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A friend of mine here at work came in and asked the difference between the DVD types out there and we got ourselves so loaded up on the information that we are now somewhat confused. So here is her question:What is the difference between DVD+RW and DVD-RW (which can then be broken down into video and VR - I guess the DVD+RW can't??)? Her next question is as follows:She wants to make DVD's from VHS tapes that will play in anyone's DVD player. Does she use the DVD+RW or the DVD-RW?Please give this to us in DVD for Dummies style, not the techno-above-your-head kind of stuff. We already found all of the techno stuff on the Internet.Thanks!!

Basically, it's this. You want to use +R or +RWThey are the most compatible with DVD players for video. -R and -RW are, in general, cheaper and good for data but have issues with playing in some DVD players. As far as what the + or - stand for, they're just different format standards and further explaination would exceed "DVD for Dummies". RW and R just define whether the disc is re-writable (RW) or can only be written once (R). Generally, write-once (R) discs are more compatible and would be recommended in the situation you described. RW discs are best suited for archiving data (digital photos and the like).So, short and sweet:Use DVD+R

According to http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdformats.htm , DVD-R has the highest compatibility with up to 95%. DVD+R is close with up to 90%. DVD+RW and DVD-RW have much lower compatibility.

Millster, this was very clear and easy to understand, thank you so much!!! As soon as I am done here, I am forwarding on the information to my friend.Baltovibe, your information was also clear and understandable, thank you. I will be sending your info along as well.Thank you both and for humoring me with dummies explanations!!!

another difference is that the DVD-R's write/read in whats called CLV (constant Linear Velocity) which is slower, but has less of a tendency to create errors in the burning processDVD+R's use CAV (constant Angular Velocity) in reading/writing, which improves speed, but can leave you with more chance for errors. This doesn't really play into effect too much to consider one over the other.I use DVD-R's because like someone else already pointed out, they are the most compatible with home DVD players.

Hmmm... well I'm a little out of date then, I think. When I was dealing with that stuff a lot more, DVD+R was the way to go for compatibility. Strange how that changed.

Quote, originally posted by millster »Hmmm... well I'm a little out of date then, I think. When I was dealing with that stuff a lot more, DVD+R was the way to go for compatibility. Strange how that changed.In my experience, I've had issues with "-R' disks that wouldn't work in several other people's DVD players. I've never had a problem with "+R" disks in any of those same (or any other) players. Which would seem to support your research.DVD-R is an older format, so I had expected it to work in more players, but it didn't turn out that way...

Well then at least I'm not the only one. I used to do a lot of video work and sent items out on DVD. At the time, the only burner I had was the DVD-R drive in my iMac G4. I had a number of people who could not use my discs and at that time, I wasn't the only one with that issue. I've been out of that loop for a while though and apparently the standards support has changed some since then.

ive noticed some DVD+R working better in older laptops and dvd players, but i hear and read DVD-R is more compatible. All of my devices read both so i dont care but i only buy DVD-R's. soon blu-ray will be out, then more upgrading!! i wonder how long until affordable blu-ray burners come out....

I make copies of a lot of movies for people at work and the few that I have made with DVD+ have had some issues, when I make them with DVD- no one has an issues.

Better explanation here http://www.videohelp.com/dvd

I always heard DVD-Rs are more compatible. Back when I worked in retail, we sold probably more than twice as many -Rs than we did +Rs. Often we'd sell out of -Rs but always had +Rs.

That is true -r's are more compatible.