What's the Difference between DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM?
Dave, I have just installed a new DVD burner in my computer (a Pioneer DVD-RW
DVR-105 internal drive) and am trying to figure out what kind of blank disks
I should be using. There are apparently five different blank DVD formats. Do
I want DVD-R? DVD-RW? or ??
Also, if I just want to burn lots of data onto a DVD disk, can I use my Roxio Toast Titanium to do so, or do I need to use a
special DVD-friendly app like iDVD?
Dave's Answer:
Well, there are really only two "families" of DVD at the moment (unless you
want to count the red laser vs. blue laser stuff that's starting to come on
to the market at the high end), and one "outcast". You've got the "minus" ("-")
formats (DVD-R, DVD-RW) and the "plus" ("+") formats (DVD+R, DVD+RW), then there's the older DVD-RAM format that's harder to find these days. All of these
are for data, of course -- all but the newest DVD video players will choke on
those, in the same way early CD players choked on CD-R discs.
A DVD-R is a write-once format: once you've burned the data onto that DVD platter, the disk is forever frozen with that information. Add the "W" to that, and you'll find that DVD-RW can be erased or rewritten up to a thousand times. Seems kinda weird, but if you can do so, DVD-RW obviously has significant advantages over DVD-R. DVD-RAM was even more flexible, however, since it let you erase and rewrite sections of an existing DVD, something that you cannot do with DVD-RW.
Moving to the plus side is where things get a bit confusing, because DVD+RW came before DVD+R. The plus formats have the same data storage capacity as the minus formats (4.7GB), but DVD+RW offers faster writing, better internal linking (a technical obscurity you don't have to worry about), and support for drag-and-drop desktop files, which makes it easy to compose the contents of a disk. DVD+R is a write-once format intended to be more compatible with more DVD players, though at this point it seems to be about even with DVD-R, which remains the most compatible computer-burned DVD format.
In your case, since your drive is a DVD-RW, you're effectively limited to
DVD-R and DVD-RW format discs. Stay away from any of the "plus" formats, as
those won't work with your drive (and being newer, they cost more
anyway). As to whether you want to use DVD-R or DVD-RW, that depends on
what you want to use them for. DVD-R is a write-once format, just like
CD-R, and you can't erase the data once it's written. DVD-RW is
rewritable, so you can use it somewhat like a 4.7GB floppy disc, for all intents
and purposes. In general, I suggest that you use DVD-R for archival purposes -- stuff that
isn't going to change, and DVD-RW for more fluid data. DVD-RW discs are
more expensive than DVD-R discs, so that may also influence your decision.
How do you confirm what format your drive works with? One way, if you're on a Mac, is to use the System Profiler application. You'll find this useful utility in Applications -> Utilities. Launch it, then click on the "ATA" item on the list. If you have an internal DVD burner, you'll see something like what I get: "PIONEER DVD-RW DVD-106D". If it's an external DVD drive, you might find it in SCSI, USB or FireWire, depending on how you hook it up.
As far as your second question, your data-burning application definitely has to be aware of the DVD format you want to use (i.e. DVD-R or DVD-RW in your case). For Windows, you can use GEAR for burning CDs, but you'd need to upgrade to GEAR Professional Edition to be able to burn both CDs and DVDs. Toast Titanium does burn DVD-R and DVD-RW so you should be set in that department.
My thanks to Robert LeBlanc for his help on this question
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Reader Comments To Date: 215
Hello there!!!
I have just downloaded some movies off the internet, using the limewire program. Now,a few of them are avi, ipod and a few other formats. I've tried burning them on disc's using Nero express and after the encoding procedure is complete, it asks you to insert your disk. I have brought dvd-r disc's(which are compatible with my external dvd burner), and it says the disk is not compatible and to insert a cd-r disc. Is there something I should be doing?? Ie: converting the movies to other formats, changing settings of the burner or what ever.
I have also borrowed dvd's of friends and family, and some of the disc's have four to five movies on them. How do you do this??? Do you do this also using a normal 80min/4.7gb disc, or is there a disc you can buy with more minutes or gb on them.
Please help me out with these inquiries. And thank you for taking time out to read this.
Many thanks.
I think I know it all, but I don't!!!
i have an acer aspire 5515 with a dvd multi recorder----written on the dvd is: dvd+r dl and above that logo is RW--i'm new to this and need help--i've successfully dwnloaded movies and burned to MEMOREX 16X DVD+R discs which run on my laptop but when I try to watch them on my tv with stand alone dvd player i get error playback feature may not be available on this disc--WHAT AM I DOING WRONG????? PLEASE HELP?
When I dut a disk in it asked me if iIwant to format it. What does that mean and how do I do it ?
