Registered: Feb 2002
Location: Rancho Santa Margarita, CA
Posts: 5268

Geez... I REALLY hope this is not going to happen. I have three -R/RW burners...

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http://www.dvd-recordable.org/modul...article&sid=825

According to a report from the Computex exhibition in Taipei the majority opinion is that the DVD-R format looks likely to lose the big format war in the next year or so. The logic behind this claim is that of the major drive manufacturers only Pioneer appears commited to DVD-R and even they are now hedging their bets with dual format products.

The claim is made in the German website PCWelt.de, which has posted a report from Computex with interesting information about coming DVD writers. Here are some of the other claims in the article:

* The DVD+R/RW format is likely to become the dominating format in 2004 according to most drive and media manufacturers.
* Lite-On will introduce an 8x DVD writer, the LDW-811S, in late October. A 12x model could follow as early as in the end of Q1 2004.
* AOpen will introduce a 12x DVD+R/RW writer in the beginning of 2004.
* 16x writers could appear in 2004 and will be the max speed for DVD burners.
* CMC, Ritek and an unamed Japanese manufacturer will start mass production of 8x DVD+R media in mid October.
* Sony has developed a dual layer DVD+R blank but it will likely never reach production stage because the drives needed to burn it will be too expensive.

Story source (translated through babelfish): pcwelt.de

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Registered: Mar 2003
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There are three pieces of anecdotal evidence I've seen that make me think that DVD-R will survive.

1. DVD-R blanks are cheaper and more plentiful than DVD +R
2. Most of the mod-able or multi region stand alone DVD players seem more compatible with DVD-Rs
3. It's looking like it's not that expensive to make DVD burners support bot +R and -R

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Registered: Feb 2002
Location: SoCal
Posts: 599

I hope thats not true, I have a 6 1/2 year old DVD player that plays DVD-R disc fine with no problem.

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Registered: Apr 2002
Location: College Station, TX
Posts: 1507

quote:

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Originally posted by edhara
Geez... I REALLY hope this is not going to happen. I have three -R/RW burners...

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Minnesota, USA
Posts: 2851

quote:

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Originally posted by edhara
* Sony has developed a dual layer DVD+R blank but it will likely never reach production stage because the drives needed to burn it will be too expensive.

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Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Canton, GA
Posts: 2270

I thought the blanks were the same price now? I know there used to be a big difference, but hasn't that changed in the last 6 months or so?

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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Ashburn, VA and Cambridgeshire, UK
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I'm shopping for a boat load of blanks right now. I can take - or + (Sony DRU-500). So far, I'm seeing lower prices for - ...

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Registered: Jan 2002
Location: Columbia, Maryland
Posts: 2540

I'd be sorry for those of you who have only -R drives if this happens. As long as +R doesn't become extinct I'm happy. I think both will survive for the short term.

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Registered: Mar 2003
Location:
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quote:

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Originally posted by disco
If Sony was smart, they'd produce them anyway: the DVD+R and DVD-R dual layer drives are coming, and I for one will purchase one when they arrive.

I think it's still too early to say whether DVD-R or DVD+R will win.

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“Our way is not soft grass, it's a mountain path with lots of rocks. But it goes upward, forward, toward the sun.”
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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Minnesota, USA
Posts: 2851

quote:

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Originally posted by HomeTheaterJock
Do we know if dual layer drives will use the same media or will there be new higher priced dual layer media?

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Registered: Nov 2001
Location: Trenton, NJ, USA
Posts: 1554

I wouldn't worry at all about having a -R drive. This is different from the VHS/Betamax wars a while back for one main reason... the discs you create with your -R drive will still be able to be used in most of the DVD players!

Unlike Beta, you don't need special DVD players to play the -R discs. So look at the worst case scenario: DVD-R becomes obsolete tomorrow. What would happen to the -R drive users?

1) You'd still have your drive, and you'd still be able to burn DVDs like you always could.
2) You'd still be able to buy -R blanks for a long time.
3) As with all computer technology, the drives would break down after some time, and you would wind up replacing them with new ones. Except the new ones would be whatever standard is in place at the time.
4) Then you'll just keep on burning new discs using the new media, but still able to use your old media.

I had to make up my mind as to which format to buy when I got my DVD burner. I chose +R technology, but at the time, +R didn't have all the support planned like it does now, so it still looked iffy. But the reasoning I came up with made me feel comfortable that even if the drive I chose became obsolete, I'd still be able to use it, and I'd still be able to use the discs I burned.

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Registered: Oct 2002
Location: alone in the dark
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I think both are here to stay - even if the market is skewed towards one or the other in the end. After all, we've had mac-vs-pc arguments for years, and neither is going away. And they're fun.

Either way, I'm covered - I have a ± drive.

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Registered: Sep 2002
Location: Queens, New York
Posts: 8729

I think this is more marketing FUD perpetrated by the +R camp. They've been doing a LOT of that. I don't see DVD-R going away anytime soon.

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Registered: Jan 2002
Location: Houston, TX
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What Raj said...

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Registered: Jul 2001
Location: Kansas City, MO
Posts: 7870

This is why I have a DRU-500A. I couldn't care less which format wins in the long run.

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Registered: Aug 2002
Location: Medford, Oregon
Posts: 987

Both formats will continue to exist because there are some DVD PLAYERS that will recognize one format but not the other and still others players that recognize the other but not the former. If there was one format that was recognized by all DVD players and the media was cheaper then I would be concerned that the other format would disappear. Till then expect to see both formats.

There are far too many drives of both formats to eliminate one or the other. Now with most drives being capable of both formats does it really matter?

Did you see the specs on the new HD-DVD format....

-Old7

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Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Eugene, OR USA
Posts: 1482

quote:

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"will recognize one format but not the other and still others players that recognize the other but not the former."

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HFC I thought there were just two formats - now you tell me there's three. "one format", "the other" and "the former"

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Registered: Jun 2001
Location: Land Of Flakes, Fruits, and Nuts
Posts: 1734

quote:

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Originally posted by choccy
I'm shopping for a boat load of blanks right now. I can take - or + (Sony DRU-500). So far, I'm seeing lower prices for - ...

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Registered: Jan 2002
Location:
Posts: 690

Well for consumers there is no war.

All the major players are producing dual format burners. I just buy whatever is cheaper at the time.

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Registered: Sep 2000
Location: Richardson, TX 75081
Posts: 8295

In my production almost all of my clients request DVD-R (if they know what they're talking about).

Only one has ever wanted +R.

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