Has Maxell turned to shit also ?

[cyflyer]

I burn my Ty's, terrific burns. I burn Verbatims MCC's, terrific burns. I'm given a Maxell 002 dvd+r 1-8x to burn for a friend at 4x, and the last five mins pixelates like the clappers ! What the heck ? Has Maxell turned to shit also ? I stopped useing the -r's when they went to Ritek, and suggested a Maxell +r, which was a 002 Japanese, and in theory good. Are they not to be trusted any more, despite the fact they Japanese made ?

Incidentally, Merry Christmas everyone !

[rhegedus]

Was Maxell ever any good?

I'd always seen them much cheaper than Verbatim and around the same price as Imation....

[Bix]

They stopped making their own stuff in Japan awhile ago and switched to using Riteks.

[FulciLives]

Maxell (at least DVD-R discs) that were labeled MADE IN JAPAN were good in the "early" days. The 2x and 4x DVD-R discs were super.

Then 8x DVD-R discs came along and at first all was fine but then problems developed and they started using their own discs as well as other discs like Ritek and pretty much everyone in the know gave up at that point as quality went down big time even when the package had "real" Maxell discs in it.

The best media now-a-days is Taiyo Yuden and Verbatim. Taiyo Yuden can be bought direct from various on-line websites such as RIMA.COM and Verbatim can be bought at many retail store locations (and is often on sale).

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[cyflyer]

So what we are saying here is that the old hardfast rule of 'MIJ is good' is erroding away if even the MIJ Maxells are turning to shit.

[mazinz]

If you can still find Maxell made in Japan dvds you will be ok (as the ones I still found from the id code pointed to maxells own Japan product, not out-sourced). However as of current, all of their discs are made in Taiwan. Occasionally you can still find the 8x (or lower) made in japan, but for the most part, they were somewhat phased out. You can use Sony as their Japan AND taiwan disc are very good

[FulciLives]

I wouldn't buy retail these days except for Verbatim.

The only other alternative ... sometimes Sony uses Taiyo Yuden and when Sony is on sale they are wroth buying.

Sony Taiyo Yuden packs have a hex shaped foam piece on the top and this applies to 25 and 50 packs. The pack will of course also say MADE IN JAPAN.

Beware though ... Sony packs that say MADE IN JAPAN with a round shaped foam piece are NOT Taiyo Yuden and in my opinion are not as good (I forget the media ID code now but it's something like SONY16D1 or something like that).

Finding the Taiyo Yuden Sony packs is rather difficult so if you want Taiyo Yuden just buy them from RIMA.COM but I must say that Verbatim discs are really good and are often on sale at places like BEST BUY or OFFICE MAX etc.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Super Warrior]

I buy Taiyo Yuden from newegg.com

[videobread]

Maxell are good dvd's. If you are having pixilation problems while burning Max the firmware for your burner is the problem. It is not supporting the Max discs. Is updated firmware available for your burner? If not try another burner. I always buy Pioneer. It is the industry standard for professional duplicators because they keep the firmware, write strategies for new media, current. I use DVR-111D's. They are $42 delivered on ebay.
In theory, you should be able to burn any media on a good burner. I only use TY, Ver and Max myself. 95% TY. The only real problem media I have ever found was Ritek 4x, (I think G4's), a couple of years ago. They were defective and actually became unreadable over time. I would never buy Ritek again.
For me, I always STAY AWAY FROM CHEAP MEDIA AND OFF BRAND BURNERS. PENNY WISE, POUND FOOLISH!!!!!

[J. Baker]

Maxell are good dvd's. If you are having pixilation problems while burning Max the firmware for your burner is the problem. It is not supporting the Max discs. Is updated firmware available for your burner? If not try another burner. I always buy Pioneer. It is the industry standard for professional duplicators because they keep the firmware, write strategies for new media, current. I use DVR-111D's. They are $42 delivered on ebay.
In theory, you should be able to burn any media on a good burner. I only use TY, Ver and Max myself. 95% TY. The only real problem media I have ever found was Ritek 4x, (I think G4's), a couple of years ago. They were defective and actually became unreadable over time. I would never buy Ritek again.
For me, I always STAY AWAY FROM CHEAP MEDIA AND OFF BRAND BURNERS. PENNY WISE, POUND FOOLISH!!!!!

