dvd+r ad dvd-r

[ahopeter]

whats the diference between +r and -r? thanks

[query]

They're two different and mututally incompatible formats, like Beta and VHS in videotape.

The - format is older and more established than the + format.

[ahopeter]

isnt one more data oriented, and one more video playback oriented?  im trying to figure out which one needs to be used for making homemade dvd movies to play on my dvd player not my pc.

[Chandler]

If you're DVD writer is multi-standard, get DVD-R for playing on a home DVD player - it is more likely to work.  DVD-R also tends to be a little bit cheaper.

[ahopeter]

how can i check if it is multi...+and -?

[southerndude]

The suggestion I heard on "screensavers" is to buy a burner that will burn both dvd+r ad dvd-r.

[Chandler]

Most new burners are dual-format (LG make Super-Multi which add DVD-RAM to the others).  They usually have a logo on the drive tray which tells you which formats they write to.

If you already have a drive, Nero InfoTool will tell you what Write formats are supported.
Nero InfoTool 2

[query]

Check your DVD player's specifications - it should tell you which format(s) it supports.  Unless it's very new, it probably won't read DVD+R or +RW, but it likely will read -R and -RW if it's no more than a year to 18 months old.

If it's older than that, it may not read recordable DVD at all.

[ahopeter]

i used the link that chandler supplied...it says i have all the reading properties...but none of the writing properties are checked off?

[Chandler]

That means that you've got a DVD-ROM reader, not a DVD writer (unless you have more than one drive, in this case select it from the drop down box at the top).

[ahopeter]

i have a dvd rom, and a dvd burner... i computer is like...less than two months old... its a dell.

[Chandler]

Well then, in Nero InfoTool, select your DVD writer from the drop down box.

[ahopeter]

i just checked...i have dvd+r and dvd +rw... so that means i can only use +r discs right?  can i burn my home moives onto +r and play them on my regular dvd player? or is -r the only one that will play on my dvd player?

[query]

If it's a Dell, it's a +R/+RW and won't do -R/-RW.  You will have to check with your DVD player manual to see if it'll read DVD+R/+RW discs - if it's a newer one (less than a year old) it may.

[ahopeter]

my cmputer is less than two months old... just trying to find out if +r and +rw discs will bew recognized by my regular home dvd player.

[query]

You need to check the manual (or with the manufacturer) on DVD+R/+RW support for the consumer-grade player.  If it's a few months old or less, it probably will support them.  If it's older than that, it likely will not.

[slaxorz]

i have a cheap $40 apex dvd player (which by the way is the best dvd player ive ever seen for $40) It plays the dvd+r that i burn and its about 9 months old.  You should be ok if you have a decent player.

[ahopeter]

slaxorz...cool, thanks

[Allie-Baba]

ahopeter - in my book you got lucky ;)

I tried one of them, ended up with three, and eventually just gave up. First two were DOA right out of the box, third one lasted maybe 4-6 weeks before it breathed it's last breath.

All three of them had the "platter won't fully open problem", for which the solution is to just grab the platter and pull BTW ....  this came right from Apex.

Apex left not only a bad taste in my mouth but stomach distress and a case of the 'screamers' as well ;)  

Oh well - nothing lost but time I guess as they eventually gave me my money back.

THNX
BRAD

[Nestor]

An associate of mine gave me this question, and my initial assesment is 'no' but I'd like to run it by a few other people:

Lets say you use a DVD encoding process to convert video and audio footage into something that a computer DVD player can use. You could burn it to a DVD, and any DVD player would play it. Okay, good. Could you take the same data (We'll drop the filesize limitations) and put it on a CD-R, and have a DVD player play the footage? not a DVD ROM drive (I've done that, and it works) but a player itself?

[Chandler]

If you reduce the bitrate enough, and don't mind disc swapping 2, 3 or 4 times, then yes, it is possible to write DVD onto CD-R.

[Nestor]

perhaps I phrased it badly- if so, I'm sorry.
Let's say you have footage, we'll use 'Footage.avi' as the scenario stuff.
You convert footage.avi to MPEG-2 (the native DVD format) and you set up an interactive DVD menu with whatever software you choose (DVDlab or Roxio, or what-have-you) so that your video and audio is encoded into the proper VOB format. You burn it to a CD-R. Yes, the CD-R will play in either a DVD-ROM or a CD drive, provided that the person has PowerDVD or WinDVD.

Will it play on a DVD player? Let's say, for the sake of example, a Phillips Magnavox.

I say that it won't play, because the CD and DVD storage mediums are two entirely different things, that a CD-R won't be recognized as a DVD.

[query]

It should play.  All DVD players/drives can read CD-ROM/R discs.

[Allie-Baba]

Actually I beg to differ ;)

I have 4 DVD players and a DVD burner at home and some do and some don't play CD-ROM formatted disks (of course I think the one or two that don't are fairly old).

On the other hand - I believe that only one that I have, a fairly recent panasonic, will play CD-R disks otherwise comprised of 'a DVD on a CD-R'. The other, don't recall the brand, for some reason won't open the files on the disk. It doesn't outright reject the disk as faulty or anything, it just won't play them either. I don't recall the error message. What I have found is that I have to format as "SVCD" or "SCD" or whatever it is when I record a CD-R to play on that player.

Admittedly I've never dug into the differences between an SVCD and a DVD, I know that at a mimimum the video and maybe audio compression is different, a higher compression rate/lower picture quality, but I don't know what other files may be different. Or at least need to be for this one particular drive.

I don't know if this unit is an anomoly or just a case of timing/bad software coding, or otherwise.

I realize I'm not really adding anything to the discussion ............. :/

THNX
BRAD