DVD Disc format

Is it possible to reformat a blank DVD-R disc to DVD+R, I have a spindle full of DVD-R disc and I don't seem to be having much luck with them.

The problem I am having is via my DVD recorder, when the recorder writes directly to disc, they seem ok so far, but when the recorder writes to the HDD then copies the video to disc, I have only about a 50% success rate. so I thought I would explore the disc option first, after having updated the DVD recorder firmware successfully I am still getting the above problem.

Wikipedia suggest on their site that DVD+R is the better of the two formats, (although that could depend on a number of factors), and hence the question at the top of this post.

TIA

[Graham M]

No they are dyed differently or something like that.

Originally Posted by Zeph

No they are dyed differently or something like that.

It looks like more unwanted expense then

thanks anyway

I personally burn a lot of dvds and I mean a lot and every single one of them is a - r and tbh I got on average 2 or 3 in every 100 that fail to burn and maybe another 1 or 2 with after write come backs.Compatability wise I was always of the opinion -r play in far more stand alone players than + I could be wrong but still

Have you tried a +R zing ?

yes I did earlier on in my burning experiences and couldnt get on with them.I dont use a standalone dvd writer though.Does your machine burn to Ram? I would imagine Ram would be the best format for Dvd video recorders

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

yes I did earlier on in my burning experiences and couldnt get on with them.I dont use a standalone dvd writer though.Does your machine burn to Ram? I would imagine Ram would be the best format for Dvd video recorders

No it doesn't unfortunately, but in a strange way it is comforting to note that I am not the only one having problems with -R discs, just as a matter of curiosity, which brand of discs have you been using ?

most of the dvds I have been burning recently have been +R, and I haven't had any problems?

- but I would never dis the zingle, & will get -R from now on

I always buy Ritek A grade G05 and nothing else.They come in a shrink wrap with no tub as this is how there packed from ritek.You often find rebranded Ritek G05 discs from firms such as datawrite Ridisk and Ridata that have also been repacked which can as I have found lead to damage to the disc itself.If you look on svp product code 3344 50 Ritek dvd -r's for £8.50 there all I ever buy.

If you want the best of the best and dont mind the price then Taiyo Yuden is the way to go product code 3248 and 3262 over 40 quid for 100

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

I always buy Ritek A grade G05 and nothing else.They come in a shrink wrap with no tub as this is how there packed from ritek.You often find rebranded Ritek G05 discs from firms such as datawrite Ridisk and Ridata that have also been repacked which can as I have found lead to damage to the disc itself.If you look on svp product code 3344 50 Ritek dvd -r's for £8.50 there all I ever buy.

If you want the best of the best and dont mind the price then Taiyo Yuden is the way to go product code 3248 and 3262 over 40 quid for 100

Not Asda's own then

I have never heard of the above brands, but will give them a go, and, as always, thanks for your help, I would rep you, but I have to spread it around a bit, so if someone could oblige on my behalf please.

Thanks all

[chocky909]

Originally Posted by zinglebarb

I always buy Ritek A grade G05 and nothing else.They come in a shrink wrap with no tub as this is how there packed from ritek.You often find rebranded Ritek G05 discs from firms such as datawrite Ridisk and Ridata that have also been repacked which can as I have found lead to damage to the disc itself.If you look on svp product code 3344 50 Ritek dvd -r's for £8.50 there all I ever buy.

If you want the best of the best and dont mind the price then Taiyo Yuden is the way to go product code 3248 and 3262 over 40 quid for 100

I've had terrible trouble with the Ritek G05s. Apparently, a lot of the hardcore DVD burners got caught out because the G03s and G04s were so good. Anyway, after only a couple of months my G05s were becoming unreadable. I've had to rerip all of them and reburn to Verbatims and Taiyo Yudens. I'm never touching Ritek DVD-Rs again.

Oh and talking of compatability, If you're burning a DVD image, then if you set the booktype to DVD-ROM you trick the players into thinking it's playing a retail DVD. You can only set the booktype on DVD+Rs though. So if your burner supports booktypes DVD+Rs are the way to go. I updated my NEC3500AG firmware so I can set the booktype now. I only burn Taiyo Yuden DVD+Rs (YUDEN000 T02) and they all play in my XBox which no other DVD-R/Ws or+R/W do. So I would imagine they'd play in any DVD player.

TY media IS expensive though, but you can rely on it, and they're only 35p-40p each if you buy 100. And remember, a successful burn doesn't mean your data is safely stored, longevity is the stumbling block of most cheap(er) discs.

Have you checked many of your older GO5s recently Zinglebarb?

[dilli-theclaw]

I have both a dvd recorder and a dvd writer and in my experience I have found using dvd +rw (for reuse on the dvd recorder) and dvd-r for everything else (both dvd recorder and dvd writer) is the way to go. As zingle says dvd-r is the more compatible foirmat for standalone dvd players.

The only problems I've had with dvd's that I've burned for people have been with the few +r's that they have had from me (after buying the discs themselves) it must be said hoiwever they did use an older player.

In answer to the question have I checked older discs the answer is yes,Loads of my older G04 burns from the older Pioneer 106 and 107 fail to read in newer driver as does the dreaded Princo dye,All of my G05 dye discs re fine. think the nail was hit on the head with the older drive and older firmware if you burn G05 discs with a drive and firmware older than the discs then your looking for problems.I regularly update my drives im now using NEC 4570a's and Pioneers 111D's.I have a trusted old Lite on rom that still reads anything from older burns.Ive got an archive of over 750 dvds now and regularly have to read these and burn for others and very very rarely fail to get an image.

[Stephen]

-r is the better format. It will play in more players as they are officially recognised with the DVD video logo. +r is an alternate format.