DVD+R users, great news!

[Deja Q]

Best Buy has a sale for Panasonic brad DVD+R discs. Rated for 1x & 2.4x speeds, they're $50 for a 50 pack (or $140 for a 100 pack, but you can see which one is cheaper in the end). While supplies last, so be sure to pick up several 50-packs!

Beats the snot out of the typical $189 for 100 pack...

[Pale Blue Dot]

1. Look for prices to begin dropping like stones on blank DVDs.

I was told so by a manufacturer at a recent vendor show I attended.

Almost every electronics store has a sale on these every week. Staples had a 10-pack with cases on sale for $7.94 earlier this week.

[Slice]

2. Hrm

Well I have an 8x drive. So I buy the 8x discs.

I use DVD-R's, not DVD+R's, but I can get 500 DVD-R's for 220 dollars. I am building a gigantic movie collection, so I go through about 500 of them every 6 months. I imagine that you can find the same price for DVD+R's.

Just check pricewatch, my man:

http://www.pricewatch.com

[Kolesar]

3. -R means record once... +R means record many times

Do I have that right?

[Pale Blue Dot]

4. No. -R and +R are like Beta and VHS

2 different formats for doing the same thing. Both you can only record to once. To record multiple times, you need -RW or +RW.

[Slice]

6. Yep, correct

good explanation, mr. finnfan

[Deja Q]

7. Quite true...

And it's a battle going on.

I recall that + format has some technical superiority... which means the - format will win by default. VHS won, didn't it?

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

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[Taeger]

11. Nope ..

The + and - formats are almost identical.

BOTH recording formats require finalization before being used in traditional DVD players.

The trend is for the formats to merge. Both camnps are making dual format +/- burners now. Even DVD-RAM is starting to be bundled into burners (Iomega).

I look for the formats to eventually merge as media producers find ways to make discs that will work effectively for BOTH formats. At that point, there will be no real benefit to format differenes.

DVD-RAM will stick around for a while since it's a little more advanded than ANY of the other DVD formats.

Check out www.dvdrhelp.com for info.

[-..__...]

5. Not all blank discs are created equal.

http://www.dvdrhelp.com/dvdmedia

Unfortunately, there's no info on Panasonic DVD+R media, but you should get the idea. Not all stand alone players will recognize (read), all media.

[Deja Q]

8. Unless you get one that specifically says "will read + and - formats"

Older players are a toss up. I've an old JVC model that can read + discs fairly well, but not - ones. A friend in California has a slightly more recent model that can read - discs but not + discs.

Given how cheaply DVD players are made, it won't be long before support of + and - standards is universal for everybody. So maybe both formats can be kept in the end?

[-..__...]

10. I have an Apex 1210.

It pretty much reads anything I throw at it... and it only cost me $50.00. However, it occasionally has problems with Memorex DVD+R media. I bought them at Staples because the sale price was a bargain.

From my experience, burning video to any media can be a time consuming and trial and error pastime. DiVX, VCD, SVCD, DVD... fixing other peoples screw-ups, re-encoding, upping the bitrate, file conversions, etc. I guess it pretty much depends on what the source is and what you expect.

A person also needs to keep the firmware of their burner updated so that it will comply/recognize various vendors media.

As far as a universal media or standard is concerned? I don't think we're going to see that. Think in terms of entertainment holdings and interest.

Why would say... Sony (or whomever), adopt a standard for recording media and playback devices when those very same devices could be used to pirate
and distribute other products of theirs (music, movies)?