Amazing how easy it is to mess up a blank dvd!

[DVDEmperor]

I put a recently burned movie on the table to write on it with a Sharpie and a certain spot got rubbed. Of course it has ruined the near-end of the playback!


Riteks rool but why do blank dvds get so easily messed up with a slight touch?

Just wondering if anyone knows of any discs that can withstand a little wear and tear.

[Thorn]

Try keeping a cd case handy to label discs on. No scratches=no ruined discs.

It might also be your player, since some players handle errors better.

[jtommyj]

I noticed this also on my DVD-RW's. Seem far less forgiving than my CD's for sure.

[dengar]

Do the Riteks have any kind of coating on the top of the disc? I would hope so.

[freestyler]

Was the rub on the bottom of the disc or the top of the disc? I would imagine that a rub on the top of the disc would do no harm - a couple times I've spelled movie titles wrong with a sharpie and have crappily tried to fix my spelling error and it surely hasn't affected playback by any means.

[bnbhoha]

It is my understanding that the paper that hold the data on dvd-rs is in the middle of the dvd-rs and is sandwiched in with plastic. On cd-rs the sheet that holds the data is glued on top of the plastic and can be easily damaged if it were to get scratched on top because there is no plastic to protect it.

[Dubber]

TDK makes Armor Plated DVD-Rs, expensive? - sure they are but are scratch resistant.

Also, mark your DVDs after you burn them...

[Meritline]

Maybe you need this(TDK armor plated dvd)?: http://www.meritline.com/tdk-dvd-r-2x-armorplated.html

[overloaded_ide]

It is my understanding that the paper that hold the data on dvd-rs is in the middle of the dvd-rs and is sandwiched in with plastic. On cd-rs the sheet that holds the data is glued on top of the plastic and can be easily damaged if it were to get scratched on top because there is no plastic to protect it.

I think that's wrong on both counts.
It's not the paper that holds the data, it's the dye, and I am sure the dye is always inside the disk, not on top.

On top is the reflective layer that acts as a mirror to reflect the laser back.
Without a reflective layer the laser would shine right though the disk, and data would not be read.

If you remove or distort the reflective layering the disk can not be read.
If you write with a ball point pen and it bends a little high low track in the reflective layer the the reflection is distorted. Thats why it won't work.

Try looking at the shiney side of smooth aluminum foil. Nice reflection, now write on the other side and look agian. Light is reflected differently and you can see the track left by the pen.
I think basically you have aluminum foil on the top of the disks.
Some disks have a thicker foil, and paper over it or maybe even plastic.
Others are not as good.

Not really the data you hurt when you damage the top, data is fine, but since the laser is not reflecting back correctly it can't be read.
Same as damageing the botom of the disk, the laser does not shine in and back out correctly. But at least the bottom you can often buff or polish out the damage. Either way the data was not harmed, just the ability to read it.

Sometime I will test my theory that a disk can be repaired when the top surface is scratched!
I beleave if the top of the plastic is not damaged and you get the damaged foil off the disk, for emergancy data recovery you could applie silver to the top and restore the data or readablity of the disk.
Similar to silvering a mirror.

You make a mirror by applying a layer of silver to glass or plastic on the back and then looking through the front. I think the same can be done with disks.

Now if you BEND the disk sometimes you can actually damage the data by distoring the dye inside the disk, even without damage to top or bottom you won't be able to read the disk. That is because the dye shifts basically. At least that part I have been told by a CD manufactorer, It never happened to me. Maybe it's just crappy disks or RWs that do that??

[hedstrosity]

are you sure it played fine before?
sounds like its just a bad disc if the playback at the end is whas messed up

[Thorn]

Actually bnbhoha is close. The dye and reflective layer for DVDR media are sanwitched between two .6 mm plastic discs. Scratching or writing on the top won't do anything unless you alter the balance (by putting a label on it, for example). Any damage to the bottom layer can prevent the laser from reaching the dye and returning undistorted. You can see how this works by destroying a DVDR disc - if you bend it enough, the seal should break and the two layers are easier to separate. Be prepared for foil flecks to get everywhere

CDR are made from a single 1.2mm disc with the dye and reflective layer on top. Markers don't cause problems, but ball point pens can. Scratching or chipping the reflective layer off causes the data to be lost (obviously... since the dye comes off with the reflective layer). CDR have the same problem with scratches/smudges on the bottom. However, since the data is packed less densely, less data is obscured by a small scratch than on a DVDR.

