Either TDK is pissing me off, or their distributors are pissing me off...
I have placed two orders for a spindle of 15 (branded) TDK DVD-Rs (2x). The first batch I got was superb/wonderful/exquisite - the damn things would record without a hitch and they played in every drive/player I threw at them (which really wasn't a lot - 10 different DVD-ROMs, 3 set-top DVD players, and a PS2).
So I order some more...
Open the cakebox up (packaging looks exactly like the first batch), and notice that the front of the disc is a little different - the labelling is the exact same, but the texture and reflection is different (smoother and more plastic-like).
Well lo and behold the things burned kind of like some old Meritlines I had - 2 coasters and 1 disc that won't really read in anything (including the burner). I am hoping to get these replaced.
Both disc types have the same pre-recorded info from ADVDInfo:
First batch:
00 42 00 00 01 40 C1 FD 9E D8 50 00 02 98 0C 13 .B...@....P.....
76 78 80 00 03 54 44 4B 47 30 32 00 04 30 30 30 VX...TDKG02..000
30 30 30 00 05 88 80 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 000.............
Second batch:
00 42 00 00 01 40 C1 FD 9E D8 50 00 02 98 0C 13 .B...@....P.....
76 78 80 00 03 54 44 4B 47 30 32 00 04 30 30 30 VX...TDKG02..000
30 30 30 00 05 88 80 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 000.............
So I would like to ask anyone who has used (branded) TDK DVD-Rs to post here, give a brief description of experience, and where it was purchased. The DVD-R media list on this site doesn't provide perfect information.
I am just trying to figure out if I should really stop buying TDK or what - that first spindle was quite nice.
Thanks
Ooops I don't pay attention to my own posts:
These discs were purchased from www.jandr.com.
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hi,
there was a Press release from TDK That Prico Has manifatured duplicate TDK media and marketed as TDK i belive. May be you got the wrong once. i so far has only used TDK with my picky burner sonydru500a and never has a coster. -
sumibas -
I have read that press release. Given that the discs I purchased were branded and have the whole TDK-looking packaging (which also includes that warrenty thingie they slap on), I am working under the assumption these are indeed manufactured by TDK. I do realize it may be a somewhat naive or even stupid assumption, however I will stick with it - though I am not writing off that possibility just yet.
Perhaps someone can clarify - I was to understand that the booty-leg TDK DVD-Rs are only unbranded. Am I incorrect?
Thanks -
Foolio70 :
I too bought two 15-packs from J&R and these disks work perfectly. I think thes TDK discs were a great bargain at $27 per pack. I have a Pioneer-A105 burner and I have almost burnt 20 of them, NOT A SINGLE COASTER. -
I didn't see anything about the press release, but I've had problems with branded TDK. I ordered 10 unbranded and burned several at 2x just fine. Then I got some branded 2x in individual cases and all, but none of them burned at 2x without errors. Several burned at 1x, but every single 2x burn resulted in failure. Returning to the unbranded found them to still work at 2x. I think they had the same media ID, but even if the unbranded were fake that doesn't explain the branded media problem.
Since I haven't had a chance to find a reliable 2x media, I've been burning at 1x for now (I'm mostly burning data onto ritek or princo 1x blanks right now anyway). -
fljoemon:
To be curious, when did you purchase these discs? And what burner are you using?
I have just recently discovered that there is a new firmware revision for my Pioneer (1.40 to be precise). Guess I need to keep pace w/ current revs of stuff more often.
Anyhow, I just upped the firmware, and I just burnt a proper disc...I will be doing more testing over the next few days to verify that this is NOT an isolated incident.
Thorn:
What kind of burner are you usin'?
Thanks -
I was using the Pioneer 104 with firmware 1.31 (and maybe an earlier version too). I used several of the most recent versions of nero. I can't guarantee that nero or the firmware weren't related, but since the problem was isolated to the batch of branded media, my assumption is that my batch of 10 branded media was not up to spec. I couldn't say if it was a fluke or not.
