Hareware Reviews

Although still expensive, DVD writers are slowly coming down in price and are finding their way into high-end PCs. But the battle still rages over which format (DVD-R/-RW, DVD+R/+RW or DVD-RAM) is the best. And, for that matter, which one will become the industry standard, which is a different question altogether.

The battle between DVD recording formats seems a lot like the battle between VHS and Betamax in the early days of video recorders, with two distinct camps; the DVD Forum and the DVD+RW Alliance. Now Microsoft has thrown its hat into the ring by announcing that the next Windows version (code-named Longhorn) will have DVD+RW support built in. So the result is now a foregone conclusion, surely.

But no, in a move that seemed highly unlikely in the computer industry - i.e. many companies agreeing with each other - there is now a new format, called DVD-Dual. This format combines the recording features of both standards into one device, so now we have drives that can record DVD-R/-RW and DVD+R /+RW. So far, all the major members of both camps have agreed to support the new format, but only time will tell how many stick to this agreement.

If all this seems confusing, this is how the formats differ.

DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM

This is the format group advocated by members of the DVD Forum, who include Apple, Hitachi, NEC, Panasonic, Pioneer, Samsung and Sharp. The forum has also approved the DVD Multi specification. Its various component formats are:

· DVD-R
The first DVD recording format has been around a lot longer than any other format, and therefore has a great deal of compatibility. Can only be written to once and uses 4.7GB and 9.4GB DVD-R discs, which can be read in around 90 percent of DVD players and DVD-ROM drives

· DVD-RW
Can be re-written to up to 1,000 times. Can be used in about 70 percent of DVD players and DVD-ROM drives, although may not play in entry-level or older DVD systems.

· DVD-RAM
Available in capacities up to 9.4GB. Has the best recording features, can be re-written to 100,000 times, but can only be used in DVD-RAM drives. It’s best thought of as a removable hard disk.

DVD+R, DVD+RW

This format group is supported by the DVD+RW Alliance whose members include Dell, HP and Philips. Its various component formats are:

· DVD+R
Records on 4.7GB DVD+R discs and can be used in around 80 percent of DVD players and DVD-ROM drives.

· DVD+RW
Can be re-written on 4.7GB DVD+RW discs. Can be used in around 75 percent of DVD players and DVD-ROM drives, although may not play in entry-level or older DVD systems.

You can see why there’s so much confusion, and why any agreement between the various camps is likely to be welcomed as A Good Thing. To find out exactly what’s on offer, we’ve tested six of the latest DVD writers, representing the different format groups. We’ve looked at their features and investigated how long it took to record a multimedia DVD using the supplied burning software.