Ever wondered why there are separate DVD+R and DVD-R formats, and what the difference is- if any? Or why DVD+R Dual Layer discs have now been joined by DVD-R Dual Layer? Is there actually a good reason for all this confusion?

Well, it depends on what you call a good reason! It’s true that there are some minor technical differences between the +R (”plus R”) and -R (”minus R” or- officially- “dash R”) formats.

However, in truth, the main reason for their separate existence is purely business. To cut a long story short, when it came to developing a writable version of the DVD, some members of the DVD Forum (the consortium that guided the original DVD format) broke away to create the rival DVD+RW Alliance.

DVD-R was developed by the original DVD Forum, and DVD+R was developed by the rival DVD+RW Alliance. Although the differences are insignificant at best for the end user, the two groups never managed to agree on a single format. Both grabbed fairly even shares of the market, so they’re still around. Almost all burners produced in the past few years support both +R and -R, so it’s not a major problem now- just a rather pointless and annoying complication for the poor disc buyer!

For similar reasons, the DVD+RW Alliance’s original dual layer format, DVD+R DL has now been joined by the DVD Forum’s rival DVD-R DL. Again, for your average user, there are no major differences between the two- it’s purely business rivalry. However, in this case, DVD+R DL has been around longer, is far better-supported and is more widely-available. DVD-R DL might grow slightly more popular as the drives that support it become common, but we think it’s likely that +R DL will remain the dominant dual layer format.

As if that wasn’t enough, the two groups have developed competing-but-similar rewritable dual layer formats. However, neither is commercially widespread yet.

Are there any differences?

As we said, from the end-user’s point of view, there aren’t really enough differences to justify having two sets of formats.

Some have argued that ordinary DVD+R has slightly better data correction than DVD-R (and hence increased reliability). However, it’s generally accepted that the brand and quality of discs you choose has a far bigger effect.

It’s also been argued that one or other format may be more compatible in certain situations. However, again, brand and disc quality are probably just as- if not more- important than +R vs. -R. If you know your drive to be happier with one or the other, then go for that one- just don’t get hung up on it!