DVD Compatibility Test - Maxell Canada

VIDEO • AUDIO • 3D • WEB VIDEO • DVD • VISUAL EFFECTSJULY 2002®www.dv.comROUNDUPDVD COMPATIBILITYTESTHow can you author a DVD that everyone canread? Compatibility is a complex issue, but wesort it out with some hard data. By Ralph LaBargeFor many years, I have been a devoted fanof recordable DVD technology, and I’vebuilt my business around it as a DVDdeveloper. It’s crucial that I understand how Ican author discs that can be read by thewidest number of viewers so I can avoidreturns, excess technical support, and generalend-user frustration. But there are many variablesin the DVD world.In my studio, I have first-, second-, andthird-generation DVD-R burners from Pioneer;first- and second-generation DVD-RAMdrives from Panasonic; and first-generationDVD+RW drives from HP and Sony. WhenDVD+R drives become available later thisyear, I’ll be the first one on my block to buyone.I use recordable DVD extensively in developingand testing titles before I send them outfor replication. Other DVD producers circumventreplication and release recordable DVDsthey’ve burned themselves.ILLUSTRATION BY RALPH KELLIHER

ROUNDUPWith the release of set-top DVD recordersfrom Panasonic, Pioneer, and others, recordableDVD is rapidly becoming a mass-marketproduct. Computer-based DVD burners arereadily available for less than $400, and settopunits can be bought for less than $1000.Combined with inexpensive DVD authoringtools from companies such as Apple, PinnacleSystems, Sonic Solutions, Ulead, and others,affordable systems for making your own DVDdiscs are becoming a reality for many consumers.But compatibility issues are growingexponentially.Unfortunately, there is trouble in recordableDVD paradise. As with most new technologies,recordable DVD has a compatibilityproblem. This compatibility problem hasthree main factors—the DVD formats (e.g.,DVD-R, DVD+RW, DVD-RW), the DVD blankmedia manufacturers (e.g., Maxell andVerbatim), and the DVD players (e.g., Pioneerand Sony)—that have complex permutations.This article is anattempt to bring sanityto how compatibility isreported for recordable DVDmedia on consumerDVD-Video players.The purpose of this article is to make DVDproducers, vendors, and consumers aware ofthe compatibility issues for recordable DVD.The compatibility of replicated DVDs, burnedfrom glass masters in high volumes at largeDVD replication houses, is outside the scopeof this story. I will explore the issues thataffect DVD producers who burn smaller runsthemselves.I’ll provide recommendations on how toavoid problems when you record DVD discsand how to attain the widest compatibility soyour DVD can be watched by as many peopleas possible. Then I’ll wrap up with a few generalguidelines to help you get the most outof recordable DVD.A brief overview ofrecordable DVD technologyLet’s start by taking a look at the differenttechnologies used to make a recordable DVD.There are currently five different types ofrecordable DVD products on the market.These products are DVD-R for Authoring,DVD-R for General, DVD-RW, DVD+RW, andDVD-RAM. A sixth product, DVD+R, shouldbe widely available within the nextfew months. Each of these recordable DVDtechnologies has its own strengths and weaknesses.DVD-R for Authoring, DVD-R for General,and DVD+R all use organic dyes that are sensitiveto an infrared laser. DVD-R for General andDVD+R discs are recorded using a 650nm(nanometer) laser, while DVD-R for Authoringdiscs are recorded using a 635nm laser. Whenthe organic dye is exposed to a low-powerinfrared laser, it is permanently changed andthe data is recorded onto the disc. Therewritable formats—DVD-RW, DVD+RW, andDVD-RAM—use phase-change materials. Thereare two different power levels used for writingand erasing data on a phase-change disc. Thehighest power level causes the surface of thematerial to become less reflective, and a lowerpower level causes the material to becomemore reflective. Phase-change-based recordableDVD media can be rewritten more than 1000times, but the organic dye material used inDVD-R and DVD+R media can only be writtenonce.Potential compatibility problemsSeveral different compatibility problems canoccur between a recorded DVD disc and aconsumer DVD player. These problemsinclude physical, logical, and applicationincompatibilities. The DVD specificationstates that single-layer discs should have areflectivity between 45 percent and 85 percent,and dual-layer discs should have areflectivity between 18 percent and 30 percent.The first potential