DVD Recorders!!! Questions..im a nub :D

[LikeLinus]

What's the difference between the two formats? I know there is DVD-R/RW and then there is DVD+R/+RW. What in the heck is the difference? Which one do you think will become the standard? Does one play better in any DVD player? Any restrictions or bad things about one or the other?

I'm looking to pick one up maybe for christmas now that they are going to be down in price, but i'm just so not sure what to buy

Help me!!

 

[Muadib]

The ones comming out now cover both bases checkout this Sony drive.

 

[Speedy3D!]

A nub? Heh, I think you mean newbie, or as the cool kids type it a n00b.

Anyway, right now I believe that it stands that DVD-R is arguably the better format as it is compatible with more than DVD+RW. It has also been out longer as Pioneer has made some really nice drives that burn it.

On the other hand it seems that most of the companies (except Pioneer and maybe a couple others) are going with DVD+RW.

 

[LikeLinus]

Yuck, I'll never buy another sony product other than a Trinitron again. Their CS is crap - as most of their stuff is

<<A nub? Heh, I think you mean newbie, or as the cool kids type it a n00b.>>

Nope i meant nub. Don't play CS much do you? nub=noob=newbie. It's all the same thing.

<<Anyway, right now I believe that it stands that DVD-R is arguably the better format as it is compatible with more than CD+RW. It has also been out longer as Pioneer has made some really nice drives that burn it.

On the other hand it seems that most of the companies (except Pioneer and maybe a couple others) are going with CD+RW. >>

Um how exactly did CD+RW get thrown into this? Do you mean DVD+RW?

Ok that didnt help at all. Can anyone give any real insite as to which will most likely become standard, and which is the better format and why? Maybe some links?

 

[masteraleph]

A brief summary:

"-" is an older format, "+" is slightly newer. + seems to be slightly (but only slightly) more compatible with settop DVD players. They're both supported by their own group of major companies, "-" is also supported by Apple. "+" is designed to be slightly faster as well. They both have a limit of 4.37 GB (4.7 billion bytes)...so if you were thinking of doing anything illegal (like copying DVDs), then I can tell you you couldn't do it easily (as most commercial DVDs are Dual layer, meaning 9.4 billion bytes max size). Both support double sided format, but neither supports dual layer burning.

Overall, if you're buying one, I'd probably suggest "+". But that's just me.

 

[InsaneMorphius]

Hey there bro,

Long time no see Anyhow, please check the following site as it will most likely answer ALL of your questions

Click Here !!!

 

[Bovinicus]

Hopefully the standard will become drives that can use either kind of format. If not though, I am guessing the "+" version will become the standard because it is a little newer. In addition, the slight psychological factor of the "+" being better than "-" to a user that knows nothing may have more of an impact than one might think. For now, the only safe bet is to buy a drive that supports both formats.

 

[LikeLinus]

InsaneMorphius - long time indeed! Hope things are going well for you. I got to VCDhelp sometimes, but i didnt even think about looking at the site for DVD Recorder definition or anything

masteraleph - no it's definately not for DVD copying. I want it for backup reasons. Currently i have dual 80GB in my server (along with the OS being 18.2GB SCSI). Then my machine has SCSI 36.4 and 18.2GB. With all this storage it'd be just cheaper in the longrun to backup to DVD. All of my work is done on the computer and it'd be a great way to catalog work and stuff. Plus i could make ghost images for my 3 machines and laptop all on one DVD Stuff like that just makes it fun.

Hey i like new toys, what can i say Ok i'll check out the + or a drive that supports both. Does anyone other than Sony make a dual support drive?

Bovinicus - thanks for the info. definately have to check out a drive that supports both.

