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moowriece · Feb 25, 2003, 12:28 PM

As I suspected, DVD+RW got a substantial boost by Micro$oft's decision to go DVD+RW instead of DVD-RW or DVD-RAM (see http://playbacktime.com/archives/000326.html).

Therefore I think it's a wise decision of Apple to use the multiformat Sony drive instead of Pioneer's drive. Let's hope we also get OS X support for DVD+RW/+R.

Mac Zealot · Feb 25, 2003, 12:55 PM

No ****ing fair.

slider · Feb 25, 2003, 01:36 PM

What are you talking about, the only why M$ could guarantees the success of one format over another is if they had some kind of a monopoly, and since it has been determined that they are not, that's impossible.

Oh well, maybe I'll have a new system before I feel the effects.

cjrivera · Feb 25, 2003, 02:25 PM

But does it matter?

If DVD-R work in a good majority of consumer DVD players, who cares if someone else is burning DVD+R.

The only problem is if DVD players/DVD drives begin to stop being able to use DVD-R.

Or am I missing something?

ApeInTheShell · Feb 26, 2003, 02:32 AM

Yeah MS is always reversing the standards.

They take other technologies such as java and turn them into MS only products without permission. Than people assume MS owned Java the whole time.

I'm suprised we can view anything on the web or anywhere else. They might start making windows users buy their external phone jack adapter to get online."L"

forget it

Cipher13 · Feb 26, 2003, 05:34 AM

That's not freakin' cool.

slider · Feb 26, 2003, 12:54 PM

Originally posted by cjrivera:
But does it matter?

If DVD-R work in a good majority of consumer DVD players, who cares if someone else is burning DVD+R.

The only problem is if DVD players/DVD drives begin to stop being able to use DVD-R.

Or am I missing something?

That is the whole point, the arguement is that M$ has such a great control on the market that buy adopting one standard over the other it has effectively set the standard and other companies do stop producing dvd- standard thereby making it obsolet and useless for owners of that standard. Joe PC user burns a CD using dvd+ and want everyone to be able to use it, Joe PC users sister wants to view her niece and nephew playing on the swing set, she buys a dvd+, so manufacturers produce that one over the other option because that is were the money is because M$ has made it so. More or less that's about it.

moowriece · Feb 26, 2003, 02:22 PM

Originally posted by slider:
That is the whole point, the arguement is that M$ has such a great control on the market that buy adopting one standard over the other it has effectively set the standard and other companies do stop producing dvd- standard thereby making it obsolet and useless for owners of that standard. Joe PC user burns a CD using dvd+ and want everyone to be able to use it, Joe PC users sister wants to view her niece and nephew playing on the swing set, she buys a dvd+, so manufacturers produce that one over the other option because that is were the money is because M$ has made it so. More or less that's about it.

Exactly. Unfortunenately we live in a Micro$oft dominated world and we have to deal with it. So for Apple to keep its options is the wisest decision. Apple was the first computer manufacturer to include DVD burning in its computers, but it has now also to look to the current market situation. The choice for a Sony multiformat drive is therefore the best solution. It can still support DVD-R and DVD-RW, but also support DVD+R and DVD+RW. Therefore people don't have to bother which format to choose. They can use all media they want to, leaving the choice to the user instead of Apple.

pliny · Feb 26, 2003, 05:02 PM

Apple supports and develops DVD viewing and then burning on computers, and follows a standard.

MS comes along and with competing manufacturers, embraces a competing standard.

Shock. Gasp. Swoon. They do this crap all the time with practically every aspect of computing. It's irritating, yes, don't think apple has to embrace this other implementation though.

Agent69 · Feb 26, 2003, 07:25 PM

I read the article the first post links to and it sounds like there might be good technical reasons to make the choice that Microsoft made. If that is the case, then I have no problem with it.

mbryda · Feb 26, 2003, 07:29 PM

It really doesn't matter.

All DVD Players that can play DVD-R can play DVD+R (they are encoded pretty much the same) - the formulations are the same. One of the pro magazines had an article about this around a year ago. The difficulty in reading the formats is not because of the media, but the recorders don't record to a certain area of the DVD. Old players don't know what to do with it, and they refuse to play. It's not that they can't read the media, they simply think it's invalid media.

The only real difference is with the +-RW formats, neither of which will be of a huge use to those that just want to put home movies on DVD. The disks are expensive, and just like CD-RW will hang in there but be a dying breed.

DVD-R(W) drives have had a huge head start and nobody is going to start not supporting the format any time soon. At the very least, you will have to buy a Pioneer or Sharp DVD player...

This is pretty much pointless anyway. MS supported DVD-RAM and look at it? Anyone use it? About the only thing this "announcement" is good for is that Windows users will get burn to DVD functionality in the OS (like it is today with CD's) only with DVD+RW drives. Big friggin' deal.

bradoesch · Mar 1, 2003, 08:08 AM

How many times has Apple followed what Microsoft does? I'm thinking here, but I can't come up with anything.

Coxy · Mar 1, 2003, 09:52 AM

Originally posted by mbryda:
All DVD Players that can play DVD-R can play DVD+R (they are encoded pretty much the same) - the formulations are the same.

That's not actually correct.
There's players coming out right now which don't have compatibility with burned DVD+R discs, -R is still the champ when it comes to compatibility.

I agree that this is hardly an earth-shattering event, though. I don't see what all the fuss in this thread is about.

S S · Mar 1, 2003, 11:15 AM

I don't think it is a big deal either. If your burning home movies to DVD why would you need to re-write the disc? DVD-Rs are cheaper and you know they will work in your DVD player. If you are using DVD-RWs for data then it's probably for personal back up and your drive will read your disc. The drive in the iMac is a standard drive size and should be upgradeable if in a couple years this really becomes a problem.

peppering · Mar 1, 2003, 11:48 AM

What's the difference between DVD-Rs or DVD-RWs from DVD+Rs or DVD+RWs?

bradoesch · Mar 1, 2003, 02:09 PM

Originally posted by peppering:
What's the difference between DVD-Rs or DVD-RWs from DVD+Rs or DVD+RWs?

Eug has a great FAQ on DVDs here.

bbt · Mar 7, 2003, 10:33 AM

"If DVD-R work in a good majority of consumer DVD players, who cares if someone else is burning DVD+R."

i get my dvd players from best buy and most of their units are dvd+ models

best buy happens to have a good and inexpensive selection of players

also you can get an hp dvd+rw drive for $150

eddiecatflap · Mar 7, 2003, 12:32 PM

..ok

..so looks like battle of the formats is shapin' up

MS= VHS = JVC

Apple = Beta= Sony

..who won , but who was best ?

Mac Zealot · Mar 7, 2003, 05:12 PM

my dvd players all support -R, and they're the EL-CHEAPO type.

So meh. I'm happy

funkboy · Mar 8, 2003, 01:55 AM

One thing nobody's mentioned: price of media.

If DVD+R becomes the standard, prices will drop, and all consumers love that. If DVD-R costs $2 a disc, but DVD+R costs $0.10... I may be inclined to go for a DVD+R burner.

I bet Apple will support both using a dual DVD burner.

mbryda · Mar 9, 2003, 07:26 AM

Originally posted by bbt:
"If DVD-R work in a good majority of consumer DVD players, who cares if someone else is burning DVD+R."

i get my dvd players from best buy and most of their units are dvd+ models

best buy happens to have a good and inexpensive selection of players

also you can get an hp dvd+rw drive for $150

If it will play a +R, you can be almost 99.99% certain it will play a -R...