Does anyone know if Sony is subtly switching sides?
When they released one of their first PC DVD burners a couple of years ago it could only handle the DVD+RW format; then later the +R/+RW format. Now they have a drive which handles all 4 formats (+R/+RW and -R/-RW) for the PC.
I just purchased the set top Sony RDR-GX7 DVD recorder which handles -R/-RW and +RW formats. According to the manual, it seems that if you wish to take advantage of all of the features advertised about this recorder you will need to use the -RW disc. It seems like if you use the +RW disc it becomes just a flat VHS tape with a few extra features.
Interesting. The DVD-RW VR format is superb, far better than +RW for editing, but it suffers in that the edit functions do not carry over to other drives. In effect it is like DVD-RAM.
Also note it does not take +R discs.
That last point is very, very important. If Sony switches sides, and this move is a clear indicator of that, it's the first concrete sign that +RW is floundering. If Sony pulls out, that's a gut-blow for the format.
No one is switching sides. They have realised that there is a lot of confused people out there adn they know that to get them to buy their products, they need to have a system that does both formats. Sony is still a +R recorder that "supports" -R writing. The Pioneer DVR106 is -R Recorder that "supports" +R writing.
Yes, but the point is that the Sony standalone machine is now a +R machine that doesn't take +R (but does take -R) and has more functionality in -RW than +RW. That is significant.
But yes, I do agree with the point about Sony PC writers still being +R with -R added and vice versa for Pioneer. People should realise that -- if they're going to be using mainly -R media they should get a Pioneer/LG/Panny/Tosh, if they're going to be mainly using +R they should get a Sony/NEC/Sanyo.
I think they can impact the fate of the 2 formats (+/-) more through the set top boxes more than with the PC DVD burners.
While the PC DVD burner has enjoyed an increase in popularity in the past couple of years, it is still a relatively small segment of the population that have one; for the average user, the CD burner is still sufficient and cheaper.
With a PC, in order to edit/archive your movies you will need video editing software plus accessories to attach your VCR to your PC - This might be too expensive/complicated for some if not most. With the standalone box everything is rolled up into one neat little package, plus it is also the natural replacement for the VCR. While prices are a bit high, they are bound to fall; maybe as early as this Christmas.
Jase, I am not very familiar with DVD-RAM but are you telling that if I edit a disc in DVD-RW VR mode then CLOSE it, I may not be able to take advantage of it when viewing it on another player?
The prices of the Standalone players are falling quite a lot at the minute. However, DVD Writers on computers (including DVDRAM) make up the large majority of the market. i dont believe for one minute that it will be the standalones that decide the future of the DVD R format. As you say, people who buy the standalones tend to be less technically driven in relation to the technology, so my inclination would be that those buyers would buy whatever format is put in front of them.
If anyone is going to decide on a format, i believe it will be the DVD Back-up people like ourselves. However, i dont actually believe that anyone will be deciding on a format between +/-R, i think within the next 2-3 years, Blue Laser or another HD DVD system will be replacing them. I just hope thy make them backward compatible or put a Red laser system in the case with the blue laser.
