DVD+R vs. DVD-R

[Tyler007]

Maybee it's lame question but as many of you i just figured out that my media burned last year are dead so question is: Has DVD+R same problem with data lost as DVD-R??

[Video Dude]

Yes, both use dye which can breakdown over time. Consider them equals when it comes to this.

To help delay the dye breakdown store them in a cool, dry, dark place. Some say you should avoid labels because the labels can retain moisture and the glue may hurt the disc. Others say avoid writing on them with markers because the ink will soak in. But most important buy good quality media, such as the the ones with media code MMC.

[Joergen]

Yes Verbatim (Mitsubishi Chemical Company) uses the advanced AZO protection that gives "superior protection" to UV light. I'd trust them over any lesser brand.

Out of necessity (no other brand of disc worked!) I used Ritek discs for the most part (still do) and Verbatim for stuff that is really important. Haven't had any failed discs yet.

The Pioneer and Apple 2X DVD-R I wrote almost exactly 2 years ago are great still today (as in flawless dvd speed curves, just checked one disc). And those are MXL RG01. The "pirated" MXL media codes some noname brands used have ruined Maxell's reputation.

Also I bought 4 Verbatim 1X DVD-RW 2 years back and have burnt them over at least 30 times each, no sign of degeneration yet.

edit: thought I'd add that I once had a disc with a paper-sticker-lable on it (printed too) that I thought had failed on me, but I soaked off the label and the read-back curve in dvdspeed was flawless (where it had failed at 2.3GB with label attached). So as said elsewhere, stickerlabels = bad.

[Tyler007]

Thanks for the answers. Unfortunately Ritek media aren't available in my country. I can buy Panasonic (I hear they're the best) or Verbatim and some other brands of course. The Panasonics are expensive so the winner is Verbatim. Should I buy DVD+R or DVD-R??

[Joergen]

You could try some online vendors. Postage isnt so bad if you order 50-100 discs in a spindle.

When data reliability is concerned I believe DVD+R or DVD-R make no real difference. Verbatim's discs seem to be priced equally too so cant go wrong either way.

Only in a scenario where your disc has a tiny tiny unwritable sector on the data side would the additional error-skipping (when writing) of DVD+R help. But usually if there is a scratch or other laser-obscuring anomaly on the data side it would need several megabytes of error correction space, and DVD+R only offers a few kilobytes of it.

[Tyler007]

Well, thanks, this really helps. :)

[k2]

Yes Tylor007
it is true for both DVD-R & DVD+R but life seems to very depending on brand. Both TDK and Ritek are respected but beware of materials relabeled. Many seller do not expect you to check the header internal to the DVDR.

[max2k]

Originally posted by Tyler007
Maybee it's lame question but as many of you i just figured out that my media burned last year are dead so question is: Has DVD+R same problem with data lost as DVD-R??

DVD+R is slightly better ... read this excellent article for details:

Why DVD+R(W) is superior to DVD-R(W) (http://www.cdfreaks.com/article/113)

[Joergen]

That article seems more like a Philips commercial to me :) There's no denying that dvd+r is designed better in a few aspects, but DVD-R is after all THE standard of the DVD Consortium, and Philips is merely bitter for losing their old CD/CD-R royalties to a writable format they no longer control.

But competition is always welcome! Without Philips, we wouldnt get Dual Layer writable perhaps ever.

[spath]

If you have found inaccuracies in my article, I'd love to hear them.
Also if you can show on which aspects - format is technically better
than +, feel free to post your arguments. And for your information,
the DVD Forum does not set standards, it is just a group of companies
(including Philips) willing to make money, and it promotes equally
DVD-R(W) and DVD-RAM.

[Joergen]

Writing of the + standard as "superior" is last years news. Sorry, but the DVD Consortium does set standards and next will decide the standard of the future (HDDVD or Bluray).

Remember bitsetting? That's one undeniable front where DVD-R is better. Once written it is "DVD-ROM", not "DVD+R".

There's no denying Philips took a cheap shot at getting their royalty empire back. Their patent for Compact Disc has expired (so I read), and current revenues come from CD-R, DVD+R trailing behind.

And recent market analysis shows 60% of sold discs are DVD-R, while +R is "growing" faster in burner hardware (which is a futile argument since they all support both standards now).

[Dimmer]

MODs ought to close this thread - it's obviously turning into a flame war, especially considering such a provocative title. Original poster's question apparently has long been answered to his satisfaction.

[daehkcid]

I got a question, I stick paper labels on all my backups. Does it mean they'll die on me soon?

:( :confused:

[JoeShrubbery]

Originally posted by daehkcid
I got a question, I stick paper labels on all my backups. Does it mean they'll die on me soon?

:( :confused:

Yes! They are doomed, DOOMED!
...probably...

[spath]

> Writing of the + standard as "superior" is last years news. Sorry,
> but the DVD Consortium does set standards and next will decide the
> standard of the future (HDDVD or Bluray).

Yeah, right. If you like to pretend explaining others how this
industry works, at least try to use the correct words : the "DVD
Consortium" has long ago changed its name to "DVD Forum".

> Remember bitsetting? That's one undeniable front where DVD-R is
> better.

Uh? Bitsettings is an exclusive feature of + which allows you to burn
any booktype value you want, while the booktype is prerecorded on -.
How is that worse ?

> And recent market analysis shows 60% of sold discs are DVD-R, while
> +R is "growing" faster in burner hardware (which is a futile
> argument since they all support both standards now).

Source ? URL ?

[atreides93]

I think the poster's original question has been answered, or at least as well as it can be for now.
His problem isn't due to using dvd-r instead of dvd+r but due to the nature of dvd recordable media dye and/or the brand of media he used...

so enough of this argument about which is better...
i have a dual format drive, and i use dvd-r disks right now cause they're a little cheaper than dvd+r and because my sony dvd player can't play dvd+r disks but it can play dvd-r