best dvd-r brand?

[tommyturner30]

I have been using (trying to use) Starlogic brand dvd-r disks I got from office max on rebate. Every burn freezes about 1/2 way through the backup when played back. I know I should have known better (you get what you pay for), but I need some opinions on the best brand dvd-r (or dvd+r) out there. I don't want to make the same mistake twice!

[Kolosus]

My personal preference for -R media is Fujifilm (Made by Taiyo Yuden).
Check the media section of this site for user ratings on -R blanks.

[tommyturner30]

Thanks dude.

[krazyd]

I have been using Ritek 4x DVD-R's for the past four months, and have yet to burn a coaster. Even when burning rips at 4x I have never encountered any problems, or playback issues. I buy spindles of 50 @ Newegg.com for $48.99. You really cannot beat the price or the product. Prior to the Riteks, I was using 1x/2x OpToDisc DVD-R's, but they stopped producing those. So I was forced to move on to faster and better things. Good luck!

[dafreak]

those disks are on sale right now for 44.99 at newegg.

[lordsmurf]

Brand doesn't matter.

My preference list, in order:

... the best, usually flawless
PVC (-R)
MXL (-R) ... be aware of fakes
MCC (-R)
TDK (-R) ... be aware of fakes
TAIYOYUDEN (-R)
PRODISC (+RW)

... normally pretty good, not flawless
RICOHJPN (+R)
RITEKG04 (-R)
OPTODISC (-R)
RITEKG03 (-R)

... only if I must, okay success rate
PRINCO (-R)
LEADDATA (-R)

... when hell freezes over, landfill material
AN31 (-R)
PIODATA (-R)
ACCU (-R)
MATRIX (-R)
LONGTEN (-R)
OPTODISC (+R)
CMC (-R,+R)

[Kolosus]

Am I the only one out here that can remember a time when anything with the name Ritek on it was avoided like the plague?

They've obviously come a long way since those days.

[disturbed1]

Am I the only one out here that can remember a time when anything with the name Ritek on it was avoided like the plague?

I remember those CDs As of late, the DVDs are of the same quality as those CDs were.

For good DVD media, use Fuji Film, Apple, Maxell, and TDK at the brick and mortars, or Prodisc 4x and Taiyo Yuden online.

[Kolosus]

Thank you Disturbed1. As I told Lordsmurf in another thread, I was beginning to think I was in an alternate reality or some such thing.

[garryheather]

I don't know who Vangaurd are, but I'm testing a spindle at the moment and so far they are excellent. They even work in a player that normally only likes Ritek, not that I'm implying they are a like for like alternative at this stage.

Also Nan-ya have been a pleasant surprise recently - although I get on well with the AN31 media which seems to be getting a bad press at the moment. The last lot I had is going back a while, though.

[DTSL06]

Does anybody still make the PVC disks. I know the Pioneer discs were PVC and were always great, but very expensive. In Canada at one time they sold for $16-$20 each. Pioneer disks are now impossible to get since I think Pioneer has gotten outta of the media business. I bought a few and have one left to keep as media indentifier reference disk.

[indolikaa]

Media ID TAIYOYUDEN

[Jayhawk]

I agree with Kolosus that Fujifilm is an excellent disc. I have also had great luck with Verbatim, Memorex, Maxell, and TDK. As long as it's one of those, I just take advantage of whatever rebates are offered.

I used to buy online but it seems like every Sunday OfficeMax, Office Depot, Best Buy, and CompUSA are offering name brands at $1 a disc.

[handyguy]

starlogic: cheap is as cheap does.

dont forget the huge media topic on the left column, its huge.DVD Media
DVD Recordable
Media lis

[mrbass]

worse experience ever is Memorex...I'll never buy another. If Memorex works for you more power to you. Also Ritek isn't bad (corrupt, errors, or edge of disc errors) as a matter of fact was reliable to me. But one 100 pack G04 wouldn't burn 4X no matter what I did. So for that reason I don't trust Ritek as once I thought highly of them in the sense of good quality cheap media.

[indolikaa]

@MrBass,

I know we don't see eye-to-eye with Memorex , but have you had any experience with Taiyo Yuden?

[jarvis1781]

Ritek or Accu for me
both work reliably with no errors

[FulciLives]

Best DVD-R brand is Taiyo Yuden

MAXELL and TDK are good if they say MADE IN JAPAN but are only 2x whereas the Taiyo Yuden DVD-R discs are 4x

Lately I've used some SONY DVD-R discs ... some have said MADE IN TAIWAN and some have said MADE IN AUSTRIA but both have worked well with ZERO READ ERRORS using DVDInfoPro

FUJI brand DVD-R discs that say MADE IN JAPAN are Taiyo Yuden and that is what I buy the most. Usually they are $24.99 in 10 packs at stores like BEST BUY etc.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Thunder In Paradise]

Ritek G04's are the bombest DVD-R media ever! I've burned over 200 discs, covering both DVD and PS2 formats, still haven't burned a coaster yet! Hey krazyd, supermediastore.com has that price beat, they have a 50x spindle for $47, plus free shipping!

[Phil Thomas]

Ritek G04's (Traxdata, Ridata & Datasafe) have all worked well for me, on my 106, as have Maxell 4 X DVD-R's.

When we talk of bad riteks, can we be clear if we are talking about Grade A disks or overprints, as some of the overprints can be cheap and nasty.
If we are going to compare, we must compare "like for like".