What is the difference between DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD R and DVD RW?

Question

What is the difference between DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD R and DVD RW?

Answer 1

R = Recordable, record once, and then you can no longer change it

RW = Rewritable, record, erase, record, erase, as many times as you like.

The -R/-RW and +R/+RW differences are really just semantics at this point, as any recorder you'll buy today supports all 4 formats, plus probably +R DL (dual layer).  The -R/-RW and +R/+RW formats all provide 4.7 GB of storage capacity, while the +R DL provides 8.5 GB of storage capacity.

Edit: Tom must have missed the "you'll buy today" part above.  :) Any DVD recorder I've seen made in the past few years handled both +R/RW and -R/RW formats.

Answer 2

Jason hit it on the nail except for the blanket comment that all units will handle all formats.

Don't trust that to be true, and always check the specs on a unit you may consider buying to see what formats it handles.

Tom