What media should I use? Optorite DD0203

[dragonfireblade]

I just ordered a DD0203 from PCSuppySource, I would like some information on what media to buy for the drive. I would like to compile a list of all the media that works and the ones that don't with each firmware. I think that the more people that contribute, the better. The main topic here should be DVD compatibility, since DVDs cost so much more than CDs, but we should still talk about what CD-Rs work with HD-Burn. I would like to know what media that is easily available in North America (I live in Canada) will work at 4X with this drive.

I found a good webpage (www.yesbuy.net) that has all kinds of media to order but I could use your input on which to get since I have no idea. Will the 4X Princo work? It is cheaper than the Ritek for -R but they have only generic +R made by SKY, are these any good?

I bought two 50Pk spindles of Fuji 48X CD-Rs cause I heard someone mention they work with HD-Burn, can someone confirm this? What else works? Is this woking with CD-RWs yet?

Also can you list your stand alone DVD-Player and state whether or not it played DVD+R, -R, +RW, -RW or any HD-Burn media. I am hoping that all players are playing HD-Burn VCDs and SVCDS, but I guess you guys know for sure! I am going to buy a new DVD Player that plays SVCDs properly and I now would need one that works with this new burner's DVDs, so this would be a great help also.

Thanks for reading all this!

[DonBerg]

I don't think any standalone DVD players work with HDBURN CDRs - they are pretty much only readable by the DVD writer at this time.
I bought this model DVD writer for $159 last week and tried some onsale 4x DVD+R discs by Memorex ($14.39 for 10 disc spindle at CompUSA) and they have worked fine for video buring at 4x - takes 15min for 4.7GB. I also got a pack of 5 Imation 2.4x DVD+RW discs for $15.88 at CompUSA and they have worked fine too. I used the DVD+RW for computer data backups. I created a bootable DVD+RW with Nero and was able to boot up in DOS with that disc and had it hold lots of hard disk image files for restoring my hard disk all from one DVD! I also used Ahead's INCD program for storing all my data files as a big 4.7GB floppy. I got faster transfer speeds than the 10xCDRW I used previously for this purpose and replaced 7 CDRWs with one DVD+RW d;sc.

I also tried a Verbatim DVD-RW disc and that works fine with video, but slow at 1x speed only. I have found in my area DVD+R at 4X is the same (or cheaper on sale) than DVD-Rs that are only 1x or 2x speed, so I am sticking with DVD+R for video and DVD+RW for data, the latter is cheaper and faster than DVD-RW too.

As far as DVD players, my 2 year old JVC progessive DVD player can only play DVD+R and DVD-R (does not accept +RW or -RW) so I can only make permanent copies for it. I believe Pioneer DVD players accept all 4 formats, I used to have one of those models before my JVC. The JVC does excellent VCD and SVCD with CDR and CDRW however, thats why I got it. So for temporary video programs that I just view once or twice, I would still use SVCD on a CDRW for this player.

[dragonfireblade]

That actually helps a lot! I wish more people would post though! I could put it all in an excel spreadsheet and email to people if we get more results.

From what I gathered from:
http://www.digital-sanyo.com/BURN-Proof ... index.html
I assumed that HD-disc is already compatible with DVD players, but I guess if you tried it, you would know better.

[DonBerg]

I see Best Buy has on sale a spindle of 25 Memorex 4x DVD+R for $35 this week, thats $1.40/DVD - a very good price on a type I have personally tested and works great. It burns a full DVD+R in 15min. In the same stores the 25spindle of 1x DVD-Rs cost more ($50) and are much slower taking 60min to burn a full DVD. I'm using DVD+Rs only for permanent burns. For temporary burns, I find DVD+RW is cheaper and faster (2.4x) compared to DVD-RW(1x) and for smaller burns I find DVD-RW needs to burn at least 1GB blocks so small 100-200MB burns always take 15min with a DVD-RW for me, wherease a DVD+RW takes well under one minute for a smaller size like that for some movie trailers.