CD/DVD Recording
Information on the different types of DVD recordable media available.
Unlike CD media where you have 2 types (record once(R), or re-recordable(RW)), DVD media comes in several different types. This can be very confusing and not all drives support all types of media. The article below explains the difference between each type of media.
DVD-R and DVD-RW
These discs usually have a storage capacity of 4.7 GB and come is 2 types:
Record once (DVD -R)
Record many times (DVD - RW)
These discs are ideal for data storage and are compatible with most standalone DVD players and DVD ROM drives.
DVD+R and DVD +RW
These discs are very similar to DVD-R and DVD-RW in compatibility and performance, they also come in the same 2 types:
Record once (+R)
Record many times (+ RW)
DVD-RAM
DVD RAM was originally designed to be a data storage solution and is approved by the DVD Forum. The discs are available in 2 sizes:
Single side (4.7 GB)
Double sided (9.4 GB)
This format has become a popular format for standalone DVD recorders, for example, Panasonic.
It is a very robust format allowing more than 100,000 re-writes. Another reason it is popular as a data storage solution is that it can use the FAT32 (Windows XP) and HFS+ (Mac OS X) file system. This allows the same performance as a hard drive.
The main drawback of this format is limited support in DVD ROM drives and standalone DVD players.
DVD DL (Dual Layer)
These discs hold up to 8.5GB of data as they allow two layers of the same disc to be written to.
Double Layer
Double layer discs are DVDs that allow you to write on both sides of the disc. Once one side is written you can then flip the disc over and write to the other side.
Dual Format
Dual format DVD writer drives mean that the drive will write to both DVD+R and DVD-R discs. You will see something like DVD+/- RW.
And if the drive supports dual layer, then the drive will show DVD+/- RW DL.
If your drive does not have any labelling on it to show what it supports, trying looking in Device Manager or downloading a tool such as Nero InfoTool.
How do I know what disks my drive supports?
Is it really that important to know?
There are many different types of recordable discs available and it can be confusing finding out which ones your drive supports. However, it is important to know because if you buy the wrong type of disc you won't be able to use them in your drive.
Nero Info Tool
A quick and easy way to find out is to download the free Nero Info Tool by
clicking here.
Once you have downloaded the tool you will need to extract the files
1. Double click the Info Tool.zip file to open it.
2. Click the Extract all files option on the left side menu.
3. Chose the location to extract the files to by clicking the browse button then clicking Next.
4. The files will be extracted. On the final screen make sure that the "Show extracted files" is ticked, then click Finish.
5. A new window will open showing your 2 extracted files. Double left-click the file InfoTool.exe.
6. The software will now open. Select your drive from the drop down list at the top. Select the Drive tab and look at the Supported Write Features section. All ticked boxes show which discs you can use in your recorder drive.
How do I create a CD/DVD?Below are the main software packages for creating CDs and DVDs. By clicking on the one that applies, you will be taken to their support websites for detailed instructions.