DVD-R/DVD+R & DVD-RW/DVD+RW differences??

[metalhedplate]

Hi every1, quick question which is probably very easy but didn't find it here on a search. What are the dfferences between DVD-R and DVD+R? Also what are the differences between DVD-RW and DVD+RW? I know what the R and RW mean, but the + and - signs before them is the questionable part. I see + and - made by smae manufacture, same quantity etc. in stores but usually the DVD-R/DVD-RW is slightky more expensive (usually like $2 OR $3 more). Thanx


P.S. Also a side question. What app does every1 use to make screenshots? I know how to post images, etc. but to make the screenshots?

[VIPER_1069]

ok this article is taken from dvd+r digest

here > http://www.dvdr-digest.com/articles/...d=4&mode=print

all credits are to :- Honda Shing, CTO of Intervideo

for this article that explains the differences in standards of dvd blank media's

********************************
Don't Be Stumped By DVD Standards
Author: Honda Shing, CTO of Intervideo
Last Updated: Mar 05, 2002


DVD is the hottest thing to hit consumers, well, ever. Consumers are snatching up DVD movies like "Shrek" in record numbers, and even moribund TV series like "Twin Peaks" and "M*A*S*H" are finding new life as DVDs. Home DVD players are selling at a faster rate than the radio, Internet or even television was adopted. Virtually all new computers come with a DVD drive allowing tens of millions of consumers the ability to play DVDs on a computer. But the biggest change is yet to come. 2002 is the year a number of manufacturers have, or will, release DVD burners, allowing consumers the ability to make their own DVDs with a computer for the first time ever. However, intrepid DVD creators should proceed with caution. DVD is a new technology and not all devices support the same standard. In fact, there are a number of competing formats for making your own DVDs making it possible that the DVD you create on your computer may not play in your living room. This article will arm you with the information you need to know to keep that from happening. But pay close attention, in a moment the acronyms are going to start flying around like a box of nails caught in a tornado.

The easiest way to understand the subtleties of DVD technology is to divide the discussion into 3 parts: application formats, writable formats and DVD drives.

Let's begin with application formats. The good news is that every DVD movie that you buy or rent is in a single application format called DVD-Video. All DVD players and DVD drives can play DVD-Video. Now the bad news, you might create your own DVD-Video movie and it might not play in your DVD player. Sounds odd, doesn't it? Let's move on to writable formats. Although DVD disks look like CDs, they are not the same thing. The biggest difference is that a DVD can hold much more information than a CD. Most CDs hold 650 or 700 megabytes of data, movies or music. Most DVDs hold 4.7 gigabytes, or about 7 times more information than a CD. This extra capacity allows entire Hollywood movies to fit on a single disk. If you want to create your own DVD movie, you will need to get a writable version of one of these DVD disks. This is where it starts to get complicated.

Imagine if there were 5 different kinds of VHS tapes and they all looked identical but were not that is basically where the DVD standards world is right now. There are essentially 5 versions of writable DVD that you need to understand. They are: DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD+R. The distinctions are actually based on how the data is written to and read from the disk, and this differentiation is difficult to translate to the physical world, however one example might be language.

Imagine if the entire world agreed on a single language for all written documents, say English. In the United States we would continue to create English documents and books in which one reads left to right. But another country might prefer to write and read English right to left. And yet another, top to bottom, and so on until the effect became that although all documents were created in a single language, it would be very difficult for a person from one country to read a document from another country. DVD recording is in a similar state of confusion. DVD is such a nascent technology that these issues have yet to work themselves out, so you have no choice other than understanding them all. One easy way to think about the formats is as 5 completely different kinds of DVD disks.

First, let's divide the formats up. The first thing to note is that DVD-R and DVD+R disks can only be recorded once. You only get one chance to record your DVD movie to this kind of disk It's like pouring cement, once it is done you'll need to destroy it to change it. Further, DVD-R discs come in 2 types: DVD-R(A), for "authoring," and DVD-R(G), for "general." Both DVD-R and DVD+R discs will play in most DVD players, even older ones. So if you put your movie on this kind of disk there is a high probability that it will play in your living room. However, DVD-R(A) drives can not record to DVD-R(G) disks, and vice versa.

There are also DVD formats that can be recorded more than once. DVD+RW, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM disks can all be recorded thousands of times. If you don' t like how your DVD movie turns out, you can record a new version right on the same disk. These disks are more like painting a wall, if you don't like the color you just put on a new coat.

Each of these rewritable formats are a little different. DVD-RAM, for instance, was created for storage of computer data like backing up your hard drive. If you want to get a DVD writer to back up computer data, DVD-RAM is a solid option. However, if you plan to make your own DVD movies, one of the other formats may be better suited for that activity. Most DVD players can't play DVD-RAM disks.

The DVD-RW and DVD+RW formats are both good for making DVD movies but are essentially engaged in a Beta versus VHS-type battle. The consumer market will ultimately determine which format wins or they end up combining into a single standard, but it is important to understand that neither is yet a universal standard. Another thing to note is that many DVD players won't play any kind of rewritable disk. Most of the newer players will play these kinds of disks, but if you have an older DVD player it may not. In general, the newer your DVD player, the more likely it is to play all the recordable formats. There are web sites like Apple.com, HomeMovie.com and DVDplusRW.org that list compatible players and formats, but these are not unabridged resources either. Use them as a general guide.

