Sony Unveils DVD-R / DVD-RW Notebook Computers

[Jerry Jones]

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,562530,00.asp?kc=PCNZ102049TX1K0100488

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Hulk]

Strange that they are using -R/RW drives when they sell +R/RW.

[Jerry Jones]

Actually, it's not that strange when you remember Sony has always opted for DVD-R / DVD-RW in its Vaio line of PCs.

It's the Sony drive division that has pushed DVD+R / DVD+RW.

The fact Sony will be soon releasing a combination DVD + / - drive reveals the company is wanting to hedge its bets.

...although I must say that such a drive, in my opinion, is redundant as DVD + offers absolutely nothing beyond what is already offered by existing DVD Forum approved formats such as DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD-RAM.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[Hulk]

That is a debate akin to "Amd vs Intel," one best left alone. There are plenty of advocates out there for both sides.

[wkulecz]

Supporting both DVD+ & DVD- is the only way out of this mess!

Sony reps quoted last year in EE Times said it was "trivial" to support both, looks like they are putting their money where their mouth was.

DVD+RW simply works better than DVD-RW for data (I've used both). DVD-RAM might be "better" on paper, but it lacks compatability with the installed base of computer DVDROM drives.

Having DVD-R and DVD+R lets you get maximum compatability for DVD video players. I've one that works with DVD+R but not DVD-R, I'd not be suprised to find others, or the reverse.

Unfortunately, burned video DVD compatability is nowhere near the almost universal compatability of audio CD burned to CD-R. Its only "modern" players that want special "RIAA tax paid" bits or high speed burners that have caused compatability problems for me with audio on CD-R. The oldest CD player I could find (had a gas laser!) played my first audio CD flawlessly, its only recently I've started encountering audio players that don't play CD-R, DVD players are one of the main offenders! :-(

--wally.

[Jerry Jones]

But there's no tangible benefit to having both DVD+ and DVD- in the same drive.

For that reason, the new 'DVD Multi' drives such as those by Panasonic (LF-D521), Hitachi (GMA-4020B) and Samsung (SR-T03) are better buys.

http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,102354,00.asp

All of the DVD-R discs I create with my Panasonic LF-D311 and LF-D321 play successfully in our HP DVD200i DVD+ drive used by another division in my department.

Their DVD+R discs - likewise - play in my Panasonic LF-D311 and LF-D321.

So the combo + / - drive is a smokescreen.

Here's the reality:

DVD-R = DVD+R

DVD-RW = DVD+RW (both designed for 1,000 re-writes)

But DVD-RAM (designed for 100,000 re-writes) is a superior format for data that is not matched by either DVD-RW or DVD+RW.

So the real choice comes down to whether one wants:

a. A true 'DVD Multi' drive that supports burning to DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM

...or...

b. A redundant drive that supports burning to DVD-R/+R and DVD-RW/+RW, which are formats that already play in most of each others' drives.

Remember, DVD-RAM offers the following advantages over DVD+RW:

1. DVD-RAM does *not* require packet writing software. In other words, drag and drop support is native in the Windows environment. The same is *not* true for DVD+RW.

Drag and drop support will eventually be incorporated by Microsoft into Windows for DVD+RW, but *not* until the new so-called 'Longhorn' version of Windows ships:

http://www.winsupersite.com/faq/longhorn.asp

The site also says that LongHorn's ship date is uncertain:

"Microsoft originally said that we could expect Longhorn in late 2002 or early 2003, but the release was recently pushed back until late 2004. This suggests that an XP refresh, possibly called Windows XP Second Edition (XP2E) will ship first, in late 2003."

If this is true, it means native support for DVD+RW will *not* be incorporated by Microsoft until the end of NEXT YEAR... 2003.

2. *High capacity* 9.4gb DVD-RAM discs are available *now.*

Good luck trying to find double-sided DVD+RW discs.

Meritline is one of the largest online vendors and I could find no double-sided DVD+RW discs available here:

http://www.meritline.com/dvdrdvdrwmedia.html

The double-sided DVD-RAM discs are here:

http://www.meritline.com/dvdrammedia.html

3. DVD-RAM also has the advantage of having been engineered to accomodate FAR more rewriting.

Specifically, the DVD-RAM disc is *designed* for 100,000 rewrites.

The DVD+RW disc is only designed for a fraction of that number (1,000 rewrites).

SOURCE: http://dvddemystified.com/dvdfaq.html

4. DVD-RAM discs are encased in cartridges and are therefore not subject to the rigors of physical handling as are bare discs. The cartridge also saves the expense of buying jewel cases.

http://www.meritline.com/dvdrammedia.html

DVD+RW discs require jewel cases and if they are handled a lot they can be physically scratched.

5. DVD-RAM drives can read the DVD-RAM discs recorded by new generation Hitachi and Panasonic DVD disc camcorders. DVD+RW drives cannot.

6. DVD-RAM is fully supported by the DVD Forum. DVD+RW is not.

http://www.dvdforum.org

7. DVD-RAM is included in the DVD Forum's 'DVD Multi' specification:

http://www.dvdforum.org/tech-dvdmulti.htm

DVD+RW is not.

If your computer can read PDF files, then click on this link to see the logos that will designate the new 'DVD Multi' players and recorders.

Any device with this logo will be compatible with the specification!

http://www.dvdforum.org/images/DVDMultiLogo.PDF

These DVD Multi devices will have had to pass specific *test specifications* for compatibility.

Jerry Jones

http://www.jonesgroup.net

[wkulecz]

There is a benefit to having DVD-R and DVD+R in the same burner, even if you refuse to see it. There are players that work with DVD+R but not DVD-R. I expect the reverse is true too, but I've not yet run into it. For new players that support both, if you can burn both, you can buy whatever blanks are cheapest at the moment.

DVD-multi means squat to the DVDROM drives in the millions of computers out there now with DVDROM drives, maybe in four or five years when these are as obsolete as 386es assuming: (1)DVD-multi actually catches on and (2) bluray or whatever doesn't obsolete all DVD in the meantime.

Anybody else out there give a rat's ass about what the DVD Forum approves or disapproves?

--wally.

[Hulk]

Here's why I decided to finally jump onto the DVD recordable bandwagon (if anyone is debating the decision to buy):

Compatibility - From reading various sources around the internet I knew that playing my burned DVD's in stand alone players would be risky business at best with either format. As long as the player in my house could play my discs, that was good enough for me. It's easy enough to take a disc I've burned to a local video store and see which machines play it back correctly so that I can purchase a compatible player.

+R/RW vs -R/RW - I really didn't care. I found a Sony +R/RW for a good price so I went for that one. Eventually a new format will come out that is superior and I will upgrade to that. Right now I'm able to convert 100 or so CDR's to about 15 DVD's. When the next upgrade comes along I'll reduce the number again. As long as the data remains digital losses should be minimal, of course there's always going to be the lost bit here and there but hopefully error correction will take care of that.