DVD+R

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What Does DVD+R Mean?

A DVD+R is an optical, write-once recordable disk with 4.6 gigabyte storage capacity. It is similar to a DVD-R format. A DVD is a special recording medium for TV and movies, computers and audio data. There are several variations of the DVD, which can be categorized into the "minus" (-) formats and "plus" (+) formats, namely DVD-R/-RW and DVD+R/+RW.

Techopedia Explains DVD+R

DVD+R was developed in 2002 by a union of companies known as the DVD+RW Alliance. By 2004, the developers have started to advertise the format. Before its official release, the DVD-R was preferred because most of the DVD players and disk drives at that time did not the recognize DVD+R format. The DVD-R Forum, which developed the DVD-R format, did not accept the "plus" design as a formal DVD format until its official release in January 2008.

According to the DVD Alliance, which is composed of companies like Microsoft, Sony, Yamaha, Dell, Phillips and many others, the use of the DVD+R/+RW format has its advantages compared to the typical DVD-R/-RW:

  • It is compatible with other DVD players and provides extra recording features.
  • The format has the capability to record data partly on a computer and partly on a television.
  • It has an improved ability to edit file names
  • It can eject instantly without waiting for final formatting.
  • It can do background formatting.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert
Margaret Rouse
Technology Expert

Margaret is an award-winning technical writer and teacher known for her ability to explain complex technical subjects to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles by the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret's idea of a fun day is helping IT and business professionals learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.