What is the difference between "+" & "-"?

Carlimited

What is the difference between a CD-R, and a CD+R, and also for a DVD-R, and a DVD+R? Which is better for saving data? I know that you can get more on a DVD of course, but I'm more curious about the "+ & -" thing.

SeanW

Carlimited wrote:

What is the difference between a CD-R, and a CD+R, and also for a DVD-R, and a DVD+R? Which is better for saving data? I know that you can get more on a DVD of course, but I'm more curious about the "+ & -" thing.

For CDs there's no difference.

For DVDs, DVD+ and DVD- are both different standards of DVD. I don't think it makes much difference these days as all modern DVD rewriter drives and standalone units deal with both equally.

peveril13

theres no such thing as cd+r, there is only cd-r or rw. write once or rewrite.
dvd+/- is like betamax all over again, and its happening again with the next generation which is hddvd or bluray.
anyways.
dvd-r/-rw is usually used with jvc and panasonic.
dvd+r/+rw is usually used with sony, philips
-ram is again a panasonic format.

newer machines are capable of working on both + and - formats.
computers use + mostly.

its really only an issue if U record something and want to pass it on to some1 else who has an old player.

Anima

DVD+R is the better format but -R has better compatibility with most DVD players etc.

hopeful

I've often wondered this myself...but never asked in case it was something obvious and I sounded like an idiot
Thanks for the info.

Gadgetman496

Anima wrote:

DVD+R is the better format but -R has better compatibility with most DVD players etc.

Agreed.

One other aspect which has not been mentioned yet is that one of the formats needs to be finalised before it can be used standalone & the other does not.

You will see it as an option on CAMcorders where you have to finalise the disc before you remove it from the unit.

I think it's the -R that requires finalisation.

dulpit

gadgetman496 wrote:

I think it's the -R that requires finalisation.

You're probably right, i have a DVD+ writer on my comp, never had to finalise one yet...

DonkeyStyle \o/

Have a standalone dvd recorder that uses +R... disks must be finalized... go figure.

8T8

Both + & - use finalization but in the + formats case it is optional.

As for the difference not much these days, the old one that the - format was more compatible no longer applies as the last study done showed about a percentage point difference in compatibility. Practically all modern DVD players play + & - discs these days.

As for how the + format came about well it was originally down to the - format and the group that controlled it some companies didn't like that the - format was not as flexible as they wanted so they broke away and formed the + camp.

The + format is the technically superior format and showed this by reaching faster speed grades, dual layer technology and so forth, the - camp ironically responded by upgrading the - format to match it though they tended to trail the + camp.

Also the DVD-R DL format was dead in the water because unlike the DVD+R DL format the + camp have a feature called bitsetting which changes the ID of the disc to DVD-ROM instead of DVD+R DL, this allowed a good compatibility rate with existing DVD hardware and the new dual layer technology as they treated the discs as DVD9 which is a factory pressed dual layer DVD. The - format has no such feature and suffered terrible compatibility problems with their dual layer format.

Gadgetman496

8T8 wrote:

Both + & - use finalization but in the + formats case it is optional.

As for the difference not much these days, the old one that the - format was more compatible no longer applies as the last study done showed about a percentage point difference in compatibility. Practically all modern DVD players play + & - discs these days.

As for how the + format came about well it was originally down to the - format and the group that controlled it some companies didn't like that the - format was not as flexible as they wanted so they broke away and formed the + camp.

The + format is the technically superior format and showed this by reaching faster speed grades, dual layer technology and so forth, the - camp ironically responded by upgrading the - format to match it though they tended to trail the + camp.

Also the DVD-R DL format was dead in the water because unlike the DVD+R DL format the + camp have a feature called bitsetting which changes the ID of the disc to DVD-ROM instead of DVD+R DL, this allowed a good compatibility rate with existing DVD hardware and the new dual layer technology as they treated the discs as DVD9 which is a factory pressed dual layer DVD. The - format has no such feature and suffered terrible compatibility problems with their dual layer format.

Nice post & very informative.

Anti

-ram is mostly used for recording live tv too.

Carlimited

gadgetman496 wrote:

Nice post & very informative.

I'll second THAT!!!