On 2008-07-06, Rahul <nospam@nospam.invalid> wrote:

> I'm always confused by DVD terminology when buying media to write on.
> There's DVD / DVD+R / DVD-R / DVDRW and I'm not even sure which more!
> Are these all really distinct technologies and formats? Or are some
subsets
> / supersets of others? Or maybe its only backward compatibility issues?

1. DVD is a bit generic, not very precise. But you would probably use it for
commercial video-DVD's. Video-DVD has a specific format/organisation, but
can be written to DVD+r, DVD-R and DVD RW. A bit like you can buy audio CD's
and write your own audio CD on a CD-ROM disc.

2. DVD-r. The latter is a 'in-between' format, taking elements from CD's and
DVD's. It's less reliable, is slower to write, less standard.

3. DVD+r. The 'standard' DVD, writes faster then DVD-r, is more reliable.

4. DVD-RW. Much like the CD-RW, you can re-write it. Usually a bit slower.


> What's the best way to figure out what format my Laptop supports? Do they
> have varied sizes? Does it matter whether I'm writing data or movies etc.?
> I faintly remember there being lead-in / lead-out issues....

In reading, any DVD reader should be able to read discs that are DVD-r and
DVD-RW. Today's writers should be able to write all, too. some older ones
could not use DVD+r.


> I've never faced the problem that I bought some commercial movie etc. on a
> DVD and my Dell Laptop ( Inspirion E1505)'s inbuilt DVD reader /writer
> couldn't read it. Its a dual boot so are there any Linux-vs-Win issues
> too?

Reading a commercial disc won't be a problem, you drive can do it. Reading
the movie on the disc is another matter. You need a video-DVD player
software. They exist for both Windows and Linux, of course.


> Are these distinctions only relevant when writing disks at home as opposed
> to commercially stamped disks? Or maybe when reading on hardware other
> than "computers" (etc. DVD players etc.)

Recent computers should be able to rad them all.
Home DVD players can read commercial disks, and usually DVD-r and DVD+r. The
support of DVD-RW is not universal.


> Just looking for some tips to lead me out of this technology morass.

If you want to write a normal, permanent DVD, buy DVD+r. If you want to be
able to er-write (usefull for tests), buy DVD-RW.

With both of these discs, you can create a data-DVD or a video-DVD.


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