and - formats are almost the same, so if someone handed me a +R/RW writer today, I wouldn't complain. -
I have a +R drive and I would tell you the same thing as lattedfw. It's a matter of choice but you will probably be happy with either choice. You will find that the hardest part is finding the right software to use to make your DVDs. If you go with the +RW, make sure that it also has +R. Some stores still sell burners that can't write to +R. For a +RW/+R drive make sure that it comes with a compatibility setting program for the +RW disc as it often improves chances of playback of a +RW disc on your DVD player (Ricoh and HP have such programs, the Sony drive doesn't). The compatibility of +R and -R are similar. Writing to a DVD+R or +RW is apparently quicker (about 20 minutes in my case).
Perhaps you should ask your question on more than one forum to see what kind of a response you get on each forum. Try these:
www.dvdplusrw.org
http://www.dv-info.net/ -
Just buy whatever is cheaper, and whichever has the cheapest media!
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I will agrre with those who said - "Your Choice"
I did quite a bit of investigation around prior to buying one myself. I ended up buying a +R/RW drive.
It is difficult to get good information since there seems to be very strong biases both ways.
At present both the -r/-rw drives and the media is cheaper than the +r/RW drives and its media.
Why did I get a +R/RW drive ?? Well it was a close call and I really did it more on my "hunch" than anything else. -
I would recommend going with DVD-R/RW at this point. The media and the drives are cheaper and compatibality has been proven with the -R/RW media, whereas +R/+RW compatability is still debatable.
+RW and -RW basically have the same compatability ratings. It is really the +R that has yet be proven to be as compatible as -R media.
The other main difference right now is speed with + burning at 2.4X and - at only 2X although if you are really worried about speed you should probablly just wait a few months until the faster burners come out. I read that the 4X burners should be out around September. -
Indeed.
We're less than 90 days from 4x burners of both flavors. If you are determined to pick up a DVD writer now, there is really only one best choice... the Pioneer 104 DVD-R/RW from esbuy.com at $254.49.
It's a known-to-be-excellent drive at a price that makes me wish I had waited. I bought mine from esbuy months ago at $350. It replaced an older hp +RW drive I had that did not write +R and had compatibility problems. Newer + drives are better, but if you want to go that route, it's worth waiting... since the + drives are only as low as $330 (Ricoh).
Also, with Pioneer 104 drives in all Sony VAIO and Apple iMac and Powermac computers, you know that the installed user base is there for the foreseeable future, making strong drive and firmware support likely to continue.
Once the 4x burners come out, just get whichever type you want... they will have newer and better firmware, and will write better discs than before... and compatibility issues should decrease over time.-MPB/AZ -
Forget it; wait for DVD*RW to arrive - they are multi storage compat. with an XODK rating - which means total functionality in all countries.
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Which format do home theater DVD players use the most, the DVD+ or the DVD- ??? thats what im basing my buying decision on when it comes to a DVD writer...
thanks
Rustolem -
Originally Posted by rustolem
Also, be sure to give http://www.dv-info.net/cgi-bin/ib/ikonboard.cgi?s=3d234dd52d7dffff;act=ST;f=5;t=27 & http://www.cdrinfo.com/Sections/News/Details.asp?RelatedID=2477 a read over - looks like the direction we are headed in the future is DVD Multi.
With that, my vote would be for the purchase of a Pioneer A04/104 DVD-R/-RW drive if you want to buy now. If you can afford to wait a few months, I'd wait and get Panasonic's new DVD Multi Burner II drive.
Kusanagi -
Originally Posted by Kusanagi"Which format do home theater DVD players use the most".
You also sayThey also warn against DVD+RW (since it's not an official DVD approved standard)
My two cents
Oh, anf BTW, I own drives from both standards, and am happy with both ..... I do not find one more compatible than the other. But that is simply my experience, your milage may vary ....Da MoovyGuy -
And the answer should say, either as a home theatre DVD player is just that\, a DVD player. What they can play depends on the players spec's. This site contains a wealth of info on which players can play what standards.
