DVD Formats

DVD Wars: Cooling Down?

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from the article and others: See www.dvdtoday.com/recordable_DVD_test.htm
www.apple.com/dvd/compatibility


DVD Forum: (backed by Panasonic, Pioneer, Toshiba, and others): DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD-RAM recordable-DVD formats. Apple is in this camp.

DVD+RW Alliance (Sony, Philips, and others)

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DVD-R specification: had been split into two variants—DVD-R for General and the professionally oriented DVD-R for Authoring ... most new DVD-R drives are designed to read all three types of disc

DVD-R and DVD-RW are essentially write-once and rewritable versions of mass-replicated DVD-Video discs, and both initially targeted video storage and DVD-authoring applications. Compatibility with set-top DVD players and DVD-ROM drives was essential.

DVD-RAM: designed for data-oriented tasks such as computer backup and archiving. This format works more like random-access computer media than a sequential-read DVD-Video disc. Since it requires a different-wavelength laser than other DVD formats, it's rarely supported by DVD-ROM drives or set-top players.... DVD-RAM's robust defect management and error correction features make it a popular archiving and record-keeping platform in niche markets such as libraries, movie studios, and the medical community.... (but it is becoming a niche solution?)

DVD+RW: Similar to DVD-RW, but newer DVD+RW drives may include a random-access mode (CAV) that competes with DVD-RAM.

DVD+R: newest format, 2003 debut? Writes to 8-9 GB.