This is bad- spot from lint

[888888]

I had "succesfully" burnt a DVD backup with DVD Shrink. I take out the disc and see that there is a small piece of fabric fiber on the surface. I brush off the fiber, and to my horror, there is one of those "spots" under it I have read so much about on nomorecoasters and other sites. I have not been able to test the whole disc yet. But that spot really looks bad and there is another tinyer one next to it.

Whenever I put a blank DVD-R into my drive, I am sooo careful not to expose it to the dusty, stuff filled air. I do a quick maneuver where I swipe a disc off the spindle and quickly put it in the drive immediately. And STILL, it comes out with lint and dirt on it. This has really bummed me out. I don't want to spend 80 cents each on good quality media that gets ruined by a tiny piece of fabric. Nor do I want to waste my time burning bad discs. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[freestyler]

If my discs are dusty, I blast the bottom with a can of compressed air.

You can buy it at an office supply store - usually in the computer accessories section where they have mousepads and stuff like that.

Strictly for the paranoid. Does anyone else do this besides me?

[888888]

If my discs are dusty, I blast the bottom with a can of compressed air.

You can buy it at an office supply store - usually in the computer accessories section where they have mousepads and stuff like that.

Strictly for the paranoid. Does anyone else do this besides me?

Being obviously paranoid myself, I would be weary of how such a product will affect the DVD-R before and during burning. Thanks for the suggestion though. What are your burn stats for this method, for example "1000 succesfull burns at 4x using RitekG004 with a spray from the ol' huffin can each time".

[freestyler]

I've used this spray method on about 10 light/medium dusty discs or so over the course of a few months and they've verified fine in Nero. I copied the contents back to my drive just in case. My statistics aren't mind boggling by any means, I only record about 10 discs a week.

It's also a good idea to make sure that discs you play in the drive aren't dusty. Maybe try wiping down the movies you play (or rip) with a microfiber dust cloth if they look dusty before you put them in.

Hopefully some more users can chime in with their methods and suggestions.

[glockjs]

i've thought about this too. im not a quick switcher like you 888888. im the type that spends about a half hour analyzing the disc and the tray by eye sight. making sure not to breath or make sudden movements when carefully inserting the disc into the drive. if theres not a bottle of air around i use the ol' manual take a deep breath and blow method.

[lordsmurf]

This is why I blow compressed air from a can (not spit-filled air from my mouth) over the disc before putting in the burner.

Even with this spot, there is a slight chance it'll be fine. At worst, I'd think it to be nothing more than a quick picture error, and then gone again ... unless the lint was large or runs across several of the wobble grooves.

[Cobra]

It makes me wonder... I use BulkPaq discs (Princo "wife-beater" dye) in my Pioneer DVR-106. If they get dirt on them when I write the label or come out the pack a bit dusty I give them a quick wipe on my jeans/shirt.

I am yet to burn a coaster, and all the discs I've burned have been fine..... Shocking, isn't it?

Cobra

[disturbed1]

I like to buy discs that don't have dirt on them

Seriously though, if your discs are coming to you dirty, send them back, and find another place to buy from, or get a different brand of media. They do not leave the factory that way.

Usually the bottom disc may have a scuff or two, and the top might have a spec or 2 on it, after that, if the discs have foriegn material on them, something is wrong.

Of course if you live in AZ, TX, or another desert state, or on a dirt road, then it isn't the shipping/supplier's fault.

[888888]

This is why I blow compressed air from a can (not spit-filled air from my mouth) over the disc before putting in the burner.

Which brand of "compressed air" do you use?

[nufan292]

It doesn't matter, it's compressed air.

[tweedledee]

I only use compressed air that's canned in the higher regions of the Himalayas. It's expensive, but boy, those DVD's come out sparkling.

[FulciLives]

I only use compressed air that's canned in the higher regions of the Himalayas. It's expensive, but boy, those DVD's come out sparkling.

Yes I must concur ... that stuff from the Himalayas kicks ass ... cleans me out everytime I spray it "up there".

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[888888]

It doesn't matter, it's compressed air.

The reason I ask is not only because I want to be just like my hero lordsmurf right down to his brand of air.

I never actually heard of a product called compressed air. I was hoping a brand name would stear me in the right direction. I don't want to buy the wrong thing. BTW, you are an ******* if you respond to this with "buy the can that says compressed air on it". An answer like "Office Depot sells their own brand with the words compressed air on it" would be more appropriate.

