Question about different uses for cheap discs (e.g. Frys GQ)

[Matt_]

I've been having luck in being able to buy 25pk spindles of MXLRG02 4x DVD-Rs, and I hope to get a pioneer brand computer dvd writer in the near future. But instead of depleting my supply of these through using them for everything I do, I was considering the possible uses for something such as the Frys GQ discs (which were advertised in today's paper for $1 for a 25pk spindle after a $5 rebate).

1) If/when I get a computer dvd writer, I'll need some practice -- how would these GQ discs be for something like that ? At even a $1, if they are complete junk, then I don't want to waste my time and money. But if the burns would be decent enough that the discs would at least be readable and would at least last for a little while, then maybe it would be worth it.

2) I was wondering what some of you do when there is something under 30 minutes, say for example, something 5 minutes long that you taped and want to transfer it to a DVD. Being new at this, I discovered that DVD-Rs can't be unfinalized -- so if you transferred that 5 minute clip to a blank high quality DVD-R and then finalized it so that you could play it on another dvd player, that would be a waste of a disc. So what about recording that 5 minute clip to a cheapie DVD-R such as the GQ discs -- at least that way it's on an inexpensive DVD-R that can be watched on a player and then transferred later on to some other high quality DVD-R that has other stuff on it ? I was reading these threads (1 & 2) talking about the errors on burned bad quality DVD-Rs. When content that is on one of those is later transferred to a high quality DVD-R, are those errors transferred, too ?

[Regal]

If you are wanting to learn. Go invest in dvd RWs. Stop wasting write one time disks. and use RW's this way you fu^kup,, you can erase and write again

[Matt_]

Thank you. As soon as I read that, I had one of those "doh!" moments -- DVD-RW would be definitely be better for doing practice burns.

As for what I was bringing up in question #2, if I ever do have something on a low quality disc that I want to transfer to a better quality one, do those errors that I see people discuss on this forum get transferred, too ?

[steve2713]

Matt, DVD being a digital format and not an analog format, if the disc has sections of disc with read errors, you're going to have more issues than simply transferring those errors - you will not be able to copy those parts of the disc at all.

Those scans you see, the PI/PIF scans, they show errors that exist on even the greatest of discs, but those are what are known as recoverable errors, because the way the data is stored on the disc has error correction. BUT if you get a high enough number of those errors at one spot on the disc, the data there is not recoverable, and whatever files are within that part of the disc are essentially lost.

Here's a detailed description of PI/PIF scans, but there are some things on that page that will answer some questions for you.

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=80545

[MOVIEGEEK]

GQ DVD's make great drink coasters or ornaments.
Don't skimp,use quality media such as Fuji,Maxell or Verbatim DLP...look for Made in Japan.

[stiltman]

GQ DVD's make great drink coasters or ornaments.
Don't skimp,use quality media such as Fuji,Maxell or Verbatim DLP...look for Made in Japan.

Actually, I've burned (4) +R 8X's (Optodiscs) without any problems so far. I got them so I could mess around with book type settings on my BTC/Emprex burner. I burned them at 4x though. WOW what a difference it made in reading them back via the RPM test on my dvd-rom with a dvd-rom book type instead of dvd - + R. I picked up 50pak white inkjets for $14.50...there were only 2 left, and it was limit 1 per.

[steve2713]

As much as it pains me to admit it :P , because I absolutely hate Optodisc and have had horrible experiences with their discs in the past, I bought some Velocity 8x +Rs and they turned out to be Optodiscs and they have been OK so far. Actually, PI/PO scans on them are quite good, burned at 8x on my NEC 2500 and Benq. Media code Optodisc OR8.

While I'm no fan of Optodisc, if these are the same media code, they may actually be decent discs.


Here's a scan of a disc at 8x on my NEC 2500, Benq burns look almost identical:

[MOVIEGEEK]

I stand corrected Steve,those scans look good.

[stiltman]

Media code Optodisc OR8. While I'm no fan of Optodisc, if these are the same media code, they may actually be decent discs.

Same media code as mine

[monkeyking]

I also bought a spindle of those GQ disks. They normally sell for around $15.95 but Fry's puts them on sale every other week to attract customers.

I was dubious too, but haven't seen anything wrong with them at all.

[steve2713]

I should say though, that Matt seems to have -Rs, not +R discs, so I cannot speak for the quality of those discs. However, if my +R OR8 discs are any indication of the GQ ones that stiltman has, they're certainly worth the $1 per 25 (if only I had a Fry's near me )

edit: just to clarify even more, looking at the media codes of all of the other GQ discs, maybe the only ones that I WOULD suggest would be the 8x +Rs, and I have no clue if these are the same price as the ones Matt bought. It looks as though many, if not most, of the other varieties of GQ discs are likely to be marginal discs.

[stiltman]

here's my scan

[dmagic1]

I happened to pick up a 50 spindle of 8x DVD+R printable that turn out to be Sony D11. I thought I would get Optodisc 0R8 like that last time. I'm very happy with these. I was also happy with the Optodisc. They are much, much better than their 4x stuff.

[koolaidwa]

GQ can be hit or miss sometimes in the media code, i got some that are


0000 : a1 0f 02 00 00 03 00 00 00 26 05 3f 00 00 00 00 .........&.?....
0010 : 00 00 03 4c 44 00 00 00 00 00 00 53 30 33 00 38 ...LD......S03.8
0020 : 23 54 37 12 00 3a 69 00 a8 68 17 19 0c 0c 0a 0b #T7..:i..h......

[Matt_]

Matt, DVD being a digital format and not an analog format, if the disc has sections of disc with read errors, you're going to have more issues than simply transferring those errors - you will not be able to copy those parts of the disc at all.

Those scans you see, the PI/PIF scans, they show errors that exist on even the greatest of discs, but those are what are known as recoverable errors, because the way the data is stored on the disc has error correction. BUT if you get a high enough number of those errors at one spot on the disc, the data there is not recoverable, and whatever files are within that part of the disc are essentially lost.

Here's a detailed description of PI/PIF scans, but there are some things on that page that will answer some questions for you.

http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=80545

Thank you, Steve, for helping me have a fuller understanding.
It is taking time for the things I'm reading/learning on this forum to sink in, and up to this point I just had a very basic understanding of the importance of quality media.
I didn't realize any of the points that you brought up (Thank you, too, for the link -- I've been wanting to learn about interpreting scans). I had the impression that when copying data from a poor/low quality disc to another disc that just the information was being transferred and that the "bad disc"/low quality disc was being left behind -- like, for lack of a better comparison, passing water through a filter and getting clean water as a result.

I had not bought the Frys GQ discs. The reason I had initially considered them (prior to the replies and to Steve's explanation of the pitfalls of bad/low quality discs) is that I'm contemplating what is an efficient way to store a small legth video clip without being wasteful. E.g. I'm a big Tom & Jerry fan and suppose I record a 7minute cartoon from cable that was aired unedited. What's a good but cost-effective strategy ? Record it onto a high-quality DVD-R and leave it unfinalized until hopefully I have something else to add to it ? Record it onto a CD-R in as high-qualiy a codec as will fit onto the CD-R ? Keep a DVD-RW reserved for miscellaneous odds'n'ends recorded from cable ?