Should state no an official DVD Forum approved standard.
Also, because of the DVD Forum behind DVD-R/-RW and its presence, I see more and more new DVD players advertised that they can play DVD-R/-RW (some of the new Panasonic ones can even play DVD-RAM media, too), but not a single mention of DVD+R or DVD+RW - mostly because DVD+RW is not an officially recognized standard by the DVD Forum and the consumer is left to guess about DVD+R/+RW compatibility. Quick random example here - http://www.bestbuy.com/Detail.asp?m=1&cat=32&scat=&e=11099605 - I see no mention of DVD+R or DVD+RW compatibility...
Kusanagi -
Whether one is a "Standard" or not doesn't AUTOMATICALLY mean it's the more compatible format. Until there is substantial reviews and evidence of DVD-R vs. DVD+R compatibility, one can only speculate about the compatability tests.
Here is an article from ZDNet that tested the HP DVD+RW 200i vs. the Pioneer A04...
http://www.zdnet.com/supercenter/stories/overview/0,12069,561205,00.html
http://www.zdnet.com/supercenter/stories/review/0,12070,561208,00.html
They gave the HP DVD+RW a 7.5 over the Pioneer A04 with 6.9
But performance is only one criterion for judging DVD recordable drives, especially if you plan to burn home-movie discs. A preburned DVD+R provided by HP worked in every player we tested it in, including some real antiques that wouldn't play DVD-Rs. This initial success is promising, but it's still early in the DVD+R game; we'll continue to test this disc and others we've burned ourselves in as many drives and players we can.The most sensible choice
The DVD200i is an impressive performer and an excellent choice as a backup drive. Furthermore, DVD+R media may prove to be the most compatible DVD-recordable format. If you want or need a DVD burner today, a DVD+RW drive, such as the HP, is the sensible choice.
- by H.G. Bryant
Factual Differences between DVD+RW and DVD-RW.
DVD-RW only can write at 1x speed (DVD-R can write at 2x speed), while DVD+RW/+R can write at 2.4x speed.
DVD+RW can close/finalize discs faster.
DVD-R Media is slightly cheaper than DVD+R media as of right now, but only by a .50-$1.00 for QUALITY Media. If anything DVD+R media may catch up in price by the end of the month.
A Big reason for the "hateing" of DVD+RW drives was because of the promise of the first generation drives being able to write DVD+R by a "simple firmware upgrade." That honestly didn't happen and a lot of customers were raged (which they should have been).
In conclusion, do your research and watch for bias posters. Both formats bring out the best of each other because one wants to win the war over the other! :P -
DVD+RW can close/finalize discs faster.
In conclusion, do your research and watch for bias posters. Both formats bring out the best of each other because one wants to win the war over the other!
http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#4.3
http://verbatim.com/products/images/dvd-rtechnologyupdate.pdf
Kusanagi -
From technology point of view it does not matter.
However, you can buy a Pioneer A04 below $300 and a Panasonic LFD311 around $300. Why the hell would you pay $500 for an +R/RW burner? -
Originally Posted by nemethmik
- burners just get cheaper and cheaper as well. Pioneer's 104 is $250 from the same place.
Like I said, this becomes a moot point in mere WEEKS. The third generation of DVD writers is upon us, at 4x burn speed, and all indications are that both - and + drives will produce compatible writes more reliably.
For now, the present day, more home theater devices can play DVD-R than any other type of recordable DVD. And that's a fact.
If you EVER want to do any serious video work, go DVD-RW... if it's for your own personal amusement and archiving, either type is fine.-MPB/AZ -
Originally Posted by nemethmik
Ricoh MP5125 at www.compgeeks.com for $297
http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtid=RW5125
Second Generation Drive Supporting both DVD+RW/R
For now, the present day, more home theater devices can play DVD-R than any other type of recordable DVD. And that's a fact.
If you EVER want to do any serious video work, go DVD-RW -
Originally Posted by mpb
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Originally Posted by jowel13
Originally Posted by jowel13
Anyway, you're right, both technologies can be bought at the same price.
