What is up with "Fake TY" Linkyo from Supermediastore.com?

[terryj]

I went to my trusted TY source supermediastore.com to purchase more TY 8x media,
and the page comes up with them promoting their "own TY made media" Linkyo.

I quickly searched the DVD Media database, and the results were disappointing:
Linkyo is Fake TY!!

so what gives?
is this media good TY or Fake, Bad TY?

[hech54]

http://www.rima.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=R&Category_Code=TAIYOYUDEN#dvd-r
Problem solved.

[lordsmurf]

I would be surprised if it was fake, as Linkyo knows the difference between fake and not. They are a large enough company that they may have a high enough volume of orders to get legit TY under their brand (as other companies such as Fuji and Sony have done in the past).

Some of the people who leave feedback (good or bad) in the "lists" section of this site are idiots, so that information is often worth little to nothing.

In fact, I don't see any feedback for the 16x TY Linkyo in the DVD media list whatsoever.

[Bix]

I think he was looking at these discs in the media list https://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia/linkyo-dvd-r-tyg02-8/2892

I believe those were marketed as plain house brand Linkyo, faking the TY media code for compatibility. They weren't marketed as Taiyo Yuden and have nothing to do with the new discs.

After all of the work Linkyo/SMS has done to help users distinguish real TYs from fake ones, it would take a ridiculous amount of chutzpah for the new discs to be fake. I'm gonna agree w/ LordSmurf for now, though someone should probably verify it with TY anyway.

I'm curious if this means they're going to branch out and become a retail brand.

[terryj]

ok, then.
I'll buy a sample of these discs (16x) and see if they are legit or not.


thanks, guys!

[AlecWest]

I also agree with LordSmurf. My customer relationship with SMS.com is a long one ... always buying Taiyo-Yuden. And the only time I ever "thought" I had a bad batch turned out to be a bad DVD player instead (sigh).

But as of today, I have another reason to like the store. Recently, I got an email from them for a "back to school" secret coupon sale. I saw a price I couldn't believe - $28.79 for a 100 pack of 16x DVD-R TYs and free shipping to boot. So, I clicked on the link in their email. And when I tried to apply the coupon discount, it told me the discount didn't exist. So, I picked up the phone and called SMS.com. The customer service rep said the item I wanted wasn't among their discounted items ... so I asked to speak to a customer service manager. The manager, Tanya Rodriguez, didn't see the discount either but asked me to send my "sale" email to her private email address.

Bottom line? The offer they made in the email was a "mistake" - but Tanya agreed to honor it anyway since it WAS offered in their email. Now that's what I call topnotch customer service ... taking "their" mistakes on the cheek and honoring their offers.

Regards,
J. Alec West

[Yangster]

Come on guys, nearly every piece of TY code media out there is fake.

In the UK you cannot buy genuine TY for less than 30p for a DVD printable - that like $0.60 so if you see 100 for $28 then it has to be fake!

Too good to be true = fake!

[AlanHK]

Come on guys, nearly every piece of TY code media out there is fake.
In the UK you cannot buy genuine TY for less than 30p for a DVD printable - that like $0.60 so if you see 100 for $28 then it has to be fake!
Too good to be true = fake!

In Hong Kong I buy Verbatim branded 16x DVD+R which are media coded TY, at HK$115 (US$14.7)/50 = US$29.4/100

They're real all right. I've been using these for a couple of years. Burn perfectly.

[filmboss80]

Just to add some clarity: SuperMediaStore is a subsidiary of Linkyo Corporation USA; they are one and the same. Since SMS/Linkyo is a major buyer of TY media, it is not a big stretch for them to license TY media under the Linkyo brand. I think we can all relax.

[Gen-An]

Come on guys, nearly every piece of TY code media out there is fake.

In the UK you cannot buy genuine TY for less than 30p for a DVD printable - that like $0.60 so if you see 100 for $28 then it has to be fake!

Too good to be true = fake!

http://www.meritline.com/taiyo-yuden-8x-dvd-r-white-inkjet-hub-printable.html

100 genuine TY printable DVD-R for $27.99.

[fatbloke88]

Yangster have you not heard of the term "rip off Britain",I bought a laptop in the states two years ago and cost five hundred Quid,the equivalent here was about a grand.

[AlecWest]

Come on guys, nearly every piece of TY code media out there is fake.

In the UK you cannot buy genuine TY for less than 30p for a DVD printable - that like $0.60 so if you see 100 for $28 then it has to be fake!

Too good to be true = fake!

Not necessarily. It could be an error in the ad ... which in my case, it was. It could also be evidence of savings due to direct shipping from Japan to the company's warehouse in the Solano Beach, CA. Since Linkyo is located nearby, and since they deal in high-volume sales, they probably pick up orders with their own trucks directly from TY's loading dock.

In any case, as I said, I've had a 100% success rate with this media. At that rate, fake or not, who cares (grin)?

