Use dual format for one format only?

[dolphinius_rex]

I just received some (somewhat) disturbing news from Ritek. Supposedly (I got this STRAIGHT from Ritek USA), if you use a dual format burner for recording both DVD-R and DVD+R continously, it will seriously damage your drive.

Here's some quotes/summeries:
first, I asked about the recording war, and his opinions, and mentioned I only had a DVD+R/RW burner currently, but was going to get a dual format drive.

He responded with:

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"...Also, The sales right now in the market,
not just our company, DVD-R is a lot higher than DVD+R.
    because of their playback compatibility and price.
    If you buy a duel burner, I don't think you should use it for both
format, it will damage your burner."

I then asked him if he would explain a little about the problem, since I'd never heard of it before. And he responded with this:

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"Hello *****:
    It is hard to explain it here, but what I can tell you is that They burns
DVD in different direction for DVD-R and DVD+R, if you change them
frequently, it will damage the burner."

So, although I don't know all the details, it appears that Ritek USA (Who I *KNOW* does a lot of DVD burning of their own) believes that burning both formats back and forth on the same drive will result in premature drive death.

What do other people think?

[rdgrimes]

Different directions? ?? ?

[aviationwiz]

I don't exactly think that makes sence. Can someone like Ian comment on it?

I use my dual format mostly for DVD-Plus, but sometimes for DVD-Minus, need I say it does both with flying colors. (Except the stupid Memorex media at 8x.)

[dolphinius_rex]

remember that my contact does not speak english as a first language, so his interpretation should be taken with a grain of salt

[rdgrimes]

so "directions" could mean "mode" or anything. Still doesn't make much sense.

[burninfool]

I wouldn't put much faith into what he said,it doesn't make sense.

"If you buy a duel burner"
Is that muzzle-loading or breech-loading?

[treemana]

Since I normally buy whichever media type happens to be on sale, I often switch back and forth. So, I hope this concern proves to be unfounded.

However, if my drive is going to die an early death, let's hope it's during the warranty period!

[matibaer]

What a silly shit, tse tse tse.

OK, it´s another burning-method "+" or "-".
But the burner was built to change between both modes.

If a burner "dies" because of using sometimes "+" and other times "-" then it is a fabrication-fault.

Do it - use the burner for that it was bulit !
If it will damaged, use the warranty.
If it will damaged later, buy the new genaration :
-> 16x DVD+R / 8x DVD+RW DVD-R / 4x DVD-RW for DUAL-LAYER-DVD-9
or
-> 2x DVR-BLUE

[dolphinius_rex]

I think it's important for us to not disregard information like this, just because we haven't heard about it before. I'm not saying I believe it though... just that I am giving it some thought. I'm looking at it like this:

Ritek USA has no advantage in telling me something like this, it will not generate them any more sales, especially since the information was passed on to me personally. Ritek would assumedly do testing on their own media, both +/- within their own facilities, so perhaps this is something they have deduced on their own. If it is really true, then drive manufacturers would be trying to desperatly hide this fact from their customers!

Like I said, I'm not saying I believe it, but I want to give it some thought, and suggest others do the same.

[Ian]

Can someone like Ian comment on it?

As rex said, I think something got messed up in the translation. These drives were designed from the get go to burn to both + and - media. I can't imagine them wearing out from using both formats. Thats almost as silly as saying a DVD writer gets worn out faster by using it to write CD's.

[rdgrimes]

Thats almost as silly as saying a DVD writer gets worn out faster by using it to write CD's.

How about: If you burn CDRW discs you'll wear out your laser. If you burn at high speeds, you'll wear out your laser.

[CDRecorder]

I find it hard to believe why switching formats often in a dual-format drive would cause problems. After all, as was stated before, that's what the burner was made to do.

Dolphinius_rex: Has the person at Ritek given any proof that switching formats on dual-format drives causes the drives to die faster?

[bob11879]

The difference in recording +R and -R is in the logical format on the disc, not the physical format. The drive still goes through the same motions and writes from the inside edge to the outer edge. Same mechanics, same laser, same direction, etc., etc. Dual format drives are designed to write media in both formats--that's why they're called what they're called.

[dolphinius_rex]

No, he didn't provide anything other then what you see quoted by me in the first message. It came across as a personal warning to myself. I'll see what I can find out, but the situation is not so I can call up my supplier to idley chat with him for no real reason. So I have to wait until I have a few work related questions before I can bug him about it again... Luckily I'm due for a new price list anytime So I'll be able to pester him again soon!

[Kennyshin]

I respect your opinion but I don't feel the quoted person @ Ritek USA knows that much about DVD burning. I respect people at Ritek and Princo but I have never seen anyone there knowing too much about DVD burning at all. They just know what they know and often insist on what they believe to be true but are not.

"...Also, The sales right now in the market,
not just our company, DVD-R is a lot higher than DVD+R.
because of their playback compatibility and price.
If you buy a duel burner, I don't think you should use it for both
format, it will damage your burner."

The person does not seem to understand the market either. DVD-R market is bigger than DVD+R market not because of playback compatibility and price but because Taiwanese manufacturers have concentrate on DVD-R. That has been also why Ritek and CMC could see their profitability vastly improve this year. The manufacturing cost of DVD+R and DVD-R do not vary much but Ritek and CMC can overcharge for their DVD+R because of lack of competition from other manufacturers.

In South Korea, DVD+R media cost still twice as much as DVD-R media because there is no mass DVD+R importer. I got my 4x DVD+R by Ricoh via Lite-On IT, Taiwan, and 4x DVD+R by Mitsubishi (Verbatim DataLifePlus brand) via a US shop. It takes me more to buy 4x DVD+R by Ritek in quantity of 5,000 from a Ritek agent based in Seoul's Yongsan.

[dolphinius_rex]

The one thing I am very sure of, is that my contact believes what he said to me, however, that doesn't mean that he is correct.

Anyways, unless someone can produce some proof that a drive does degrade much faster switching back and forth from - to + and back, I won't personally put too much faith into it.