(Blank) DVD Questions

[Joe]

1. What is the difference between a DVD+R and a DVD-R? Does it really matter? Which do you prefer and why?

2. What brands of (blank) DVDs do you prefer? I seem to have had very bad luck with Memorex. Yet the stores are overloaded with Memorex. Better luck with TDK, although I'm not finding them in the stores now. One local store sells Sony. Tempted to try them, although I know nothing about their DVDs.

3. What is a BD or BD-R?

 

[Second Summer]

I didn't know the answer to your questions, so I cheated. From Wikipedia:
"A DVD-R is a DVD that can be written once and read arbitrarily many times."
"A DVD+R is a DVD that can be written once and read arbitrarily many times."

So is it the same thing? No!

"In 2002, a new format was developed called DVD+R (or "plus" R). Created by a coalition called the DVD+RW Alliance, this format uses a number of improved technologies that, while generally unnoticeable to the end user, make a more reliable technology."

"DVD-R and DVD+R technologies are not directly compatible, which created a format war in the DVD technology industry. To reconcile the two competing formats, manufacturers created hybrid drives that could read both — most hybrid drives that handle both formats are labeled DVD±R and Super Multi (which includes DVD-RAM support) and are very popular."

I don't use DVDs much, so I don't have any brand recommendations.

BD stands for Blu-ray Disc, and BD-R stands for Blu-ray Disc Recordable:
"BD-R discs can be written to once, whereas BD-RE (Blu-ray Disc Recordable Erasable) can be erased and re-recorded multiple times."

 

[Andy_T]

Depending what you would need the disks for, you might also look at archive-quality DVD and BR disks.

Also have a look here: Blank DVD Media Quality Review – The Digital FAQ