dvd - rw and dvd + rw?

[SAH]

Can anyone tell me what the difference is between DVD - RW and DVD + RW discs please?

[yellowjohn]

The truth is that the two competing technologies use different formats. No single company "owns" DVD and both technologies have their "champions".

DVD-R/RW was developed by Pioneer. Based on CD-RW technology, it uses a similar pitch of the helix, mark length of the 'burn' for data, and rotation control. DVD-R/RW is supported by the DVD Forum, an industry-wide group of hardware and software developers, and computer peripheral manufacturers. The DVD-R format has been standardized in ECMA-279 by the Forum, but this is a private standard, not an 'industry' ISO standard like the CD-R/RW Red Book or Orange Book standard.

DVD+R/RW is also based on CD-RW technology. DVD+R/RW is supported by Sony, Philips, HP, Dell, Ricoh, Yamaha, and others, and has recently been endorsed by Microsoft. DVD+R/RW is not supported by the DVD Forum, but the Forum has no power to set industry standards, so it becomes a market-driven issue.
A lot of dvd writers can be very picky.My benq is a + and - writer but in reality only burns + discs with any consistencey,it took a lot of coasters to suss that one out so really it's whatever works for you.I HATE - DISCS

[KebabMeister]

So if I have a Pioneer DVD player I'm best recording in DVD-R?  (My laptop can record + & -)

[yellowjohn]

pioneer is prob best with - but if it is a +/- writer and they both work then no probs just find what works best for you.my writer is +/- but the only dvd- discs it will burn are ritek and memorex.although it will burn any brand of dvd+ discs.

[chrisbailey]

A friend told me that if you're burning movies/video files, you're better of with DVD+ because it has better error correction, whereas DVD- is better for data backups.

[SAH]

Thank you all for your advice, my DVD burner is an NEC 3520 and says it can copy DVD+R/RW and DVD-R/RW, but I can't seem to erase a TDK DVD+RW disc I've got using NERO, maybe I'll try a DVD-RW instead and see if I have any luck there...