On the other hand, DVD+-R and Pressed DVDs have a different error correction scheme so you shouldn't see glitches so noticably on your DVD player. Unfortunately, cheap players have very little tolerance for discs that are scratched/distorted or whatnot and often have trouble with poor quality discs. If you use cheapo blanks, you may find your player won't play the disc even when it has no scratches at all.

@overloaded_ide I don't remember all the specifics of pressed discs, but I think your info may be more relevant to pressed media. I've seen discussions about repairing CDs and I think the mirroring can be repaired on those. CDR and DVDR media is harder to repair (and it's practially impossible to replace data if it has been physically scraped off)

[lordsmurf]

I always lay out a piece of clean paper, then set the disc on it, then write with Sharpie. No dust, dirt, lint, scratches, etc that way.

[defense]

I always lay out a piece of clean paper, then set the disc on it, then write with Sharpie. No dust, dirt, lint, scratches, etc that way.

Why not just put the disk in a jewel case and write the title in the jewel case? That's how I do it...I keep my jewel cases sealed until ready to use....put the burned disk in them...and write the title with a DVD marker.

I would be concerned using paper for two reasons. 1) It scratches things because of its abrasiveness. 2) There are all types of microscoptic particles on paper...placing a disk on top of even the cleanest piece of paper would be of concern to me.

But if it works for you with no problems...then more power to ya.

[FulciLives]

I always lay out a piece of clean paper, then set the disc on it, then write with Sharpie. No dust, dirt, lint, scratches, etc that way.

Why not just put the disk in a jewel case and write the title in the jewel case? That's how I do it...I keep my jewel cases sealed until ready to use....put the burned disk in them...and write the title with a DVD marker.

I would be concerned using paper for two reasons. 1) It scratches things because of its abrasiveness. 2) There are all types of microscoptic particles on paper...placing a disk on top of even the cleanest piece of paper would be of concern to me.

But if it works for you with no problems...then more power to ya.

Don't take this the wrong way guys because I am one of you but when I got to this paper post I just had to laugh over how anal we can all be sometimes.

I mean if this conversation was in a movie it would be funny in a Tarintino kind of way to us hip puppies while everyone else would think it was the DORK part of the movie.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[hedstrosity]

im my opinion i think dvd's are just as durable as cd's.... i treat both really well, but have seen abuse from a friend first hand... he throws his lead data discs around all over never using cases and leave them out to collect dust. theyre scratched all to hell, yet they still play fine on 2 set top dvd players ive tried and they (majority) read in my pc dvd drive and make a complet image without errors....

the disk had to have been bad, and he thinks his fingerprint or watever messed it up... you never answered me about if you had played it before or not?

non alcohol special dvd markers is bs also... cmon now....
i have at least 500 burnt dvd's .... "ALL" marked with a sharpie, and not one coaster.... i burn, then write (with the sharpie), then scan the disc with nero to check for errors, then play in dvd player .....
some of you guys need to quit being so paranoid...

[Roderz]

Errrr what exactly is a sharpie

[hedstrosity]

Errrr what exactly is a sharpie

basically the most popoular permanent marker... you can buy them just about anywhere

[pharlap]

BE SMART AND WRITE ON THE DISC FIRST THEN BURN IT ANY FAULTS WILL BE PICKED UP WHEN BURNING

[lordsmurf]

Why not just put the disk in a jewel case and write the title in the jewel case? That's how I do it...I keep my jewel cases sealed until ready to use....put the burned disk in them...and write the title with a DVD marker. I would be concerned using paper for two reasons. 1) It scratches things because of its abrasiveness. 2) There are all types of microscoptic particles on paper...placing a disk on top of even the cleanest piece of paper would be of concern to me. But if it works for you with no problems...then more power to ya.

The raised level of the jewel case screws up my handwriting.

I use the same slick glossy photo paper in my printer. It isn't the run-of-the-mill 20-pound copy paper. It's 32-lb slick photo finish surface for photo work. It doesn't have fuzzies or abrasive surfaces, not any moreso than the smooth plastic of a jewel case.

Oh, and I never use jewel cases. I use DVD cases or mini-spindles for DVD storage. Wallets for CDs. My jewel cases (normally just from my Apple discs) are sold in bulk on eBay for a few bucks or thrown away.

[garryheather]

Errrr what exactly is a sharpie

basically the most popoular permanent marker... you can buy them just about anywhere

Unless you live in the UK, where Sharpie's don't (seem to) exist.

Think Staedtler Lumocolor permanent markers and you won't go far wrong.