Agee, I use pioneer and maxell with no problems. I wouldn't use anything but pioneer. At least for dvd burning.

[Bix]

Maxell are good dvd's. If you are having pixilation problems while burning Max the firmware for your burner is the problem. It is not supporting the Max discs. Is updated firmware available for your burner? If not try another burner. I always buy Pioneer. It is the industry standard for professional duplicators because they keep the firmware, write strategies for new media, current. I use DVR-111D's. They are $42 delivered on ebay.
In theory, you should be able to burn any media on a good burner. I only use TY, Ver and Max myself. 95% TY. The only real problem media I have ever found was Ritek 4x, (I think G4's), a couple of years ago. They were defective and actually became unreadable over time. I would never buy Ritek again.
For me, I always STAY AWAY FROM CHEAP MEDIA AND OFF BRAND BURNERS. PENNY WISE, POUND FOOLISH!!!!!

You do realize that Maxell uses Ritek discs, right?

[Nitemare]

I started out very happy with Maxell discs and then ran into the same problems as everyone else. Now they are shite, and have been for quite some time.

I now use the Japan-made Sony discs. Haven't tried Verbatim but I will now that I've read this post.

[ROBERT BLACK]

The Maxell MIJ inkjet printables are still solid. Every one has given me positive scans in Nero and play perfectly. Burnt with a Pioneer(burner or settop) their excellent. I've all but given up on The Maxell Riteks.

[videobread]

If you are having problems with the Maxell Riteks and not with the Maxell MIJ. The problem is your firmware. Pixilation problems are always firmware. Your drive's firmware has not been updated to write the Maxell Ritek discs. That's why I always buy Pioneer. It's all about the firmware. Pioneer keeps the firmware current. That's why Pioneer is the industry standard for professional duplicators. If you buy an off brand burner, and it does not matter who makes it, you will have problems sooner or later. Even if you buy an off brand burner that was manufactured by a big time electronics company, like Pioneer, you will still have problems in time. You will have problems because firmware updates are an ongoing support issue. How long is that cheap drive going to be supported by the company that branded it. Pioneer is not going to support it for long even though they made it. How long will they issue firmware updates for the drive that you saved $15 on. If you have an off brand drive you need to find discs that it can burn and stick with those.
I use and recommend DVR-111D, $42 delivered on ebay.
I do not buy Ritek out of principle, because I was burned with the Ritek G4's a few years ago. I assume they have fixed the problem and they are OK now. I don't give a SH*T. I only buy TY, Ver and Max. 95% TY.

[Capmaster]

Was Maxell ever any good?

I'd always seen them much cheaper than Verbatim and around the same price as Imation....

Maxell used to use mostly TY media rebranded. They also used Ritek.

Over time, they got more and more away from the TY and more towards Ritek, at least in the big chain stores around us. Ritek isn't nearly as good anymore :P

[rhegedus]

Guess I missed out on Maxell while they were good.

Verbatim build up solid custom from me while they were using the MCC stuff but let me down big time when I bought a batch that had a load of CMC media - about 20% of them had burn errors and another 10% just wouldn't play at all.

I've sloly moved back to them on account of them being one of the few Lightscribe DVDR manufacturers.

No problems so far....

[FulciLives]

Guess I missed out on Maxell while they were good.

Verbatim build up solid custom from me while they were using the MCC stuff but let me down big time when I bought a batch that had a load of CMC media - about 20% of them had burn errors and another 10% just wouldn't play at all.

I've sloly moved back to them on account of them being one of the few Lightscribe DVDR manufacturers.

No problems so far....

I've heard that the 8x Verbatim discs are crap as of late but that the 16x Verbatims are A-OK and when on sale (which seems often enough) they are very cheap.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Bix]

I do not buy Ritek out of principle, because I was burned with the Ritek G4's a few years ago.

Then why do you buy Maxell's rebadged Riteks?

[piano632]

Maxell's *Plus* and *Broadcast Quality* lines are still made in Japan, but they only come in the -R variety. The *Broadcast Quality* discs have a non-scratch hardcoating on them, but they cost $2 each.

http://catalogs.infocommiq.com/AVCAT/CTL624/index.cfm?mlc_id=624&NOTRACK=1&pin_id=1817&SubCatID=1768
http://club.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?t=141130

[budz]

wally worlds sells those MADE IN JAPAN hardcoated DVD-R's.