Now I'm sure it really does not matter what technology to go for.
A couple of months ago when the +R/+RW drive was nowhere I went for Panasonic LF-D311 DVD-RAM/R and then Pioneer DVR-104 DVD-RW/R; they work fine: DVD-RAM is the best for data storage and archiving because it has drive letter access (DLA) built in XP; DVD-R is possibly the most compatible format. DVD-RW is compatible enough to burn test/prototype versions of my DVD movies to try them on standalone DVD players before burning the final DVD-R. I also bought a Hitachi GD-8000 DVD-ROM unit that can read all DVD Forum formats.
DVD+R/+RW promises the same advantages, but I stay with the DVD Forum formats especially now when I'm considering buying a Panasonic DMR-E20 or E30 and a Hitachi DVD camcorder.
I'm quite sure it really does not matter wether -R/RW or +R/RW if you do not go for any of these Panasonic/Hitachi DVD-RAM gears.
Possibly I'd pick again the DVD Forum formats because their wider acceptance. -
The Ricoh RW5125 is the Second Generation Drive. The first generation drive was the MP5120A (Internal) and the MP5122E (External).
Please re-read the description from the website...
http://www.compgeeks.com/details.asp?invtid=RW5125
Supported Media Sizes:
- 4.7GB DVD+RW, DVD+R Media / Supported DVD+R Writing Modes:
- Sequential Write / Supported DVD+RW and DVD+R Writing Formats:
- DVD-ROM
- DVD-Video -
Originally Posted by jowel13
www.dvddemystified.com and the official worldwide DVD FAQ, both electronic and print published versions;
Also those guides to your left here on vcdhelp.com.
DVD-R has about 90% compatibility with existing set-top players. DVD+R, +RW, and -RW are all less often compatible, 65-75%.
If you EVER want to do any serious video work, go DVD-RW
I'll put it this way: the boss tells you to put the merger presentation on a DVD and bring it to the 4510 building downtown, where it will be played for the stockholders of both companies. You don't know what kind of DVD player they will have. If you're still employed when the merger happens, you get a healthy raise. If the DVD doesn't play, you piss off upper management. Which format do you use, the one 90% likely to play or the one 70% likely to play?
Real life here, not theoretical. That's one sample of what people use this technology for. At my company, we don't even work in video full-time, but we make DVDs for convention appearances, accreditation reviews, and so forth. Guess what gets used?
Hey, just live with it... +R is functional, but it's consumer-level stuff. It's like the TV with the VCR built in, in comparison.-MPB/AZ -
Great Source,
I am almost 100% positive DVD+R is more than 70% compatible. I know I am not any "reliable resource above DVD MYSTEFIED" but I do have a DVD+RW/R Drive and I can guarantee you it works in more than 85% of the DVD Players I tryed it on (must've tried it on at least 30+ Players).
Then again, you don't have to believe me, I am just a WACK consumer.
I guess I am going to have to get fired for taking the 70% chance to the "Upper Management" than taking the "Elite DVD-Standard" DVD-R route!
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I wouldn't know about compatibility in a lot of cd players. However, what I do know is that I have 2 different ones:
1. Pioneer dv-343 Plays DVD+RW, DVD+R created using moviefactory. It also plays VCD using CDR and CDRW made using Nero. It did not play VCD CDRW made using Roxio
2. Samsung dvd611 - It did not play any VCD whether I used Nero or Roxio. It did not play DVD+RW. It played DVD+R without problems.
I'm quite satisifed with the DVD +R/RW drive I bought recently. -
Originally Posted by jowel13
Your players work with the media. Good for you. Not everyone is so fortunate. I trust the compiled statistics here on vcdhelp.com and over on dvddemystified.com and in the DVD FAQ more than I trust anecdotal evidence.
If you were bitten by the only labrador you ever met, you could say anecdotally that all labradors were vicious dogs. The truth is that very few of them are. But to you, it'd seem like 100%!!!!