Hi just like to say that the DVD "minus" format is the official format from the DVD forum and thus would be the most compatible with DVD players while the "plus" format was created by a few manufacturers to avoid paying royalty fees to the DVD forum. Personally out of the two I use the "minus" format as it is the most compatible.
hey um i bought a dvd-r and i was wondering if its the same as dvd rw and if i could use it the same way
what am i doing wrong when i burn a movie to a dvd+r and put it in my dvd player and it comes up and says disc error:
playback feature may not be available
on this disc
please eject the disc
I want to copy my pictures to a DVD+R disc. However, When I click on write these files to a CD, it lets me put the CD name, but it keeps on telling me to insert a writeable disc to continue. I already have the dic inserted. What am I doing wrong?
Hello,lust thought I might save someone from the aggrivation that I had,I just bought a new canon camcorder DC410 ,I bought dvd+rw disc,fooled with that thing for hour's,could not get it to reconize the disc.It was sony brand.Iwas ready to call company tech.Idid some more shopping for disc.Hanging beside the ones i had bought,were some hanging that were a different color but the same letters,then I saw the difference.
DVD-RW took them home they work perfectly!!
I try to copy photos out of Picasa but cannot. I right click on the photo in order to paste it in another program but am not enabled.
In case anyone's still confused about dvd+/-R...
DVD+/-R discs can be written to repeatedly until the disc is full. You can also delete files from it but cannot overwrite the space used by the deleted file(s). To play the disc on a dvd player it must be fianlised and once this is done it cannot be written to ever again.
I have a DVD-R put together by a cousin for a family reunion. On it are several rare family pictures I'd like to save to either my hard drive or a flash drive so that I may have hard prints made of them. The DVD-R is in jpeg video file format if I understand it. Is there a way to remove and save the pictures I want? Thank you for you help.
My sister has scanned photos and put them on a disk. She has a MAC. I have a PC. I haven't been able to read what she put on the disk. What kind of disk do I need in order to view and modify (if necessary) these photos?
Im at a loss..here. I own a few old VHS flicks I watched growing up as a kid... i want to watch them on my DVD players now..
so i purchased a magnavox to burn them onto DVD -R discs. But a few of them indicated error message that "this can not be copied"
I dont intend on reselling anything...i just want to know if there is a way to burn these protected videos on to dvds for my own personal enjoyment?
Thanks
Tony
I have a movie i purchased and put on a flash drive, i burned the movie to a dvd-r which i looked up information on my player and it does support dvd-r format, when i try to play the movie in the dvd player it saids disc error. Please Help Thanks
to burn movies for your own private use or as a back-up, download the following demo programs from slysoft.com AnyDVD and CloneDVD2, both programs run together, AnyDVD tricks your computer as if you are viewing the movie while CloneDVD records it. You need about 6-8GB of free hard drive space to record, the file will be compressed to fir on your regular DVD at 4.7GB. The temp file on your computer gets erased once it is burnt to DVD, my recommendation is use a DVD-R since most players read this format. These programs also work for Blueray. Please don't copy and distribute movies, every DVD & CD burner, burns its serial number onto each DVD, therefore they can trace where it comes from.
using real player I have a movie in my library and I am trying to burn it using my tower, what kind of cd/dvd do i have place in my tower to burn a movie. thanks
I notices a few people asking about what a "DVD+R,+RW" was and to my suprise no body had the answer. THe new +r+rw is the ultimate format in my opinion and many industry leaders are moving in that direction. If you have a RW drive then you can still record onver i, but its also compatible with +R and almost everything else. I posted some official info below
DVD+R/+RW: The World Standard that Puts the User First
Consumers have increasingly demanded a DVD recording format that offers all the convenience,
quality and compatibility they've become used to with other disc-based media. They want these
benefits for their data-intensive multimedia applications, such as video and digital photo albums.
They also want to share their digital content with family and friends, and they want to do so
without compatibility problems or unnecessary technical complexity.
DVD+R/+RW is the universal DVD recording format that gives consumers exactly what they
want: maximum compatibility and excellent ease of use. With DVD+R/+RW, users get a single,
high-quality DVD format that maximizes all their recording needs - video, photos, music, and
data - and simplifies their ability to share and play back their content. DVD+R/+RW offers
optimal performance for both consumer video recording and data applications, and it meets the
needs of the consumer electronics, PC and media industries for standardization in a single format
that does it all.
Compatibility Drives Convergence
Independent test results by IntelliKey Labs showed DVD+R/+RW to be the most compatible DVD
recording format with the hundreds of DVD players and DVD-ROM drives they tested. By
ensuring maximum compatibility with both DVD players and DVD-ROM drives, DVD+R/+RW acts
as a bridge between these two worlds and drives the fast-growing trend toward convergence
between entertainment and computing applications. (For a list of DVD-ROM and DVD players
compatible with the DVD+R/+RW format, please see www.dvdrw.com/compatibility.html)
No Complicated Technical Issues
Because DVD+R/+RW provides convenient, user-friendly operation and use, it's the only
recordable DVD format that lets consumers easily record their video and data without worry.
They can ignore recorder settings, recording modes, disc formatting, disc finalization and other
complicated technical issues. DVD+R/+RW is simple, transparent and intuitive: Just insert a disc
and record or play back as required.
That's why consumers are choosing DVD+R/+RW - a truly user-friendly recordable DVD format.