problem with recordableDVD media is if their reflectivity fallsoutside the specified ranges.The DVD specification also defines severallogical parameters that are important forrecordable DVD media. These parameters arestored in the header area of each data sectoron the disc, and they include sector type format,tracking method, reflectivity, layers, anddata type information. Each logical parametermust be set correctly for a recordable DVDdisc to work properly.Application-level compatibility problemsare generally related to the average and burstdata rates of the content stored on the disc.In theory, any recorded DVD disc that complieswith the DVD specification should workfine on all consumer DVD-Video players.However, in practice, recorded DVD discswith high average or burst data rates, or withdata stored at or near the outer edge of thedisc, are more likely to exhibit playback compatibilityproblems.Several differentcompatibility problems canoccur betweena recorded DVD discand a consumerDVD player. Theseinclude physical,logical, and applicationincompatibilities.Physical, logical, and application compatibilityproblems can manifest themselves in anumber of different ways. Many consumerDVD-Video players will fail to mount arecorded DVD disc. When this happens, theplayer usually displays an error message indicatingthat the disc is damaged, has thewrong region code, or, in some cases, a diagnosticcode. Other typical problems includevideo artifacts, audio dropouts, and navigationproblems that prevent portions of thedisc from being accessed. In some cases, aDVD-Video player may lock up while playing arecorded DVD disc.What is compatible?One of the most frustrating things that canhappen to a DVD developer is to send recordeddiscs to clients, friends, or relatives, and thediscs fail to play properly on their systems.Many developers know enough about potentialcompatibility problems that they tell theirclients or friends to use a compatible player inorder to use the disc they send them, but whatcompatible means isn’t always clear.A number of Web sites—such aswww.vcdhelp.com/dvdplayers.php, www.apple.com/dvd/compatibility, and www.DVDMade-Easy.com—provide information about compatibleplayers. Unfortunately, the data

ROUNDUPfound on some of these DVD compatibilityWeb sites is based on anecdotal informationand relies on individual end users to reporttheir experiences with how a single brand ofrecordable DVD media works on a specificmake and model DVD player. Because thereare no common standards to define whatcompatibility is, the information found onthese sites must be taken with a grain of salt.I have a rather simple definitionof compatibility as it relates to recordableDVD: A recordable DVD disc is compatiblewith a consumer DVD-Video player if itworks identically to a replicated disc createdfrom the same disc image. In other words,end users should expect that recorded DVDdiscs will work as well as replicated discs purchasedfrom a retail store.The ultimate recordable DVDcompatibility testFor many years, I have been telling anyonewho would listen that we need a more rigorousmethod of determining the compatibilityof recordable DVD discs on consumer DVD-Video players. I know many of the DVD-Video player manufacturers and recordablemedia vendors have internal compatibilitytesting programs. However, the results ofthese internal testing programs are rarely disclosedto the general public, or even the DVDdevelopment community. After discussingthis problem with the DV editors, we decidedto undertake a rigorous compatibility testingeffort and publicize the results. This article isan attempt to bring sanity to how compatibilityis reported for recordable DVD mediaon consumer DVD-Video players.A recordable DVD discis compatible with aconsumer DVD-Video playerif it worksidentically to a replicateddisc created from the samedisc image.I have an engineering background. Morethan 20 years ago, I graduated with a bachelor’sdegree in electrical engineering and went towork for a Department of Defense contractordesigning digital signal processing equipment.An integral part of designing electronic equipmentis to develop a test plan and procedure tomake sure that every unit that comes off theproduction line works as well as, or better than,the first prototype unit.Developing a test plan to determine thecompatibility of recordable DVD media is actuallyquite simple. You need to test every possiblecombination of DVD format, blank mediabrand, player brand, player model, and playerrevision. Then