NEC DVD RW - is it +R or -R

  • Thread starter Thread starter dt
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D

dt

Can someone enlighten me - I have a NEC DVD RW drive which I thought was -R
compatible. When you insert a DVD -R into the drive it says there is
nothing in the drive. By chance I had a DVD +R handy, inserted that & it
seems to work.

Question is - here in the UK, which drive format should use +R or -R?

Dave
 
dt said:
Can someone enlighten me - I have a NEC DVD RW drive which I thought
was -R compatible. When you insert a DVD -R into the drive it says
there is nothing in the drive. By chance I had a DVD +R handy,
inserted that & it seems to work.

Question is - here in the UK, which drive format should use +R or -R?
Click to expand...

How about looking up the model number of your drive on the manufacturer's
web page?
You can find out which one you have a little easier by using either of these
applications:

Belarc Advisor
http://belarc.com/free_download.html

EVEREST Home Edition
http://www.lavalys.com/products/download.php?pid=1&lang=en
 
What NEC model is it? (Device Manager ought to tell you, if you're using
Windows.)

If it's an 1100, then it's a DVD+R/RW (only) drive.

I'm in the US, not the UK, but I know of no regional preference for either
format.

I use DVD+R, as my ancient (more than 1 year old) Plextor PX-708a supports
8X only on +R.

HTH.

Bob Knowlden

Address may be scrambled. Replace nkbob with bobkn.
 
Bob said:
What NEC model is it? (Device Manager ought to tell you, if you're using
Windows.)

If it's an 1100, then it's a DVD+R/RW (only) drive.

I'm in the US, not the UK, but I know of no regional preference for either
format.

I use DVD+R, as my ancient (more than 1 year old) Plextor PX-708a supports
8X only on +R.

HTH.

Bob Knowlden
Click to expand...
sorry if I sound a bit stupid but what's the difference and which is
it better to go for? I've been looking at some home dvd recorders and
note most cheap ones are +R +RW, does that mean it's substandard?
 
Paul said:
sorry if I sound a bit stupid but what's the difference and which is
it better to go for? I've been looking at some home dvd recorders and
note most cheap ones are +R +RW, does that mean it's substandard?
Click to expand...

They are still battling over standards.. It is better to get a burner that
does them all and then find out what your standalone DVD Players will read.
 
I don't own a DVD (video) recorder. I have the impression that the high-end
video recorders use DVD-RAM. (I've seen DVD-RAM used for data recording.) I
don't recall the numbers, but I believe that DVD+RW or DVD-RW media can be
re-written about 1000 times, and that DVD-RAM is good for 10 or 100 times
that. However, if you wish to use DVD-RAM, you might want to check
compatibility. I think that most DVD-ROM drives and DVD burners can't use
DVD-RAM media. (At least one burner can handle all three types, but I don't
recall its maker.) I mainly use DVD+R, although I have a few DVD+RW disks.

There was almost religious discussion for DVD+R versus DVD-R a year or so
ago, but at least in PC burners, most can now do both. I regard the NEC
ND-3500A as the current mainstream drive:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=27-152-031&depa=1

I wonder whether dual layer (8.5 GB) media will become readily available
before it is superseded by newer technology (such as one of the blue laser
formats).

Bob Kn.

(snip)
 
Bob Knowlden said:
I don't own a DVD (video) recorder. I have the impression that the high-end
video recorders use DVD-RAM. (I've seen DVD-RAM used for data recording.) I
don't recall the numbers, but I believe that DVD+RW or DVD-RW media can be
re-written about 1000 times, and that DVD-RAM is good for 10 or 100 times
that. However, if you wish to use DVD-RAM, you might want to check
compatibility.
Click to expand...

It sounds as if DVD-RAM is a good idea for data (ie business). Most users
probably won't be writing (there home movies / commercial DVD backups) to
there DVD's more than once anyway.
I think that most DVD-ROM drives and DVD burners can't use DVD-RAM media.
(At least one burner can handle all three types, but I don't recall its
maker.)
Click to expand...

Shameless plug for LG here:

http://us.lge.com/Product/prodlist....02&parent2levelId=0000000002&category_level=4
I mainly use DVD+R, although I have a few DVD+RW disks.

There was almost religious discussion for DVD+R versus DVD-R a year or so
ago, but at least in PC burners, most can now do both. I regard the NEC
ND-3500A as the current mainstream drive:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=27-152-031&depa=1

I wonder whether dual layer (8.5 GB) media will become readily available
before it is superseded by newer technology (such as one of the blue laser
formats).

Bob Kn.

(snip)
Click to expand...
 
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