You're not a WACK consumer. You just haven't thought this through yet.-MPB/AZ -
Ricoh MP5125 at www.compgeeks.com for $297. At bottom, it says the device does not support DVD-RW or DVD-R. Other DVD+RW/+R units list the ability to read DVD-RW/-R discs.
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Well it looks like you are getting many opinions but I also feel that I must give you my for whatever it is worth.
There is no longer a debatable point on compatibility. Anybody that argues on compatibility is basing their comment on outdated facts.
Both DVD+RW/+R are about as compatible as DVD-RW/-R. Why do I say about rather than just or equal ? Because DVD-RW/-R has been on the market for 6mo-1yr ahead of the DVD+RW/+R format and therefore more players have been tested and more manufacturers have released more players to recognize DVD-R. As time goes by more players will be tested with DVD+R/+RW and players will be configured for more compatibility. As it stands now the compatibility difference between both formats is very,very narrow and of little significance. Most DVD-R/-RW proponents will tell you of 90% plus compatibility but in fact they are only talking about DVD-R and not the attrotious -RW format with about 45% compatibility. Second they usually want to ignore DVD+R media which is the direct competitor to DVD-R and has very close compatibility characteristics.
The next statement is that DVD-R/-RW is the standard used by most professionals. True, but that is not because of a choice they made on the merits of each format. The choice was made 1yr. ago because it was the ONLY FORMAT AVAILABLE. It will now take time to see if there is a migration between professionals to the newer and more ROBUST format DVD+R/+RW.
The major plus for DVD-R/-RW is all due to being the first in the market and therefore has more software available and media.
1. Cheaper drives
2. Cheaper media due to volume produced (most of the cheap media is not reliable)
3. Wider availability of media at stores.
The major plus for DVD+R/+RW are due to the standard itself rather than what goes on in the marketplace.
1. A more flexible media for archiving data, archiving video, editing video.
2. Faster writes (significantly). Nevermind about future products with probable faster speeds. When DVD-R/-RW drives become faster so will DVD+R/+RW drives. There is no inherent advantage here to the mechanics.
3. More major companies will be involved with DVD+R/+RW than DVD-R/-RW. Ricoh-Sony(both formats)-HP-Philips . The DVD+R/+RW format will also be well supported by Microsoft through its future Windows OS giving it a bigger boost for adoption. The DVD-R/-RW has only one manufacturer Pioneer, and one major buyer of components Apple. Sony is a very special case where they don't manufacture their drives and therefore can offer both drives and it's commitment may never be well defined for either format. The merger between Compaq and HP will also be a factor in making the DVD+R/+RW drives more popular since HP is committed to the DVD+R/+RW drives and Compaq like Apple is a major company in selling PCs. It is very likely that future Compaq PCs will be equiped with HP DVD+R/+RW drives.
Having said that , because the DVD-R/-RW had early market exposure, and therefore large volume of production has been achieved in the absence of a competing format, you cannot go wrong with DVD-R/-RW format either. Although in my opinion it will never outperform from a technical point of view DVD+R/+RW due to more restrictive guidelines for the format DVD-R/-RW.
You have to think that the whole DVD technology has been developed by several companies but by far and away the biggest contributor to DVD technology is Netherlands Philips Company. They are backers of the DVD+R/+RW format so this format cannot be that bad if the biggest name and lab in DVD technology puts its name behind it.
There are some TEMPORARY minuses to the DVD+R/+RW format:
1. Make sure you do not buy a first generation DVD+RW/+R drive because they only write to DVD+RW not DVD+R. check DVDplusRW.org forum for new second generation drives.
2. Authoring software for support of DVD+RW/+R is just coming out and therefore may have some bugs in it and the software is available by less manufacturers
3. DVD+RW/+R discs are just beginning to be distributed in large quantities but remain as of this moment not as visible as DVD-R/-RW discs
4. Because volume production of DVD-R/-RW discs are in full production they are substantially cheaper, however, many people report that buying DVD-R discs at bottom prices tend to be unreliable media with many defects. The price of good DVD+R discs is getting very close to good quality DVD-R discs.