you must repeat those tests withmultiple copies of each DVD format and brandon multiple copies of each player make andmodel to eliminate any random variables thatmight have influenced the test results (like ascratch on one of the test discs or a bad integratedcircuit in a player).I discovered there were more than 50 differentcombinations of recordable DVD formatsand media brands, and over 400 differentmakes, models, and revisions of DVD-Video players. This adds up to over 20,000different tests that would have to be run foronly a single instance of media on one copyof every player! If the test were expanded toinclude multiple media copies tested on multipleplayers, the total number of tests wouldquickly exceed 100,000.A realistic recordable DVDcompatibility testThen reality set in, and I realized I had toapproach the problem in a more feasible manner.I wrote a test plan and procedure that Icould actually implement given time, budget,and labor constraints, yet was still a good,thorough (not to mention unprecedented) testto determine compatibility. I set a $1000 budgetto cover the cost of acquiring blank recordableDVD media and shipping all of it to varioustest facilities. The biggest problem waslabor, which was solved through the generouscontribution of staff time by five differentcompatibility testing companies in the DVDindustry, none of whom make or sell recordableDVD media or DVD players.The test’s source material came from twoDVD-Video disc images I authored using SonicScenarist NT 2.5. One disc image was used forfull-capacity (4,700,000,000-bytes) media, anda second disc image was used for limitedcapacity(3,950,000,000-bytes) media. Thefull-capacity disc image is the Naxos MusicalTesting FacilitiesFive different companies participated inour testing: Still in Motion, TestronicLaboratories, Alpha DVD, and two companiesthat requested to remain anonymous.Still In MotionStill In Motion, a Technicolor Company, isa leading DVD authoring service bureauserving the Hollywood studio market andspecializing in Class A titles. Recent projectsinclude domestic and internationalreleases of Snow White and the SevenDwarfs, Platinum Edition; Atlantis: The LostEmpire; Unbreakable; and the award-winningDVD Cosmos, the late Dr. CarlSagan’s PBS science series. Still In Motionprides itself on its ability to consistentlyoffer the most advanced and innovativefeatures in the DVD industry.www.stillinmotion.comTestronic LaboratoriesTestronic Laboratories offers professional,confidential product verification services,tailored to meet the needs of the homeentertainment industry, from facilities inPinewood Studios, London, and Burbank,CA. Both sites operate to identical standards,guaranteeing the uniformity ofapproach essential to multinational contentowners and distributors. Establishedin 1998, Testronic Laboratories is staffedby QA professionals with over 70 years ofcombined experience in related industries.www.testroniclaboratories.com ■Journey Saint-Saens & Bizet. The limited-capacitydisc image is The Call. Both titles were releasedduring 2001 by DVD International and replicatedby Panasonic Disc Services Corporation.I arranged for the discs to be tested infive internal compatibility labs, includingtwo major DVD replication houses becausethey have the widest range of DVD playersand independent positions in the industry.See the “Testing Facilities” sidebar (above)for more information about some of the testsites. They followed detailed test proceduresI wrote for each of the two disc images totest content from every area of the disc. Thefull-capacity (4.7GB) disc test procedureincluded 28 unique steps, and the limited-

ROUNDUPFigure 1—Brands of Recordable DVD Media Tested, by DVD FormatDVD-R forAuthoring(3.95GB)MitsuiPioneerRidataTDKVerbatimDVD-R forAuthoring(4.7GB)MaxellMitsuiPioneerRidataRitekTaiyo YudenTDKVerbatimHere are the formats and brands of recordable DVD we tested. Five copies of the source disc image wereburned for each media type and brand, then sent to independent testing facilities for compatibility testing.capacity (3.95GB) disc image had 16 uniquesteps.With compatibilityratings of less than50 percent for certainbrands of media,recordable DVD upsetssome developers.The test DVD titles were chosen as sourcematerial because both titles had high-bitratecontent, utilized over 97 percent of the disc’scapacity, and had been released as a replicatedtitle. Using high-bitrate content and discs thatwere close to full capacity meant it would beeasy to spot errors caused