Legit Reviews

I know that the format you need is dependant upon the ability of the player to play it but I also know that none of the movies at blockbuster say anything about which format they are in, so I deduce that one of the two must play in almost all DVD players, Which one?

Most new players will paly both + and -, its with the older players that you run into more issues. Save your self the trouble and buy a +/- drive and get which ever media tends to burn faster.

They are both different techs, like BetaMax and VHS.... its driven by market opinion.....

Beta who?

LOL

my thoughts exactly

in the beginning of video tapes, there were 2 versions, one was VHS, what we have today and the other was BetaMAX.

They each had the same quality, performance etc.. etc... what decided who lived and who died was the consumer, consumers got VHS over BetaMAX and hence BetaMAX was less and less supported, and eventually died, and now we only have VHS!

Come on guys, i would expect u to know this....

I appreciate all your help guys but so far no one has answered my question. I know MOST new DVD players will play both and I know they are different techs. What I don't know is IF a DVD player won't play both, which of the two is that player more likely to play +/- . I want to burn a few DVD's for family and would like to hit more often than miss on whether or not they can play it. No chance to test.

DVD-R and DVD-RW
DVD-R/W was the first DVD recording format released that was compatible with standalone DVD Players.
DVD-R is a non-rewriteable format and it is compatible with about 93% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs.
DVD-RW is a rewriteable format and it is compatible with about 79% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs.
DVD-R/W supports single side 4.37 computer GB* DVDs(called DVD-5) and double sided 8.75 computer GB* DVDs(called DVD-10).
These formats are supported by DVDForum.

DVD+R and DVD+RW
DVD+R/W has some "better" features than DVD-R/W such as lossless linking and both CAV and CLV writing.
DVD+R is a non-rewritable format and it is compatible with about 88% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs.
DVD+RW is a rewritable format and is compatible with about 79% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs.
DVD+R/W supports single side 4.37 computer GB* DVDs(called DVD-5) and double side 8.75 computer GB* DVDs(called DVD-10).
These formats are supported by the DVD+RW Alliance.

As you can tell the media is very similar. To me it all comes down to media price and the DVD burner that you have. I'm not a DVD expert though as I just use them to back up files and a couple movies now and then.

So to answer your question... DVD-R has a 5% better compatibility chance over DVD+R.

Apoptosis, just out of curiosity, where did you find these stats?
I am trying to research the topic more myself. When I am done researching, I will post my thoughts.

DVD+R/RW were designed to be compatable with most DVD devices(drives and video devices), both on a phisical and logical level. They were designed for this purpose.

DVD-R/RW was not initally designed to be compatable for DVD recording.
Compatability was later added, as a result, DVD-R/RWs tend to be less compatable with DVD devices. DVD-R/RW has an inablity for random access writing, making it less suitable for data recording.

DVD-R/RW lies the burden of compatability on the reader, while DVD+R/RW lies it on the recorder.

I'm not sure how "legit" this document is, except it is from HP. Now the site dvdplusrw.org might be biased, as the name might suggest.

This document is from HP.
Read for youself:
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/gene ... =c00042563
Also:
http://www.dvdplusrw.org/

the DVD FAQ http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html#4.3.2
gives alot of info

Finally ordered a dvd writer. Dual layer lovin' is mine :D

DVD+ is burns faster than DVD-

- speeds are around 4x while + are around 8x and now 12x, soon 16x

I have a NEC 3550A. I burn 8X Sony DVD-R and 8X HP DVD+R using DVD FAB, Shrink and Image maker. I have yet to get a coster and they play in a Playstation without a problem. I have a Coby DVD-207Which has no problems playing either one.

I use +R for everything, -R didnt play for crap on my dvd players!

Ridata +r - just rule

Mike

I have one that says -r only in the manual but plays +r and -R if the +r are in the upper price range (25 spindle for 49.99).

Immortal wrote:in the beginning of video tapes, there were 2 versions, one was VHS, what we have today and the other was BetaMAX.

They each had the same quality, performance etc.. etc... what decided who lived and who died was the consumer, consumers got VHS over BetaMAX and hence BetaMAX was less and less supported, and eventually died, and now we only have VHS!

Come on guys, i would expect u to know this....

Uh, sorta:

The VHS format's defeat of the Betamax format became a classic marketing case study, now identified with the verbal phrase "to Betamax", wherein a proprietary technology format is overwhelmed in the market by a format allowing multiple, competing, licensed manufacturers, as in: "Apple Betamaxed themselves out of the PC market." Sony's confidence in its ability to dictate the industry standard backfired when JVC made the tactical decision to engage in open sharing of its VHS technology. JVC sacrificed substantial potential earnings by going the open sharing route, but that decision ultimately won the standards war. By 1984, forty companies utilized the VHS format in comparison with Betamax's twelve. Sony finally conceded defeat in 1988 when it too began producing VHS recorders.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betamax

To the question originally asked:
DVD+R is the better format to go with.

DVD from a rental house are pressed. They are not -r or +r. -R are the most compatable. This is according to DVDHelp.

A10Pilot3 wrote:DVD+ is burns faster than DVD-

- speeds are around 4x while + are around 8x and now 12x, soon 16x

You must be a little behind because both + & - can write at 16x. the NEC 3550 isn't the newest writer on the market and can do 16x in both formats.