dvd-r disk query

[willow74]

I am wanting to copy a video camera film onto a DVD.  I have all the software at work and all set to go but confused on this + and - on the blank DVDs.

I only want a DVD-R, not a RW but every store tells me to buy either + or - variety dependant on the DVD.  I am making a few copies for friends but unsure what one is better to get (obviously different dvd players)

What is the most common one to get that should work on most machines?

Most friends have a phillips decent dvd player but some have cheap �35 matsui type things.

[Ralph]

This site: http://tinyurl.com/6tdd4 claims that both + & -R's will work in a Matsui 110 & 120. It reports some problems with either format on a Philips, but those could be the really early players and everything would be alright nowadays probably.

From personal experience, I sent a DVD+R to a friend with an oldish laptop (P3 500) and it refused to work in the drive, but the DVD-R I sent later was fine. Also my Toshiba D-R1 DVD recorder will not read +R discs. Therefore, I always stick to DVD-R discs and haven't had any problems.

[ian.miller]

- R discs are generally accepted as being more compatible with a wider range of devices. + R discs have normally been available in faster speeds. I use -R

As with CDs to be used on Audio devices, if you can spare the time writing them at a slower than maximum speed will sometimes help - so write at 2x on a 4x recorder etc.

[Chappers]

Yeah DVD-R is better, I'm on my 3rd recordable DVD drive now (upgrade a lot) and now have a Pioneer DVR107 (+&-) and I've found that even now, DVD media is dodgy as hell! Some disks work great, some disks in the same batch just won't record, some brands are infinately better than others...I still cannot find a brand of DVD-R that will record at maximum speed with no errors, I always record at 2x...basically in this world of DVD recording there is only 1 certainty and that is that DVD+R media is worse than DVD-R