 

[LikeLinus]

NEC ND-1100 & Sony DRU500A are the only Dual players on the market right now. Answered my own damn question

 

[chiron]

Personally, I'd recommend Panasonic DVD-RAM/R drives - they're the only ones that'll *cough*copy*cough* i mean, back up, Playstation, Playstation2, and XBox cds, cos it'll read the sub-code text

.....Not that I'm into that kinda thing, of course Just my knowledge on the subject

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Originally posted by: chiron
Personally, I'd recommend Panasonic DVD-RAM/R drives - they're the only ones that'll *cough*copy*cough* i mean, back up, Playstation, Playstation2, and XBox cds, cos it'll read the sub-code text

.....Not that I'm into that kinda thing, of course Just my knowledge on the subject

Where did you here that?

 

[Shagga]

Originally posted by: chiron
Personally, I'd recommend Panasonic DVD-RAM/R drives - they're the only ones that'll *cough*copy*cough* i mean, back up, Playstation, Playstation2, and XBox cds, cos it'll read the sub-code text

.....Not that I'm into that kinda thing, of course Just my knowledge on the subject

I don't know if thats strictly true, but of course I could be wrong!

DVD-RAM Drives I think are the only ones that you can buy 9GB media for I think. Therefore making it easier to "Backup" DVD movies which are on the DVD9 format.

I have a Sony DRU-120A DVD+r/+RW drive and it works really well.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

DVD-RAM Drives I think are the only ones that you can buy 9GB media for I think. Therefore making it easier to "Backup" DVD movies which are on the DVD9 format

DVD-RAM is only good for data backup. Backing up movies on it is kinda useless since there are very very very few players that will play it. Its also only playable on dvd-ram drives so you can't just shove it in your friends dvd-rom drive.

 

[InsaneMorphius]

A-Virge is correct!

Try shoving a DVD-RAM disk into a set-top player and just see what happens LOLOL

Linus,

If you have other questions please PM or email me and I'll be glad to help you

 

[Shagga]

Originally posted by: Antisocial-Virge

DVD-RAM Drives I think are the only ones that you can buy 9GB media for I think. Therefore making it easier to "Backup" DVD movies which are on the DVD9 format

DVD-RAM is only good for data backup. Backing up movies on it is kinda useless since there are very very very few players that will play it. Its also only playable on dvd-ram drives so you can't just shove it in your friends dvd-rom drive.

Yeah sorry. that is correct...my bad...

 

[dszd0g]

Originally posted by: LikeLinus01

Ok that didnt help at all. Can anyone give any real insite as to which will most likely become standard, and which is the better format and why? Maybe some links?

I have a nice crystal ball for sale. You are asking for people to predict the future, you realize that don't you? There is no way with the current market to do anything other than guess. You can go with one or the other and have a 50/50 chance of being right. Or you can go with one of the many dual standard drives that have/are coming out.

Oh, and it never hurts to check the FAQs.

 

[lastig21]

I have never used +, just - . I haven't found a set top player that cannot read a dvd-r or a pioneer dvd-rw disc yet. Both types of discs work just fine in my xbox as well. I have "heard" that dvd+r/rw is a better format as far as speed and logical burning of data, but dvd-r/rw works just fine for me. I recently just ordered another dvd-r/rw drive because of the cheaper prices (both for the hardware and the media).

 

[randomlinh]

i got a dvd-r becuase media is currently cheaper, and the drive was cheap

 

[chiron]

Originally posted by: Antisocial-Virge

Originally posted by: chiron
Personally, I'd recommend Panasonic DVD-RAM/R drives - they're the only ones that'll *cough*copy*cough* i mean, back up, Playstation, Playstation2, and XBox cds, cos it'll read the sub-code text

.....Not that I'm into that kinda thing, of course Just my knowledge on the subject

Where did you here that?

Trust me
I work for an IT distributor for Panasonic. Go read the DVD hacker sites (none come to mind atm) The Panasonic ones are the ones needed to read the sub-code text

 

[Antisocial Virge]

Originally posted by: chiron

Originally posted by: Antisocial-Virge

Originally posted by: chiron
Personally, I'd recommend Panasonic DVD-RAM/R drives - they're the only ones that'll *cough*copy*cough* i mean, back up, Playstation, Playstation2, and XBox cds, cos it'll read the sub-code text

.....Not that I'm into that kinda thing, of course Just my knowledge on the subject

Where did you here that?