The DVD+RW Alliance: United Industry Support
DVD+R/+RW is recognized as the recordable DVD format of choice by a long and distinguished
list of leading partners from the consumer electronics, PC-OEM, computer peripherals, and media
industries, including Dell, Hewlett-Packard/Compaq, Mitsubishi Chemical/Verbatim, Philips,
Ricoh, Sony, Thomson and Yamaha. United in the DVD+RW Alliance, these companies are
actively promoting DVD+R/+RW as the world standard for DVD recording.
Key DVD+R/+RW Benefits
· Compatibility: Only DVD+R/+RW offers maximum compatibility with DVD video players
and PC DVD-ROM drives
· Convergence: Only DVD+R/+RW enables consumers to seamlessly and transparently
interchange content between their entertainment and computing platforms
· Convenience: Only DVD+R/+RW offers the operational simplicity to make consumer
DVD recording into a user-friendly experience
Benefits of DVD+R/+RW for Consumer Video Recording
· Maximum compatibility with DVD video players and PC DVD-ROM drives
· Easy, instant recording with no technical complexities
· Quick finalization for quicker playback availability
· Choice of recording-quality levels and recording times (from 1 to 8 hours) to meet varying needs
· The same superb video and audio reproduction quality and convenient user interface as
familiar DVD video players
· Ability to easily add, delete, and edit recordings on a disc without affecting other content
Benefits of DVD+R/+RW for Use on the PC
· Direct editing of disc contents, including standard PC functions such as move, copy,
delete and overwrite
· Multi-session writing or random access writing with no special preparations
· Background formatting for quick finalization - discs are ready for use sooner, for recording
and for playback
· Maximum playback compatibility with DVD video players and DVD-ROM drives - even
after editing video on the PC
· Microsoft's planned built-in Windows support for drag-and-drop use of DVD+MRW media
(MRW = Mount Rainier compatible)
Market Momentum
DVD Recorders: DVD+R/+RW recorders are the preferred choice in most regions of the world.
According to independent market analysis by Santa Clara Consulting, DVD+RW recorders
accounted for 59% of the market in the U.S. and the rest of the Americas during the fourth
quarter of 2002, 77% in Europe, and 80% in the Asia/Pacific market excluding Japan.
DVD Drives: DVD+R/+RW computer drives quadrupled their worldwide market share last year.
With the world's two largest PC manufacturers - HP/Compaq and Dell - both strong supporters of
DVD+R/+RW, we expect DVD+R/+RW to continue its strong showing in the DVD drive market.
I am currently working with a DVD reproduction company - should I burn my master video to a DVD'minus'R or DVD'plus'R??
Thanks
Hi, you should consider revising parts of your article, as there is technically no such thing as "minus" R discs. This system, the original writable and re-writable DVD format, was and is simply known as (and pronounced) "DVDR" or "DVD DASH R".
When a consortium of various tech companies (with Sony at forefront) later developed the competing format it was dubbed +R ("plus R") to distinguish it. People assume that because you have the "plus" discs the other format must be "minus", and this is simply not the case. A minor quibble to be sure, but if I can set a few people straight, the next time they are having a conversation with someone in the computer, tech or video fields maybe I can save them the embarassment of looking like a noob when they refer to those discs as "Minus" R's.
@James Taylor: I've worked with some companies that use DVD-RA (for authoring) for masters, but I can't say I've seen them in use recently. If you are talking about consumer level masters then any good quality disc should do (I currently use genuine Taiyo Yudens).
BTW, the single most important thing someone can do to ensure good bit-for-bit burns is to use good quality discs. This means paying attention to the disc's MEDIA CODE (which refers to the manufacturing process and provenance) as opposed to focusing on whether it's -R or +R. The format itself was much more of an issue 2 or 3 DVD player generations ago, when compatibility was more of an issue. Any player manufactured in the last 5 years or so will practically handle anything. So, if you want to have a disc that lasts a while and is likely to play in whatever player you throw it in, just pay attention to what you are buying. Google around for the concept of "disc/dvd media codes" or go here: http://www.digitalfaq.com/reviews/dvd-media.htm for a good overall primer.
Bottom line: as someone who has burned well over 5,000 discs, the only good brands available in the U.S. right now are Sony, Verbatim, and the aforementioned Taiyo Yudens. If you stick to those brands, and assuming your DVD drive's firmware is up to date and you are using decent software, you'll get a good quality burn 99.99% of the time, regardless of whether you use + or -R & RW discs.
Dave - I have burned CD's on my computer all the time and it has only taken about 10 minutes tops. I am burning a CD tonight and it has been about 4 hours and it is still burning the CD and doing it very slowly. I haven't done anything different and I didn't know if you had any suggestions for me. Thanks!
i am a 71 y.o. tyro.this site answered all my questions about dvd types ta very much
i want to transfer my VHS tapes to DVD's. The software I am going to purchase is a product of a company called Honestech. It stated that my DVD writer must support dual layer disc, which according to my spec on my computer it does. I have a Single drive 16xCD/DVD burner (DVD+/-RW) w/double layer write capability. Does this mean it takes special discs? I have DVD-R 4.7 GB 120 minutes. please advise thank you, your site is very informative.