ALSO, is anti-static spray a good idea? It seems as though all the crap in the air is attracted like a magnet to my DVD-Rs.

[lordsmurf]

I use "Century Duster", which is the cheap 4-pack for $9.99 at Fry's.

There's a lot of brands.

Some of them can cost $10 per can.

But as said above, air is air.

Anti-static spray is altogether different, not useful.

I actually don't see the words "compressed air" anywhere on the can. Normally it says something about "removing lint" or "brushless dusting".

Never hold it sideways or upside down. It'll spew liquid.

[presto]

Do you have to use positively charged air for +R/RW and negatively charged air for -R/RW or is it the other way around?

[FulciLives]

Do you have to use positively charged air for +R/RW and negatively charged air for -R/RW or is it the other way around?

Actually it depends on the type of DVD burner you have. If it is a -R only burner then you use negatively charged air. If it is a +R only burner then you use positively charged air.

For combo drives ... regardless of the type of media in use ... you must spray BOTH types of air on the media to retain balance.

However if the combo burner ALSO does DVD-RAM then you have to use an altogether different method that is very complicated so I won't go into that now.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[888888]

DVD-RAM has a neutral charge, similar to neutron sub-atomic particles. Therefore, you have to use neutrally charged air. Unfortunatly, the only source of which is fart gas out of one's ass.

[Cobra]

Unfortunatly, the only source of which is fart gas out of one's ass.

Never hold it sideways or upside down. It'll spew liquid.

Since I don't own a DVD-RAM drive, I can't be sure of the method employed to actually clean the disc. I assume it involves a handstand.

Cobra

[nufan292]

How's this for being an *******, found all these examples by typing "compressed air" at amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index%3Delectronics%26field-browse...996683-8058318
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/browse/-/3346321/1/ref=br_lpsp_pg/104-8996683-8058318?

[888888]

And these are safe for blank DVD-Rs?

[civic]

Compressed air can be found at camera shops and office supply stores, in many different brands. It's perfectly safe to use on DVDs and CDs; I much prefer using it to rubbing the disc to get rid of dust. I also use it to blow off lenses and to blow dust out of the inside of my computer every couple of months. I don't know how it is in New York, but in Virginia you can occasionally get cans of air for free after rebate at Office Depot, Staples, or OfficeMax.

[888888]

Thanks for the info civic.

[indolikaa]

Spiraling downhill rapidly...

Of course if you live in AZ, TX, or another desert state, or on a dirt road, then it isn't the shipping/supplier's fault

Then I'm fucked. I live in the Arizona high desert and on a dirt road.

It makes me wonder... I use BulkPaq discs (Princo "wife-beater" dye) in my Pioneer DVR-106.

I use only discs with Taiyo Yuden's "husband-beater" dye. It's a much safer alternative to spending a lot of money on shit media and then having to listen to her bitch about my chintziness because I burned a coaster.

I only use compressed air that's canned in the higher regions of the Himalayas. It's expensive, but boy, those DVD's come out sparkling.

I use whatever air the compressor outside captures and stores. It then gets routed through the compressed air pipes under the house to a nice, pretty blue translucent tube at my desk. From there it comes out a high-velocity nozzle and onto the equipment at hand.

It's relatively cheap, and you can't be that 'Horseshit smell from the ranch two Sections down the way" smell.

[TheSeven7hSon]

I just use a Kinetronics brush. Reusable. Washable. Takes off any loose lint and dust. Just don't press too hard. Found in camera shops.

http://www.kinetronics.com/cgi-local/SoftCart.100.exe/online-store/scstore/wisk1.html?...563+1115342107



Seven

[888888]

I think I am gonna go with the compressed air. I have had bad experiences with brushes.

I went to the store today and they had some canisters, one I think it was called Endust. But a warning said "not to be used on camera mirrored lenses" or something and that scared me away. They had a Maxell one too. Anyone tried it?

Either way, I will buy one at Radioshack with this coupon:
http://www.radioshack.com/images/homepage/maystore_coupon5.jpg

Good deal huh?

[Capmaster]

I've found that static is really bad for discs - it won't damage them but it sure makes them collect a lot of dust. I've had discs that almost look like Chia Pets from the static and dust.

I live in an extremely dry desert and I've found that the best thing, especially during the winter when the furnace is running, is to invest in a humidifier. It minimizes the static charge on things and the dust is much more controllable. The side benefit is that you won't catch the common cold nearly as often.

