dvd-r or dvd+r

[gottaluvlasers]

to record movies. dvd-r or dvd+r???

i always thought DVD+R....but i have been having some mixed results lately. then i heard-

NO, you should be using DVD-R's!!!

which one is it? any ideas?

-Marc

[carmangary]

For what it is worth, my first DVD player would only play DVD-Rs. I think my current one will read both, though.

[Stuka]

Back in the "old days" (a few years ago in computer-ese!), the DVD-R seemed to be more universally playble in stand-alone DVD players, DVD-ROM drives, etc. Since then, I've just stuck with the DVD-R format, and seem to generally have few problems. Plus, the DVD-R's are on sale a lot at the big box stores!!

[platinum]

DVD+R is, in my experience, far more compatible in set-top boxes and computers alike.

Additionally, I've had a few friends that had problems with DVD-R and then no problems with +R.

My .02.


-Jonathan

[frank_1257]

to record movies. dvd-r or dvd+r???

i always thought DVD+R....but i have been having some mixed results lately. then i heard-

NO, you should be using DVD-R's!!!

which one is it? any ideas?

-Marc

- media will not supposedly play in any standard home dvd player so if you make on a pc and take to a friends house to show on a deck supposedly no dice, there may be a slow evolution in cross compatibility and newer home decks are possibly compatible I will stick to plus media to be safe

[Stuka]

My best experience with home DVD players has actually been with the DVD - R media, but NOT the RW media!

I think, in reality, most of the newer DVD decks are a lot more compatible with more disc formats, and in fact many of them will now support virtually every format out there.

My advice - try a couple of each in the decks you're most likely to be using, then buy a 50-pack of the ones on sale!

[White-Light]

I've tried both as they always said use DVD R+ for films. That said, I've had problems with picture aberations and drop outs with R+ wheneever I've tried it, so much so I threw the R+ discs out.

I always use R- therefore and I've never had any problems whatsoever, in fact I've always found the picture and sound perfect.

My advice, use DVD-R.

[gottaluvlasers]

thanks everyone. i am going to try the -R's tonight. i have been having some issues as of late with the +R's. and i know my DVD players can read all formats. i think the -R's just get recorded better for some reason.

-Marc

[Stuka]

thanks everyone. i am going to try the -R's tonight. i have been having some issues as of late with the +R's. and i know my DVD players can read all formats. i think the -R's just get recorded better for some reason.

-Marc

One more recommendation -

Use NAME BRAND discs! I find out the hard way that all DVD -R are not created equal!

I''ve generally had pretty good luck with Sony, TDK, Maxell, etc.

By the way....
damn, that laser is bright!!!

[frank_1257]

I having ran a computer store for 15 years, have burned more than a few disks.

I have found early on that when players did not originally have AGC gain controls that your media that is coated in the high reflectivity platinum colors always seems to work most reliably in any format be it cd dvd etc.

I think that the colored dyes are cheaper to produce and they might even look really cool but they simply do not reflect the laser as well.

When it gets down to having a mildly scratched or contaminated piece of media, these less reflective coatings are always more problematic.

I am not sure how well dyes are becoming standardized in the production of newer disc media but sticking away from these less ( artsy colored or even gold) reflective coatings has saved me much grief.

Here's a thought if you really want an acid test I believe Nero produces some free programs that let you burn a test disk and then to subsequently read it and check for errors.

Unless someone contradicts me with good evidence I regularly use DVD Copy 123 to produce back ups of DVD's to watch them at my own leisure after renting them. I burn them on a 16x HP lightscribe and the only media I have found that will play back with 100% certainty on any player is the +RW I have not really played with the + or - R only (ROM) media. -RW media has never ever played back successfully on a component stereo dvd for me at any friends.