DVD-RAM vs DVD RW – 2606 days old

[Wai_Wai]

DVD-RAM vs DVD RW

Hi.
I'm not sure which one I should choose.
I need a disc which store my regular backup and item collection.
The contents of the disc will be updated, say, quarterly or monthly.

The disc must be reliable and can keep the contents intact.

Q:
1) Which disc suits my need best? Any advice?

2) How reliable is DVD-RAM and DVD+/-RW?

3) What brand/model of DVD disc do you recommend?

Thank you.

[floppybootstomp]

Don't really know much about DVD RAM to be honest.

And I don't use rewritable Discs either.

A dual layer DVD burner is good, although the price of dual layer discs is still prohibitive.

For drive brands, I'd recommend Pioneer, NEC & Plextor.

For Discs, Verbatim; TDK and Datawrite Titanium are good, I've used nothing but the Datawrite Titanium Discs for some time now, never had a dud, unlike other brands I've tried.

I back up regularly to DVD single layer Discs, always use the -R version though not really sure why. No probs at all, it's a good cheap way of storing Data and backing up.

[TJM4FUN]

dvd ram dirves are a waste of money. you need special media, hard sectored
and they are completely incompatible with a video dvd.
we use them at work for backups with r/w media, the media is very reliable, the drives not so.
Personally I would go with a good neame drd +-r/+-rw dual layer drive, it will be more useful in overall personal use.

[RacerX]

I've never tried RAM disc's before so no comment on that.

DVD-RW, i had some terrible results with the CD-RW in the past so i don't use those.

As far as burners i like LiteOn, NEC and Plextor, i did have a Pioneer and found it to be slow in recognizing any disc you put in them, extraction of data off them was slow but they do burn everything very well.

As far as media i think the best out there are Verbatim. I also use Fuji and RiDATA and have had great luck.

I'd go with what Flops said, if your backups aren't huge i'd just make backups to DVD discs, they are cheap, i get them for about .30 cents each. A small price to pay for data security.

Johnb15

[Wai_Wai]

Don't really know much about DVD RAM to be honest.

And I don't use rewritable Discs either.

A dual layer DVD burner is good, although the price of dual layer discs is still prohibitive.

For drive brands, I'd recommend Pioneer, NEC & Plextor.

For Discs, Verbatim; TDK and Datawrite Titanium are good, I've used nothing but the Datawrite Titanium Discs for some time now, never had a dud, unlike other brands I've tried.

I back up regularly to DVD single layer Discs, always use the -R version though not really sure why. No probs at all, it's a good cheap way of storing Data and backing up.

What's the point of using DVD DL?
2 DVDs = DVD DL with cheaper prices and faster burning rates.

Since my data keep being outdated, I would like to simply rewrite my backup. Using DVD R seems to be a waste to me.

[floppybootstomp]

What's the point of using DVD DL?
2 DVDs = DVD DL with cheaper prices and faster burning rates.

Since my data keep being outdated, I would like to simply rewrite my backup. Using DVD R seems to be a waste to me.

Well, suit yerself then

What you asking for if you already made your mind up?

But, like I said, DVD R's are dirt cheap. And RW's are, in my experience, unreliable. And they do only have a certain lifespan.

But hey, be my guest.....

[Grogan]

I've seen people burn all their stuff to a DVD RW and then be unable to read it later. Condolences were all I had to offer them.

[Wai_Wai]

I've seen people burn all their stuff to a DVD RW and then be unable to read it later. Condolences were all I had to offer them.

RW is less reliable than R?!
How about RAM?

[Wai_Wai]

Well, suit yerself then

What you asking for if you already made your mind up?

But, like I said, DVD R's are dirt cheap. And RW's are, in my experience, unreliable. And they do only have a certain lifespan.

But hey, be my guest.....

Then why do you feel DVD DL is better than single DVD?

[RacerX]

DVD-+R capacity 4.5gb approx. write speed 4X to 16X cost .30c each.

DVD-+R Dual Layer capacity upto 8.5 gb depending on what you are burning, write spead 2.4X, cost 1.39ea.

DVD-RW re-writeable DVD's, speed 8X, re-writeable, capacity 4.5gb, cost .70c each. I have had the same problems as Grogan, they write ok but can't be read on different systems or on the same system after re installs of burning programs or operating systems, not very reliable long term storage.

DVD Dual layer discs are write once just regular DVD-+r's but are very pricey as you can see from above, approx 4 to 1 cost for dual layer as compared to regular DVD's.

For backups i use regular DVD-R's, for cool movie backups i use Dual Layer discs to maintain the quality of the original video and sound.

Hope this helps clear up some differences between formats.

Johnb15

[floppybootstomp]

Then why do you feel DVD DL is better than single DVD?

I don't think it's better, cost-wise, I think it's better simply because you can store more data on a DL, I thought that much would have been obvious.

But, if it's simply for OS backups and data storage, use a single layer DVD-R. Cost for cost, best bet.

Also see John's (RacerX's) post above. That, for me, pretty much sums up the whole argument.