DVD Media for which usage? (DVD+-R) *UPDATE*

[b4u]

About the Media:

Which media should I use for the following purposes? (DVD-R, DVD+R, ...)

1# Burn files and access them, like we're all used to do with CDR

2# Burn DVD movies (home movies I'll firewire into my pc) to playback on living room DVD-Player

(I assume that +RW and -RW are "equal" to the +R and -R, except they are re-writable)

Another question: A drive says it' burn DVD-+R at 16x ... I buy some media at 1x-4x ... so what's up? No 16x media yet? Will I be able to burn at 10x? Will it be prone to errors? How can I check if the result is error free? Will I be safer to burn at 4x?


<edit>
Added question:

I'm looking into a Plextor PX-716A package. I've installed it on my computer, it's an IDE drive, and I've installed on the same 40-pin ribbon cable where I have a regular DVD-ROM.

Restarted the PC, and all went fine, no driver needed on Windows XP. Detected successfully.

Now looking more carefull into the package, I found the drive came with a 80-pin IDE ribbon cable ... I thought that maybe I would have to connect it with a 80-pin to get better performance, so first of all I opened the manual to check for some info.

The manual says: "To connect the DVD recorder, you will need the following cables ... bla bla bla ... power connector ... bla bla bla ... One E-IDE cable (40-pin flat ribbon cable) to connect the device to your motherboard or to your E-IDE card"

That just confused me ... They send an 80-pin for a 40-pin requirement? Will I get any performance increase installing a 80-pin?

I have an 80-pin cable connectiong my hard drive. I supposed that 80-pin matters on disk drives because of transfer speeds, but I would need a refresh to my brain, since I don't work with this matter for a couple of years ...
</edit>


Thanks.

 

[NightCrawler]

I use +R's and +RW's, don't even bother with minus.


They were useful when they were cheaper but now it's all about the plus, besides my DVD player plays + without problems.

Tips:

1. Burn data at 4x
2. Use good quality media

 

[Big Lar]

You need to buy media that will burn 16x in order to get that performance.

 

[Kogan]

Typically, -R media is compatable with more devices (older dvd players, xboxes, ps2's), so I use it. It all depends on what you need to use it with though. If your dvd player plays one type and not the other, then you'll know what you should use. If it plays both, then it doesn't really matter.

Just be sure to get some high quality media - lots of companies out there make no-good dvd-r and +r media. I usually buy Ritek dvd-r. Verbatim and prodisc are supposed to be good dvd-r brands too.

And to check the quality of your burn, just have your burning program verify the data after it has been written. If it works every time, then you've got some good media for your burner. And if you've burnt a dvd movie, just play it in your dvd player - if it gives you problems, then try a lower speed or different media.

I'm not up to date on media speeds, but I've used a lot of 8x ritek dvd-r media with no problems burning at 8x (some people even burn it at 12x with hacked drive firmware). I think that's currently the highest speed you can buy for dvd-r.

Check http://www.allmediaoutlet.com/ for some pretty good prices on media.

 

[b4u]

* bump * just edited main question, to add another one ... thanks

 

[Markfw]

I just had to buy another dvd player, as the +R's wouldn't work all the time on my 9 month old DVD player. I had to get a Sony, since it was the only one listed that was rated for +R

 

[Kogan]

It should work fine with either the 40 or 80 conductor cables. I think with using a 40 conductor cable, your transfer speeds are limited to 33mb/s, but when burning at 16x, you only need around 22mb/s. If it's not much of a pain, I'd install the 80 condutor cable anyway just in case They probably sent you the 80 conductor cable just because they're more common and cheaper now.

 

[Big Lar]

As to the edit, whenever possible, Always use an 80 pin connector, it promotes better data transfer.
Also, the better the media, the longer the media lasts once burned to. I use Tayio Yuden, and Will Not use anything else.

 

[b4u]

Originally posted by: Big Lar
As to the edit, whenever possible, Always use an 80 pin connector, it promotes better data transfer.
Also, the better the media, the longer the media lasts once burned to. I use Tayio Yuden, and Will Not use anything else.

Better data transfer? You mean better quality in doing so? I always thought 40-pin vs 80-pin only had to do with data transfer speed, and not with quality by itself.