by a recordable DVDcompatibility issue. If a DVD player has toreread data on the disc, the video is visiblypaused as it rereads, and an audio dropout mayoccur. Replicated copies of each disc imagewere also tested on every player to ensure thatany detected problems were a result of theirstorage on recordable DVD media rather than aflaw in the encoding, authoring, or layout ofthe test disc image.In order to pass the test, a recorded dischad to display the video, audio, and graphicsat the same level of quality as the replicatedversion of the title. Each test facility lookedfor skipped frames, pauses, stuttering, or digitalartifacts in the video as they listened fornoise, pops, or dropouts. The test facilitiesalso tested menu navigation. The recordeddisc had to navigate correctly through thetitle’s menu system to pass the test.DVD-R forGeneral(4.7GB)AppleCD-Recordable.comImationMaxellMemorexMitsuiPanasonicPioneerRidataRitekSonyTDKVerbatimVivastarDVD-RW(4.7GB)JVCMemorexPioneerRidataRitekSonyTDKVerbatimDVD+RW(4.7GB)HPMemorexSonyVerbatimMedia types and brandsFigure 1 (above) shows a list of the recordableDVD formats and brands that were includedin this test. I would like to thank many of thelisted vendors who provided samples of eachmedia type. In addition to media samplesprovided by vendors, we purchased approximately$1500’s worth of blank media.I chose not to include DVD-RAM media inthe test because an extreme minority of consumerDVD players and DVD-ROM drives arecapable of reading this format. My testingwas a bit too early to include DVD+R, but staytuned to DV and DV.com for future updateson that format.DVD-Video playersFigure 2 (below) shows a list of the makesand models of DVD-Video players we tested.Over 2400 unique tests were performed,Figure 2—DVD-Video Players Testedrequiring well over 400 hours of testing labor.Only players that were designed to handleat least one of the recordable DVD formats listedin Figure 1 were included in the test matrix.Every effort was made to include current modelsfrom each vendor, although we were constrainedby the specific player makes and modelsavailable at each test facility. The acquisitiondate of each player is listed in parenthesesnext to the model number.Making the test discsThe first step in making the test discs was torecord five copies of each unique DVD formatand manufacturer brand. In order to eliminateas many variables as possible, I recordedat conservative speeds. DVD-R and DVD-RWdiscs were recorded at 1x speed, andDVD+RW media were recorded at 2.4xspeed—the lowest speed settings for eachdrive type.DVD-R for General media were recordedon a Pioneer DVR-A03 using B’s RecorderGold software. DVD-R for Authoring mediawere recorded on a Pioneer DVR-S201 usingPrassi DVD Rep 2.0 software. DVD+RW mediawere recorded on a Sony DRU110A driveusing B’s Recorder Gold software.After each disc was burned, I tested it onboth a Pioneer DVDV7400 and Sony DVPS400player to verify that the recording was completedsuccessfully. If the test disc passed alltests on each player, the disc was numberedand set aside for shipping to one of the five testfacilities. If the test disc failed any test, it wasdestroyed so it couldn’t be used.Akai DVP1000 (1998)Apex AD500W (2001), AD600A (2001), AD660 (2000)Denon DVD1000 (1998)GE GE1105P (2000)Hitachi DVP305U (2000), DVP315U (2000)JVC XV511BK (1999), XV523GD (2000), XVD723GD (2001)Kenwood DVD404 (2001)KLH DVD221 (2000)Magnavox DVD611 (2001)Microsoft XBox (2001)Oritron DVD100 (1999), DVD200 (2000)Panasonic DVDA100 (1998), DVDA300 (1999), DVDA350 (1998), DVDRP56 (2001), DVDRV20 (2001), DVDRV31 (2001)Philips DVD621 (2002), DVD711 (2000)Pioneer DV333 (1999), DV341 (2001), DV414 (1998), DV434 (2000), DV500 (1997), DV505 (1998), DVC302D (1999),DVS9 (1998), DVDV7400 (2000), PDVLC10 (2000)Proscan PS8680Z (1999)RCA RC5200P (1997), RC5215P (2000), RC5220P (2000), RC5400P (2002)Samsung DVDM301 (2001), DVD511 (2000), DVD611 (2000), DVD709 (2000)SMC DVD3308 (1999)Sony DVPNC600 (2001), DVPS315 (1998), DVPS330 (1999), DVPS345 (2000), DVPS360 (2001), DVPNS400 (2002),DVPS550 (1999), DVPNS700P (2001), DVPS7000 (1997), DVPS7700 (1999), Playstation 2 (2001)Thomson DTH1000 (1998)Toshiba SD1700 (2001), SD2300 (2000), SD2700 (2001), SD3000 (1996), SD3006 (1997), SD4700 (2002), SD6109C (2000),SD6200 (2000)Zenith DVD2100 (1999), DVD2200 (1999)Here are the makes and models of DVD-Video players we tested with acquisition dates in parentheses.Over 2400 unique tests were performed, requiring well over 400 hours of labor.