Jmaes in CT.
I just replaced a dvd drive with a new Samsung SH-S222L. It is a lightscribe, DL,and covers all formats. When I put a disc in that I have previously recoreded on such as dvd-r or dvd+r it tells that it is inaccessible. How can I pull up information that is stored on a disc if it just won't recognize it or accept it? I'm frustrated.
I bought this with the idea that I would be able to use any of the discs but it won't work. What can I do? Thanks
Good day.!
Im confused with the drive i have..
its a DVD-RAM drive,,
this is what i see in its properties
Name is
HL-DT-SL DVDRAM GSA-H42N
What type of DVD's does it read and it can write?
Completely newbie with multimedia..
Thanks for any clarification replies...
I have burned photos to dvd-r using roxio, however when I put it in my dvd player it says wrong disk. Why is it doing that. I want to be able to view them on the tv. PLEASE HELP
I have saved some TV Programs & Movies to DVD+RW's so I can erase the ones I want to. If I want to transfer a program to a DVD+R how do I do this. Does the DVD+RW have to be finalized first? If I finalize it, does that mean I can no longer save & erase programs to this DVD?
Dave, I purchased a VHS/DVD recorder to convert my VHS tapes to DVD and also to record from TV, can I use either DVD-R and DVD+R to do this, thanks Alan
Thank you so much! So simply and easy to read.
I have a samsung dvd recorder,now I am using RW dvd's when I play back movie's that I recorded I get intermmitent skipping,with a rented dvd no problem is it the machine or is it what? HELP Thank's
I have got DVD-R 4.7GB capacity. When I initially checked the properties it said 0 bytes free space and 0 bytes used space. I burned a movie of size 1GB using nero startsmart on my laptop and played it on my dvd player. Now when I am trying to burn another movie on same dvd of size 1GB it says the dvd is not writeable. Please help
Hi
I am really peeved.
I bought some DVD-R's and when I try to add pictures or movie or word doc, ie when I try to burn anything, I get a messg saying burn was unsuccessful, couldnot burn to disk.
Pllllllllease help
Only a few weeks ago I bought something caleld Double Layer discs and they failed too. I'm ending up with a lot of useless discs.
Jane
I have an Acer Aspire 3680 with a Matshita DVD-RAM UJ-850S ATA Device, all my drivers are up to date. I can play and burn CDs & DVDs but I cannot rewrite or erase DVD-RW discs no matter what program I use. Can you help me with this? Thank You.
i burned pictures in dvd-r the files are there but cant see the pic the used space is 3.48 how can i see the pictures its very important to me can u help me?
Thanks for the discription on the multitude of DVD formats! It seems like a nightmare \O/
I wanted to burn some family pics onto half a dozen DVD's to hand out to family members all with a mix of PC equipment and DVD/BlueRay devices... I think I will abandon the project as obviously they won't all be able to read the DVD's whatever format I use! :((
What an industry shambles.
Can a CD-RW/DVD-RW drive read a dual layer dvd? I am purchasing a DVD and wondering if my drive will be able to read it. IT is described as DVD-DL. How do I know ahead of time? THank you for your input.
Thanks for clearing that up! I asked guys at both Wal-Mart and Best Buy and they had no idea and just made up stuff. :) I have to rerturn the DVD+R and get the -R. At least now I know.
Thanks again.
I just wanted to add my two cents in case it might be helpful to some. I have copied a lot of home movies and stuff I recorded from TV onto DVD. In my personal experience DVD-R's will play on almost nothing while DVD+R's will play on virtually anything.
I have actually had recorders refuse to acknowledge DVD-R's they themselves have recorded as valid playable discs. This should not happen. If a recorder can recognize a disc to record on it, then it should also be able to play it back, period.
Bottom line is I have had tons of trouble with DVD-R's and never once have I ever had an issue with DVD+R's. To me that is the only relevant difference between the two. For my money it is DVD+R every time.
I am using Sony DVD +RW, 120 min/4.7 gb to copy from my camcorder. I tried to copy 2.8 gb (about 1 hour) worth of video, but I received that disc did not have enough space to copy. Do I need to purchase some other disc with more space.
Hi, I have a DVD minus-R format recorder, but the movies I record I cannot share with people who have PLUS-R. Is there a way to convert minus dvd's to plus dvd's? PLEASE reply via EMAIL to RDOnsted@aol.com. Thank you very much.
--Bob
thank u so very much for the information. I work in the retail biz, and I knew the jist of the the differences, but now I have been able to tell my customers "exactly" what the difference is and what is best for them, really helps out, thanks a billion!
