# Buying a DVD Burner - Plus? Minus? Should I care? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 16, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-dvd-burner-plus-minus-should-i-care/188928 "2003-07-16T17:42:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-dvd-burner-plus-minus-should-i-care/188928/1 "2003-07-16T17:42:30Z")
From what I’ve read “plus” has more companies behind it, a few more software advantages to it, and will be the format that will eventually survive. I’ve also read that same exact thing for “minus” Any advice? I’m buying next week. Pioneer A05 - 4x DVD write R- $189.99 or HP DVD300i - 4x DVD write R+ $229.99 They seem almost identical, 'cept one is minus and one is plus. Help! ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-dvd-burner-plus-minus-should-i-care/188928/2 "2003-07-16T18:54:34Z")
This site will answer most of your questions. [http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvd.htm](http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvd.htm) Here is the new multi-format Sony drive for the best web price currently available at [www.livewarehouse.com](http://www.livewarehouse.com) - $ 197 with free shipping - [http://store.yahoo.com/livewarehouse/dvso25950.html](http://store.yahoo.com/livewarehouse/dvso25950.html) ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-dvd-burner-plus-minus-should-i-care/188928/3 "2003-07-16T19:47:58Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > They seem almost identical, 'cept one is minus and one is plus. For God’s sake, don’t put one of each in the same computer, or your machine will be mutually annhiliated! ---
**Author:** ![Ms2001](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ms2001/32/18463_2.png) [@Ms2001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ms2001)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-dvd-burner-plus-minus-should-i-care/188928/4 "2003-07-16T21:41:06Z")
My understanding is that DVD-R is faster to write and more compatible with players than DVD+R. On the other hand, DVD\*\*+RW\*\* is faster to write and more compatible than DVD\*\*-RW\*\*. I suggest the multi-format drive so you can use the advantages of both formats, and so that if the industry actually chooses one over the other, you won’t be left in the dark. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-dvd-burner-plus-minus-should-i-care/188928/5 "2003-07-16T22:31:16Z")
+r is about twice that of -r for blank disks. How about from [spoofee.com](http://spoofee.com) a +R for $112 with a bunch of other stuff, after rebate…major brand too, a Pioneer repacked. ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-dvd-burner-plus-minus-should-i-care/188928/6 "2003-07-17T07:51:07Z")
I think +RW will dominate. Why? Because I bought a -RW drive last week. It always happens. I got an Atari ST when the big alternative computer system of the time was the Amiga. I bought a SyJet 135, and shortly afterwards Syquest went bankrupt; Iomega’s Zip won out. If I was born ten years earlier, I’d probably have an Elcaset deck floating around the house. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-dvd-burner-plus-minus-should-i-care/188928/7 "2003-07-17T13:25:32Z")
Lol **Elmwood**. Yeah this is kind of strange, what’s up with the media pricing? The minus is a hell of a lot cheaper. I like the model **Astro** suggested, it almost seems a little too good to be true. I still can’t find any really good comparisons, just a quick gloss of over each standard. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-dvd-burner-plus-minus-should-i-care/188928/8 "2003-07-17T14:22:13Z")
Only +rw drives are pretty much out of the picture. HP made one called a 100i & it only did +rw. You must be thinking of +r/+rw which is more common. You can get a dual format writer for about $205 (pioneer 106) & be able to use which of these two formats wins. You can also have a +r and then a -r & copy between them, one is the reader, one the writer. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-dvd-burner-plus-minus-should-i-care/188928/9 "2003-07-17T17:23:27Z")
There’s a Sony drive, the [DRU500AX](http://www.sonyfastrac.ca/webapp/commerce/servlet/ProductDisplay?merchant_rn=2&prrfnbr=67757&cgrfnbr=16101), that records all four common formats: DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW. It doesn’t do DVD-RAM though. And it’s an expensive little bugger. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-dvd-burner-plus-minus-should-i-care/188928/10 "2003-07-17T17:24:35Z")
Oh crud. That’s pretty much the one **Astro** mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-dvd-burner-plus-minus-should-i-care/188928/11 "2003-07-17T19:30:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by World Eater \* > \*\*Lol **Elmwood**.I still can’t find any really good comparisons, just a quick gloss of over each standard. \*\* This is from the link I gave you > [@](#): > > DVD stands for Digital Versatile/Video Disc, DVDR stands for DVD Recordable and DVDRW for DVD ReWriteable. If you’re familiar with regular audio/music CDs or regular DVD-Video discs, then you will know what a recordable DVDR/W looks like. A recordable DVDR/W stores up to 2 hours of very good quality DVD-Video, including several audio tracks in formats like stereo, Dolby Digital or DTS and also advanced menu systems, subtitles and still pictures that can be played by many standalone DVD Players and most computer DVD-ROMs. If you choose to lower the video quality it is possible to store several hours video on a recordable DVDR/W using low bitrates and low resolution with video quality more like VHS, SVHS, SVCD, CVD or VCD. It is also possible to have up to 4.38\* GB ordinary data or mix DVD-Video and data on a recordable DVD that can be played by most computer DVD-ROMs. > > Today there are three competing DVD Recording standards, DVD-R/W and DVD+R/W have pretty similiar features and are compatible with many standalone DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs while DVD-RAM has less DVD Player and DVD-ROM compatibility but better recording features. > > DVD-R and DVD-RW- DVD-R/W was the first DVD recording format released that was compatible with standalone DVD Players. DVD-R is a non-rewriteable format and it is compatible with about 90% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs. DVD-RW is a rewriteable format and it is compatible with about 73% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs. DVD-R/W supports single side 4.7 GB\* DVDs(called DVD-5) and double side 9.4 GB\* DVDs(called DVD-10). These formats are supported by DVDForum. > > DVD+R and DVD+RW - DVD+R/W has some better features than DVD-R/W such as lossless linking and both CAV and CLV writing. DVD+R is a non-rewritable format and it is compatible with about 85% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs. DVD+RW is a rewritable format and is compatible with about 73% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs. DVD+R/W supports single side 4.7 GB\* DVDs(called DVD-5) and double side 9.4 GB\* DVDs(called DVD-10). These formats are supported by the DVD+RW Alliance. > > DVD-RAM - DVD-RAM has the best recording features but it is not compatible with most DVD-ROM drives and DVD-Video players. Think more of it as a removable hard disk. DVD-RAM is usually used in some DVD Recorders. This format is supported by DVDForum. ---
**Author:** ![hroeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9adbd/32.png) [@hroeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hroeder)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2003, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-a-dvd-burner-plus-minus-should-i-care/188928/12 "2003-07-17T19:51:04Z")
Multi Drives, like the Sony, will dominate the market. In fact, most of the new drives are multi-drives. Know that all formats, except DVD-RAM, write to disks sequentially. DVD-RAM provides random access to discs. Price wise -RW and +RW are about the same $3-4. +R and -R are about the same, $1.50 in quantity. DVD-RAM discs run between $7 and $30. RAM is the superior format, but it’s like BETA. Those of us who care about quality own it. What you’ll probably end up with is a drive the reads and writes R+/R- and one of the two RW formats. Panasonic is the primary pusher of RAM. Their stand alone recorders all use RAM or R- discs. If you want to record TV to a DVD this is a real alternative because it rewrites and has the other nice quality of letting you watch from the beginning while the program is still recording. Toshiba’s stand alone also supports this format. The bottom line is choose what you want. They’re all going to go away in the relatively near future. A new format will be necessary once HDTV takes over. Blue Ray is currently the leader in that field (Sony supported) but it’s not backward compatible with the discs we all already own.