Tech: DVD +/- problem

Subject: Tech: DVD +/- problem
From: GUEST,Non-techie folkie perplexed
Date: 30 Sep 07 - 12:29 PM

My DVD recorder takes DVD +RW and -RW. I have always used -RW to record and edit, and can use the same disc for many recordings at many times, building up a full disc over time. I am unable to buy -RWs from anywhere now, so have started using +RWs. But if I set the recorder to record a 30 minute programme with the total time on the disc set to 4 hours (so I can record another 3 1/2 hours programmes at other times), on ejection the recorder finalises the disc so I can record nothing else on it. The problem is not with the recorder as -RWs are fine. So is this the nature of +RW or have I bought a pack of duffer +RWs (Maxell)?

Subject: RE: Tech: DVD +/- problem
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 30 Sep 07 - 12:38 PM

Do you have an intermediate hard drive (like on a DVR) where the program can wait until you have enough to fill the disk, then burn it all at once?

SRS

Subject: RE: Tech: DVD +/- problem
From: M.Ted
Date: 01 Oct 07 - 09:32 AM

DVD+RWs allow random access, which means you should be able to add to them and erase from them without rerecording the whole disc. As I understand it, though I never have tried, DVD+RWs shouldn't finalize at all. You may have a stack of DVD+Rs that were mislabelled (it has been known to happen) .

Anyway, you can still get DVD-RWs from Amazon--and other online vendors as well.

Subject: RE: Tech: DVD +/- problem
From: Big Al Whittle
Date: 01 Oct 07 - 11:47 AM

I do sympathise - its absolute sod there are all these formats. I bought a £25 all format player from currys and it won't have anything to do with quite a lot of my recorded discs. I saw a £45 one in sainsbury's yesterday - which made a big deal on the box that it does all formats, so I think someone must be bitching about it as well as us.

whether it will be any better than its cheapo cousin, who can say.

I record on -DVD system nowadays (that's my expensive machine and it does VHS to disc perfectly), which unfortunately won't play any of the discs I recorded when I had one of the first plus systems.

Subject: RE: Tech: DVD +/- problem
From: GUEST,Non-techie folkie perplexed
Date: 01 Oct 07 - 04:03 PM

Thanks for responses. Stilly River Sage, my recorder doesn't have an intermediate hard drive. M.Ted, I also thought DVD+RWs would allow me to add and erase without rerecording the whole disc - but they finalise after the first recording. This may be a bunch of duffers (I hope). Yes, DVD-RWs are available from Amazon at decent prices - until you add on the postage, which makes prices silly!

Subject: RE: Tech: DVD +/- problem
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 01 Oct 07 - 05:07 PM

From the question statement I infer that you're talking about a stand-alone DVD player/recorder. Devices of this kind may be less flexible than computer-based burners, but some choices in setup may be possible.

Is there a manual, or instruction sheet, that came with the machine?

Have you checked to see if the manufacturer has a website where there might be a FAQ section with help?

For computer burners, for some of the earlier burners that claimed to handle both -R and +R only one kind gave all the choices, and the other was preset to a particular mode of operation. Sometimes it's possible to update these early models via a BIOS download from the drive maker.

Again for computer burners, there may be downloadable updates to the software used, that will add more flexible choices for the "lesser" disk format.

It's possible that the manufacturer's website may have a program update that you can download to update what your machine will do, although that's less common, I think, with stand-alone machines. You may also find a "user manual" that gives more detail about your machine than the "little slip of paper" that came with it.

The RW disks, whether "-" (a dash, not a minus) or "+" are intended for use only when you need to be able to erase something you've recorded and record something different in the same space. If you're merely leaving the disk "open" to add more to it, with some recorders/burners you don't need the RW disks. Your stand-alone machine may not allow "leaving it open" using a -R or +R disk though.

To be used in "rewriteable" mode, a -RW or +RW disk normally has to be "mounted" as a rewritable device in a computer. If you just stick one in and start burning, it will be seen as a -R or +R disk. Once the drive has been mounted, you usually can swap an RW disk for another of the same kind, and it will default to the rewriteable mode, but a disk of a different kind may not.

Your player/recorder may be set up to "mount" a -RW in rewriteable mode, but may require a change in setup to mount a +RW if you're really using the "rewriteable" mode. If it specifies -R, or -RW, it may not be able to mount a +RW in rewriteable mode.

In a computer, the disk must be "finalized" in order to be read back by the computer, but it can be "finalized" without being "closed" if there's sufficient space remaining for addition of more stuff later. You have to make the choice about how it's to be burned before starting the burn. Many stand-alone players though will not play disks that are burned on a computer but that aren't "closed," and your machine may automatically close -R and +R disks.

Different devices/programs may use variable terminology for the choices for the "addable" and "closed" burns, so you'll need to consult your own instructions to see if there are options you can set differently with your hardware.

If you're just burning disks "until they're full" and aren't reformatting/erasing them to use them over, you're probably wasting significant money using RW disks. They're generally quite a bit more expensive, at least in my area, than -R or +R disks that can (in many machines) do the same thing. Even if you can't figure out how to "add stuff" to one, the -R and +R should be sufficiently cheaper than any RW disk that you can forgo the addition and just use a new disk for each recording session with the cheaper disks, without worrying about them being stuffed full. Check prices to see if it's really worth getting the RW disks.

If the place where you've been getting them doesn't have -R disks, try almost any "office supply" store, or even Walmart. You really shouldn't have much trouble finding the ones you want. As noted, online sources are also available, although you may need to order larger quantities to cover the shipping.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: DVD +/- problem
From: The Fooles Troupe
Date: 02 Oct 07 - 06:19 AM

JiK

I was trying to burn a DVD Linux Install disk (-R) on a friend's Linux system and it refused to burn at any speed greater than 1 - no matter what brand of disk used new optical drive installed and otherwise perfectly ok.

Subject: RE: Tech: DVD +/- problem
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Oct 07 - 11:52 AM

Foolestroupe -

I've had very little success with DVDs for my data files, partly due to unreliable burning but also because the DVD file system makes accessing files on the disk extremely "clumsy."

Since most DVD burners will also burn CDs, one must be careful about reading the "specs." A 1x DVD speed is the same actual spin speed as a 4x(?) (or is it 9x??) CD. A burner with a 36x CD rating may not be reliable above 1x for DVDs. The ratings sometimes seem to be based on the fastest burn you can get with "10% good."

For burning a TV/movie disk, you can have a lot of small to moderate errors, and the next frame will hide any local write glitches. For a data CD/DVD every bit has to be right (almost).

John