I'm looking for a DVD Writer... what kind/type to get?

[mojo2185]

Sorry if this has been asked already, if it has, please link me to the post
I'm looking to get a DVD-Writer. I hear there's two main types, the DVD-R and the DVD+R.

1) Is it true that one burns faster than the other? I heard that DVD+R drives burn faster, but that format isn't as widely compatible as DVD-R

2) I've heard that DVD-R is the way to go with making backups of my movies. My DVD player (apex ad-1100) is compatible with both types, but in general, which format is better for DVD-Players (including a Playstation 2)?

3) How long would it take to burn a full DVD disc?

4) Any specific models to recommend (and their approx. prices)?

5) I hear to make a good copy, you need to avoid the really cheap DVD blank discs (the $0.90 ones). Is this true? And what's the success rate of making a good copy, in other words, how many coasters do you guys end up with?

Thanks for any help!
Mojo

[Gil T Pleasure]

mojo2185,

1) Although +R discs have a base speed of 2.4x compared to -R disc's 1x, both -R and +R are currently at 4x max speed.

2) Numerous tests/comparisons have been performed as to which format is more compatible and the consensus is that they are about the same.

3) Depends on how fast your DVD burner and the DVD disc you're using.

4) Sony DRU500 records both format (+R and +RW/-R and -RW).

5) Generally you get what you pay for (ie garbage in, garbage out), but there are exceptions.

[mojo2185]

2) Numerous tests/comparisons have been performed as to which format is more compatible and the consensus is that they are about the same.

Anyone know which works on a PS2? I hear that one works, but the other doesn't

3) Depends on how fast your DVD burner and the DVD disc you're using.

Let's say i'm burning at 2X with a cheaper disc (that holds the standard 4.? gigs). My CD-Writer burns at a max of 4X (its old) and it takes 30 minutes to burn 700mb. So would burning a DVD at 2x take 5 hours?

5) Generally you get what you pay for (ie garbage in, garbage out), but there are exceptions.

Can anyone point out these exceptions? From what i've read, there's a lot of debate over which cheap DVDrs work best. I do have an APEX 1100W, which pretty much plays anything (if that even makes a difference).

One more question popped into my head. There's several DVD tutorials on this site, which is the best to follow?

Thanks for the reply!
-Mojo-

[Kennyshin]

2) Numerous tests/comparisons have been performed as to which format is more compatible and the consensus is that they are about the same.

Anyone know which works on a PS2? I hear that one works, but the other doesn't

-> Both are compatible with PS2 but there could be conflicting reports if the question is a simple "is + or - compatible with PS2?" one.

3) Depends on how fast your DVD burner and the DVD disc you're using.

Let's say i'm burning at 2X with a cheaper disc (that holds the standard 4.? gigs). My CD-Writer burns at a max of 4X (its old) and it takes 30 minutes to burn 700mb. So would burning a DVD at 2x take 5 hours?

-> DVD 1x is about 1.38MB/s so it takes a little more than 14 minutes to write a full DVD (single layer and one side) at 4x DVD-R or 4x DVD+R speed.

5) Generally you get what you pay for (ie garbage in, garbage out), but there are exceptions.

Can anyone point out these exceptions? From what i've read, there's a lot of debate over which cheap DVDrs work best. I do have an APEX 1100W, which pretty much plays anything (if that even makes a difference).

-> I can recommend one exception: Ritek, that is, if you want media for under $1 (for 2x or 2.4x) or $2 (for 4x).

One more question popped into my head. There's several DVD tutorials on this site, which is the best to follow?

-> Read all. It also takes time to reply and to recommend but it must take so little compared to the time and efforts to write tutorials.

[donpedro]

1x ~ 60 min for full 4.3GB
2x ~ 30 min for full 4.3GB

As far as media ??? It is hard to say... If you go cheap you can get "burned"... I didn't have any problems so far and I bought some cheap media. It depends if you are willing to take risk.

[thxkid]

I can tell only what I have personally seen I bought an HP DVD200i for $288 its a 2.4x +R, I Buy media for $2ea, not a one out of 100 has failed due to the burner, the HP has worked with any programs I have thrown at it, including NERO, Roxio, DVDit, MyDVD, Instant DVD, DVDxCOPY,

My friend Purchased a Pioneer A04, can't get anything to burn past 1x, takes him 50-60 minutes to burn(compared to my 25-30min.) Nero will not work with even upgrading the Pioneer firmware, but everything else seems to work fine.
My brother bought a Pioneer A105, 4x burner, but could not even get the 2x media by fuji or maxell to burn at 2x, Nero errored all the time, DVDxCOPY errored all the time, ended up returning it and will go with the Sony 500a.
While they are pulling their hair out I just keep truckin along burning 4-6 DVD+R's a day, had this burner now for 3 weeks and have burned about 100 DVD's with only 2 failures and that was because the media was defective(somehow I scuffed these 2 discs before I used them).