D.
is there any dvdr that is able to write bigger what i mean is can i get a dick that longer then 120 min to burn o i have some long movies in need to copy they are in bad shape
very nice and helpful side i learned too much thanks every body
I am transfering my old vhs to my panasonic video recorder dmr-e85h which uses dvd-r. I can not use the dvd-s on any other machines. Is there anything i can do to convert to dvd+r from dvd-r
the computer.industry.is.silly.
instead of THINKING about what could/will/wont
work/work-easily-for-most-people,, they seem to
want to come up with a DOZEN different/incompatible
/noncompatible/half-compatible formats, WHY???
there are NOT five kinds of 8-tracks, or TEN kinds of CASSETTE tapes or vinyl records, so can anyone
tell me why there are 9 million different types of
"whatever is new today" that are NOT inter-operable?
thanks
!?!????
Just wondering if you could do a print version of your answers, as the format is too lengthy to sit and read stuff of DVD-R vs DVD-R+/DVD-RW whew!
(Why don't they make it way more different than that? With my aging eyesight, it is hard to even notice the - or+ until you get it home and see it doesn't do what you need it to! Help us old folks, please...simplify where ever you can!
Ellen
Dave, to play my DVD disks on my blue ray DVD player, what blanks should I buy? I have a whole box of DVD blanks of DVD-R for use of family trips, and they won't play. Please help, thanks Lisette
I have a separate dvd rom drive. I also have a combo burner. I can write to cd's but not dvd's. any ideas?
I purchased DVD-R (2 pkgs of 10) I am trying to burn a video/slideshow for several people. Why is it that only 15 of the 20 discs work. 5 state that they are not recordable. I am getting very frustrated!!
I am trying to burn an image copy of a non-copy-protected DVD-R and can't get it to work. My reader/burner and software are compatible with DVD-R, +R, -RW, +RW and -RAM. But after the software reads and saves a temporary image file to my hard drive and asks for a blank disk, I put a blank DVD+R into the drive and it won't recognize it.
My question: if you're trying to burn an image from a -R do you have to burn it onto a -R?
I have burned a TDK DVD+R on an iMac. The iMovie project was 60 minutes long, still photos, video clips and music. The disk was played a couple times on the iMac, no problems. Played in on the TV and three quarters the way through it locked, displaying "damaged disk". I cleaned the disk and tried again, it locked in a different place. Repeated the process and it locked again in a different location. Since then I played it twice on the iMac, no problems, then the third time it locked up again like on the TV. Any ideas?
Frustrated!
I saw your notation about the differences between
DVD-R and DVD+RW etc. We currently have only been using and having luck with DVD-RW's but they are becoming harder to get. We've found the the +RWs play in all machines where others don't.
We've been copying all our movies to DVD to consolidate and want to continue to do so.
Recently we've been having problems finalizing them before use.
Any suggestions to our situation - what would you do?
Please and Thanks
ples help me
I borrow DVD-rw from my teacher.
This is DVD have Delphi program & another program.
So I need to burn dvd.
First this is DVD-RW input the drive.
My computer use window 7 .
I am open the DVD file.
I saw this is program file that mistake make
window 7 have burn & erase this dis. I mistake click erase thie dis so My dvd have not folder.
so i want to need this is folder . How to make. ples tell me , I waiting for your question
Hello,
I own an LG DVD Writer, Model # GSA-E10L. It's connected to my desktop. I had it sitting around, but found the USB connector and power chord and it seems to work fine. I can successfully burn family movie clips to a DVD+R dvd. I thought I would be in good shape to play that DVD in my regular dvd player or my Sony Blue-Ray DVD player. Doesn't work in either of them. Preferably, I'd like to burn a DVD to play on my Sony Blue-Ray DVD Player connected to my television. Should I be using a different dvd than the DVD+R? Thanks for any assistance. Joe
I recently purchased a DVD burner. I am using Memorex DVD+RW disc. My question is after I record one segment, does the burner automatically go to the end of that segment the next time I put the disc in or turn the burner on to record something else. I don't want to destroy the previously recorded segment by turning the burner off so I have been putting it on pause instead of using stop.
Dear Dave Taylor,
Because I make a lot of home movies for various relatives/friends I've often wondered whether (according to what make of video player they've got) I should supply their movie on DVD-R or DVD+R.
I work on an Intel Mac which can burn both types so I'd like to give people the most suitable DVD for their particular player.
Regards,
Trev.
The "plus" and "minus" standards of DVD's are made by two different organizations.
The "minus" standard is designed and created by the DVD Fourm. The DVD Forum is solely responsible for the official DVD format. Any DVD that displays the DVD logo is to their standard.
The "plus" standard is created by the DVD+RW Alliance. These are not official DVD standards and therefore cant display the DVD logo.
Its always best to use the DVD Forum "minus" discs rather than the DVD+RW Alliance if you are wanting to play your created DVD's on external devices such as a DVD player as they are industry standard and recognised.
So Joe I would burn them onto a "minus" disc, especially as you want to play them on a Sony DVD player as Sony is one of the founding members of the DVD Forum. Same advice to you Trev, use a "minus" as there is a very high posibility that their DVD player will not read the "plus" disc.
Thank you for your reply to the last post, Dave.