ROUNDUPFigure 3—A Section of the Test Results Matrix4.7GB DVD-R (G)12345678910111213143.95GB DVD-R (A)123454.7GB DVD-R (A)123456784.7GB DVD-RW123456784.7GB DVD+RW1234Replicated DiscsSaint-SaensThe CallPlayer 1✔+O✔-✔+✔+✔-✔-✔-✔-✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔-✔+✔-✔-✔-✔-✔+✔-✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+Player 2✔+O✔-✔-✔+✔-✔-✔+✔-✔+✔+✔+✔+✔-✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔-✔+✔-✔+✔+✔+✔+✔-O✔+✔-✔+✔-✔+✔+✔+OOOO✔+✔+Player 3✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔-✔-✔+✔+✔+O✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔-✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+Player 4✔-✔-✔-✔+✔+✔-✔-✔-✔-✔-✔+✔+✔-✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔-✔-✔-✔-✔-✔-✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+Player 5✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+Player 6✔+✔-✔+✔-✔-✔-✔+✔+✔+✔-✔+✔+✔+✔-✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔-✔+✔-✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+Player 7✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔-✔+✔+✔+✔+✔-✔-✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+✔+OOOOOOOOOOOO✔+✔+one player, work marginally on a secondplayer, and fail to work at all on a thirdplayer. It was also common for a singleplayer to play some but not all brands of thesame type of media.Draw the right conclusionsIf I had the time, money, and staff to do amore complete test that included multiplecopies of each media format and brand, aswell as multiple units of each player make andmodel, I would consider publicizing the rawdata—but as the raw data stands, it’s prone tomisinterpretation. The samples in this test arelarge enough to draw general conclusionsabout recordable DVD compatibility, but notlarge enough to draw specific conclusionsabout the performance of a specific playermodel or vendor manufacturer.The potential for misinterpretation, as wellas the sheer size required, is why we’re notprinting the raw data in this article. I’m alsonot going to give out test results for a specificbrand of media or make and model player.However, with over 2400 test results, I candraw accurate conclusions about the compatibilityof different types of recordable DVDformats and media brands.LegendPasses All TestsFails Some TestsFails All Tests✔+✔-OA small sample of the test results matrix, which shows the inconsistencies of recordable DVD. We don’tlist the names of the DVD players because the purpose of this test is to draw general conclusions aboutrecordable DVD compatibility, not specific conclusions about the performance of a particular player.I burned a total of 209 discs for the test.One hundred ninety-five were used to createfive sets of 39 test discs. I had 14 discs thateither failed during the burning process ordidn’t work properly in the initial test. I senta set of 39 test discs and one copy of eachreplicated disc to each of the five test facilities,along with the detailed test procedures.Running all 41 discs through a single playertook approximately five hours.The test resultsThree possible results were recorded for eachtest: Passes All Tests, Fails Some Tests, andFails All Tests. Test data sheets were completedby each facility for every combinationof DVD format, media brand, and playermake and model. All test results were forwardedto me, and then I compiled theminto an extensive test results matrix. Figure3 (above) shows a very small sample ofthe matrix.When the results were displayed in thisfashion, the results clearly show the inconsistenciesof recordable DVD. It was commonto have one disc work flawlessly onFigure 4—Compatibility by Media Type (Passes All Tests)1008060402009667 6658Compatibility Percentage (%)56Conclusion #1:DVD format mattersThe first conclusion that can be drawn fromthe test results is that the format of recordableDVD media is important in determiningcompatibility between a recorded disc and aDVD player. The data in Figure 4 (below)includes only the test cases that had a “PassesAll Tests” result, indicating that the test discwas compatible with the test player.As you can see from Figure 4, the 3.95GBDVD-R for Authoring format is the most compatible,followed by 4.7GB DVD-R forAuthoring and 4.7GB DVD-R for General,3.95GB DVD-R for Authoring4.7GB DVD-R for Authoring4.7GB DVD-R for General4.7GB DVD-RW4.7GB DVD+RWLooking only at the test cases that had a “Passes All Tests” result, the 3.95GB DVD-R for Authoring formatis the most compatible, and DVD-RW and DVD+RW are the least compatible of the DVD format types.

