Is there any other reason besides booktyping to buy +R media over -R?? I ask because Im wondering why +R is more expensive?? I dont book type, but I have to use +R. My dvd-rom drive doesnt seem to be able to read -R media. Its weird, so im considering getting a new drive so I can purchase cheaper media.
I have never seen a price difference between DVD+R & DVD-R media in same brand & packaging. Overall, DVD+R IS better media. The price difference thing is news to me. Unless you are talking different brands. I would stay away from Memorex, TDK, Khypermedia, Imation. These are mostly made by CMC Mag. Poor Quality.
In Canada, the prices appear to be the same. On rare occasions, I've seen +R media of a brand name go on sale and not -R, or vice versa. Personally, I have NEVER bought -R, I've always booktyped and can attest the compatibility with various tabletop dvd players.
The prices on the net highly favor the dash format. I purchase all my media locally,when on sale. Local media is the same price,regardless of dash or plus format.I can get Ritek-r03 for 20-25 cents each. Also Yuden000-T02/Verbatim MCC-004/ and Maxell-002-00 for under 30 cents each.All these at Office Depot/best buy/staples/and office max. What is the brand name and model# of your dvd-rw drive? What is the brand name and speed rate of your blank dash discs? Your drive may need a firmware update to be able to handle you dash media.
Weird thing, I have a new zenith DVD/VHS combo player that will not read my DVD+r's that have been booktyped to DVD-ROM. However, it does read DVD+R's AND DVD-R's of the same media(TYG03, MCC03) anyone heard of this?
My backups get played on a slew of drives.My booktyped backups well exceed the stand alone compatability compared to the dash backups from all 3 of my benqs.That's why I stick with the plus. I haven't burned many with just plus,and not booktyped. Generally newer players plus/older players dash. Those fancier combo drives and fancy surround sound dvd player systems are pickier when it comes to the compatability. Those stand alones do some weird stuff when it comes to reading backups.
Yeah, I was referring to the prices on the net having +R higer than -R. It seems like a waste for someone like myself to pay extra when I dont booktype, but Im forced to use the +R for now. As far as my drive information its: ______________________________________ The DVD-Rom drive Im trying to use for playback is HL-DT-ST RW/DVD GCC-4481B Driver Version: 5.1.2535.0 Its the standard CDRW/DVDrom that came with the dell comp. I am using Windows XP. _______________________________________ The -R media I used = Memorex CMC, Verbatim MCC, and just got some TYs. I have to use +R on all of them if I want to playback a burn on my DVDrom drive.
I ordered some ty-g02 shiny inkjet printables from rima.com last week. UPS needed a signature and stopped by twice. I called UPS and they said they tried to deliver them 3 days in a row and around 2 pm. I don't even get home until 3:15 pm.They wanted me to pick them up at the distribution center which is an hour away! So those discs are going back to california. I'll never buy media again as long as UPS and Fedex are still in business. I'll have to try DHL! I'm still fuming about those discs!
I think retailers simply need to move their dash media off the shelf so they can replace a good portion of it with plus media. Now that more burners support booktyping, less people are purchasing dash media because it can't be booktyped.
bunnyrip- my burner is NEC DVDRW ND-3520A firmware= 5.1.2535 I think thats the info youre asking for.
I have the same drive as you and my firmware drive is 3.05. I think this was recently upgraded to 3.06, but I'm not sure. You can check on the NEC site for the latest FW. You can check your version by using Nero Toolkit and then clicking on CD-DVD Speed.
luckEpenE, What you say your firmware version is is the Windows XP driver for the device. Look at tsquare43's post. Make sure you update your drive's firmware, If you have never flashed your drive's firmware, chances are it isn't the latest version. Folloow the instructions from NEC's site for updating it. Latest version 3.06 OK luckEpenE, here you go, a direct link to NEC's site for updating that Burner. Follow their instructions to the letter. http://support.necsam.com/optical/downloads/flashfirmware/readme.asp?ID=7
Okay thanks bunnyrip. Yeah, that was the driver version. my fault. the firmware version as found in DVDINFOPRO is 1.04. So I need to update it. However, why am I doing this?? Its not the burner that is giving me problems. (or is the burner the reason the non burning drive doesnt read -R media??)
@ luckEpenE, The reason you msut update your burner's firmware is this: The burner has a flash programmable chip in it which tells the burner what type media is in it "basically", to put it simply, your Burner has a Processer in it. It needs up to date information about media. By the way, your firmware is very out of date. No wonder it won't read some media. [bold] Remember to folllow NEC's instructions to the letter![/bold]Failure to do so could damage the burner. Properly done it is easy really. Edit to add.: I would use the burner to read the disc as well as burn. Read to the hard drive then burn to the blank media in the burner. Or, be sure you have up to date firmware in your reader too. It would be easier to use your Newer Burner to read the souce disc & then burn with it after it's on the hard drive.
Okay thanks again bunnyrip, you've been most helpful. My burner doesnt have any trouble at all reading media old firmware and all. Im almost feeling like "if it aint broke, dont fix it". Its the reader thats the problem, but Im sure I need to update its firmware too. It seems like a daunting task, but I will attempt to tackle it when I return from NY. The only reason I was burning from the reader is I didnt want to use up all my hard drive space. I tend not to delete things until my system is so bogged down that Im forced to. Guess I'll have to get out of that habit. Anyway thanks again for all your help bunnyrip!
@luckEpenE, Trust me on this, firmware updates are really important when dealing with the newer media codes out there right now. It wouldn't hurt to buy a New Reader. They are less than 30 bucks. If this is the way you like doing it. Or, even better, get a New 2nd Burner, then you can give one of them a break sometimes! They are about 40-50 bucks these days. Again, get the latest firmware for what you use.
I can't emphasize this enough, you need to keep the firmware current on your dvdrw drive as well as your dvd rom drive. Why buy +r? Here's some good reads. http://www.cdfreaks.com/article/113 http://forum.digital-digest.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46559