That covers the basic DVD writable formats, the last point of concern is the DVD drive itself. This is the part of your computer that will actually record your data or movie onto the DVD disc. Thankfully, if you have made it this far you are almost home. The different types of DVD drives basically break down into the same formats as the DVD writable formats. Therefore, there are DVD-RAM drives, DVD-R drives etc. on down the line. It is also increasingly likely that DVD burners will come with the ability to record to more than one format, for example a manufacturer may offer a DVD+R/RW drive meaning that it can record both DVD+R and DVD+RW discs. When considering DVD media (the actual silver discs) and DVD burners, make sure that both the discs and drive are the same format.


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hope this is of use to many


maby we could make this a sticky admin !?

[metalhedplate]

Originally Posted by VIPER_1069

ok this article is taken from dvd+r digest

here > http://www.dvdr-digest.com/articles/...d=4&mode=print

all credits are to :- Honda Shing, CTO of Intervideo

for this article that explains the differences in standards of dvd blank media's




hope this is of use to many


maby we could make this a sticky admin !?

Thanks viper. always coming through in a pinch. and stickifying this is a great idea.

[VIPER_1069]

all in a days work metalhedplate

lol anyhow i gotta do something to keep my 8.34 posts per day average up bud lol

glad to help

[metalhedplate]

Originally Posted by VIPER_1069

all in a days work metalhedplate

lol anyhow i gotta do something to keep my 8.34 posts per day average up bud lol

glad to help

lol. BTW do U know how to make screenshots? I know how to tag and post img's but how do people take the screenshot??

[The-poacher]

get what U want on screen hit "Prt Sc"

Paste into a picture proggy (I use Paint Shop)
Edit to your liking
Save as jpeg

then insert as before into your post.

[metalhedplate]

Originally Posted by The-poacher

get what U want on screen hit "Prt Sc"

Paste into a picture proggy (I use Paint Shop)
Edit to your liking
Save as jpeg

then insert as before into your post.

Thank you kindly god sir. I will try it .

[briandavison]

The information is veryinteresteing but how do we choose? At presetn we can use either. I've read somewhere that DVD -R is a bit mor erliable for movies to be played in the lounge. What about data backup and longevity of discs produced? I've also seen something about +R storing less data

can anyone list the differences, merits and demerits of each format in terms of practical application - ie which to choose for what use and why?

[AZImmortal]

dvd+r offers a few advantages over dvd-r without having any disadvantages (when dealing strictly with the technical aspects of the formats themselves):
1) base recording speed of 2.4x, whereas with dvd-r u may have discs that can only burn at 1x or 2x
2) lossless linking
3) support for DVD+MRW
4) certain dvd+r writers allow changing of the booktype of the dvd+rs that it writes to "DVD-ROM," essentially making the disc identify itself as a pressed dvd; there are some dvd players that have the hardware capability to play recordable dvds but will refuse to play them if they're identified as so

the non-technical drawbacks are that:
1) dvd-r is slightly more compatible with hardware devices than dvd+r, which is rapidly becoming a non-issue as hardware manufacturers support both formats; being able to change booktype from dvd+r to dvd-rom also levels things a bit
2) dvd+r is slightly more expensive than dvd-r (which will probably change as well)

[toyospares]

>the non-technical drawbacks are that:
>1) dvd-r is slightly more compatible with hardware devices than dvd+r

That's what I thought as well but I have found this on several sites around the net -

Both DVD+R/+RW and DVD-R/-RW recorders and drives are compatible with most existing DVD players and DVD-ROM drives. But there are differences. Here’s the compatibility data from independent test by IntelliKey Labs
DVD+R DVD-R DVD+RW DVD-RW
95.7% 85.3% 79.3% 76.1%


With regard to media sales I also came across this -

In media sales, NPD Group data shows that Plus format media has gone from two percent of the market in July 2001 to 41 percent in July 2002 to 55 percent in July 2003. Meanwhile Dash media has gone from 71 percent of the market in July 2001 to 53 percent in July 2002 and 44 percent in July 2003. RAM has gone from 27 percent in July 2001 to about one percent.



Hmmm.....



Anyway, has any one seen a report on total sales of DVD media? i.e. I saw a report a year or so ago that said that x billion recordable CDs had be shipped out of Taiwan during the last x period. Any one seen similar for DVD media?

Toyo

[girovend]

I always thought that DVD-R was more compatible than DVD+R,
now after reading the post above I'm not so sure,

Anyway I had another question to ask,
does changing the booktype on DVD+R to DVDrom make it the most
compatible format available,if it makes the disk look like a pressed disc
then I'm guessing it does

[zver]

AZImmortal;Thanks a lot.
You explained it better in few sentences then that moron on whole page

[VIPER_1069]

Originally Posted by zver

in few sentences then that moron on whole page

i really hope ZVER that isnt a reference to me !? lol i didnt write the article i just brought it here as its an in-depth and detailed description of the formats

[states79]

hi all a question how do you copy from + to - discs from discs that have already been burnt. can you or cant you i have been told you can an cant as i cant get my computer to do them i have 2 dvd lg hl-dt-st dvdram gsa-4163b burners pls help

[Duracell]

use DVD Decrypter to create an ISO image, then burn it down to the -R disc;

Greetings from
Duracell