DVD RW Confusion

[rwinegar]

I am getting my first DVDRW drive. I am confused by the two DVD formats - -RW and +RW. What is the difference? Is one more acceptable to DVD players? Is one more stable or easier to use than the other?

Thanks.

[Welshjim]

rwinegar--These sites may help
http://www.videohelp.com/dvd
http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/DVD_RW.html
Basically they are two competing formats, one pushed by one bunch of companies, the other pushed by another bunch. Some players can handle both. Some cannot. I think the +RW will eventually win out unless another DVD format beats both of them!!

[rwinegar]

Thanks Welshjim.

Boy! Now I am really confused about which format to buy.

[Welshjim]

rwinegar--You are welcome. You are not the first person I have confused.
I suspect the key is to buy recorder (burner) and player that will handle both (there are lots of them), or if it is only for your PC, then you can play whatever you record (burn) regardless of format.

[DrMDJ]

You definately want a recorder that will do both formats, and these days it would be pretty tough to find one that won't (and even remotely new model will). Once you get the recorder you'll just have to experiment to see which media (+, - or both) are most compatable with your players. If you have an older player then + might be more compatable. And if the recorder you buy is one that provides for (what's called) booktype bitsetting then you'll have an even greater likelihood of being able to make burned dvds compatable with your player. Booktype bitsetting allows dvd+R and dvd+rw discs to be "flagged" as being type dvd-rom. To some older players this can make a disc playable where it might otherwise not be.

[rwinegar]

Thanks everyone for your help.