[Dvdrtools-users] media reliability

[Scott Prive]

> On Mon, 2002-10-14 at 10:17, Dr. Tilmann Bubeck wrote:
<snip>
> 
> > What is the better supported dvd format for linux? os it 
> dvd-rw or dvd+rw?
> 
> Actually, for "re-writing" it's DVD-RAM -- especially if you want
> long-term archives.  It's been supported for over 4 years.  But its
> really for archiving, not consumer use, because the added media
> reliability has the nasty downside of being incompatible with most
> players.
> 

Really? How are DVD-RAM more reliable than DVD-RW/+RW? Is there some additional 
error checking in the disc format? I'm assuming it's not a media or 
"manufacturing" issue you base this on.

> > and better format,
> 
> Er, not really.  I've followed Sony/Philip's "non-standard" DVD for a
> long time.  From the Japan-only 3GB release in 2000 to the 1st
> generation "rewrite" DVD+RW drive that does _not_ even have a "record"
> format.


> 
> S/P originally promised that only a "firmware" update would 
> be required
> to support "record" DVD+R, but they renig'd on that and only 
> support it
> in 2nd gen DVD+RW drives.

You can be more direct that that: DVD+RW customers were lied to, and this was 
the basis of a class-action lawsuit against HP (or did they settle before class 
action status?) 

> 
> And while "rewrite" DVD-RW and DVD+RW are both only ~70-75% compatible
> in players and "even," "record" DVD-R(G) is far more 
> compatible (almost
> 100%) than DVD+R -- which is still being debated, but it 
> seems the same
> as DVD+RW, about only 70-75%.

I'd say DVD+RW playback support is even lower. I based my recorder purchase on 
this very issue (almost nothing else). Hanging out in the "DVD Recording" 
forums of Digital Digest, VCD Info, etc. I concluded there were many "DVD+R 
experts" who didn't even have a burner yet, and were just buying into the 
information at dvdplusrw.org.

You can get a fair idea of compatability by looking up your player at:
http://www.vcdhelp.com/dvdplayers

Unfortunately there is no summary of -R/+R compatability % in this database.

Note that if there are a low number of reports for a DVD Player model, the data 
is inconclusive: "failures" could simply be with one brand of media, as was the 
case with my older Pioneer drive. So an "unsupported" model may still work (if 
you are lucky).