P.S. FWIW, I've seen the "fake TY" debate before in this forum. So, to hopefully put the matter to rest once and for all, I sent a product inquiry email to Taiyo Yuden's Southwestern Regional Sales Office in Solano Beach, CA - asking for a description of their relationship with Linkyo and SuperMediaStore.com. If they reply, I'll post it here.

August 11 update - Taiyo Yuden replied that Linkyo/SuperMediaStore is one of their direct distributors. So, unless Linkyo/SuperMediaStore was willing to risk this relationship for a few quick bucks, I think it's unlikely they'd sell "fake" TY media.

Regards,
J. Alec West

[robryan19]

Supermediastore.com is infamous for selling fake PHILIPS DVD media. I used to buy Philips from them. However, I noticed they stopped selling Philips DVDs cause the company was attacked by police at last Oct for selling fake Philips. Now, I go to Meritline.com to purchase printable PHILIPS DVD. Good experience with meritline.com.

So why you want to take the risks if you can buy genuine Taiyo Yuden at meritline.com or rima.com at good price.

[Bix]

Supermediastore.com is infamous for selling fake PHILIPS DVD media. I used to buy Philips from them. However, I noticed they stopped selling Philips DVDs cause the company was attacked by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) for selling fake Philips. Now, I go to Meritline.com to purchase printable PHILIPS DVD. Good experience with meritline.com.

So why you want to take the risks if you can buy genuine Taiyo Yuden at meritline.com or rima.com at good price.

Got a source for that?

Why would they sell fake Philips when Philips outsources to CMC, Ritek, etc like most of the retail brands sold in North America and isn't 1st class media like Taiyo Yuden, Sony (Made in Taiwan), and Verbatim? It doesn't make any sense.

[samijubal]

I'd have to second that. I could see fake TY discs but why bother selling fake crap media?

[robryan19]

Someone at Bensbargains.net mentioned that. At the beginning, I didn't believe that. However, after one or two days, they pulled out all Philips from their site. I did a test and found out all old Philips DVDs had CMC codes that means they were made by CMC. And then, I tested the my last order from the store, and all those Philips DVDs had different manufacture code. I don't remember that the exact code but the code was from a small Taiwan manufacturer. So I guess the cost is even cheaper than CMC's.

Anyway, Linkyo brand media is considered by digitalfaq.com as a 4th class media (check the following link). So when there are plenty authentic taiyo yuden from meritline.com and rima.com, I don't want to take risks.

http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm

[FulciLives]

LordSmurf = http://www.digitalFAQ.com/

The great Blue one has already spoken.

As for what he said on his website ... things DO change from time to time you know

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[robryan19]

check these threads. It seems the store sold Linkyo DVD with fake TY codes before as early as 2005

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic317744.html?highlight=linkyo

https://forum.videohelp.com/topic253798.html?highlight=linkyo%20taiyo%20yuden

People said

"If I remember correctly some internet establishments weren't selling fake Taiyo Yudens per se, but were selling their house brand with Tayio Yuden media codes. I could be wrong but Sonic, Linkyo, and Matrix come to mind. Maybe another "old timer" can verify this. "

[Bix]

Well, they weren't billing them as Taiyo Yuden at that point.

[FulciLives]

Personally speaking I only buy Taiyo Yuden from RIMA.COM because it's not worth "f'ing around" with some other business that may or may not be reliable.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[lordsmurf]

I long ago confirmed -- from three sources -- that Linkyo TY (being sold starting in Summer 2008 aka Q3 2008) is legitimate media. They are a high enough volume distributor to get a deal on it. In fact, SMS recently updated their site with more info.

Many house brands sold fake TY, and many times their companies doing it were unaware of it. The media market got a bit more careful after the TDK, Maxell and finally TY fakes scandals. At least the good stores did. Some still have fake media, or cast-off graded media, but it is one under their own "house brand" names, and they tend to not give out the media ID even when it is requested (often suggesting the cautious customer buy something else that is legitimately using the code they seek).

[Bix]

Plus, if they were going to be selling fakes in this case, why only do it in 3 styles (DVD-R White Inkjet Hub-Printable 16X, DVD-R Silver Lacquer 16X, & DVD-R White Inkjet Hub-Printable 8X) when TY offers so many more? It's clearly a move by Linkyo to increase their visibility and reputation for that brand name.

[robryan19]

I agree with FulciLives that when there are a lot of places like meritline.com and rima.com are selling authentic Taiyo Yuden, why you want to risk with those no brand like Linkyo?

Even those Linkyo are made by Taiyo Yuden now, the company can easily switch to other cheap manufacturer just like what they did before. And in that case, you can't even complain since you are buying the "Linkyo" brand not the Taiyo Yuden brand.

[kansas666]

I don't get it. I have been buying the Linkyo TY brand for a few months now. I have had no problems.

But why rebrand and sell it for less?

Why not just reduce the price of TY?

This only creates questions and confusion.

[lordsmurf]

I don't get it. I have been buying the Linkyo TY brand for a few months now. I have had no problems. But why rebrand and sell it for less? Why not just reduce the price of TY? This only creates questions and confusion.

Prestige, maybe.