Superdrive formats

01-04-2004, 11:45 AM

OK, I have just bought a new 17" iMac, and find that no matter how I try, I can't burn any DVD-RWs (Disk Utility, Toast etc...) To my surprise though, it WILL burn DVD+RW (even though I can't find anywhere that it will actually support this!), even System Profiler says it is DVD-RW. Any thoughts or comments on this?

anthlover · 01-04-2004, 01:00 PM

You do not mention whether you are using Panther or Jaguar and what version, what version of Toast you are ussing, what type of media you are using, though it is implied (+ and +RW) and from the System Profiler, what type of Burner you have (brand and Model and firmware...).

Toast 5.23 or 6.03 properly supports re-writeable media....
Apple until very recently only supported DVD-R write once media.

The -R standard is supported by more, almost 100 percent of DVD Players....
The +R standard only works in about 3/4 of players.

Until recently you had to choose one format or the other hardware wise (Now Sony and Pioneer among others make quite good all format burners).
And Apple was set against + and RW versions of even the - format. Please note that last I checked RW was limited to 2.4X Max and -R media and burners (and presumeably +R) have just jumped to to 8x from 4x (though I doubt Apple is shipping anything but 4X DVD burners).

Lastly, though I am sure my forum mates will correct me if I am making a mistatment I believe Apple has begun to add support for the + formats in its Applications in Panther. Prior to Panther tricks had to be employed.

Good Luck.

rusto · 01-04-2004, 03:56 PM

Just got a Dual 1.8 G5 and knew nothing about the difference between + and - DVD's when I went to buy some blank disks. Whilie trying to back up some files to DVD using the Finder, I "coasterized" 2 disks before I discovered that I had DVD+R discs.

A quick Googling confirmed that I ought to have bought DVD-R media instead. But hope was in sight for salvaging the money spent on 50 of the wrong kind of disks when I saw that Toast might handle the + flavor. So off to Roxio to take a chance that it would work, and it did. Haven't tried iDVD with these yet though, but I don't expect to be making too many movies.

rusto · 01-04-2004, 05:29 PM

Just confirmed it (by failing to write to one): iDVD does not like DVD+R.

01-04-2004, 06:15 PM

OK, the answer to your questions are:-

I am using Panther (10.3.2), I am using Toast (6.0.3), the media is Memorex DVD-RW (does not work) or DVD+RW (which does work). I have a Pioneer DVR-106D (Firmware A606) which states that it is DVD-RW compatible (no mention of +RW though)

Kind regards

Iain

01-04-2004, 11:45 AM	#1
ibroughton Guest Posts: n/a	Superdrive formats OK, I have just bought a new 17" iMac, and find that no matter how I try, I can't burn any DVD-RWs (Disk Utility, Toast etc...) To my surprise though, it WILL burn DVD+RW (even though I can't find anywhere that it will actually support this!), even System Profiler says it is DVD-RW. Any thoughts or comments on this?

01-04-2004, 01:00 PM	#2
anthlover Hall of Famer Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 3,620	Formats OS an Applications, and Media You do not mention whether you are using Panther or Jaguar and what version, what version of Toast you are ussing, what type of media you are using, though it is implied (+ and +RW) and from the System Profiler, what type of Burner you have (brand and Model and firmware...). Toast 5.23 or 6.03 properly supports re-writeable media.... Apple until very recently only supported DVD-R write once media. The -R standard is supported by more, almost 100 percent of DVD Players.... The +R standard only works in about 3/4 of players. Until recently you had to choose one format or the other hardware wise (Now Sony and Pioneer among others make quite good all format burners). And Apple was set against + and RW versions of even the - format. Please note that last I checked RW was limited to 2.4X Max and -R media and burners (and presumeably +R) have just jumped to to 8x from 4x (though I doubt Apple is shipping anything but 4X DVD burners). Lastly, though I am sure my forum mates will correct me if I am making a mistatment I believe Apple has begun to add support for the + formats in its Applications in Panther. Prior to Panther tricks had to be employed. Good Luck.

01-04-2004, 03:56 PM	#3
rusto MVP Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,489	Just got a Dual 1.8 G5 and knew nothing about the difference between + and - DVD's when I went to buy some blank disks. Whilie trying to back up some files to DVD using the Finder, I "coasterized" 2 disks before I discovered that I had DVD+R discs. A quick Googling confirmed that I ought to have bought DVD-R media instead. But hope was in sight for salvaging the money spent on 50 of the wrong kind of disks when I saw that Toast might handle the + flavor. So off to Roxio to take a chance that it would work, and it did. Haven't tried iDVD with these yet though, but I don't expect to be making too many movies. __________________ :: 3.4GHz Core i7 iMac 4GB RAM :: Black MacBook SR :: 10.7.2 :: iPhone 4 / iOS 5 ::

01-04-2004, 05:29 PM	#4
rusto MVP Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Boston, MA Posts: 1,489	Just confirmed it (by failing to write to one): iDVD does not like DVD+R. __________________ :: 3.4GHz Core i7 iMac 4GB RAM :: Black MacBook SR :: 10.7.2 :: iPhone 4 / iOS 5 ::

01-04-2004, 06:15 PM	#5
ibroughton Guest Posts: n/a	OK, the answer to your questions are:- I am using Panther (10.3.2), I am using Toast (6.0.3), the media is Memorex DVD-RW (does not work) or DVD+RW (which does work). I have a Pioneer DVR-106D (Firmware A606) which states that it is DVD-RW compatible (no mention of +RW though) Kind regards Iain