OT: CD brands and Manufacturers

PeterDuke wrote on 7/7/2014, 1:54 AM
(Rant on)

From time to time I need to burn some CDs for fellow choristers, who have CD players of various ages and performance. I therefore need to choose a brand that is likely to play without problems and with reasonable price.

I used to get a no-name brand from a local store, but the CDs were actually made by CMC Magnetics. They were cheap and reliable.

The store has now closed. In another store I found some Imation at my old price and some TDK (now owned by Imation) at twice the price. I thought that I had better go for the dearer TDK, which I did.

What do you know? They are made by CMC Magnetics!

I wish CD distributers were honest and would disclose on the package who actually made their discs!

Sorry for the rant.

Comments

Kimberly wrote on 7/7/2014, 9:25 AM
Ditto for DVDs and BDs, which I still use.
videoITguy wrote on 7/7/2014, 10:15 AM
Well, the technically inclined have always had access to media indentifier libraries and software - going back to the earliest days of commercial only CDroms.

I am acutely aware of the differences of media and implications - but the reason marketing is what it is - all of the optical media (except for a few anomalies) appear in a commodity market for the last 15 years.

Like asking toothpaste to be labeled with media identifiers in bold letters on the boxes. I am sure by now you realize Colgate and house-brand at the grocery are now the same ingredients.
riredale wrote on 7/7/2014, 10:20 AM
The disks might be made by someone else, but I believe a "name-brand" company has a vested interest in protecting the Goodwill associated with their name. It could be that there is a sorting process whereby only the best lots are chosen, with the others sent to low-price channels.

And yes, in my own experience disk quality varies a LOT between premium brands and no-names. Perhaps not so much with CDs but certainly with DVDs.
VMP wrote on 7/7/2014, 11:04 AM
Just to be safe I always purchase TDK Bluray discs.


VMP