+rw/-rw

[tabatha]

Can someone please explain the pros/cons of DVD+RW and DVD-RW...
I know they are ...obviously..re-writable..My searching seems to imply that -RW are easier to edit.Does this mean that the recorder shows what is on the disk..?menu?
I want to record to disk and then edit..I do not want to go to the expense of a HD/DVD recorder.... Thanks....

[SMHarman]

What do you want to record to what?
VHS tapes > DVD
Time shift recording
Camcorder footage?
What are you planning to put the -+RW drive? in your PC?

[tabatha]

TV to DVD disks..
Not bothered about time shift..
Stand alone DVD recorder...
Basically..record to dvd +RW/-RW...take out the bits I do not want..watch the rest as and when....then record over..or keep..A "posh" VCR

Of all places, found this in Netto advert.
DVDr + RW goodmans £99.99 with video plus
up to 365 minutes recording time
kodak picture cd playback function
8 event recording from tv with daily/weekly/monthly options
one touch record/direct/programme name recording with index
picture screen for instant content overview

Originally Posted by tabatha

Can someone please explain the pros/cons of DVD+RW and DVD-RW...

When I looked into this I discovered that there are effectively 2 'standards' groups - one that promotes -RW and one for +RW.

I believe that -RW is the 'more compatible' one, hence I would expect that to be the preferred choice.

Anyway, that's what I decided when I picked up some -RW DVDs.

[djstevie]

When i was reading about this before i bought my dvd writer, various forums said that + writing was slightly better quality but not particularly noticeable to the untrained eye. It said that some dvd players dont like + recorded discs. It seems to me it was meaning this:


+ writing = Excellent quality, not great compatability with all dvd players.

- writing = Slighly worse quality but much greater chance of the disc being compatible with dvd player.

[SMHarman]

-RW is the more compatible std but possibly less editable, or certainly it means you cannot reclaim the space when you edit elements off a disk. It is more compatible as it records the information in a digital spiral from the inside of the disk outward, much like a original disk, or a similar concept to a vinyl album (if you remember those things).

+RW works differently and is more flexible in its editing but less compatible. RAM is even better as it structurs the DVD more like a computer disk with sectors and random access, but is even less compatible, it is better for time shift type use, though HDD based players are now taking over that role.

Have you thought about a combined HDD/DVDR player to record to the HDD and then save to the DVD?

This compatibility becomes more of a problem on more expensive and older players, the cheap players from Asda, Tesco etc have been built for far east markets where DIVX and other older DVD video formats have a good market and can cope with most formats, where the player is designed for flawless DVD playback it can end up being more picky about the disk it gets.