ROUNDUPFigure 5—Compatibility by Media Type (Passes All Tests and Fails Some Tests)10080604020010086Compatibility Percentage (%)If we loosen the definition of compatible and look at test cases that had a “Passes All Tests” and “FailsSome Tests” results, 3.95GB DVD-R for Authoring is still the most compatible, and DVD-RW and DVD+RWare still the least compatible.whose test results are essentially the samegiven the margin of error in our test sample.DVD-RW and DVD+RW are the least compatibleof the media types.It is possible to use a less-strict definitionof compatibility, which includes results fordiscs that failed some, but not all, tests. Figure5 (above) shows the results if we include alltest cases that had a “Passes All Tests” and“Fails Some Tests” result in the compatibilitypercentage. This is equivalent to saying that arecordable DVD disc is compatible if the playermounts the disc and starts to play it back.The quality of playback is ignored in this definitionof compatibility.As you can see from Figure 5—even usinga less-strict definition—the 3.95GB DVD-Rfor Authoring format is the most compatible,followed by 4.7GB DVD-R for Authoring and4.7 GB DVD-R for General. DVD-RW andDVD+RW are still the least compatible of themedia types.Conclusion #2:Media brand mattersThe brand of media is also important indetermining compatibility. Figure 6 (right)shows the lowest, average, and highest compatibilityrating for each media type bybrand. As you can see, there are wide variationsin compatibility within a specific formatof media based on the media vendor.Perhaps the best example of this is in theDVD-R for General category, where theworst brand of media had a compatibilityrating of only 45 percent while the bestbrand had a compatibility rating of 86 percent.Because DVD-R for General media is byfar the most popular form of recordableDVD, the data illustrates a very importantpoint for most DVD developers: mediabrand matters! Another interesting point is8762503.95GB DVD-R for Authoring4.7GB DVD-R for Authoring4.7GB DVD-R for General4.7GB DVD-RW4.7GB DVD+RWthat DVD-RW and DVD+RW media havemuch better consistency across brands thanDVD-R. In general, if a DVD player couldplay one brand of DVD-RW or DVD+RWmedia, it could play all of the brands of thesame media format.Conclusion #3:Player make and model mattersThe test results clearly reveal that the makeand model of a DVD player is just as importantas the format and brand of recordablemedia. As you can see from Figure 3, someplayers support one type of recordable media,but not another. In addition, many playersexhibit inconsistencies within a media formatby playing some brands of media flawlessly,having marginal playback on other brands,and failing to mount other brands at all.The test results demonstrate the danger ofusing anecdotal evidence or end-user testimonialsto determine recordable DVD compatibility.It is quite likely that end users will havea positive experience with one format andbrand of media on their players, but anotherend-user will have a negative experience usinga different format or brand of media on thesame make and model player.Figure 6—Compatibility Ranges According to Media Brand10080604020090604554549667 666056100Low % Average % High %7686Only 10 percent of the players we testedplayed all 39 different format and brands ofrecordable media correctly. None of the playerswe tested failed to read all 39 test discscorrectly. This means that 90 percent of theplayers tested had inconsistent results, playingsome formats or brands of media well butplaying back marginally on other formatsand brands of media.Conclusion #4:DVD-RW and DVD+RWare very similarIf you look at the data in Figures 5, 6, and 7,you can see that the overall compatibility ofDVD-RW and DVD+RW is very similar, andprobably within the margin of error of thetest. The compatibility ratings of DVD-RWand DVD+RW are lower than DVD-R becausemany older DVD players won’t readrewritable formats at all. Some older playersdetect that a DVD-RW or DVD+RW disc hasthe reflectivity of a dual-layer disc (between18 and 30 percent), but they won’t play thedisc when