How do I tell if...

[Bluewolf]

... I can use both DVD+Rs or DVD-Rs?

I have a PowerBook but before I go out and buy some DVD RWs I would like to find which format my DVD RW supports...

 

[rman]

I can not help you with this concerning the superdrive. Since I have an external DVD burner. If you are burning DVDs to watch on most home DVD players, then you want to use DVD-Rs. I tend to use DVD+Rs only for backing up my system. I have problems with the DVD+RW, but I have better luck with DVD-RW.

Since I have upgraded to 10.3.5 and Toast is at 6.0.7, I will have to check again.

 

[witeshark]

From this Apple link on Superdrive, I think nearly all are supported. But you can ask the store where you're shopping I guess

 

[gort]

I bought a spindle of imation dvd-r's from best buy for $30, they work wonderfully. I don't see anything mentioning the super drive supporting dvd-rw.

 

[Icarus]

I cannot wait for those DVD prices to go down....$2 a dvd...that's crazy.

 

[Avalon]

... I can use both DVD+Rs or DVD-Rs?

I have a PowerBook but before I go out and buy some DVD RWs I would like to find which format my DVD RW supports...

I don't know for the PowerBook, but the Superdrive in eMac, iMac and PowerMac only support DVD-R/-RW, no +R/+RW (except maybe the latest ones).

@rman:
I have a HP 300n DVD-burner which I installed in my PowerMac (DVD+R/+RW only) and I never had problems with movies on DVD+R on any standalone DVD-player. I tried lots of different brands, never had any trouble.

 

[Bluewolf]

I can not help you with this concerning the superdrive. Since I have an external DVD burner. If you are burning DVDs to watch on most home DVD players, then you want to use DVD-Rs. I tend to use DVD+Rs only for backing up my system. I have problems with the DVD+RW, but I have better luck with DVD-RW.

Since I have upgraded to 10.3.5 and Toast is at 6.0.7, I will have to check again.

I have 10.3 sitting in a box somewhere but I need to find a spare moment to upgrade my PowerBook.

I must admit I was pretty confused when I went to the store to get some dvds to write on when I was confronted with + and - Rs.

 

[Bluewolf]

I don't know for the PowerBook, but the Superdrive in eMac, iMac and PowerMac only support DVD-R/-RW, no +R/+RW (except maybe the latest ones).

@rman:
I have a HP 300n DVD-burner which I installed in my PowerMac (DVD+R/+RW only) and I never had problems with movies on DVD+R on any standalone DVD-player. I tried lots of different brands, never had any trouble.

I bought mine in January, so I don't think that it will have the superdrive. Since the -Rs work with DVD players I just bought those just to be safe.

Many thanks for all your help on this matter.

 

[Bluewolf]

My PowerBook spits out the DVD-R I put into it... does that mean it can't burn DVDs?

 

[rman]

What kind of optical drive do you have?

Click on the Apple in the top left corner of the screen. Choose About This Mac and then click on the button More Info. From there under hardware select ata. Now look at the second twisty. Mine is on ata-3 bus. It shows a Mat****advd-rom sr-8187. After clicking the twisty, click the item under the twisty. You should see what type of optical drive you have.

 

[hype.it]

From this Apple link on Superdrive, I think nearly all are supported.

@witeshark, the above URL you have given is wrong.... if your selling a product then it would be conceived as been correct. It contains no technical specs.

The Specs For PowerBook Superdrive can be found here!

I think nearly all are supported. But you can ask the store where you're shopping I guess

No, forget the shop... On previous PowerBook models and current models you CAN ONLY USE DVD-R's the +R variation are NOT SUPPORTED. So for DVD media go for DVD-R for write once and DVD-RW for rewrite-able.

The Brand doesn't matter too much, just make sure they are from a known manufacturer such as APPLE, INFINI, TDK ... When you talk about different brands, your really talking about cost, manufacture material and possible storage life. This is important if your archiving data for long term, say more than 18 months.

 

[witeshark]

This is important if your archiving data for long term, say more than 18 months.

There was nothing wrong with my post; it came from the Apple site and any further info is easily found

 

[Avalon]

I bought mine in January, so I don't think that it will have the superdrive. Since the -Rs work with DVD players I just bought those just to be safe.

Many thanks for all your help on this matter.

Just for the record:
PowerBooks come with two types of optical drives, Combo- or Superdrive. The Combodrive can burn CDs, but only read DVDs. The Superdrive can also burn DVDs, and as Hype.it said (and I found out too after some research ), it can only burn DVD-R/-RW.
I guess if it spits out your blank DVD-R means that you have a Combodrive.

 

[Bluewolf]

Just for the record:
PowerBooks come with two types of optical drives, Combo- or Superdrive. The Combodrive can burn CDs, but only read DVDs. The Superdrive can also burn DVDs, and as Hype.it said (and I found out too after some research ), it can only burn DVD-R/-RW.
I guess if it spits out your blank DVD-R means that you have a Combodrive.

I think that would make the most sense.

Although now I want to burn the dvd off of my eMac which does have a Superdrive. I know that because when I had a list of options to modify the exisitng product I selected them all!

However the theme for the dvd to be is 'world' and 10.3 has iDVD that does not have this theme. How do I put this theme onto the eMac? And do I just need to transfer over the iDVD project file? Or will I need to transfer it all over?

 

[Bluewolf]

What kind of optical drive do you have?

Click on the Apple in the top left corner of the screen. Choose About This Mac and then click on the button More Info. From there under hardware select ata. Now look at the second twisty. Mine is on ata-3 bus. It shows a Mat****advd-rom sr-8187. After clicking the twisty, click the item under the twisty. You should see what type of optical drive you have.

I think I have the combo drive as I have a CD-RW/DVD-ROM. So it looks like I'll have to either make another purchase, or send the files to my .mac and take them off on the eMac which has the superdrive.