About Recordable CD and DVD Media and Playback Equipment
Selecting the appropriate CD or DVD media
The following section is intended as general information for using your DVD-RW or DVD±RW drive with appropriate CD or
DVD media. You can find suggestions for selecting blank recording media, understanding different disc formats, and
identifying compatible playback equipment.
If your VAIO computer does not have a recordable optical drive, you cannot create CDs or DVDs.
This table can help you identify the appropriate media to use with your recordable optical drive.
Drive Type Video and Data DVD
Music and Data CDs
DVD-R
for General
DVD-RW
DVD+R
DVD+RW
CD-R
CD-RW
DVD-RW
Yes
Yes
No
No
Yes
Yes
DVD±RW
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Recordable CD and DVD media types
DVD-R for General —
DVD Recordable media for general use, also known as DVD-R(G), can be written to one time
only and cannot be erased. You can use your DVD-RW or DVD±RW drives to write data to a DVD-R disc until the disc
is full, but you cannot erase or overwrite any existing data. Certain software applications and disc formatting might
permit the addition of information to a DVD-R disc that already contains data. DVD-R for General media is
appropriate for both video and data DVD burning.
DVD-R for general media is not the same as DVD-R for Authoring media. DVD-R for Authoring discs are a special
media made for commercial DVD production and equipment.
DVD-RW —
DVD Rewritable media can be written to, erased, and written to again. Using this media with your
DVD-RW or DVD±RW drives, you can record information to the same disc repeatedly, however, you must erase
existing data on the disc before each recording session. Certain software applications and disc formatting might
permit the addition of information to a DVD-RW disc that already contains data. DVD-RW media is appropriate for
both video and data DVD burning.
DVD+R —
DVD+R Recordable media can be written to once and cannot be erased. You can use your DVD-RW or
DVD±RW drives to write data to a DVD+R disc until the disc is full, but cannot erase or overwrite any existing data.
DVD+R media is appropriate for both video and data DVD burning.
DVD+RW —
DVD+RW Rewritable media can be written to, erased, and written to again. Using this media with your
DVD-RW or DVD±RW drive, you can record information to the same disc repeatedly, however, you must erase
existing data on the disc before each recording session. Certain software applications and disc formatting might
permit the addition of information to a DVD+RW disc that already has data on it. DVD+RW media is appropriate for
both video and data DVD burning.
CD-R —
CD Recordable media can be written to once and cannot be erased. Certain software applications and disc
formatting might permit the addition of information to a CD-R disc that already has data on it. CD-R media is
appropriate for both music and data CD burning.
CD-RW —
CD Rewritable media can be written to, erased, and written to again. Certain software applications and
disc formatting might permit the addition of information to a CD-RW disc that already has data on it. CD-RW media is
appropriate for music and data CD burning.
Incompatible DVDs and CDs
You cannot use these CD or DVD media for recording data or music:
CD-ROM (compact disc read-only media)
DVD-R for Authoring
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