DVD-RW and DVD+RW 3

[normap]

Can someone tell me the difference and if I have a DVD+RW burner can I use the DVD-RW on it?

Any help would be appreciated

Norma

 

[lesgray]

DVD-R/RW and DVD+R/RW are 2 different competing standards promoted by 2 manufacturer consortiums. DVD-R/RW format is supported by the DVD Forum -

http://www.dvdforum.com/forum.shtml

while the DVD+R/RW formatis supported by the DVD+RW Alliance -

http://www.dvdrw.com/

Most DVD Recordable drives currently being released are compatible with both standards as drive manufacturers are trying to avoid being caught in a VVHS/Betamax situation. However, most older drives are compatible with only one of the standards, so, if you have one of these drives, you have to get the appropriate media for it.

To answer your question, if you have a DVD+R/RW drive, you will NOT be able to use either DVD-R or DVD-RW media in it to record with. You will have to buy the + media.

Les Gray

http://www.creartec.com

 

[dakota81]

The bottom line in this whole format wars is simply who gets the royaltee payments from the manufacturers.

Don't concern yourself over wondering if you are using the "better" format or not; They both get the job done roughly equally, just get what discs your burner will support.

 

[BitFuzzy]

> just get what discs your burner will support

While this is true, you also have to concern yourself with which format your player supports. not all home DVD players are -r/rw & +r/rw compatible .. usually one or the other.

If you have a home player, find out which format(s) it supports, and purchase a burner to meet it.. although for a little more you can get a combo burner that will support both formats, at which point you'll be safe now and in the future.

Just my 2¢

 

[dakota81]

My experience with dvd players & compatibility is just as long as you didn't buy such players like the $39 player from Wal-Mart, it'll be fine with both dvd formats.

 

[lesgray]

Hey dakota81 - don't be so quick on that $39 player from Walmart. I've got one, and it plays DVD-R and DVD-RW, just fine. Also works with DVD+R, leastways on the single one I've tried with it. Don't have any +RW media, so I haven't tried it.

Les Gray

http://www.creartec.com

 

[cdogg]

Fact of the matter is that just about any new DVD player out there right now ($39 or $199) will play either format pretty well.

However, if you have a DVD player that's at least 3 years old, then you'll want to pay more attention to the format that you're using.

This site has received feedback from over 28,000 different DVD player owners on over 3,000 different brands:

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvd

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdplayers.php

There's a good chance you'll find your DVD player in the list, so you can check out which format is best for you. And as BitFuzzy pointed out, it doesn't hurt to spend the extra $30-50 for dual-format burners to get around that problem.

~cdogg
[tab]"All paid jobs absorb and degrade the mind"
[tab][tab]- Aristotle