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ya most TDK media in the market are "CLAIMED" to be TDK media, some of them honest merchants lable them as generic TDK... they are stocks manufactured for TDK but did not pass TDK quality due to inconsistant quality.... and if you go to TDK website... they will talk about some manufacture use their name to market their media.... PISS ME OFF TOO... BOUGHT 50 PACK OF THEM JUST BECAUSE OF THE NAME TDK...
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TDK really dropped the ball when they started allowing 3rd party manufacturing for them. They had the best rep when they made all of their own CDRs so everyone got pissed when they started selling some other brand under their name. It looks like they started these problems even before the crapo brands started counterfeiting their discs, because they gave up the control over quality when they stopped being the sole producer.
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The firmware seems to have done the trick. I can even read this media a drive I could not read w/ the first batch...
I am still a bit irritated, simply because this is still inconsistent behavior between the two batches of TDKs.
Perhaps I am a bit irked at Pioneer as well, because I feel that they should probably give a few more details about their firmware releases. Searching the firmware-flash.com forums takes a while because their search engine blows.
ultima16888:
Just to be curious, do any of those media work? And did they by any chance come from Meritline?
Thanks -
What about princo "true 2X" I heard they were really Ritek G02's and do burn at 2X on the pioneer 105, Not sure though never tried them, I dont know if I can trust princo's but if their really Riteks they have to be good, anybody try these.
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Mysterio1,
I bought these "true 2x" dvd-r media from www.allmediaoutlet.com. Here is the info I pulled off of them through ADVDInfo.
00 6A 00 00 01 40 C1 FD 9E D8 50 00 02 98 0C 13 .J...@....P.....
76 78 80 00 03 54 44 4B 47 30 32 00 04 30 30 30 VX...TDKG02..000
30 30 30 00 05 88 80 00 00 00 01 00 00 00 00 00 000.............
They burn on my Sony DRU500A at 2x with all the firmwares.
I hope this helps you. -
Mysterio1,
Yes they will burn at 2x, hence the name "true 2x". You do not need to upgrade any firmware to burn at 2x. My friend tried this on his Pioneer A05 and it burned at 2x. -
I'm interested in picking some up. How well do these play in standalone DVD players? The Ritek G03 1x (I have Pioneer A05) I have been using so far have been great (but slow).
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I've been having problems with TDK 2x media lately too. They must have changed something
In 2002, I bought nothing but TDK's and verbatims. The TDKs were white topped, and a light purple bottom. Then a few weeks ago, compusa was selling 4 packs of TDK 2x discs for $8.99, so i bought 40 discs. The tops of these are kinda frosted, and the bottoms are a little darker.
I burned at least 50 of the older ones at 2x, never a coaster. Now, the newer ones I can rarely burn at 2x. 9 times out of 10, i get a media error and i have to retry the burn. they usually work at 1x then. I've tried all of the firmwares for my A03, even including a couple of the 2x for all firmwares, since i was using real 2x discs. but still it'll rarely burn at 2x. I was starting to think it was my drive.
I do remember TDK did the same kind of switch with their CD-R media. The white-topped blue bottomed ones were great. Then they switched and we got frosty topped, green bottoms.
Guess I'll be going back to verbatims. why the hell cant one company make quality discs and stick to it? I never liked generics.
Dan -
And yet, I'm using those same TDK's -- both the older white-topped ones and these new frosted-logo ones -- on a Pioneer A-04 at 2X without any trouble.
It might not be entirely a media problem here... it might also be a firmware issue, a drive model issue (maybe there's something about the A-03 that makes it more finicky than the A-04?), or a problem with manufacturing tolerances in the drives themselves...
Or, depending on how many discs you've actually burned in your drive, could the laser be going bad? I know my last CD-RW drive started getting really picky about media after it'd been in use for a couple of years... -
I buy the TDK DVD-R's(2X) at COSTCO here in Alberta. (4 for $18.00)...pretty good price for Canada.
Anyways, I have burned them all with my Pioneer A05 with the old Firmware (.50) and they burned at 2X and play great in my JVC stand alone machine.
Hope that helps.
Jenny
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