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In conclusion it is a matter of choice between that which is cheaper and of wider availability (for a short time)--- versus--- a format that has more and bigger companies behind it and it has a format that can evolve with more capabilities (in otherwords the DVD+R/+RW format has all the characteristics of the future format that will dominate sales and usage "in the long run").
In addition:
Many people talk about professional DVD-R as being the format of choice. That is not true. DVD-R gained popularity with professionals because as I said earlier was the only format available. Second DVD-R discs used by the majority of the consumers is not the same as the DVD-R Authoring format used by "semi-professionals" that produce DVD-R disks in quantities of 500 to 1000 discs. The DVD-R disc used by professionals is much less flexible in format than that available to consumers and are not cross compatible.
In fact most DVD authoring houses will take uncompressed video and place it on digital tape format before going to professional DVD-R Authoring and eventually to DVD-R consumer type discs. The DVD Standard format seen in commercial movies is not made by a burning method as DVD-R but by a stamping method similar to the pressing of LPs (vinyl discs a generation ago) and thus having even less in common with the DVD-R format. The DVD+R disc can easily be incorporated in a medium professional DVD Authoring House as the DVD-R format was.
In terms of the future:
There is only one format that will displace DVD-R and DVD+R in 5-8 yrs. It is Blu-Ray Technology with discs of capacities of 25-30Gb per disc compared to DVD-R or +R of 4.7Gb . This means that consumers could find camcorders recording uncompressed video directly on a Blu-Ray DVD for 2-6 hrs easily, then take it home and play it on a Blu-Ray DVD player not worrying about compression hardware or software for MPEG2. Blu-Ray has not been designed with backward compatibility but there is no reason why a Blu-Ray DVD Player could not play standard DVD-R/+R discs. Such players are not common today because of the expense but it will decrease within a couple of years.
It is possible that such players will be "backward readable". The components going to a readable DVD-R or DVD+R player will become dirt cheap by the time Blu-Ray comes around and has a very good chance of being part of the hardware of Blu-Ray Players. Also MPEG2 decoder chips will become commonplace in most future DVD and video equipment . Mass production is being upscaled in MPEG2 chips for various components.
There are also technologies beyond Blu-Ray but are less likely to be in the common consumer market because they are not backed by major DVD Companies (although they may look at them in the future). These companies have technologies at the same development state as Blu-Ray abd are in fact more advance. While Blu-Ray promises discs with 25-30Gb/disc other technologies can go between 300-1000Gb/disc. They will become significant as Blu-Ray matures and be part of the third wave of DVD technology:
The FUTURE is not Double Sided Media with Red Lasers (DVD-R/+R) but Multi-Layer Single Sided Fluorescent Dye with Blu-Laser.
InPhase:
Video Demonstration:
http://www.inphase-technologies.com/technology/videos/index.html
PDF File - Overview:
http://www.inphase-technologies.com/technology/pdf/Overview.pdf
PDF-File - Technology Overview:
http://www.inphase-technologies.com/technology/pdf/TourPDF.pdf
Calimetrics:
http://www.calimetrics.com/News/Releases/roadmap/roadmap.html
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Truth is, my Panasonic RV20 only works with DVD-RW/-R, so I have to opt for this standard. The crux is: check out your player's compatibility with the standards before buying. If your player can handle both decide on what matters now. Cheaper media and burning software with a track record tell me that DVD-RW is for "now".
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since everyone at this website seems to have given their two cents on +r/rw vs. -r/rw already, i thought i would do the same as well. from what i have read it seems -r/rw win.
Apparently, +r/rw are not "officaly supported". Not only that but did anyone read the review of the hp dvd 100i in pc format? they said +r/rw would fall off the writable dvd bandwagon before the journey begins, and that the 2 hp formats are being ignored by the big software guns. looks good for -r/rw does'nt it? i'm glad i bought a 104!
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