DVD R- vs. DVD R+

[KidsDoc]

I posted the following in "open talk" forum then realized there's this forum which seems more appropriate.
My search hasn't yealded much to my satisfaction or 2 year old info. TIA.


I'm thinking about buying an external DVD burner with multiformat like the Sony 810 but need to know which format to use for what.

Any word of wisdom on which to use?

I recall reading something about preferrably using R- for video since more DVD machines can read that format and use R+ for saving images cause they're faster to burn.

Also, say you only fill 1/2 the disk, can you take it out of the DVD burner before you finalize it and later on add to the disk? I know theoritaclly one should be able to, but in reality I had lots of problems before with burning CDs but that was a while ago and haven't done much burning in years. Only format I've been using to save is my trusted external HD.

--
Through conscious beings the universe has generated self-awareness

 

[Robert Barnett]

Can't say about the formats. I tend to use -R more as the technology is older and better de-bugged. I do have a double-layer burner but so far have only use DL once and that was for backup.

As for filling half a disc and then adding more later, you can do that it is called a multi-session disc. Just keep in mind that for each session you add you loose a good chunk of space to the house keep of the session information.

You don't say what software you are using, but I use Nero and it is very easy to do multi-session discs with. However, I don't. I just wait until I have enough data to fill the disc and then fill it and finalize it. Not everything likes a multi-session disc especially TV connected DVD players and the like. I tend to stick to the very basic formats and leave the exotic things for people with more time to mess around with trying to get them to work in things.

Robert

 

[anouch]

Hi,

i use both -R and +R as they are on the same level of compatibility on standalone DVD players provided one can read both format (most of them do it now).

However +RW disks seem to be more compatible among players than -RW. They also are easier to use (like VCR cassetes) and don't need to be finalized (a process which takes several minutes for -RW disks).

I agree with Robert (above post) on not doing multisession disks as they also have problems when moving from one brand to another let alone to standalone dvd players.

Doing multisession is also risky for future use if you archive in this way for compatibility reasons.

anouch

 

[Jim T]

I've used +r and -r interchangeably and haven't really seen any difference. I searched around the local Futureshop store last week before I purchased a new supply of dvdr's and found a display that stated that dvd-r were compatible with 100% of set top players and the dvd+r were compatible with 94%. Not sure if this is accurate but since I haven't seen a difference I went with the dvd-r and bought a really cheap double stack of 200 disks for $0.18 per disk. The dvd+r and dvd-r discs were the same price.

Haven't had much experience with RW dvd discs so not sure about the difference. I've been dissappointed with the dual layer discs, the two dvd+r and dvd-r discs I've burned didn't play on any of my set top players. The dual layer discs are also much more expensive.

 

[jeditim]

I agree...I use either DVD R- or R+. Whatever I had. The only concern I have heard with "milti-session" writing is that you have a chance of erasing prior data...it is not as stable.

With the prices of DVD R- + media at less than $0.20 per disk it is safer for me to just burn a new disk.

Tim

 

[M Boyle]

no worries
--
'Beware of the oldman with one gun\camera..He knows how to use it'

 

[M Boyle]

DVD/CDr use a chen process that is senitive to heat and light RW ver use a laser the changes the disc each time and sets it in stone..last longer
--
'Beware of the oldman with one gun\camera..He knows how to use it'

 

[Glenn W.]

The reason why DVD+R is the clear winner these days is... many modern DVD burner allow you to change the 'booktype' of a DVD+R. For maximum compatablity, you can make a DVD+R look as if it's a DVD-ROM. It's my understanding that it's virtualy impossible to do this with a DVD-R disc. My BenQ 1640 ($50 US) offers the ablity to change the booktype of a DVD+R and I always use DVD+R and set the booktype to DVD-ROM.

While I'm slightly less sure on this... leavaing a DVD 'session' open can cause compatiablity issues with some devices. Generaly speaking if you intend to use the disc on the same device you made it on, then it should not be a concern, however if you want maximum compatablity for playing somehtin like movies on a set top DVD player, you really should close the session and not plan on writing to that disk again.

I posted the following in "open talk" forum then realized there's
this forum which seems more appropriate.
My search hasn't yealded much to my satisfaction or 2 year old
info. TIA.
I'm thinking about buying an external DVD burner with multiformat
like the Sony 810 but need to know which format to use for what.

Any word of wisdom on which to use?

I recall reading something about preferrably using R- for video
since more DVD machines can read that format and use R+ for saving
images cause they're faster to burn.

Also, say you only fill 1/2 the disk, can you take it out of the
DVD burner before you finalize it and later on add to the disk? I
know theoritaclly one should be able to, but in reality I had lots
of problems before with burning CDs but that was a while ago and
haven't done much burning in years. Only format I've been using to
save is my trusted external HD.

--
Through conscious beings the universe has generated self-awareness

 

[Glenn W.]

Here's some more details...

http://www.cdfreaks.com/article/150

The reason why DVD+R is the clear winner these days is... many
modern DVD burner allow you to change the 'booktype' of a DVD+R.
For maximum compatablity, you can make a DVD+R look as if it's a
DVD-ROM. It's my understanding that it's virtualy impossible to do
this with a DVD-R disc. My BenQ 1640 ($50 US) offers the ablity to
change the booktype of a DVD+R and I always use DVD+R and set the
booktype to DVD-ROM.

While I'm slightly less sure on this... leavaing a DVD 'session'
open can cause compatiablity issues with some devices. Generaly
speaking if you intend to use the disc on the same device you made
it on, then it should not be a concern, however if you want maximum
compatablity for playing somehtin like movies on a set top DVD
player, you really should close the session and not plan on writing
to that disk again.

 

[technicsplayer.]

maybe it's a geographical thing but I've never found the booktype to be of any use. My 1st generation laptop DVD roms and 1st generation set top dvd players did not read +R but did read -R. My 1st generation burner was -R and I never had any compatability problems with many pcs and players.

Nowadays its pretty immaterial since any drives of the last couple of years will read both with no problem. I use +R for data and still use -R for movie dvds and don't have any compatability problems.

 

[Arthur S.86133]

I usually use +R, and burn it as -ROM.

You may consider buying a NEC ND-3550A, and unofficially "upgrade" it to ND-4551A, then you'll have a DVD writer which supports + -R, + -RW, -RAM, Labelflash, DiscT@2.

Arthur S.

 

[Glenn W.]

You may very well be correct about the changing the booktype to DVD-ROM not doing much on some players. I can not honestly say I've ever seen this solve some compatablity issue, I was largely going by what I've read on the matter...

My own personal experiance is that I dont' have compatablity issues with DVD+R... It's basicly all I use, even before starting to set the book type. But then I bought my first set top DVD player in 2005. And my Sony Playstation II which was bought in 2002 or something like that also plays virtualy any DVD. So, my experiance is within the bounds that it doesnt' really matter since I have only used modern DVD players...

maybe it's a geographical thing but I've never found the booktype
to be of any use. My 1st generation laptop DVD roms and 1st
generation set top dvd players did not read +R but did read -R. My
1st generation burner was -R and I never had any compatability
problems with many pcs and players.

Nowadays its pretty immaterial since any drives of the last couple
of years will read both with no problem. I use +R for data and
still use -R for movie dvds and don't have any compatability
problems.