Regards, Trev.
Dear Dave,
This is a very informative piece of information you have provided on that website
First of all, good job at answering some of the questions!
Second, and this is personal experience, I have never found any real difference between the -R,-RW and the +R,+RW DVD discs. I have used both either for data storage and making archived movies of which I already own (my kid's movies for example. Rather the copy gets destroyed than the $30 copy of WALL-E, right? :) ).
The only small subtle difference I found with the DVD media is that the +R, +RW format tends to load slightly faster than the -R,-RW format, but it's only about 1 to 2 seconds difference. Like I said, it's a subtle difference. As for data retentively and longevity, I found no difference. Both last a long time with proper care.
I would like to know if I can add more files to a DVD+RW disk? Please let me know. Thank you.
Here is my e-mail address. tsherid6@aol.com
i want you to explain to me how i can burn a dvd disc which is 4.7gb and what i have to copy is about 7.5gb.how do i burn or go about it
Dave...you're an absolute genius. I have been pondering this same question for at least half a decade now. Thanks so much for clarifying the differences. It seems so simple when you put it in your terms!
@ ornel
You will need either DVD-R DL or DVD+R DL media and a burner which can handle DL media. DL stands for dual layer and these discs have just under twice the capacity of a single layer (4.7GB) DVD. Single layer DVDs are sometimes called DVD-5 and dual layer DVDs are sometimes called DVD-9.
Of course, if you have a Blu-ray drive and disc then 7.5 GB is not a problem.
I'm still a little confused. I know that I can't erase and rewrite a DVD-R, but if I burn one image to a DVD-R can I go back and add more images later on? I know I can't do anything with the first image, but I'm not sure if I can just add other files to the disc. Please help.
add me to the list of thank-yous. i guess i lucked out as i have been buying -r & -rw and no + format discs. have encountered no problems except with one friend who has a very old player that would not accept my dvds in either format (r or rw) when i transferred her wedding vhs tapes. again, thanks. i'll stick with the "-" discs.
hi! dave. I have a doubt concerning single and double layer discs. I have a ps2 dvd game and want to copy it. I have already bought a blank dvd+r. My question is how will my computer copy a double layered disc's data onto a single layered disc and even if it copies it will the copied dvd game work on my ps2.
I'm using RW discs. I burn something to them watch it then erase the disc using the laptop so it can be re-used in the DVD player to record on. No chance. The DVD player now does not recognise the disc, refusing to record to is saying it is "unsupported". How can this be ? Help it's doing my head in.
I am trying to burn my pictures, music, ect... to a DVD, I keep getting the message that the drive is in use by another application do you want to format anyway? I am so confused as to what to do, because after googling it the information that I got did not help at all. Can you please be of any help to me?
i just had my pc cleaded an re loaded with my orignal software now some of my old programs won't re load whatshould i do?
help i have a pack of dvd-rw disc, are they the same as dvd+-rw drive.also it tells me i have to format how do i do that i have windows vista, im a newbie at this.
Hi. I have a new Sony Laptop Vaio VPCCEE34X/BJ and it has a DVD "Super Multi Drive" that will burn on DL DVD-, but not on DL DVD+ I'm so disappointed because I don't think Sony has the right to call it a "Super Multi Drive" if you can't use DL DVD+...so what's so super about this multi drive anyway? Frys online wont let me ship it back to them for a refund, despite it's many problems. How do you feel DL DVD- compares to DL DVD+? What format is more common? Please advise.
Hi Dave
I have read a lot of previous hits and you certainly have made it clear about - & +, so I now know I have the right disks, thank you!! I have a Phillips recordable DVD and I have saved some of my home movies onto DVDR-RW and I had no problems. Then I was told just to buy the DVDR's , which I have done and my machine will record for a while then after about 30mins it just stops and says 'Disc Error' then the disk is wasted. I have now tried 10 disks trying to stop and restart at different times lapses which it will do after just a few minutes but if I try and record for any longer it will just try to format then says Error Disc, what can I do please?
Many thanks
Barbara
Hi,
Quick question : is dvd+r more compatible with standalone dvd players than dvd+rw?
Thanks.
John
I copied a movie onto a DVD-R, but the movie will not play in a DVD player. It only plays on the pc or a small personal DVD player. Is there a specific reason for this? Or is there anything I can do about it?
Hi, a few days ago I bought a Packard Bell All-in-one L5861 and I'm having trouble trying to burn video onto DVD+RW discs, no problem with +R or -R though. I thought that I could use RW in this drive? Also it then won't eject the disc and says there was an error when trying to eject with the DVD+RW, when trying to burn the disc it seems it can't format it and then it 'disappears' from the drive... Please help.
hello;
I need to burn DVDs for a presentation (kind of like a power point presentation),it has pictures and Audio only and I'm using Windows Live Movie Maker...what DVDs do you recomend to buy?
Thank you
I have one DVD-R movie . i want to store this movie an another disk. I have DVD+R but icant store this movie.....what i say any difference between this two dvd disk..........?please help me........