parameters stored in the sectorheader indicate that it is a single-layer disc orhas a data type that is not supported by theplayer. These logical compatibility problemsare the primary reasons why DVD-RW andDVD+RW have lower compatibility ratingsthan DVD-R.Conclusion #5:Things are getting betterWith compatibility ratings of less than 50percent for certain brands of media, recordableDVD upsets some developers. However, acareful review of the test data offers hope. Ifwe look only at DVD players acquired during2001 and 2002, the test results improve dramatically.Figure 7 (page 7) shows the results3.95GB DVD-R for Authoring4.7GB DVD-R for Authoring4.7GB DVD-R for General4.7GB DVD-RW4.7GB DVD+RWThere are wide compatibility permutations within a specific format of media due to varying quality of blankmedia. DVD-R for General media format is by far the most popular form of recordable DVD, and has a compatibilityrange from 45 percent to 86 percent. Conversely, DVD-RW and DVD+RW media have much betterconsistency across brands than DVD-R. Media brand matters!60 56

ROUNDUPFigure 7—Compatibility by DVD Format (New DVD Players Only)10080604020010094Results for all media types are dramatically improved when we eliminate older players and only look atthe results for 2001 and 2002 models of DVD players.for the 2001 and 2002 models of DVD playersthat we tested. As you can see,the results for all media types are dramaticallyimproved when we eliminate older players.Analyzing the test results shows that theoverall level of recordable DVD compatibilityhas improved every year since DVD was initiallyreleased in 1996. A few words of caution:There are still a few models on the marketthat won’t play anything but the 3.95GBDVD-R for Authoring media, and there arealso some models that can’t play DVD-RW orDVD+RW media. If you are considering buyinga new DVD player and compatibility withrecordable DVD media is important, youshould do some homework to determine ifthe unit you want to buy can play the type ofmedia you generally use.Conclusion #6:Some media brands work betterIt is clear from the test data that some brandsof media have better compatibility than others,and that some makes and models of playerswork better than others. Figure 8 (below,left) lists the compatibility test results for allmedia brands in the tests. The players listed9389Compatibility Percentage (%)803.95GB DVD-R for Authoring4.7GB DVD-R for Authoring4.7GB DVD-R for General4.7GB DVD-RW4.7GB DVD+RWin Figure 9 (below, right) correctly played all39 recordable DVD discs in the test. Keep inmind that we only tested a subset of DVDplayers in the market. I am sure there aremany other players that can play all39 discs in our test perfectly, but they’re notlisted in Figure 9 because we didn’t haveaccess to those players during our test effort.A few general guidelinesLet me wrap up with a few general guidelinesto help you get the most out of recordableDVD. These suggestions are based on theresults of the testing and my experiencesworking with recordable DVD drives andmedia for the past five years.1. Use DVD-RW or DVD+RW for internaltesting. Find a DVD player that supportseither DVD-RW or DVD+RW (orboth) and use it for internal testing.Because you can rewrite these discs,you will save money over using awrite-once format such as DVD-R forAuthoring, DVD-R for General, orDVD+R.2. Use DVD-R for external testing or finalproduct delivery. Because you probablycan’t control what type of DVDplayer the end users have, it’s best tosend them DVD-R discs. DVD-RW andDVD+RW are still significantly lesscompatible than DVD-R, so it is betterto be safe than sorry. Also, DVD-Rmedia are much cheaper than eitherDVD-RW or DVD+RW.3. Use low to moderate bitrate encodingfor video if the final product will bedelivered on a recordable DVD.Although most DVD players andDVD-ROM drives can read recordableDVD discs, these discs oftenhave a higher error rate during playbackthan replicated discs do, causingthe player to reread some data sectors.Using a low to moderate (less than7Mbps) data rate for video encodingwill make the recorded disc a little easierto reread