# Difference between different writable DVD formats?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-different-writable-dvd-formats/279937>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 15, 2004, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-different-writable-dvd-formats/279937 "2004-12-15T06:24:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-different-writable-dvd-formats/279937/1 "2004-12-15T06:24:29Z")

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Well, I’m in the market for a dvd-writer, and I haven’t really been following hardware lately. I’m aware of at least two “competing” formats, DVD-R and DVD+R. My question, basically, is what the difference is between these (and others, if there are) writable dvd formats. If anyone has any experience with this, I’d greatly appreciate any information.

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**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2004, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-different-writable-dvd-formats/279937/2 "2004-12-15T07:35:43Z")

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    - Start here: [http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html](http://www.dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html)  
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**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:** [December 15, 2004, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/difference-between-different-writable-dvd-formats/279937/3 "2004-12-15T15:44:31Z")

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There’s not a lot of difference between DVD-R and DVD+R now. DVD+R tends to have new innovations first because its standardisation process is faster, but DVD-R always catches up.

Get the format that the players you have will read.

Some previous threads:  
[What is the difference between DVD+R and DVD-R media?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=288596&highlight=dvd%2BR+DVD-R+format)  
[Re: Recordable Media cd’s & DVD’s](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=274396&highlight=dvd%2BR+DVD-R+format)  
[Help me pick a DVD burning format](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=273826&highlight=dvd%2BR+DVD-R+format)  
[What format DVD will work in most domestic players?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=282091&highlight=dvd%2BR+DVD-R+format)