DVD Media + or - ?

[Sigman]

Setting up a new computer with a DVD +/- burner...

Any thoughts, opinions, guidance, recommendations on DVD media?

Thanks!

 

[geepondy]

Doesn't plus media currently offer faster writes and is there even a minus blank double layer media yet? I actually haven't tried a double layer yet because the price is still high ($7 at least per, the last time I checked). I can say that my two home dvd players both less then two years old, don't care whether the media is plus or minus. I have read that the price of the double layer media is supposed to come down to two or three dollars by the end of the year. Here is an interesting article on DVD writers from last summer.

http://www.tomshardware.com/storage/20040827/

If burning DVD video, I agree and stick with 4x.

 

[James S]

Initially I think that DVD- was supposed to be better compatible with consumer DVD players, while DVD+ was better suited to computers. But I don't know what they use to quantify that. I have found that the quality of the blank that you buy is more important to compatibility with older players than the +/-. (I have some generic brand 2x disks that are only useful for data as no DVD player I can find will play a disk created with them, but others work OK)

A year ago there seemed to be more + media available at places like sams and office max and whatnot. But that also doesn't seem to be the case anymore with stores stocking both +/- varieties in the same speeds and prices.

And if you buy a higher end drive it will be able to burn either kind anyway, depending on the software support.

My experience is mostly with the DVD- variety, and it's worked great except for that one spindle of generic media. but I don't honestly think it will make a huge difference either way.

 

[raggie33]

i use what ever is on sale last media i bought was 5 cents per disk i have 3 dvd burners 2 are dual layer

 

[Frangible]

Minus is compatible with my Xbox and DVD Player connected to my TV, plus is not. Plus may be a little cheaper, but I'll take minus's greater compatibility.

 

[shadowman]

In my experience the minus are compatible with a greater number of players.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

That's what I've read in reviews also; DVD-R is the most compatible with regular DVD video players.

 

[Chris_Medico]

I agree with the comments above -R is more compatible with consumer DVD players.

 

[idleprocess]

I remember they used to advertise Plus means compatibility!

I guess that was more marketing hype than reality.

 

[AvroArrow]

Like everyone else mentioned above, stick with DVD-Rs for simplicity's sake. DVD+Rs can be made more compatible with common set top DVD players by changing the booktype to DVD-ROM when burning if your DVD+/-R drive can do Bitsetting (most can't without hacked firmware). Also DVD-Rs are generally more compatible for console backups too. IMHO, Dual Layer discs are not cost nor time effective yet. I can burn 2 single layer discs faster and cheaper than a single DL disc. And unless the DVD player is relatively new, you'll have trouble reading the second layer on a DL disc.

When buying blank DVD media, I'm a bit pickier than most because I value the data that I backup on it and would like to be able to read it again in a couple years. I pretty much only buy Taiyo Yuden (TY) media, commonly available as FujiFilm DVD+/-Rs that are labelled Made in Japan (MIJ). TY manufactures the actual discs, and slaps a FujiFilm label on it. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif Actually, a good general rule of thumb for finding good DVD media is checking the label for Made in Japan. The most commonly available MIJ media in North America is FujiFilm and Maxell (the Maxell MIJ is either manufactured by Maxell-Hitachi or TY), although you may find the occasional MIJ TDK or Sony. The reason I avoid the Made in Taiwan stuff is that the quality control is a bit spotty most of the time, that's also why they are so much cheaper. If you want more in-depth info on DVD media, check out the www.cdfreaks.com forums, lots of good info there. And since you live in the US, BestBuy, Fry's & CompUSA have sales & rebates on Fuji and Maxell discs fairly often, so you can get the good stuff cheap too (unlike us Canadians who pay a fair amount more).

 

[James S]

[ QUOTE ]
Plus means compatibility

[/ QUOTE ]

It was typical computer garbage, Microsoft decided initially to support plus, and the first Mac burners shipped only with support for minus /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif and now we all have both.

but as has already been summed up, minus is better at being playable on more DVD players.

As for the price, minus was more expensive a couple of years ago as the bulk of media being sold was for the plus burners in the larger numbers of windows boxes. But this is no longer the case, I don't see any disparity in price at all, they are identical everywhere I shop.

 

[raggie33]

when will dual layer media get cheaper>man i want to use em cause i have lots a stuff to burn

 

[gessner17]

I have been using Dvd-R for over 3 years, it does seem to be the most compatible, IMHO. I have also found sometimes the actual DVD writer can cause compatibility issues, too, I think right now, compatibility is still somewhat of a toss up.

 

[Sigman]

This is all GREAT info...if you think I'm not responding, it's because I'm in the "sponge (read: info soak up) mode"!
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thanks.gif

 

[PhotonWrangler]

At one of the regular computer stores where I shop, I see a lot of Platinum brand discs being returned as partially used packages. They're also the least expensive. I can't help but wonder about the quality of their dye and their block error rate.

 

[James S]

for what it's worth, I've had TERRIBLE luck with office product store branded el-cheapo blanks. both CD and DVD. buy a real brand. You don't need to spend double the money on Sony disks, but I've had very good luck with Verbatem and others. I mostly buy Verbatem now because that is one of the brands that the local SAMS carries. I buy both CDR's and DVD-R's in bulk packs. Just bought a spindle of 100 DVD-R's for around $40. Not a bad price at all for a real brand. And I've never had a compatibility issue with that brand. I send out the grandchildren video's to all the grandparents and other relatives with DVD players running the full range from $30 special to one integrated with an overblown HDTV system, and they have all played fine.

You can save money with the store branded disks, but my experience with them has been universally bad.

 

[kubolaw]

I've also had bad luck with the generic discs (some no-name ones from Fry's and Microcenter), but have had no problems with Verbatims, Fujis, and Maxells. Interestingly, in my four DVD players, three seem to play either +R and -R equally well (Memorex, Koss, and Yamakawa), while one only seems to like +R (older Panasonic). So I only burn using +Rs (and I don't do any bitsetting).

John