I am curious about burning a DVD from a DVD+R Lightscribe Memorex Disk.I have the 123 CopyDVD Gold. Will this be a problem?
I have copied 25 VHS-C tapes to DVD+R discs using my DVD player. 2 of the copies won't play in the person's player that I did them for. However, when I copied them I checked to see that the media was there.(and it showed up on my player# I then re did them #using different DVDs but still the same brand Memorex)and checked and the media was there, so I tried them in my Mac and my PC and both said I had inserted a blank DVD. Have you ever heard of this and can you give me some insight about what to do from here?
Thanks!
If you can answer this I would GLADLY buy you a cup of coffee (even Starbucks!!)lol
First off, let me say that I'm a PC tech/network engineer/IT security/PC tech professor just so you can judge for yourself how much of what I'm going to say to listen to. Now, I'm seeing a lot of questions about recording movies and VHS tapes to DVDs and problems with drives etc. So, first, the kill-joy part. If you are in the US--which judging by the names of the posters, there are a lot--it is absolutely 100% illegal to copy a DVD or VHS tape you purchased at a retail outlet. It used to be legal to do it for personal backup reasons, but the Digital Millenium Act made only the ripping of .mp3s from a CD you purchased legal. If you want to legally burn the video, you have to purchase the Digital Media Rights (DMR), and even then, your limited on what you can do. And it's never been legal to do that with software/video games of any sort. If memory serves me correctly, it's a $250,000 fine, bare minimum, for the first 10 occurances, with the possibility of jail time. Now, on to the tech stuff.
Another question I've seen is about why a burned disc won't play in a player. Well, there are several reasons, of which the #1 reason is that the player doesn't support the format; don't just assume that because it's a player that it will play everything. Even with today's products not every player on the market will play every format. So, check the documentation first. The #2 reason is usually that someone didn't "close" the disc after burning; that finalizes the burn so that other players can recognize it. This is also referred to as "mastering." And the #3 reason is copyright protection. Some professional discs have a program encoded on it in places that a DVD burner will not read when copying by design. The player will, then, look for this program--or code, in the case of Sony--and not play the disc if it doesn't register it, but registers the original producer's code. (The Sony thing is even built into the PS3. I forget the name, but had a student do a report on it. His PS3 wouldn't play because the chip that read the code burned out; it registered EVERYTHING as a copyright infringement, including his video output.)
Another question I've noticed is about RW discs suddenly not working after they've been working. RW discs have a limited lifespan. See, when a disc is burned, the data--whether it's a video, music, or anything else doesn't matter--is etched into the disc as a series of 1s and 0s. It does this by vaporizing part of the disc to pit it. A peak is a 1; a valley is a 0. So, technically, even when a RW disc is burned it's useless for rewriting. What makes it a RW disc is the fact that there is a layer on top of the burned side that is melted by the laser and fills in those valleys, making a smooth surface again, when the disc is erased. Once the layer is gone, the disc is no longer re-writable again, and can sometimes mean the disc is "dead," depending on the quality. Last I read, which was about a decade ago, it was 10 rewrites before it was just a readable disc.
And finally the troubleshooting questions. First off, if you have a drive and it won't read a disc, I would tell you to check the "simple" stuff, first. What I mean by that is, if it's an internal drive, just look inside and make sure that the cables are plugged in the back of drive and jumper placements; those are little things on the back of the drive that tell older drives how to function. If it's external, just make sure all the cable are connected. (You'd be surprised how many times that is actually the problem.) After that, try a different brand of disc; some brands just work better than others. But the key to this, is we want to keep from just jumping to the conclusion that it's a bad drive. Next, go to the manufacturer's web site, get an updated version of the driver, and install it; sometimes there's bugs found after production, and that's how you would fix them. If that doesn't work, uninstall the drive completely, and then reinstall it with the updated driver. If you are still having issues, a final step to do, which I consider optional if you have never done anything like this, is to update the BIOS on your computer. If you're not sure how to do it, though, skip this step; if the process messes up in anyway, you have a paperweight, not a computer. If there are still problems, this is when you start openning the computer and replacing things, starting with cables. From personal experience, though, if you have a drive that is SUPPOSED to be something like a DVD+/-RW and it doesn't read either DVDs or CDs, it's a bad drive that needs replacing.
Dave I just recorded Wheel Of Fortune on my friends dvd recorder and it did not record. It said error not a recordable disc and I was using a dvd-rw what happen. I know that dvd-r is recordable -rw is rewritable what does +r and +rw means. Im confuse. HELP!
Help! I burned a Philips DVD+RW on my computer which plays back on the computer allright. I tried to play it on my older Philips DVD player. No matter what I did on the remote, it would not play. I think, maybe, when I pressed PAL on the remote, I lost all image on the TV screen. When I attempt to play my other store-bought DVDs, they don't convey an image to the TV screen either.
Very disturbing!
Lance: It's copyright protection: it's encoded in the parts of the disc that the burner won't copy but reads.