Trust me
I work for an IT distributor for Panasonic. Go read the DVD hacker sites (none come to mind atm) The Panasonic ones are the ones needed to read the sub-code text

Well I have read where lots of people have backed up PS2 games without that specific burner. Playstation games are not even DVD so I don't see where they would even need a dvd burner anyways.

 

[LikeLinus]

I have a nice crystal ball for sale. You are asking for people to predict the future, you realize that don't you?

Sorry guys. I didn't realize you all couldn't predict the future. Please forgive my ignorance and continue on with your lives.

Moving on....

Thanks everyone for the great input. You guys (for the most part) rock as usual and we're very helpful. Exactly what this community is supposed to be about.

I just don't care for sony or i'd buy that mixed drive in a second. :/ Not too sure about NEC products, kinda surprised they are still around I might just get the A05 when it comes out soon. Can anyone whip out their crystal ball and let me know when it comes out?

 

[InsaneMorphius]

Linus,

Supposed to be this month sometime

 

[LikeLinus]

InsaneMorphius - don't happen to do tarot cards also do you Much appreciated my good man. Sounds like a good drive. Still tempted at the +RW.....hmm decisions decisions.

 

[InsaneMorphius]

Linus,

Your more than welcome. I personally have two Pioneer drives, an A04 and a 104, you will not be disappointed. I'll be selling one off shortly so I can get the A05 myself. BTW, I also have not found a DVD player that could not read the DVD's I make.

Good luck with your decision!

 

[Eug]

The ones comming out now cover both bases checkout this Sony drive.

I'd wait and see a bit. There have been some issues with that drive. One relates to incompatible Verbatim DVD-R media, although it seems to have been corrected by Verbatim. Another may be software related - Nero only just got updated today, and that may solve some burning issues with that drive. I'd wait a couple of weeks and see how everything pans out. In any case by then, maybe the new Pioneer A05 and the new Panasonic LF-D521 (DVD-R/-RW/-RAM) might be released too. The reason I'm not so enamoured with the Sony besides the compatibility issues is because DVD-R/-RW basically does the same thing as +R/+RW. With the Sony drive I think the DVD-R 4X support is far more important than the dual format support. Whether that 4X support is worth the price premium is up to you.

DVD-RAM Drives I think are the only ones that you can buy 9GB media for I think.

Well the 9.4 GB media is double-sided. To use the other side, you have to flip the disc over. (Nonetheless I like these discs because it saves physical space.) Also, 9.4 GB double-sided DVD-R also exists, although it costs more than two 4.7 GB DVD-R discs. Anyways, the bottom line is that you can't directly backup dual layer commercial DVDs on any DVD recordable format.

DVD-RAM is only good for data backup.

Yes, it's very good for data backup. Windows XP recognizes it natively - and basically treats it like a 4.3 GB floppy with FAT32 support. This is not true for either +RW or DVD-RW.

Its also only playable on dvd-ram drives so you can't just shove it in your friends dvd-rom drive.

Mostly true, but not completely. My Toshiba SD-M1612 DVD-ROM drive (which cost me about $50 a few months back) reads DVD-RAM. (I've tried it in both Win NT and XP.)

BTW, I also have not found a DVD player that could not read the DVD's I make.

It seems that DVD-R compatibility is in the 70-90% range (depending on what you read), and DVD-RW compatibility is in the 50-70% range. The numbers for +R and +RW are similar, respectively.

"+" is designed to be slightly faster as well.

Well, +RW is right now faster than -RW. However, the Sony drive (and upcoming Pioneer) supports 4X DVD-R which is faster than the 2.4X +R. Thus, + and - are both faster and slower than each other. Caveat: 4X DVD-R media won't be out for another month or so, and it will be $$$.

By the way, that FAQ that dszd0g was talking about was just updated recently.