RitekG04 is getting worse?

[PJGS]

I've been using RitekG04 media for non-critical back-ups and it has worked fine for me till I bouoght my last 2 spindles!
The media is the Ridisc Video Reel and I always got good results with it, but my last 2 spindles have given an incredible number of coasters.

DVDinfoPro :

Media Information
Region information N/A not a DVD-VIDEO
Media code/Manufacturer ID RITEKG04
Format Capacity 3.45GB(3.71GB)**
Book Type DVD-R
Media Type DVD-R
Media Id Code Speed 4.0x 5540KBps
Available Write Descriptor CLV 4.0x 5540KBps
Available Write Descriptor CLV 2.0x 2770KBps
Write Strategy Speed 4.0x 5540KBps

** This is a burned disc

Getting decent media seems to be a tougher challenge!

[sunderland]

is it not just a faulty batch. why dont you get in touch with who you got them of and tell them they might. {should}. change them.

[hech54]

Every time I see those (Ridisc Video Reel) listed anywhere...they are listed as A- Grade....whatever that is supposed to mean.

{DV 3097} Ritek Ridisc Video Reel A-Grade (4x) DVD-R Disc in Spindle Tubs of 25
ADVDINFO: .RITEKG..04.

http://www.blankdiscshop.co.uk/acatalog/FOR_DVD_R_RW_CLICK_HERE.html

[tkamin]

first of all - this could be just a bad batch and you should contact the ppl you bought it from...
second - ppl are talking recentley about RitekG04 going downhill... use the search - i'm sure u'll find plenty of stuff about it from the last couple of weeks...

[PJGS]

I bought 2 spindles. One was bought 3 weeks ago at my local store, the other spindle was an online purchase made last Tuesday.
2 spindles bought from different stores but with the same problem?
Hhhhmmm, it strikes me that the problem is bigger than just a bad batch

[tkamin]

as i said...

second - ppl are talking recentley about RitekG04 going downhill... use the search - i'm sure u'll find plenty of stuff about it from the last couple of weeks...

this could be just a classic case of another ritek low quality media... the complaints are really piling up...

[hech54]

Hhhhmmm, it strikes me that the problem is bigger than just a bad batch

Lets cut to the chase....Is there a moral to this story?...lets get down to the nitty gritty....has the fat lady begun to sing yet?

If you are going to turn this into an:
ALL RITEKS...PAST...PRESENT....AND FUTURE ARE GARBAGE thread please lets get it over with.

[jmr2004]

I've used nothing but the Ritek.....so far my first 150 have been perfect...not one single flaw with my DRU530A.

Just received 100 more 2 days ago and so far used about 8 pieces.

2 of them were bad.

FYI

[retiredjoker]

I bought the branded 4x Ritek G04 from Rima.com and they gave me so many coasters i sent them back.I bought another 100 spindle of the matte finish G04's but they were not in the red ridata packaging.These also sucked as well.they would not burn at faster than 2x.Maybe its time to start looking for different media.

[PJGS]

Hhhhmmm, it strikes me that the problem is bigger than just a bad batch

Lets cut to the chase....Is there a moral to this story?...lets get down to the nitty gritty....has the fat lady begun to sing yet?

If you are going to turn this into an:
ALL RITEKS...PAST...PRESENT....AND FUTURE ARE GARBAGE thread please lets get it over with.

U are certainly overreacting!
If u pay a bit of attention to what u read, u'll see that I said that Ritek has worked fine for me till I got those bad spindles!
I just wanted to share this unexpected problem with this media and see if people have a similar dificulty!!

ALL RITEKS...PAST...PRESENT....AND FUTURE ARE GARBAGE

U don't need to yell
If u can't listen to other people's ideas/opinions then forums aren't the right place for u!

[PJGS]

I bought the branded 4x Ritek G04 from Rima.com and they gave me so many coasters i sent them back.I bought another 100 spindle of the matte finish G04's but they were not in the red ridata packaging.These also sucked as well.they would not burn at faster than 2x.Maybe its time to start looking for different media.

I've used nothing but the Ritek.....so far my first 150 have been perfect...not one single flaw with my DRU530A.

Just received 100 more 2 days ago and so far used about 8 pieces.

2 of them were bad.