John: Some older DVD players won't play burned discs. Just check the documentation to see if it will.
i was wondfering how to erase data from a dvd-rw??i have a movie on this dvd but i want to ersas it and re-write on it..is it possible? please email me to let me know mtja00@gmail.com
I always wondered about the + or - format, thank you very much for your clear explanation!
Helloooo,
I just moved to China and am having problems burning DVD-R CDs with my DVD R/RW burner... This burner worked in the States. My computer's not damaged, and the Sony discs, which I bought here, are genuine. I've tried burning movies in both PAL (China# and NTSC formats) with Nero 4, and also mixes on itunes, but each time I get an error message. CDs are for 16x write speed, which I have...
This man just wants to watch A Charlie Brown Christmas and How the Grinch Stole Christmas on his own TV! ...I can watch them with my USB, but it's oddly not as authentic for me.
Thank you for your help.
Casey
I rather have a question that is I have old panasonic DMR-E20 recorder. This machine is turning on something I did not expected. All of my DVD-Ram disk become "write protected or disk is non recordable disk", so all of my DVD-RAm disk became not usable. Then in desperation, I put DVD-R disk into Panasonic E20 machine, thinking that I will use for once. Then I was surprised that on DVD-R disk, I can write and I can erase. Then I can rewrite again. What is happening here?
Hello Dave i have a question for u i have a dell dimension 4300 tower computer and have the real player plus for burning dvd's from the movies on my computer that i have downloaded from movies web sites what kind of dvd's such i use...Thanks
Do the newer DVD blank discs need to be formated before used. I know you will not endorse any particular brand of DVD blanks but I would like to know which is considered to be the best. I was able to copy one VHS tape to a Maxell but was not able to on a Memorex. They have the same information on the cover. Also I have only been able to record a complete VHS to a DVD blank. Could I possibly record the VHS in increments. I sure would appreciate the answers to these questions. Thank you Pat
I AM NOT COMPUTER FRIENDLY AND NOT A WHIZ.I HAVE A MAC OS-X DESK TOP. I USE APPLE IPHOTO / IDVD / I-MOVIE TO MAKE AND BURN DVD'S OF STILL PHOTO SLIDESHOWS. THE QUALITY OF THE DVDS IS POOR, FUZZY, ETC. ALTHOUGH I HAVE GOOD DIGITAL NIKON CAMERAS, LENSES AND GOOD PHOTOS. WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND FOR NEW DVD BURN SOFTWARE THAT PRODUCES HIGH QUALITY DVDS? THE INSTALLATION AND USE APPLICATION MUST BE NON-COMPLEX. IT DOES NOT NEED TO HAVE SOPHISTICATED MULTI-FUNCTION APPLICATIONS AND USES.
THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION. JIM
I am completely lost. My dvd drive is TSSTcorp CDDVDW TS-L633L ATA Device according to my HP pavilion laptop.
I want to move all my photos off my hard drive and onto discs. I want to be able to delete or add others. What do I need? I just bough a package of DVD+R which I have not yet opened as I want to be sure this is what I need. Also the store I bought them at has no clue about any of this either. Just as bad off as me. Could someone please advise me ASAP????? Thanks
Thank you so much for the clarification of this thing. God bless!
I am a senior citizen newbie at this, and have a HP Pavillion computer that has a Lightscribe DVD superMulti Drive/CD-Writer Bay, an Expansion Bay and a HP Pocket Media Drive Bay, can I use DVD+R/+RW discs on this, and what type of Drive should I buy for the Expansion Bay. I am not at all savvy, so please help me Dave, I really would appreciate it. Keep up the good work
Is there a way to utilize a cd burner to burn 'data' to a dvd disc ?
i just bought a vhs to dvd converter, which disc is better to use: dvd-r or dvd+r? thank you
Thanks for the clear, concise explanation, this is a detail I've been overlooking and been eluded to for years.
can i use a dvd+r dl to burn a play station 2 game
Hey Dave. I have a number of home movies on my pc. If I sent them to you via email, would you burn them all onto a bunch of DVDs and mail some to my family members? I'll pay for the DVDs.
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I do have a lot to say, and questions of my own for that matter, but first I'd like to say thank you, Dave, for all your helpful information by
buying you a cup of coffee! |
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Hello there!!!
I have just downloaded some movies off the internet, using the limewire program. Now,a few of them are avi, ipod and a few other formats. I've tried burning them on disc's using Nero express and after the encoding procedure is complete, it asks you to insert your disk. I have brought dvd-r disc's(which are compatible with my external dvd burner), and it says the disk is not compatible and to insert a cd-r disc. Is there something I should be doing?? Ie: converting the movies to other formats, changing settings of the burner or what ever.
I have also borrowed dvd's of friends and family, and some of the disc's have four to five movies on them. How do you do this??? Do you do this also using a normal 80min/4.7gb disc, or is there a disc you can buy with more minutes or gb on them.
Please help me out with these inquiries. And thank you for taking time out to read this.
Many thanks.
I think I know it all, but I don't!!!