Continuos DVD problems

[jbartosh]

Please see my previous topic https://forum.videohelp.com/topic338402.html?highlight=help%20expert for more information. In short, nothing has worked. I bought a new burner, Samsung 203B, bought 16x Verbatim DVD+R, if I used ImgBurn to burn these, they would turn up crap right away. If I used DVDlab's utility burner, they were perfect all the way thru right away. Now, a month later, they are crap again. Somehow, over time, or viewings, they degrade and begin to die. I have had this problem with every disc and every burning combination possible.

The only sucsess I have ever had, was using my HP DVD300c burner on memorex 8x discs, these lasted forever! Anything else has been crap. When a burn a disc, I first go into task manager and get rid of all pointless processes, and I close all applications to try to get maximum results. Here are my questions...

1. I am currently burning audio/video_ts folders, when simulated on my computer these things play perfectly and never degrade over time. Is it possible that the core data is bad???

2. Sometimes, they play through perfectly for a month then die, and sometimes they are dead from the start, this means it can't be bad data right???

3. Why hasn't the new burner with the new discs produced better results??? This is a supposedly tried and true combo by many people - leading me to believe it can't be disc quality or burner quality???

4. Is it the labels? Even though, I do have a couple label discs that play good from 4 years ago (memorex 8x from the hp dvd300c)

5. How can I be sure it is the labels, I don't have months to sit and wait and see if these degrade, they are supposed to be done in January!!

6. If it is the labels (even though they aren't visible bad, and they did play well with the labels on them for at least a short while) How can I mark these without damaging them - they must be marked on the disc???

I am about ready to quit and hand the files over to somebody else, hopefully someone who has had succsess in the past. Or, I will buy some memorex 8x off of ebay and get my 300c going again...

[Baldrick]

Please use a more descriptive subject, just click edit on your first post to change it.

[lordsmurf]

Quit using labels. Problem solved.
Or maybe your DVD player is dying, also highly likely.

The discs are NOT degrading, just by the way.
The labels are causing the problems. Peel them off, wash them off. Easy enough.

Memorex means nothing. Any number of IDs could be there, and I doubt the next stack would be the same as the last.

[jbartosh]

I don't think the DVD player is dying because they play like crap in the computer dvd drive as well...

Is it possible that my computer is somehow causing the problem??? Even though I have upgraded the burner and installed latest firmware, is it possible there is something in the bios that just does not like 16x discs???

I am going to experiment with the label idea. I am trying to look back and verify if I have any unlabeled discs that are bad, that will give me a good clue as to if the labels are the problems or not...

[jbartosh]

About the labels, I have some labeled discs from 4 years ago that still work perfectly today. Why did the labels not kill those??

[jbartosh]

Right now I'm really starting to think that it is my computer somehow. Even though I changed the burners, and I am going to try to verify this, but I believe that I have never had a bad dvd 8x or less, and I don't think I've ever had a good 16x disc. Anybody else ever have a similar problem?

[johns0]

Lordsmurf already gave you the answer,its the LABELS that are causing the problem,some labeled dvd's will play ok,but others will cause problems,i had the same problem with labels myself,just do a test,take off a label from an affected dvd and retry it after the label is gone.

[jbartosh]

Okay I will try this, by what method is safest and surest. These labels do not come off easy. I can soak them in warm water and they will come off, is this okay for the disc?

[johns0]

That will be ok,thats what i did and found the discs were playable after that.

[lordsmurf]

No, don't soak the discs. Get a wet towel, and then wipe. The label is garbage, it will disintegrate.

[johns0]

I had to soak my discs in warm water with soap to get them off,using a wet towel didn't do much,just dont scratch them when taking off the label.

[jbartosh]

Well I just got the first disc cleaned and the label off of it. Unfortanatley I put some hairline cracks in the center of it while cleaning. I soaked it in water first, then used 3m adhesive remover. I played the disc, and it seems to work in all the spots it didn't yesterday with the label on. I am going to try to find a way to safely get all the labels off. Here are some questions.

1. How can I safely label discs? Buy a lightscribe? Use a permanent marker? Any other ideas?

2. Why do the labels mess up the discs? Why do they sometimes not?

The reason I need to label the discs seperate is because they are going into one box, an 8 dvd holder, and each individual disc should be labeled, if nothing else, at least with a number. Thanks for the help!!!

[classfour]

1. Sharpie = Cheap labeller. Just write on the disc.

2. Epson or Cannon Disc Printer = more expensive (best used when labelling
larger volumes of discs)

3. Casio = Most expensive per disc. BUT- you can use cheaper media.

[TBoneit]

Just to add to what classfour said, the Epson or Cannon disc printers won't print on standard discs. They need printable discs.

[jman98]

Here are some questions.

1. How can I safely label discs? Buy a lightscribe? Use a permanent marker? Any other ideas?

2. Why do the labels mess up the discs? Why do they sometimes not?

1. Lightscribe works fine, but you do need to be aware that it only uses a single color and you may need to create your own labels if you don't like the default ones, which write text in circular patterns. I create labels using Microsoft Word (or Open Office Text Writer) and using some photo software I have, I save a JPG of the text and then edit it to the proper size. It sounds a lot worse than it is, but I have never figured out a better way to do labels in Lightscribe that aren't circular.
Permanent marker is OK too. I do that sometimes.
2. The labels mess up because of adhesive on them. That's why not using labels or using Lightscribe is better.

[Musikk]

I have used just about every disc labeling system on the market. Below is a quick review.
1. Sharpies/markers: Caveman technology. The crudest form of labeling.
2. Sticker systems: All sticker labeling systems print image on paper sticker that then gets placed on disc. Stickers peel off, if sticker is placed uneven it will cause disk to wobble making them unreadable, prone to smudges.
3. LightScribe: Only etches image on disc in limited colors. Expensive proprietary technology (HP). Unacceptable for any creative, colorful labeling.
4. Inkjet Printers: Uses feeder tray to print image directly on discs. Old technology, feeder tray jams often, tray can scratch discs, streaking ink problems, dry time issues, complicated set up software.
5. Four color silk screening: How record companies label discs. EXPENSIVE, limited to large printing runs, not a consumer option.
6: Dedicated disc printing device: A new option (2007). Currently the DYMO DiscPainter is the best example of this category (Better than the Casio). Easy to use, easy software suite, fast (60 second) 600dpi color printing, prints directly on disc. Clearly the best option IMHO.
Yes, others will swear by one of the above options. That's great for them. I just think that disc labeling has been an orphaned technology that resulted in half measures and quirky devices. The DiscPainter is a real evolution in disc labeling technology. It truly is the fastest, cleanest, easiest option.

[Musikk]

Sorry I forgot to add that stick on labels can have a profound impact on a disc's ability to play. A slightly misaligned sticker can cause enough of a wobble at high speeds to make the disc unreadable. Further, the adhesive on the sticker can cause data corruption after a month or two. OK I will shut my cake hole now.

[Joey1966]

I recently got the dymo and its great...i am able to print these cd covers out in a snap..i used to use sticky labels and i hated them b/c the would mess up my cd ... but this printer barely even has dry time. It great for drafts when i am running out the door and the professional stuff too.

[dadrab]

Since those two glowing recommenations on the Dymo labeler, I hesitate to add my "two cents" worth, but I guess I'll do it anyway.

You might try burning a little slower. Just because you have a burner that will will rip 'em out at 16X doesn't mean you have to go that fast. The same principle applies to disc speeds; just because it says 8x on the label, doesn't mean you need to burn them that fast.

The time you save burning at 8x-16x will easily be pissed away once you realize you've created a coaster.

Just a thought...