What Is The Difference Between DVD-R And DVD+R?

Many people new to the world of DVD recording find the labels on recordable DVD media that read 'DVD-R' and 'DVD+R' confusing. Nowhere on the packaging of those recordable DVDs is there any explanation of exactly what the difference between them is. In reality, however, the difference is really quite simple. They are simply two slightly different recordable DVD media that have each been developed and marketed by competing conglomerates.

DVD-R and DVD+R media were each developed by a group of companies, and this resulted in a format war between those two groups of companies, each trying to make their own recordable DVD media format the industry standard. Previously, most DVD reader and writer drives were only able to read and write one format of DVD media. That meant that a DVD drive would only accept either DVD-R or DVD+R media, and not both. Because of this, most consumers were aware of the difference between the two types of media.

In recent years, however, most DVD drive manufacturers have switched to exclusively manufacturing DVD drives that are compatible with both types of media. These drives are usually marketed as being DVD±R drives. This has led to most modern consumers being unaware of the difference between the two types of DVD media, as there is no need for them to know the difference anymore.

There is one important difference, however, that you as the consumer may benefit from knowing. Despite the two different media formats being mostly similar, it has long been known that the DVD+R format actually records information more accurately than the DVD-R media format. This is due to a difference in the technology used in writing information to the DVDs. The technology used in DVDs of the DVD+R format are able to have information written to them more accurately at high speeds, as opposed to DVDs of the DVD-R format.

The technology used in creating DVDs of the DVD+R format also makes for a better error management system. For example, the most common source of errors when recording information on recordable DVD media is due to jittering, or the DVD writer drive being shaken. When this occurs, an error in the information storage usually takes place. The technology used in creating the DVD+R format, however, allows for a greater margin of such error, whereas DVDs of the DVD-R format are more susceptible to such errors. In reality, however, both of these media formats will suffice for the needs of most consumers, and there is really no need to distinguish between the two different DVD media formats.

If you are greatly concerned with the accuracy of storage of your information and data, however, then you may wish to make it a point to purchase the slightly more reliable DVD+R DVDs instead of the DVD-R DVDs. This way, you truly minimize the chances of anything going wrong during the burning process. If you find that you have extremely important information that you cannot afford to lose, then perhaps you should make use of this knowledge when burning that information to DVDs.