FYI

Oh no, hech54 is going to burn u alive!!!
How dare u say that u are having problems with Ritek media!!!!

[500AX]

depends on what kind of Ritek you are buying out there? don't get fool out there no more.....I wrote a post once, which was banned later on about same problem on Ritek product lately. Fellows, it is time to wake up to learn the fact of who you should really work with, not some XXXX up company no more!

[hech54]

[If u pay a bit of attention to what u read, u'll see that I said that Ritek has worked fine for me till I got those bad spindles!
I just wanted to share this unexpected problem with this media and see if people have a similar dificulty!!

You've made no comments about MY original reply yet though have you? Remember this one:
Every time I see those (Ridisc Video Reel) listed anywhere...they are listed as A- Grade....whatever that is supposed to mean.
{DV 3097} Ritek Ridisc Video Reel A-Grade (4x) DVD-R Disc in Spindle Tubs of 25
ADVDINFO: .RITEKG..04.

Sure you've been using Riteks with no problems before AND other people HAVE reported bad Ritek media...I've even had a few bad burns with white topped Ritek G04's....as a matter of fact those have been my ONLY bad burns with my LG4040B.
Here's a pic on my personal choice and your problem discs on the same web page. Besides the A- grade difference between the two....what else do you see? I'll give you a hint:
"You sure got a pretty DVD"...

[nufan292]

Every time I see those (Ridisc Video Reel) listed anywhere...they are listed as A- Grade....whatever that is supposed to mean.

{DV 3097} Ritek Ridisc Video Reel A-Grade (4x) DVD-R Disc in Spindle Tubs of 25
ADVDINFO: .RITEKG..04.

http://www.blankdiscshop.co.uk/acatalog/FOR_DVD_R_RW_CLICK_HERE.html

I'm pretty sure that is just a hyphen.

[lordsmurf]

Ritek has never been a name in optical media quality.

Their CD-R were infamous as junk.
Their RITEKG01 and RITEKG02 DVD-R media were complete trash.
Their earliest DVD-RW were complete trash too.

Early RITEKG03 were not much different.
Latter ones were amazing quality.

Then the 4x G04 came out. Wow! Amazing quality at first.

DVD-RW were also fairing decent (though still not great).

But then word got out, more were sold. Production likely was bumped up a bit to keep up with demand. At one point G03 and G04 was sold out almost everywhere.

After the "sold out" days, discs have just not been as good. That's essentially in the past 7-8 months or so. Quality just keeps degrading.

Welcome back to true Ritek quality. Crap.

There were no needs for the libelous rumors that spread around here some weeks back. There is no special conspiracy. Ritek is just not very good, and never really has been.

There are still MANY good Riteks floating around out there, but there are a LOT of bad ones. I'd venture to estimate there are many more good than bad, but mad people speak up more than content people. People mainly find forums when there are problems. Not when things are peachy-keen, so we never hear too much from them. VideoHelp has a way of sucking us in once we're here though, so we eventually post the good with the bad.

Most people that are new to bulk CD-R or DVD-R media have no idea about the past 10 years of dye-based optical storage media.

[hech54]

I myself am STILL looking for great CD-R media. There was another totally naked - unbranded one put out in a German store called Mediamarkt under the store's name that was EXCEPTIONAL as far as CD-R's go. Then of course they stopped selling them....just my luck. Now I have some Sony 700mb CD-R's that are working well but at lower speeds than they are rated for.
I seem to have NO problems with any media that is totally unbranded....so I'll be sticking with Ritek unbranded -R's as long as they continue to work well in my LG.
I may be somewhat "loyal" to Ritek but I'm not stupid. If the unbranded ones start to give me problems I'll drop those like a bad habit like I've dropped the inkjet printable Ritek's.
My apologies for going on a Ritek Rant. There are WAY too many variables involved in DVD burning as well in my opinion. What works for one may not work for another. My LG4040B seems to swallow up any media (except that Swistech crap) and burn it with no errors. And to be honest....everyone who is questioning Ritek media seems to NOT have a drive like mine so hey....I'll shut up now..
Life goes on.....

