DVD-R vs. DVD+R

[notec]

I'm looking to buy LightScribe discs and have a basic question wrt which is the better - more reliable - format to backup on?

I've always gone with TY DVD-R's for SD DVD backups and will stick to that but I'm interested in peoples opinion on the lightscibe discs from Verbatim... according to supermedia stores site:

DVD-R Media definition:

A write-once, recordable format. DVD-R drives can write DVD-R discs, which can be written only once, as opposed to a DVD-RW drive, which can write and rewrite to RW media. The authoring use drive (635nm laser) was introduced in 1998 by Pioneer, and the general use format (650nm laser) was authorized in 2000. DVD-R offers a write-once, read-many storage format akin to CD-R and is used to master DVD-Video and DVD-ROM discs.

DVD+R Media definition:

Short for DVD+Recordable, a recordable DVD format similar to CD-R. A DVD+R can only record data once and then the data becomes permanent on the disc. The disc can not be recorded onto a second time. DVD+R and DVD+RW formats are supported by Philips, Sony, Hewlett-Packard, Dell, Ricoh, Yamaha and others.

My understanding is that DVD+R, or anything +R the user can modify the Book-Type (to DVD-ROM for compatibilty with older SAPs) and on a -R you can not. With the definition above it states -R is used to master DVD-Video and DVD-ROM discs. With so many SAPs now -R support shouldn't be an issue but the "used to master DVD..." reference makes me wonder is DVD+R inferior (I suspect not) but wanted to raise here.

[Brian Fisher]

I do have any direct experience with lightscribe, but I can tell you that if you are going to backup, blank manufacturer should be the first consideration. Format type (+ or - R) should not make too much difference. Your choice on TY is an excellent one. Verbatim is hit or miss, I have seen reports that just scorch Verbatim, but they are also a widely used manufacturer in the DVD Duplication Industry.

Also, I believe that the website techs for Supermedia store are probably not that savvy, they are probably more marketing guys than high tech experts on every item they sell so hanging your hat on a few words of their copy may be misleading.

Anyhow, top mfgs in my book are TY and Sony, but I understand that they do not produce lightscribe products. Besides that I dont hold too much stock in differentiating - and +R formats.
This is only my opinion, I hope it helps in some way.

Brian G Fisher

[locoeng]

I've used the +R flavored Verbatim LS discs and didn't have any problems with the quality. Out of habit and the ability to booktype my +R's to DVD-ROM I rarely if ever purchase or use -R discs. As for reliability there shouldn't be much if any difference between the two formats. There are still some players out there that only accept one or the other formats so this is the reason I choose +R for a wider range of compatability amung standalone players.

[rosariorose9]

I'll echo locoeng's thoughts, and note that we apparently are not alone in our preferences since the -R discs consistently are on 'sale' at prices less than the +R discs (at least when it comes to TY)...

[soup]

That is true, I got the NCIX newsletter a couple of days ago. It's their 12 year sale & all the TYs that were on sale, were Dvd-R. There is a savings code has to be used for these.

<table align="center" border="0" cellpadding="3" cellspacing="0" width="600"><tbody><tr align="left" bgcolor="#ffffff" valign="top"><td colspan="4">Blank Media </td> </tr> <tr> <td><img> </td> <td> Philips 52X CD-R 80MIN 50 Disc Spindle Shrink Wrapped
(CR7D5NV50%2F17) Reg. Price:$24.99
</td> <td align="right" nowrap="nowrap"> $9.99 </td> <td align="right"> 60% </td> </tr> <tr> <td><img> </td> <td> Taiyo Yuden DVD-R 16X 4.7GB 100 Disc Spindle Shiney Silver Top
(TAIYO%2F0020) Reg. Price:$45.15
</td> <td align="right" nowrap="nowrap"> $35.88 </td> <td align="right"> 21% </td> </tr> <tr> <td><img> </td> <td> Taiyo Yuden DVD-R 8X 4.7GB 100DISC Spindle Shiney Silver Top
(TAIYO%2F0015) Reg. Price:$36.12
</td> <td align="right" nowrap="nowrap"> $28.88 </td> <td align="right"> 20% </td> </tr> <tr> <td><img> </td> <td> Tru Blu by Taiyo Yuden DVD-R 8X 4.7GB 100 Disc Bulk Pack Shiney Silver Top
(TRUBLU%2F0008) Reg. Price:$34.99
</td> <td align="right" nowrap="nowrap"> $17.99 </td> <td align="right"> 49%</td></tr></tbody></table>

[DrinkOrDie]

Some of the comments are surprising to me. When I first started using a DVD burner, I was using +R to make video DVD's but they would play in only one of my players, and about half of my friend's players. Ever since I decided to try -R, they have played in all players I tried. I never went back to +R.

Other than being able to change the book type on +R, I don't see any difference except that my -R movies seem to play in all players, whereas the +R's don't. Also, be aware that not all players are fooled by changing the book type, some ignore that when you change it.

[avoidz]

Never had any problems here with Verbatim DVD-R discs. Sony are very reliable, too.

[m1a1314]

for movie there or no one better then sony and back up dvd-r (100's of movies and backup)

[drfsupercenter]

I exclusively use DVD+R.

As far as quality goes, there's no difference... Verbatim DVD-R and DVD+R are the same media ID. (AFAIK)
The reason I use DVD+R is because I can make it look like DVD-ROM so it'll work in more things, like older DVD players (while all of MINE work with DVD-R, if I took it to a friend's house I want it to play there too)

As far as DVD-R being used to master, whatever site you read that on really doesn't know what they're talking about... there's no difference other than the bitsetting. As far as the consumer is concerned. You can master stuff on either, both can only be written once, and both have rewritable discs in their line. (And if you go dual layer, you absolutely have to get DVD+R DL, the -R DL (if it's even made anymore) is horrible)

[soup]

Dvd+/-R, it just don't matter, as long as it works in what you want to play it in. The main thing is consistant quality & common sense when it comes to burning your project, (for example, just because it says 16X, don't mean that that is the correct speed to burn at).The most consistant quality blank media recommended by a lot of people who have taken the time & trouble to test other stuff is Taiyo Yuden (TY) & Verbatim. They are not saying the best or the only media there is. So the next time you see a good deal on some cheap crap & you wonder why your burn didn't turn out, it could be because you didn't listen to the fool who told you to try TY or Verbatim.

[dr_ml422]

I learned the hard way as I was suggested to go w/Tys or verbatims when I first joined here by all of you more experienced members. I just finished going thru a sh1t load of HP discs of which I had backed up many movies and many had disintegrated. Lucky I caught this in time and was able to transfer them to TYs. Also experience taught me that many of the burners out here prefer quality media which at first I thought pigeon holed me to the more sometimes expensive and better quality media. Now I know why.

The +r thingy is a lil confusing as many at the retail stores suggested -r for more compatibility w/saps. I always thought the +r format was so you could play it on your pc as well. If -rs are once write then why do they have -rws? Doesn't rw stand for re-writable? Also as per 1 post here in the forum it was to some faster to back up w/rws. Is that a given or personal preference/opinion also.