About media, I have some Memorex 1x-4x media ... everyone talks about Verbatin, Tayio Yuden, and even Ritek. From all media you describe, Verbatin is the easiest to find on my local shops, together with TDK (sometimes sold out), but all at a higher price. Anyone knows/has any bad experience with Memorex, or know something about them?

Thanks

 

[LTC8K6]

If the drives are UDMA 2 or slower, a 40 conductor cable will be fine. Any drive that is UDMA 3 or faster should always have the 80 conductor IDE cable to eliminate crosstalk between the wires. Most motherboards will actually warn you and restrict the drive to UDMA 2 if you don't use the 80 conductor cable.

The mobo knows you don't have the high speed cable because the cable has a ground wire for each data wire and if pin 34 is not grounded, then you don't have a high speed cable.

It's 80 conductor, not 80 pin. If it were 80 pins, how would you get it to fit in the 40 pin connector on the mobo?

 

[gsellis]

Although folks will say +R is better for data, I have never seen an issue where it mattered.

-R is better for set top compatibility, but there are always exceptions. Some sets tend to +R (Phillips). I know of a Panasonic that pukes on +R as DVD-ROM and -R. That is why I include the disclaimer that some sets may not play the media while a newer inexpensive DVD player will.

BTW, the PS/2 is a crap shoot. Go to Videohelp and search players for "Sony" and "Playstation". Find the user The Ghost in the user comments (reported Sept 29, 2002 in the 51-75 post range.) A list based on versions to that date and what they support. First Gen PS/2's had some 'interesting' compatibility issues. Link for the lazy, but still requires some work

 

[Zepper]

+ R is for performance, - R is for compaibility - unless your burner is capable of twiddling the book type bits. Generally the slower the burn, the better the final product - I try to burn at least one step down from the maximum rating of the media. Some burners can burn some media at above their maximum ratings - do that at your own risk. Usually the faster you burn, the more errors and noise and the longevity of the final product may leave something to be desired...
. Note that the ATA interface on the 716A is 66 MB/sec so the 80 wire cable is required for best performance - though the interface is probably backwards compatible with 33MB/sec and slower and the true capability of the drive is about half of that.
. ALL IDE cables are 40-PIN - some are 40-conductor/wire (up to 33 MB/sec) and the newer are 80-conductor/wire (up to 133MB/sec). I use ONLY 40-pin/80-wire cables now.
.bh.

 

[KarenMarie]

Hello all...

didn't want to start a new thread on this, since there already is at least one... so I figured i would ressurect this one...

I would like to ask what "white printable" or "CENTRAL HUB INKJET WHITE" are. Are they just normal DVD that allow one to print on them? Is there any difference in quality or preformance?

example

example

Thanks so much,
KarenMarie

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: KarenMarie
Hello all...

didn't want to start a new thread on this, since there already is at least one... so I figured i would ressurect this one...

I would like to ask what "white printable" or "CENTRAL HUB INKJET WHITE" are. Are they just normal DVD that allow one to print on them? Is there any difference in quality or preformance?

example

example

Thanks so much,
KarenMarie

The first are white with about 40mm not white in the hub. The second (I recommend them as I use them) have 23mm in the center that is not white. The hub printable look more professional as the label covers more of the DVD. The negative is that they use more ink So, imagine the printable area almost all the way to the spindle hole and you have a 'hub printable' disc.

 

[KarenMarie]

Thanks for the reply gsellis...

I am not interested in printing anything on them... I am basically just wondering if the only difference in these type of DVDs disks is that they are for printing while the rest of them just show all metal...??

There is no difference in preformance, right!

Again, thanks!

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: KarenMarie
Thanks for the reply gsellis...

I am not interested in printing anything on them... I am basically just wondering if the only difference in these type of DVDs disks is that they are for printing while the rest of them just show all metal...??

There is no difference in preformance, right!

Again, thanks!

Right. No performance difference. Just all white on the unshiny side. No grid lines, but the clear hub shows through a little like a t-shirt in the rain. Well, not THAT much, but you can see the ghost of the hub. Around the hole on the hub printable, there is a small clear area that is about two nickel edges wide.