Bad Maxell MXL RG..03? falling apart.

[Lobe]

anyone else finding bad Maxell RG03 made in Japan DVD-R Media?
This last branded from OD gold topped spindle has been horrid, it's way too easy for the two plastic layers to fall apart, many are doing it on their own. Or they have a rainbow/oil slick in them and then the just peel apart.
This is very bad, I was concerned before about the physical feel of Maxell compared to TY, but now, I think I'm going back to TY. I really fear my Maxell media(real maxell, not meritline fakes) may be falling apart soon.

[lordsmurf]

Not seen anything of the sort.

Some years ago, I did have some VHS tapes that smelled like pure gasoline. But never had that before or since.

[TBoneit]

I think that I wouldn't use them as it sounds like a bad lot of disks. Maybe they had a manufacturing defect. I would contact the seller and/or Maxell for a replacement of the whole spindle and I'd copy anything that is on them to some other media. That rainbow/oil slick is what happens when Air gets into the dye layer as far as I know and at that point they are already dead.

Sorry to hear about your bad luck\.

[FulciLives]

Every package of Maxell DVD-R discs that I have seen lately say MADE IN TAIWAN on them.

I haven't seen MADE IN JAPAN for ages now.

I still get Taiyo Yuden at RIMA.COM and when I am in a quick fix the 10 packs of Panasonic DVD-R discs at BEST BUY ... they are expensive ($12.99 for a 10 pack in slim cases) but at least they are Taiyo Yuden.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[budz]

The MAXELL RG03 has been hit or miss lately. The quality control has been shitty the last few months. On one of the spindles I bought a few months ago I couldn't even use them in my stand alone PIONEER 220-S recorder and on my computer dvd burners.

The MADE IN JAPAN spindles are getting harder to find. Although I've noticed the 25 pack spindles at some OFFICE DEPOT's & WALMART's are MADE IN JAPAN. Lately I've been using mostly MAXELL DVD+R MADE IN JAPAN discs which burn fine in my computer dvd burners.

[Lobe]

these were purchased at the start of 2005, I bought about six spindles at OD, this is the first I've had this problem with, maybe that's why they started sourcing them from Taiwan? No idea, I probably went through 4 spindles from the same time, no problems, but this seperation of layers is scary, like all could be lost. I need these for back-ups AND original material that if it's lost there's not other copy so this is not good.
Honestly, the edges of the Maxell always worried me anyway, they seem too rough.. sure hope this is a bad batch. Before this my only complaint with maxell was sloppy packaging/handling-- fingerprints and smears on them. Physically, the the TY seems like a better disc, but I haven't used them since 4x so perhaps that has changed.

[ice-berg]

That's true, Maxell is getting sloppy when it comes to their quality control recently. And i'm refering to the MIJ -R discs, since i have never bought any taiwanese. Here is what i noticed about these MIJ -R 8X gold topped discs after buying plenty of spindles and packs with cases:

1- Plenty of dust and particles on the disc. whether it comes in spindles or the packs of 10, its dusty all the same.

2- The outer edge of the burning layer of all discs show a sign of degredation (It looks like the organic layer was eaten up). However, I dont think its something to worry about, since this outer area i'm talking about falls just outside the burning range.

3- Some discs gave me the rainbow color just after i had squeezed them in a regular dvd case. Dont know if that's bad.

I have never seen all of this in their yellow topped 4X -R. Dont get me wrong, i still love Maxells MIJ and i never hesitate buying them whenver i stumble on a good price. I just hope maxell wises up and starts taking their quality control more seriously. I really hate to see the same thing happening in their 16X to come.

[Fandim]

Well, I guess I'll be the first person to say: These discs have actually been better lately for me than ever before.. Both the RG03 MIJ DVD-R, and the 002 MIJ DVD+R. Some of my best scans ever have come recently from burning these discs on a NEC3540 as well as my wife who burns them on a Pioneer 109. I've gone through several hundred of both the last couple months, and no complaints here.

Seth

[ungamunga]

I have seen one (of perhaps 200) of my MXL RG03 gold-topped Maxell disk, probably bought sometime in Feb or March, showing signs of "peeling". It looks like a thin film of plastic is starting to peel off the disk starting from the inner ring.

None of my other MIJ Maxells have shown this problem. Even so, after reading all the horror stories about MXL media a while back, I switched to TY and Sony media.

[lordsmurf]

2- The outer edge of the burning layer of all discs show a sign of degredation (It looks like the organic layer was eaten up). However, I dont think its something to worry about, since this outer area i'm talking about falls just outside the burning range.

I see that from time to time on many discs, it's the foil not being cut 100% perfect.

[ice-berg]

This last branded from OD gold topped spindle has been horrid, it's way too easy for the two plastic layers to fall apart, many are doing it on their own.

I have seen one (of perhaps 200) of my MXL RG03 gold-topped Maxell disk, probably bought sometime in Feb or March, showing signs of "peeling". It looks like a thin film of plastic is starting to peel off the disk starting from the inner ring.

Plastic layers falling apart and peeling, now thats some freaky stuff. Never saw this before, not even on princo.

I see that from time to time on many discs, it's the foil not being cut 100% perfect.

Thanks for this valuable info smurfy.

[QuaiBoy]

No MIJ Maxell 8x problems here. The MIT (Ritek G05) also works well, but I've had great results with Ritek. I have noticed an above-average amount of dust in the last pack or two of MIJ 8x I've burned (I don't use it too often), nothing too disconcerting.

Tip: If you have an Office Depot nearby and there is a sale on Maxell 8x, ask the person in computers to see the entire stock of discs they have if all the spindles are coming up MIT. The spindles are shipped in 4 packs (200 discs per box) and it will say "Made in Taiwan" or "Made in Japan" spelled out on the side of the box.

-Evan-