Bought this player after reading the reviews here which identify it as reading most formats including dvd + rw 's and vcd 's . Can 't say whether i rec 'd an " updated " model but it will not read dvd + rw 's or vcd 's for me . It did play a dvd-r which was unplayable in my older philips machine . I do n't have a dvd + r to try So . Mixed bag i guess but the price was right .