recordable DVD media quality

Serena wrote on 9/30/2007, 6:01 PM

This has been a topic of various threads, but this looks like a useful source of information http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htmDVD media quality check[/link]

Some time ago I struck problems with Ritek (which was popular at the time) and Imation I learned to avoid, so these days stick with Verbatim. These tables confirm that those problems were related to inherent media quality.

Comments

farss wrote on 9/30/2007, 6:32 PM

Thanks for that, pretty much confirms what I've heard from various sources. Stick to either Verbatim or TY. I've mostly been using TY's Mastering DVDs and the replictor that we use uses Verbatim but agrees there's nothing much between TY or Verbatim, I think he just gets a better deal on Verbatim.

For archiving the MAM Gold media seems to be the best of the best, at a price.

I think I've already mentioned www.pcx.com.au, stocks both TY and Verbatim and lots of fancy packaging options.

Bob.

UlfLaursen wrote on 10/1/2007, 6:44 AM

[I]Some time ago I struck problems with Ritek [/I]

I had this too - I only use TY now, much better. Ritek was good 1-2 years ago as far as I I am concerned.

/Ulf

Laurence wrote on 10/1/2007, 11:24 AM

I have problems with Verbatim if I fill the discs close to capacity. Ty Yudens always seem to work though.

farss wrote on 10/1/2007, 1:05 PM

"I have problems with Verbatim if I fill the discs close to capacity."

I've been told this happens when the stamper is used for too long, the outer edge wears out first but but to save a few dollars they keep using the stamper.
Also heard that there's a bit of a market for used stampers. The reputable manufacturers destroy their old stampers. Which is not to say Verbatim aren't reputable, they're supposed to be as good as TY.

One of my suppliers is quite adamant about being able to fill the disk to capacity, you paid for x bytes of capacity and you should be able to use x bytes. If you find you can't, complain. A reputable supplier should listen and act. It's not impossible that he too has been duped and supplied counterfeit media.

Bob.

Laurence wrote on 10/1/2007, 1:18 PM

Boy that is interesting. I bought the disc at Sam's Club which is the Walmart version of Costco.

Terry Esslinger wrote on 10/1/2007, 1:48 PM

To check the true manufacturer of your disc you can run a utility such as DVD identifier
http://www.softpedia.com/get/CD-DVD-Tools/CD-DVD-Rip-Other-Tools/DVD-Identifier.shtml

Serena wrote on 10/1/2007, 6:52 PM

Noting that Verbatim went through a bad patch around 2002, maybe there are still stocks of that period being sold in discount stores.

to quote from above link:
"The best media generally comes from Japan and Singapore. The worst typically comes from Taiwan or China (in stores) and Hong Kong (online).
This being said, understand that the media brand means nothing. Apple is a great brand, but they do not make their own discs, instead outsourcing to MXL (Hitachi/Maxell) or MCC (Mitsubishi Chemicals). Verbatim became infamous in 2002 by switching from high-quality MCC ID media to the inferior CMC ID media, although they quickly returned to using MCC. Companies like Memorex, Fuji and Imation all outsource to media vendors. When buying media online always be aware of fake media too (see the fakes information farther down the page)."