Wasn't sure if this should be posted in this topic, but I think it's mostly Mac related, so here goes...

I need to burn a project to a dual layer disc... preferably -R DL. However, the burner only supports +R DL.

Bummer.

So I head to the Mac store and buy an external burner that can burn
-R DL. Woo-hoo, right?

Well after I get the sucker installed, it shows that it only burns +R DL. What gives? I really don't want to put this sucker on two DVDs.

Options? Solutions?

I don't think DL DVD-R exists. I've never seen it...only +R.

EDIT: I just did some more research and it seems that DVD-R DL disks have existed since 2005 but may have "compatibility issues with legacy DVD-ROM drives known as pickup head overrun." (quoted from the wiki page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD-R_DL).)

I've used DVD+R DL for years and have never experienced any compatibility issues with any DVD players.

Well crud. I wish I had posted this BEFORE I ordered 100 -R DL discs and then bought a $160 dollar external DVD burner.

$300 mistake...

Me smart & happy.

I'll pick up some +R DL at Staples tomorrow and see how they work out.

I just got a Lite-on DL drive that does both + and - from newegg for cheap :) Works like a champ.

Well I spent another 30 bucks today and bought +R DL discs.
Now I get an 'area error' of some sort... which is bumming me out!
Anyone encountered something like this?

For what it's worth, I burnt 2 DVD-R DL discs yesterday (on an Intel iMac drive) and they played just fine (tested it on 2 separate DVD players). So they do work.

I have burned hundreds of DVD+R DL on Mac book pro and Mac pro with not a single problem.

Well I spent another 30 bucks today and bought +R DL discs.
Now I get an 'area error' of some sort... which is bumming me out!
Anyone encountered something like this?

I have been able to burn DL disk on my Intel Mac, but only less than about 7GB , much over that and it won't burn for me.

+R DL is more common these days. I think you did good my going with an external burner anyway. I make my own external FW drives for burning my masters. I then have a duplicator as well for mass production.

I believe my external is also faster than my internal.

I am getting this message: Power Calibration Area Error (0x73, 0x03).

Anyone have a clue as to what this means?

Apple - Support - Discussions - Power calibration area error. (0x73, ... (http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=5290075)
Re: power calibration area error (0x73,0x03) : DVD Authoring (http://forums.creativecow.net/archivepost/55/377881)
Makeing Coasters for (no)Fun and (no)Profit, Powerbook Power Calibration Area Error | Apple, Inc., Macintosh, Hardware, Software | Greg In The Desert (http://www.greginthedesert.net/files/A07B0C3A-AB52-483A-9CDB-68848BD1DBDF-858.html)
Power Calibration Area Error (0x73, 0x03.) [Archive] - 2-Pop Forums (http://www.2-popforums.com/forums/archive/index.php/t-101729.html)
- this last one mentions using toast to burn... you can use disk utility (free with your mac) as well.

Thanks Cole! You the man!

Perhaps you guys can tell me what I might be doing wrong?

Dual 2.3gHz G5, OS 10.4.1, QT 7.4, FCP 5.1.4.

I have been burning DVD-R DL for years, never had an issue with them playing back, they seemed to play fine on everything. My spindle of DVD-R DL finally ran out so I went to Frys to buy some more. All they had were DVD+R DLs so I bought a spindle. So far, these are making me coasters. I burned a whole series of video DVDs and they won't even play back on this G5 that I burned them on. I put them into three other DVD players around the house, none of them read, I just get "disc error" or "check disc it may be dirty"???

I had one blank DVD-R DL left, I tried burning it, it burns fine and plays back on everything fine. What gives? How can so many of you be having good results with DVD+R DLs and they are not working at all for me? I tried Sony, Memorex and Frys No-Names.

The DVD-R DLs that I was using were the same Frys No-Names label, I actually bought the new No-Name DVD+R DLs, thinking they were the same until I read the fine print.

This is driving me nuts, I am dead in the water with the DL DVDs until I hunt down some more DVD-R DLs. Why do the +R DLs not work for me?

Dan