RW DVDs: Any Advantage To 16x In A 4x Machine?

In a fit of frugality, I bought a small spindle of 4x RW DVDs for
use on my Panasonic VCR/DVD recorder - the idea being to just
have one for each day of the week and pop in to get late nite
programs for that day.

But I've found them quite unreliable and very slow to load - to
the point where I've gone back to 16x write-once discs - which
I've had zero problems with.

Could it be something with them being 4x? The machine only does
4x, but I'd think that 16x would have better something-or-other
and maybe be more reliable? Or is it like putting premium gas
in car that doesn't need it?

 

Does your recorder's manual say it will accept 4x RW DVDs? If not, forget
it. If so...
Try a different brand of disc. Also try a 8x. Rule of thumb: to get good
burns, burn at half of the maximum rated speed of a disc.

 

Per def456:

Bingo!.... I guess I'll spring for another batch - but faster
than 4x.

Thanks.

 

Do they make DVD-RW faster than 4x?

 

I have burned thousands of 8x DVDs on a 8x writer without any
problems. I use genuine Taiyo Yuden R8X premium DVDs which cost a
dime more than generic brands. Brands DO matter.

 

Per Dietmar Haltermann:

I could be wrong... but I'm pretty sure I saw 16x last time I was
in Staples.

 

Those were probably DVD-R discs.