Re: DVD / DVD+R /DVD-R / DVDRW. Are they all really distinct media formats?
- From: Darren Salt <news@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2008 18:07:39 +0100
I demand that Rikishi 42 may or may not have written...
On 2008-07-06, Rahul <nospam@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I'm always confused by DVD terminology when buying media to write on.
There's DVD / DVD+R / DVD-R / DVDRW and I'm not even sure which more! Are
these all really distinct technologies and formats? Or are some subsets /
supersets of others? Or maybe its only backward compatibility issues?
1. DVD is a bit generic, not very precise. But you would probably use it
for commercial video-DVD's. Video-DVD has a specific format/organisation,
but can be written to DVD+r, DVD-R and DVD RW. A bit like you can buy audio
CD's and write your own audio CD on a CD-ROM disc.
2. DVD-r. The latter is a 'in-between' format, taking elements from CD's
and DVD's. It's less reliable, is slower to write, less standard.
3. DVD+r. The 'standard' DVD, writes faster then DVD-r, is more reliable.
4. DVD-RW. Much like the CD-RW, you can re-write it. Usually a bit slower.
I've had problems with DVD-RW, but that was a few years ago and I've not
touched DVD-* since.
5. DVD+RW. Doesn't need to be blanked before rewriting; is good for random
access (packet writing).
6. DVD+R DL (dual layer).
I have one drive (read-only) which won't recognise these (at least the ones
that I've tried); a writer which has problems at around the layer-change
point (at least when reading back); and a laptop DVD drive which has no
problems whatsoever with what I've tested.
What's the best way to figure out what format my Laptop supports? Do they
have varied sizes? Does it matter whether I'm writing data or movies
etc.? I faintly remember there being lead-in / lead-out issues....
In reading, any DVD reader should be able to read discs that are DVD-r and
DVD-RW. Today's writers should be able to write all, too. some older ones
could not use DVD+r.
Anything made within the last few years should cope with +R, +RW, +R DL, -R,
-RW. Probably -RAM too.
The contents of /proc/sys/dev/cdrom/info may help, but it's not exhaustive.
I've never faced the problem that I bought some commercial movie etc. on
a DVD and my Dell Laptop ( Inspirion E1505)'s inbuilt DVD reader /writer
couldn't read it. Its a dual boot so are there any Linux-vs-Win issues
too?
Reading a commercial disc won't be a problem, you drive can do it. Reading
the movie on the disc is another matter. You need a video-DVD player
software. They exist for both Windows and Linux, of course.
regionset and libdvdcss2 help here. If you can, set the drive to region-free
(regionset allows 0 despite asking for a number between 1 and 8); else set it
to the correct region for your location.
Are these distinctions only relevant when writing disks at home as
opposed to commercially stamped disks? Or maybe when reading on hardware
other than "computers" (etc. DVD players etc.)
Recent computers should be able to rad them all. Home DVD players can read
commercial disks, and usually DVD-r and DVD+r. The support of DVD-RW is not
universal.
DVD+RW should be fine. As always, careful handling helps; I'm seeing
roughly-handled discs failing early...
[snip]
--
| Darren Salt | linux or ds at | nr. Ashington, | Toon
| RISC OS, Linux | youmustbejoking,demon,co,uk | Northumberland | Army
| + Use more efficient products. Use less. BE MORE ENERGY EFFICIENT.
I'm not nearly as think as you confused I am.
.
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