Another DVD-R vs. DVD+R question... and does it matter?

Blank Media
#1

Hi all:

Up to now I have been using only DVD-Rs to backup my data, but lately the only Taiyo Yuden discs that I can find here in Spain are Fuji DVD+Rs, which prompted me to wonder which of these two formats is more reliable. I’ve searched for the FAQ, but didn’t find any definitive answers, and I’ve read lenghty articles here in the forum in favor of both formats (just right now I can see a thread from a few days ago with a post saying that +R is better).

My main question, beyond all that, though, would be: does it matter that much? Suppose one buys Taiyo Yuden media and stores it correctly (no extreme temperatures, no sunlight, etc.)… will the +R/-R factor make any difference at all on whether the disc will still be readable in a couple of years? Or is it one of those splitting-hair things that don’t really matter in the big picture?

(My current DVD-ROM is a Lite-On, and can read both formats, so I’m assuming that isn’t a factor).

#2

If you are using TY neither one is substantially different. In other media, that is not the case but it is a factor of the manufacturer rather than the format. Some say +R is more “robust” but nothing quantitative has been shown yet.

#3

Most lite-on burners that I’ve seen seem to prefer the +R media, so I say give them ago.

I think chioce of +R versus -R is really just a matter of what media your burner prefers more than anything else. My Pioneer 108 generally prefers -R so that’s what I mostly use. Maybe +R is technically superior but that is irrelevent if -R gives me better results on my drive. I’m pretty sure that TY +R media will give you good results with a Liteon drive.

#4

Both of these fellas are correct. Some drives seem to prefer one over the other but as a whole a quality disc of either format (ie TY or MCC) will do nicely. Just make sure that if you go with +R that you set the booktype to DVD-ROM. It also depends on which applications you are planning on using them for.

#5

Ignoring the preference of a burner for one medium or the other, the advantage of + media is in DVD-Video. For data, -R has a tiny advantage - it stores a couple of megabytes more than + does - but for all other purposes they are interchangeable.