DVD +/-R different files format?

[andy_tech]

Are the differences on -R and +R discs just the physical track structure on the disc? If I copy the VOB etc. files from a DVD-R (recorded on my stand-alone DVD recorder) to a DVD+R on the computer will this play OK on a DVD+R only player?

When finalising a disc on a stand-alone DVD recorder, is this just finalising the track structure on the disc? So if I copy the files across from a non-finalised disc and finalise the copy disc with nero then will this play OK on older DVD players that need a finalised disc?

I usually record TV programs onto a DVD-RW, but if I want to keep it would like to copy to a DVD-R.
I have copied the files from a DVD-RW to a DVD-R before and it worked OK, am I likely to have any problems doing this?

I understand that there are two types of -R format, VR and video, do the files differ or just the disc tracks?

[imkidd57]

Are the differences on -R and +R discs just the physical track structure on the disc? If I copy the VOB etc. files from a DVD-R (recorded on my stand-alone DVD recorder) to a DVD+R on the computer will this play OK on a DVD+R only player?

Essentially, yes. Simply copying the files from -R to +R would work.

When finalising a disc on a stand-alone DVD recorder, is this just finalising the track structure on the disc? So if I copy the files across from a non-finalised disc and finalise the copy disc with nero then will this play OK on older DVD players that need a finalised disc?

If you can finalise the target disc this way, then that should work.

I usually record TV programs onto a DVD-RW, but if I want to keep it would like to copy to a DVD-R.
I have copied the files from a DVD-RW to a DVD-R before and it worked OK, am I likely to have any problems doing this?

If you do a simple file copy from a -RW recorded in Video mode, then it should work. However you will not be able to do so if the -RW was recorded in -VR mode.

I understand that there are two types of -R format, VR and video, do the files differ or just the disc tracks?

Putting this in simplistic terms, they both differ and you have to consider two types of 'format: the ‘low-level’ physical recording structure of a -RW vs. -R, and the ‘higher-level’ file-system of -VR vs. Video mode.

You have to remember that the DVD-Video standard wasn’t designed with any editing facilities in mind. Hence the -VR file system for doing this is designed to manage the rearrangement of the video content, is radically different from that of DVD-Video mode recording, and is hardly ever compatible with standalone players other than the recorder that it was made in. The main advantage of -VR is that you can erase sections of video and re-use the free space during the editing process.

[andy_tech]

Cheers, it is good to know.
My DVD recorder only uses the video mode so I should be OK.
If I copy the VOB etc. files to the hard drive then use Nero what is the difference between video and data disc type?

[imkidd57]

If you mean the templates, then the DVD-Video one will do all sorts of background checks and allocate the order of files storage properly. It should also finalise the disc for you.

The data template is a lot less restrictive, for general archiving use, and may not generate a DVD-Video standard compatible disc.

[andy_tech]

Many thanks for the useful info.

Cheers,

Andy