NOW, can someone explain DVD+R?

MarkHastings · 12-27-2004, 09:36 AM

Ok, I did a lot of research when DVD+R first came out and everyone had different opinions as to which was better (+R or -R). The big thing was, no one seemed to be able to explain why people use DVD+R. Besides compatibility, can anyone explain why DVD+R is supposed to be better than -R?

Actually, can anyone explain what the difference is between the two? I mean, they're both DVD-R's, but why do players need to be able to have DVD+R compatibility? How is the media encoded differently?

Chris · 12-27-2004, 10:33 AM

Actually, as far as general compatibility (from most to least) it goes:

DVD-R
DVD+RW
DVD+R
DVD-RW

In settop players.. far more older settop players will play -R then +R, instead of vice versa.

That having been said, the difference is really in how the TOC is placed on the disk.

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but why do players need to be able to have DVD+R compatibility?

Most players by default support -R (hell, an old Panasonic 310A still worked with -R, but no way on +R) the reason is because +R puts the TOC at the end of each session. So, if a DVD player doesn't by default support that, it's a no go and it won't play the disk

MarkHastings · 12-27-2004, 10:49 AM

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the reason is because +R puts the TOC at the end of each session

Thanks Chris, this is the answer I've been looking for. Most of the time, when I ask this question, people talk about compatibility, but I know the compatibility issue, it's the reason WHY DVD+R is used (in the first place) that confuses me.

So what would be the advantage of putting the TOC at the end? Actually, this almost sounds like what I was thinking before. Is a DVD+R more like an "unfinilized" CD? (i.e. the TOC isn't built yet so you can keep adding stuff to it)??

I heard the DVD+R's are used in the DVD video cameras, I would assume this is because the TOC isn't written, so you can record video, stop, record again at a later time, then "finialize" the disc by adding the TOC?

This would make sense as to why the TOC is at the end...but as far as just burning a "finalized" DVD (i.e. one that doesn't need to have stuff added to it) it sounds like the only reason to burn DVD+R is compatibility...but, of course, if it weren't FOR DVD+R, then we wouldn't have to worry about compatitibility in the first place.

The reason this all came about was, someone sent my company a DVD (that they had burned themselves) and one of our video editors couldn't read it in their player. It played fine in my player and they wondered why. I said that it was probably a DVD+R and they asked me why someone would burn a DVD+R (since compatitibility seemed to be a big issue). I kind of understood the reasons, but couldn't explain anything logically...because (as I said above) if you are just burning a "finalized" DVD, then what's the advantage of burning a DVD+R over a DVD-R...there really seems to be no other reason, besides someone having DVD+R epuipment and has a stock pile of DVD+R's.

Chris · 12-27-2004, 11:50 AM

You've about got it. Because +R has a much easier path to multisession recordings, it made for a lot easier use. I can record some, stop, have a usable TOC to read back and watch what I've recorded, and another session, it creates another TOC which combines the first and the new one, etc. etc. etc.

So, for set top recording, +R made sense. -R, with it's front loaded TOC, is in line with the DVD Consortium spec (the same way store bought DVDs position the TOC) so that those discs (-R) are MORE compatible then +R, as all DVD players expect a TOC at the beginning, only newer ones will also look for one at the end of a session

MarkHastings · 12-27-2004, 12:27 PM

Oh, so you can have multiple TOC's on one DVD+R...

I think that was a big key that I was missing.

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Ted Lee · 12-27-2004, 05:38 PM

hey mark, this is a pretty good faq...

http://www.dvdrfaq.com/faq.htm#4.3

Patrick Sun · 12-27-2004, 10:17 PM

There are utilities/firmware associated with certain DVD-burner drives that allow for changing the Booktype of the DVD+R to DVD-ROM so that DVD players that have problems playing DVD+Rs would have a better chance of playing a DVD+R that had its booktype changed to DVD-ROM.

Diallo B · 12-28-2004, 12:04 AM

i exclusively burn +r with the booktype set to dvd-rom for my clients and have had no compatibility problems. this is my experience with thousands of burned +r's.

i have the capability to burn -r but never have. until i have a problem i will exclusively use +r's.

Ken Chan · 12-28-2004, 12:41 AM

Ted, the site for the up-to-date DVD FAQ that does not chop off the credits for who actually wrote the thing is:

http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html

The color scheme is also not so ugly. Section 4.3.9:

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Note that the -R/RW format often writes a full lead-out to the diameter required by the DVD spec, so small amounts of data (like a very short video clip) may take the same amount of time as large amounts.

Back in the old 1x and 2x days, it would take several extra minutes. If you're burning short test DVDs, not having to wait for the lead-out is nice.

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they're both DVD-R's

They're both recordable (as opposed to rewritable or read-only) DVD, but obviously +R is not -R

MarkHastings · 12-28-2004, 10:22 AM

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They're both recordable (as opposed to rewritable or read-only) DVD, but obviously +R is not -R

Yes, recordable, that's what I meant instead of the -R. :b

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Back in the old 1x and 2x days, it would take several extra minute

Like 12 minutes!

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