[cyflyer]

As many of you refered to the Ritek maxells, yes this is a known issue from way back and I was talking specifically about the Maxell 002, MIJ, 8x discs, which gave a pixellation problem, when all others, even 16x discs, burn fine with current firmware. Pixellation problem last 5 mins, typical of the cheaper media burns.

And as a lot of mentions of Verbatim, I still have a burning question (burning for an answer ! ) which I asked before, so I'll quote,

There seems to be a lot of confusion with Verbatim, at least on my part. I see Made in India, Made in Japan, Made in Singapore, Made in Taiwan. I see Misubishi Kagaku, I see Mitsubishi Chemicals, and of the two Mistubishi's Made in ..... OF EACH. Whats the difference between Misubishi Kagaku and Mistubishi Chemicals ? Why do I see Mistubishi Kagaku- Made in India and Mitshubishi Kagaku-Made in Japan, or Singapore ???????????

does anyone know the difference between Kagaku and Chemicals ? Its bloody confusing when they are sold on the same shelf side by side !

[lordsmurf]

You do realize that Maxell uses Ritek discs, right?

Your statement is misleading. Choose your words carefully.

If the disc is in a package labeled MADE IN TAIWAN and has RITEK-coded discs inside, they are Ritek media. If the disc is in a package labeled MADE IN JAPAN and has MAXELL-coded discs inside, they are Hitachi/Maxell media. However, some labels are wrong (or at least were, at one point), so sometimes the label does not match the disc. It's a real mess. Anyway, a MAXELL- or MXL-coded DVD is not made by Ritek.

Maxell are good dvd's. If you are having pixilation problems while burning Max the firmware for your burner is the problem.

Or the DVD player or DVD-ROM (device reading the burned disc) is not very good. That happens too.

[Nitemare]

Pixelation wasn't a problem with the Maxell's I'd gotten. The problem I had was that the discs developed laser rot (or something similar?) after a month. Obviously a manufacturing defect, but one that I'm not willing to tolerate.

[Tom Saurus]

cyflyer: Thanks for launching this thread.

videobread: Thanks for your contribution. I have been having troubling burning geniune Tayo Yuden's lately and I am going to get a new burner. I have an NEC right now, but after what you wrote about Pioneer, I am going to purchase one of those to replace it. It is really painful throwing away discs when they work out to 70 cents a piece.

[jaxxboss]

I FARTED

[piano632]

My problem is I still have about 30 Maxell & TDK 2x DVD-R's (made in Japan) that I don't know what to do with. My new Samsung 16x burner doesn't burn well at 2x (Nero ScanDisc shows some yellow and red squares on last third of the disc). I could drag out my old Pioneer 106D to burn them, but I'm trying to use that drive sparingly since it's the only drive I have that can rip audio CD's all the way into the leadout track if I have to. So is it normal for a 16x burner not to burn well at 2x speed (and I have tried different firmwares, so that is not the problem)?

[cyflyer]

I FARTED

Is this your most constuctive contribution to this thread ?

[Capmaster]

I FARTED

Is this your most constuctive contribution to this thread ?

You gotta know jaxxboss. That's his trademark comment when a topic goes astray

[MackemX]

I FARTED

Is this your most constuctive contribution to this thread ?

You gotta know jaxxboss. That's his trademark comment when a topic goes astray

and a complete waste of ******* cyberspace and people's time, as well as spoiling the board if you ask me

so what if a topic strays a little as long as people are still talking about something some find worth reading. If you get some idiot saying "I farted" then people think there has been a worthy reply when they get an email and pop along to the forum

although I feel they take away from the forum, this is one good reason that the email notifications now contain some partial content of the post. You can now sift out the shite (or farts in this case) and save wasting time reading stupid moronic posts that have no place in this forum.

I'd keep the all the shite for OT (VH's playground) but people should help keep the forum lean & mean with topical discussion 8)

p.s. sorry this post is completely off topic

[FulciLives]

Too many damned sensitive people around here ... cheer up!

It's a New Year!!!

Plenty of NEW chances to screw up and ask for help only to be berated by the VH bastard crew

I ... for one ... feverishly await more problems from the newbie crowd :P

- John "FulciLives" Coleman