dvd+r dl vs dvd-r dl

[WillVol]

Hey guys,

 

I'm totally new to forums, and I've been browsing quite a bit but have not found a legitimate answer to my concern. I have been backing up my Xbox360 games using Verbatim dvd+r dl discs and have had fairly positive results. I recently went to the local computer store and purchased more dvds yet accidently grabbed the dvd-r dl discs.

 

I was curious, what exactly is the difference between these two? From what I've read the -r are newer and therefore don't have consistent playback on certain players; likely my Xbox360 included.

 

I know my burner is capable of burning this type of disc, and I understand the process in which to do so, yet I'm uncertain what the difference is between these and the obvious +r choice.

 

If anyone could help me it would be greatly appreciated! I hope this question hasn't been asked a thousand times, but I couldn't find a good answer anywhere!

[Rincewind]

The vital difference between -r dl and +r dl, is that the layer break for -r dl CANNOT be arbitrarily changed, so L0 (first layer) must be filled up completely. Ergo they are useless for XBox360 where the layer break is changed resulting in L0 (layer 1) not being fully utilised.

 

Essentially for 360 backups you are out of luck with -r dl. Sorry

Edited January 12, 2011 by Rincewind

[WillVol]

That is exactly the answer I couldn't find! Looks like I'll have to try to return the discs; good thing I didn't open them already.

 

Thanks a lot, your help is much appreciated and has saved me some decent cash!

[Rincewind]

Good thing you didn't open them, also a reminder make sure you get the Verbatim with the Disc ID MKM-xxx-x kind. Hopefully the store where you got them does have Verbatims, if not don't bother getting any non Verbatim +r dl discs.

[scuzzy]

Just to address the non-Xbox360 disc parts of your question ...

 

I recently went to the local computer store and purchased more dvds yet accidently grabbed the dvd-r dl discs.

 

I was curious, what exactly is the difference between these two? From what I've read the -r are newer and therefore don't have consistent playback on certain players; likely my Xbox360 included.

My understanding is that the -R formats were standardised before the +R formats (for both SL and DL). But that's not important right now ("and stop calling me Shirley") ...

 

The important bit for DL media is (as Rincewind has said) that with DVD+R DL the location of the layer break can be specified by the burning software (and IB allows you to do this), while for DVD-R DL the layer break position is fixed by the format. This matters when burning DVD movie discs, because during playback you (may) get a slight stutter or pause at the layer break transition moment, so it's preferable to set the layer break at a "scene change" frame position (or perhaps just a point where nothing much is happening in the plot ... actors staring at blank wall, or something).

 

[i've never backed up an Xbox game, so didn't know the layer break position matters for Xbox360 game discs too - thanks Rincewind.]

I believe one other advantage with +R media is that the format allows for extra error-correction data to be written to the disc ... this would help by allowing continuing use of a disc which gets scratched.

 

On the other hand, (so I've read) some older domestic DVD players can only handle -R movie discs because they were made before +R was standardised.

 

Because of this, I use -R SL to burn "shorter" movie discs (for max portability), +R DL for longer movie discs, and +R SL for data discs (where integrity matters more, and a computer optical drive can be assumed).

 

So yes, take the unopened -R DL discs back and change them if at all possible.

(And yes, watch out for the new crappy non-Verbatim Verbatims some folks are finding )