problem with "name" discs

[Daveb55]

First of all I'm pretty new to DVD writing, so apologies if this is a common question or there's a simple solution.
I have a Samsung SSH182-M writer, which will write up to 16X.
Until recently I have been using unnamed discs from the local pound shop - which have worked fine. They're rated at 16X and in Nero I have the option of burning at 4,8,12 or 16x.

last week I found somewhere local that sells branded discs cheaper than the pound shop, so I bought some Ritek 8x.
But Nero only gives me the option to burn at 2x or 4x, and if i do "Determine max speed" it burns at 4X.
I took these back and the guy in the shop said something about the disc manufacturers sometimes change their dyes and I need to update my firmware. I wasn't sure whether I was being given bullsh*t but anyway he changed the discs and said to try another make of 8X which had been out for a good while(Traxdata) and to update my firmware. Which I've done.
Still the same! Anyone know what's going on here? Is there a problem with the Samsung drive and compatibility?

many thanks

[lordsmurf]

You're using crap media. Read on this topic at www.nomorecoasters.com

[Krispy Kritter]

Disc write data is contained in the burners firmware. So updating the drives firmware is the usual fix for these types of problems. There are exceptions of course, older drivers, for instance, often don't get firmware updates to support new media.

A google search turns up nothing on the model # you listed and I'm not familiar with that drive to offer any further advice.

[Daveb55]

I'll certainly look at that article.
This is a page from a review:

http://www.extrememhz.com/shs182m-p6.shtml

I think I got the dash in the wrong place in the model name. And underestimated it- apparently it can do 18X.

As you can see from the test they burnt to Ritek 8x which makes me all the more mystified. This review was written in September 06 and I think my drive's younger than that.

[Richard_G]

You may well have just been lucky. Ritek blanks were crap, then, for a short while, pretty good and then returned to being crap again! I notice you are in the UK so by pound store, are you referring to Aldi by any chance? I have not tried their own brand DVD blanks but their Tevion brand CDRs are made by Taiyo Yuden, about the best you can get.

Ignore everything you see on here about only buying branded Verbatim, Maxell or whatever. Particularly ignore any advice given about only buying blanks that are made in Japan and not Taiwan. You won't know. EU regulations do not require a place of manufacture to be stated, only the details of the distributor. Consequently, if you look at a pack of Maxell for instance, it will tell you that they are distributed by Maxell Europe and give an address. There is no mention of where they are made. You don't find that out until you've got them and check the ID. That ID very often is completely different to the same branded stuff sold in the US. I have used Verbatim branded blanks bought from pcworld and they were the worst I have ever tried to use.

If you want to buy known quality blanks, you best bet is from somewhere like www.svp.co.uk where the Media ID of everything they sell is quoted.

[Daveb55]

The store i was referring to was Poundland. Their discs are 4 for a quid. Looking at them there's no name on them so I don't know who makes them for the store. All I know is that they say 16X and they read as 16X! Unlike this name stuff I've bought.
one other point occurred to me. I wonder if it could be something to do with Nero?
I'm using version 6.6.0.13 - so not the latest, though not really old either.

[lordsmurf]

You may well have just been lucky. Ritek blanks were crap, then, for a short while, pretty good and then returned to being crap again! I notice you are in the UK so by pound store, are you referring to Aldi by any chance? I have not tried their own brand DVD blanks but their Tevion brand CDRs are made by Taiyo Yuden, about the best you can get.

Ignore everything you see on here about only buying branded Verbatim, Maxell or whatever. Particularly ignore any advice given about only buying blanks that are made in Japan and not Taiwan. You won't know. EU regulations do not require a place of manufacture to be stated, only the details of the distributor. Consequently, if you look at a pack of Maxell for instance, it will tell you that they are distributed by Maxell Europe and give an address. There is no mention of where they are made. You don't find that out until you've got them and check the ID. That ID very often is completely different to the same branded stuff sold in the US. I have used Verbatim branded blanks bought from pcworld and they were the worst I have ever tried to use.

If you want to buy known quality blanks, you best bet is from somewhere like www.svp.co.uk where the Media ID of everything they sell is quoted.

I think that's misleading.

Many discs sold in UK do show country of manufacture. And then problems with Verbatim is usually an issue with the drive or the discs were counterfeit (full packaging and all!). In Europe, Verbatim is just as good as anywhere else, and sometimes they have Taiyo Yuden media re-branded too.

So your experience is not necessarily the majority one.

It is a sad fact that a lot of B-grade and fake media does find its way into the UK market, and most of it is with "no-name" brands.

[Richard_G]

Many discs sold in UK do show country of manufacture. And then problems with Verbatim is usually an issue with the drive or the discs were counterfeit (full packaging and all!). In Europe, Verbatim is just as good as anywhere else, and sometimes they have Taiyo Yuden media re-branded too.

While I agree it may be a possibility, I somehow doubt that the entire stock of a national computer and electrical retailers would be fake. I doubt the counterfeiters have the capacity to manufacture that amount! As for the country of manufacture, I've just checked the packaging on a Maxell, a TDK and a Verbatim, all bought from reputable suppliers, all with the correct media codes, and not one gives a country of manufacture. They all give an address and a website for the distributors though. I suspect the only ones that show a country of manufacture are the 'grey imports' that come into the country via the US and not from the authorised distributor. Personally, they are the ones I'd avoid as they may well be fakes intended for the US market!

The store i was referring to was Poundland. Their discs are 4 for a quid. Looking at them there's no name on them so I don't know who makes them for the store. All I know is that they say 16X and they read as 16X! Unlike this name stuff I've bought.
one other point occurred to me. I wonder if it could be something to do with Nero?
I'm using version 6.6.0.13 - so not the latest, though not really old either.

If you have Nero, open up Nero CD/DVD Speed (usually under the Nero Toolkit menu), and click Extra, Disc Info. This will tell you the Manufacturer and the Media ID. You can then look it up on here (under DVD Media) or on Lordsmurfs nomorecoaters website.