Does anyone know why we can't buy blank DVD Videos to record onto rather than all this faffing about with +R and -R and single layer and dual layer disk crap. Everytime I make a disc for someone I have to ask them does their DVD player take +R or -R discs, this is usually met with a blank stare and questions like 'What's a plus R and what's a minus R'. After that, it's usually a trip around to their house and inspect their DVD player and try and figure out whether it takes a +R or -R disc. When that fails it's time to get the instruction book out and they aren't much better as most have been translated from Chinese or Korean (badly) into English. So does anyone know why these DVD movie discs that are available in the video stores not available to buy in blank versions for us to use instead?

The video store DVDs are pressed much like an old vinyl record. That is the only sort of DVD guaranteed to be playable in all DVD players. Blank, they are totally unusable and unburnable, just a cheap plastic mirror.

The recordable DVDs are a totally different design and constructed with different optical performance. They are only guaranteed to work with the DVD drive on the PC that burned them.

Newer DVD players have extra high performance laser optics plus a variety of firmware capabilities in the hope they'll be able to play recordable DVDs as well as the pressed DVDS. Some do better than others.

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Fav quote - "Experience is whatcha don't get 'till ya don't need it no more."

System - Athlon 1.4GHz, Win98, Hauppauge PVR250 receiver and compressor.
Software -Magix Movie Edit Pro 10, Nero 6 + NeroVision Express, Moho 4.61, PSP 8.1, Bryce, Quicktime 6.52 pro, Goldwave 5, DVD-Lab.
Cameras - Panasonic GS9, Canon ES8400V, Canon EOS D20 and Canon A70

I payed 20 quid for my DVD player and it plays DVD+R/RW without a problem. I haven't tried DVD-R/RW yet but it says that they work.

... that the -R seems to be the most compatible with older players. Also, the speed of the media is important too. Stick with 4x or slower for best compatibility.

The newer DVD players will read just about anything, but it's never hurts to err on the side of caution.

almost all the dvd drivers now could read these two kinds disks.