[gmatov]

This thread is hilarious.

50 % are serious as hell, 50 % are jacking the other 50 %, and whish, right over their heads. Reminds me of the guys I work with.

Egads! A speck of lint? Gadzooks, it must be a coaster! Try the damned thing, see if it is a coaster. I doubt it like hell.

For the muscle shirt types here, you may be at a disadvantage, have to wipe it across your thigh, unless you also wear shorts. Stroke it across your shirt sleeve, not in a circular motion, just swipe, you will not have a prob. Well, all my shirts are probably older than most of you, so they have no loose fibres to give up.

Anti statics, air cans, brushes? You have GOT to be kidding. Microwipes? Sheesh, no damned wonder the ad industry gets big bucks, theyll' get you to buy anything.

Never had a problem with a speck of "lint" on the recording side of a DVD, nor a CD.

Good luck with your search for this grail.

Cheers,

George

[888888]

This thread is hilarious.

50 % are serious as hell, 50 % are jacking the other 50 %, and whish, right over their heads. Reminds me of the guys I work with.

Egads! A speck of lint? Gadzooks, it must be a coaster! Try the damned thing, see if it is a coaster. I doubt it like hell.

For the muscle shirt types here, you may be at a disadvantage, have to wipe it across your thigh, unless you also wear shorts. Stroke it across your shirt sleeve, not in a circular motion, just swipe, you will not have a prob. Well, all my shirts are probably older than most of you, so they have no loose fibres to give up.

Anti statics, air cans, brushes? You have GOT to be kidding. Microwipes? Sheesh, no damned wonder the ad industry gets big bucks, theyll' get you to buy anything.

Never had a problem with a speck of "lint" on the recording side of a DVD, nor a CD.

Good luck with your search for this grail.

Cheers,

George

If you are trying to say that I am paranoid, obcessive, and spend way too much time thinking about the quality of my DVD-Rs, you are absolutely correct. You can gather from my other posts such as the one about Sharpies that I worry about "minor" stuff in the scheme of DVD burning.

BUT...

I didn't start this thread out of paranoia but because I actually noticed the effects of lint and fibers after burning. This does cause coasters! I pay 80 cents a DVD-R as well as waste time burning these things and would like to avoid coasters. As for the thing about wiping on your old shirt, I gather you were joking, but I don't think it's a good idea.

ANYWAY

I bought a big can of Maxell Blast Away and it pretty much solved my problem of big chunks of fiber on the disc during burning. Thanks for everybody's help.

[gmatov]

I was absolutely NOT joking about the shirt sleeve!

Just drag the disk once straight across your bicep. Clean as a whistle. Do not use any type of circular motion, as you just may cause a problem.

Anywhere you go for a reply to this question, except a few equally paranoid posters here, that is about the advice you will get, maybe just use a lint free cloth and wipe across the disk, not in a circular motion. Those responses, apparently, from muscle shirt types.

Take that horribly disfigured disk back to the burner and run DVDInfoPro on it, check it for quality, play it, check it for playback quality. I would bet you have no problem with it.

BTW, Endust is the product name for a furniture polish with antistatic agents in it. Not a good thing to use on your disks. But go ahead and dust the desktop with it. If you have less dust in the vicinity, less chance of getting it on your next disk.

The poster with the pic of the brush...I hope that is a shot from their ad, and not the lengths you go to when burning. Rubber gloves? Good Grief!

Cheers,

George

"Big Chunks" of fibre? A big chunk would have been thrown off from centrifugal force. Some burners go to 10,000 RPM. Must have been glued on.

[jimmalenko]

I gotta agree with George on this one.

80c ? Damn, that'll break the bank if I have to reburn it. Considering I own the original, and I'm only using a DVDR as my rough and tumble copy, it won't matter if the disc gets damaged because I own the original and can easily run off another copy. Did I mention that I own the original and can quite easily burn another copy ? I don't believe in borrowing/renting movies and copying them. If I did, I might have trouble re-acquiring some of my DVDs and then it might be an issue if I have to reburn.

As well as hitting the burning surface of the disc, make sure that you give your DVD player a spray also, because dust and lint particles enter the drive mechanism each time you open it. And don't use cheapo air, only buy high-quality from reputable companies. The air is made in the same factory, but you CAN tell the difference. It is true though, only buy from companies situated at high altitudes - the air is a lot purer up there.[/sarcasm]