| Picking your way through the ton of | | | | |
| information available on recordabel, or DVD | | | | DVD-RAM is slightly different as it is a |
| can be a nightmare. To help you out, we've | | | | sector based disc which mounts on the desktop |
| done our best to distill it into this | | | | of a PC when inserted into a drive. Files can |
| summary. | | | | then be copied to it in the same way as any |
| | | | other mounted media. Some single-sided |
| There are five recordable versions of DVD; | | | | DVD-RAM discs can be removed from their caddy |
| DVD-R for General, DVD-R for Authoring, | | | | and inserted in a DVD-ROM drive which will |
| DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW. None of the | | | | then be able to read the content of the disc. |
| formats is fully compatible with the other | | | | There are DVD video recorders which use the |
| although there are drives which will read,a | | | | DVD-RAM format. This enables themn to pull |
| nd in some cases write to more than one | | | | off clever tricks like time shifting - where |
| format. | | | | you can watch the beginning of a programme |
| | | | you have recorded while you are still |
| DVD-R for General and DVD-R for Authoring are | | | | recording the end on the same disc. |
| essentially DVD versions of CD-R. And DVD-RW | | | | |
| is a DVD version of CD-RW. All three formats | | | | DVD+RW is the newest format and not supported |
| can be read in standard DVD-ROM drives and in | | | | by the DVD Forum (link), the body which sets |
| most DVD video players. The difference | | | | the standards for DVD. However, it is |
| between DVD-R for General and DVD-R for | | | | supported by some of the biggest electronics |
| Authoring is that DVD-R for General is a | | | | and computer manufacturers, and is therefore |
| format intended for widespread consumer use | | | | likely to stick around. It is also the format |
| and doeasn't support 'professional' features | | | | used by Philips in its DVD video recorders |
| such as piracy protection or duplication in | | | | (link). Despite not being authorised by the |
| mass duplicators. The Pioneer DVD-RW drive | | | | DVD Forum, DVD+RW is claimed by its |
| which is the most popular PC device for | | | | supporterd to be compatible with more DVD |
| writing to DVD uses the DVD for General | | | | video players than DVD-R and DVD+RW writers |
| format. And as as the case with CD, DVD-RW is | | | | are found in PCS from quite a few |
| essentially the same as DVD_R except that it | | | | manufacturers. |
| can be erased and written to again and again. | | | | |