without a visible pause inthe video playback, or audio dropout.4. Use brand-name media and playerswhenever possible. Brand-name mediaare generally more expensive than offbrandmedia, but your clients, friends,and family will have fewer problems,which means you won’t be spendingtime and money on problem solving.5. If you choose to use off-brand media,record them at the lowest speed possible—1xfor DVD-R and DVD-RW, and2.4x for DVD+RW. Using slower recordingspeeds increases the overall compatibilityrating of off-brand media.6. The best value in recordable DVDmedia right now, in my opinion, isfrom Apple Computer. Apple sellsDVD-R for General media on its ownFigure 8—Media Performance Results3.95GBDVD-R forAuthoringMitsui (98%)Pioneer (98%)Ridata (98%)TDK (96%)Verbatim (90%)4.7GBDVD-R forAuthoringMaxell (76%)Mitsui (69%)Pioneer (65%)Ridata (69%)Ritek (71%)Taiyo Yuden (63%)TDK (67%)Verbatim (59%)4.7GBDVD-R forGeneralApple (73%)CD-Recordable (45%)Imation (71%)Maxell (86%)Memorex (59%)Mitsui (73%)Panasonic (69%)Pioneer (58%)Ridata (69%)Ritek (51%)Sony (76%)TDK (76%)Verbatim (69%)Vivastar (63%)4.7GBDVD-RWJVC (59%)Memorex (55%)Pioneer (61%)Ridata (55%)Ritek (59%)Sony (61%)TDK (61%)Verbatim (61%)4.7GBDVD+RWHP (57%)Memorex (57%)Sony (57%)Verbatim (55%)Compatibility test results for all media brands in the testing effort, listed alphabetically.Figure 9—Player Performance:Perfect PlayersApex AD660Microsoft XBoxPioneer DV333Pioneer DVDV7400Pioneer PDVLC10Sony DVPS330Sony DVPS360Toshiba SD4700Only 10 percent of the players we testedplayed all 39 different types and brands ofrecordable media correctly, and here theyare. We only tested a subset of DVD players.There are probably other players that wouldplay all 39 discs in our test perfectly, butthey’re not listed because we didn’t test them.

ROUNDUPWeb site (www.apple.com) for $24.95 for afive-pack. This is by far the cheapest price Ihave seen for any of the media brands onmy recommended list.Summary and conclusionsIf you have gotten this far in the article, younow understand why the issue of recordableDVD compatibility is so important—and socomplex.Those of you who were around duringthe launch of recordable CD will rememberthat we had to solve a number of compatibilityproblems before recordable CDbecame as popular as it is today. I have nodoubt that the recordable DVD drive andmedia vendors will continue to improvetheir products and, within a few years,recordable DVD will be as popular and compatibleas recordable CD is today. Staytuned to DV magazine and DV.com forupdates on recordable DVD compatibility.Our future testing effort will be expanded toinclude more DVD formats, media brands,and players.Conclusions• DVD format, media brand, and playerinteract to determine compatibility.• DVD-RW and DVD+RW are very similar.• The most compatible format is3.95GB DVD-R for Authoring.• Name-brand media are more compatiblethan off-brand media.• Of the DVD players we tested, 90 percentshow some incompatibility.• DVD players manufactured since 2001are more compatible.Recordable DVD compatibility issues arerelated to the format, media brand, and themake and model of DVD player. It is importantto understand there are no perfectrecordable DVD formats, perfect mediabrands, or even perfect DVD players availabletoday.But if you follow the guidelines in thisstory, you will be able to minimize the effectsof recordable DVD compatibility issues onyour DVD projects. ■Ralph LaBarge has a background in electricalengineering and the design of digital signalprocessing equipment for a Department ofDefense contractor. He is also an award-winningDVD title developer, and author of thebook DVD Authoring & Production (CMPBooks, 2001). LaBarge has completed over200 DVD projects to date.Ralph LaBarge and DV magazine wouldlike to extend our thanks and appreciation to thecompanies who volunteered their facilities andstaff time for the tests. Two test facilities have chosento remain anonymous, but they still have ourthanks for a job well done.Copyright© 2002 by CMP Media LLC, 600 Community Drive, Manhasset, NY 11030. Reprinted from Digital Video with permission.