[rgtaa]

it probably helps to list where you bought the media from with link and say "these suck" ...ect . I have had Wonderful experience with G4's I have bought from NewEgg useing Pioneer A06 and Nero 6.
One reason we could be hearing more bad reports is because MORE PEOPLE are jumping onto the DVD Wagon!
It's important to Get the RIGHT Media for your DVD Burner and use the Right Software! Not everyone knows that. The TABS on the LEFT side of this page show Media and Writer AREAS that show compatiable Media for the Writer you own or thinking of buying.
YES ...there are FAKE G4's and FAKE every other Brand ... so be careful who you buy from.
Also, some people here work for competing companies ,ect ... so don't trust everything you read here!
That's why I like to hear where people bought their media, burner and software used ...and any other info that can reveal if it's the Media or Vender or Software or Burner.
p.s. If you go to Media Tab and click on MOST POPULAR MEDIA ... G4's show up as NUMBER 1 slot.
You can read page after page and most people are saying where they bought it from, burner they use and compatiblity issues with DVD players ect.
https://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia.php?selectmedia=94#comments

[Gaulois]

I have a PAN. DMR-E55. Have tried DVD-R Maxell, and they work fine, but pricy.
Then Memorex, they also worked fine exept in my 3 year old RCA player (I will blame my player on this one).
Finally I got 50 Ritek G04 made in Taiwan, from Supermediastore.com at $33.00 (bought 3 weeks ago) with free shipping, they work even most of the time in my old RCA. So I am sold on Ritek, for their quality/price.
By the way, My wife wanted a DVD player, I got her the "el chipo" Apex from Walmart at $39.00. Well, all the DVD's I have done so far worked in it, even the Memorex. So, I guess it depends on the player.

[hastey]

There are too many vairables to consider before you crucify any type of media.

Drive
DVD Player
Possbility of being fake
Bad batches

Also consider that bad batches are possbile - do you really think a bad batch consists of a couple hundred discs? Of course not, they would number in the thousands and therefore quite viable for them to reach quite a few sellers.

Onto my personal experience with Ritek G04's

I test all my burns on CD/DVD Speed 2000

I buy the printable white tops in spindles of 50 and have had excellent results, that rival test results I've had with TDK -R (TY) and Fujifilm -R (also TY's). These were burnt on my Pioneer A07 and checked on my LiteOn 851S (as CD/DVD Speed doesn't recognise Pioneer's).

I've also burnt the same discs on my LiteOn with average to good results but no-where near as good as the one's on my Pioneer.

Pioneer drives are known to give better burns with -R's and LiteOn's with +R's and this has been my experience.

So I always try and match the media to the drive and the stand alone player. I think sometimes people are too quick to condemn the media before ruling out other possibilites. I'm not saying this is your case as I've heard of alot of reports of bad Ritek's and certainly don't doubt it.

I just think we need to be a little more analytical at times. This media is still in its infancy and open to many variables. Sometimes threads like these can stain a media brand when in reality people might be getting good results.

[PJGS]

I just think we need to be a little more analytical at times. This media is still in its infancy and open to many variables. Sometimes threads like these can stain a media brand when in reality people might be getting good results.

DVD media has been on the shelves for some time and CD-R media made the 1st steps a long time ago so makers have the necessary experience to avoid the problems related to "recent technology".

To me, the biggest difference between cd-r and dvd-r media is on the dye. Once a maker hits right in the target things should be very straight forward from then on.
In the media world, a bad batch can be millions of units, so if the maker has the right "formula" to make decent media, what can go wrong to drop the product's quality enormously?. Poor quality control?. A greedy maker willing to flood the market?.
In most cases, costumers are the ones that end up adsorving the costs of that faulty media.

If DVD-R media is still in its infancy, then why people don't complain that much about TY, Maxell or MCC?. In this case, most of the complaints are user related!.
I know there's a big price gap between TY, Maxell, MCC and the other makers, buy hey, isn't cheap media supposed to work as well?.
If cheap media isn´t supposed to work, then what am I paying for?
Top media should be more expensive due to a better compatibility with inexpensive and top-class hardware, a bigger lifespan, etc but most media on the market should burn without any major problems!
We pay what they ask!

I'm sorry but Ritek has been producing some decent media (RitekG04) so they increased their minimum quality level and costumers' expectations .
For instance, I will never expect decent media from CMC!