Can Anyone help with DVD Burner, What is the difference with the + / -

silverski

New Year Greetings everyone,

I am thinking of buying a DVD Burner.

But have been told to check if the burner is a Plus or a Minus and would like some help with the answer.....

This is very confusing.......

Thanks to all those who help with this query.....

Xithus

Theres a sony one that does both.. go for that !

TinCool

Here's the simple non technical answer. The + and - are different formats, like vhs and betamax in the world of video recorders, - being the vhs and + being betamax.

Minus (-) DVD-R DVD-RW
Compatible with more standalone players
DVD-R media is cheaper
It's the most popular

Plus (+)
Not as compatible
DVD+R media is more expensive
It's not as popular

Go figure

I hav a Pioneer A04 Burner which burns the minus (-) variety. Have to say, it's the best piece of kit I have purchased for a good while.

Alternatively, go for the Sony drive that burns both types, but tbh I don't see the need. Go for the Pioneer A05, it's cheaper, and Pioneer know their stuff when it comes to DVD Burners.

The Apprentice

Well said tincool... i totally agree

Also do a search on that topic m8 there has been a few questions along similar lines that could shed some more light on the subject !!

Appy

Also sony drive is about 100 bucks more expensive that the pioneer a05 model...

The Apprentice

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=73434


Also did a search for that sony model..
Cant find it anyway to buy... all out of stock

_CreeD_

Actually +R/+RW will have much greater home compatibility as it is being backed by nearly all the major consumer/desktop player vendors. While I've seen a number of home recorders with +RW, I've only seen one that uses -R.
It also has better error correction and therefor data lengevity.

-R is only more popular because it has been around a lot longer, yet there are only a few manufacturers actually backing it. Now that they finally released +R's the prices are starting to drop into line with the -R series.

For better or worse +R/+RW will be the main standard within a year or so.

The Apprentice

I dissagree with a few of ure comments creed
consumer/desktop player vendors ..... i have loads of backed up films here on dvdr here and many of the desktop players and loads of dvd pc players played em without skipping etc.. pioneer ao3 first model had over 10000 units shipped... ao4 and ao5 got knows how many...
the yamaha and other models of + standard sold a few but the majority were sorry that they didnt get the - standard.... Even now the cheap standard media is 45p... cheapest + is about 3.00 upwards depending on make and model tbh...

In my opinion its way to far ahead even do this new sony model looks the bees knees.. i was actually thinking of buying it myself but theres compatibility probs still with some os with certain hardware installed... and another note i dont really wanna pay an extra 100 notes just to have the + standard..

My 2 cents again Appy

Blitzkrieger

Originally posted by The Apprentice
i have loads of backed up films here on dvdr here

*cough PIRATE!



I don't agree with any of yis! It seems companys are jumping on the band waggon of one standard of another every day. The only real way it'll be sorted out is the same way VHS/Beta was sorted out : whoever sells the most wins.

If I was buying now though, I believe there's a drive out there that does everything. CD-R, CR-RW, DVD-R, DVD+R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM. Think it was either Panasonic or Philips.

I wouldn't buy now though, because there's a new standard out 'soon'. I think the new discs will hold 20-30G or about 10 hours of video (I can't really remember). It will probably make all current drives obselete.

If I wanted to 'backup' a DVD now I'd probably just burn it to 2 VCDs instead. It's a pain in the ass to change the disc halfway though the movie, but it costs nothing.

silverski

Thanks to everyone that replied.........

Its still a tad confusing but less so that when I started.....

The Apprentice

To answer blitzreigers comments..
Not pirated .. idle hands and tremors both region 2 under 4.3 gigs with extras and menus... BACKED UP>>

And also saying that u dont agree with any of us.. ???
Im on one side uppin the - standand and creed on the other side of the fence praising the + standard...
Thats it there aint any more sides if u get what im typin here ??
ALso burnin a vcd bit of a bitch aint it.. used to do it myself with the 2 vcds and had well over 300 films but the quality and without all extras that just plain sucks really m8 compared to a dvd to be honest
Just spend the bucks on a dvdrw and u wont be dissapointed !!

Blitzkrieger

I was half joking, but my advice would be to wait for the new standard. I'm not saying he wouldn't lose out in the meantime, nor would burning to VCDs be the same as DVD, but it's what I would do.

unkel

Have to agree with _CreeD_

DVD+RW platform is supported by the likes of Sony, Philips, HP, Ricoh, Yamaha, Dell and lbnl Microsoft.

DVD-RW is supported mainly by Matsu****a (the crowd that's never invented anything but is clever at marketing - remember the VHS story). It's cheaper and an ok alternative for now, but only for the short term. Don't expect your hardware to be useful for anything much but creating your own backups in about a year's time


EDIT: the **** is not mine, the boards software must do this?!

Blitzkrieger

it's automatic censorship for swear words. You can;t even say cocktail.

Oops - yes you can, but you didn't used to be able to.