Will bad media damage the Panasonic DVD Recorder ?

[ana_costa_brazil]

Here in Brazil they are selling a DVD-R media called MXM. Has anyone ever used this media ? If it is a NOT SO GOOD media would it damage my Panasonic DMR-E50 Recorder if I use it ? I rather prefer paying much more on media than doing anything to harm my recorder!

Thanks

[dafoe]

I'm certainly no expert, But I have owned a DVD recorder since late 2000 and I now have two. Other than some of the older DVD players having problems with high speed media (x4 and up) I can't think of any way media could possibly damage your recorder.

Here are some things that CAN happen with bad media:

1) Blocky and or skipping picture
2) Over time, the disc can degrade and become unreadable
3) During recording, the recorder will stop recording and shut off
4)The disc can freeze the recorder- rendering it useless- the disc just shows "reading" and it wont eject.

I had this happen a few time and had to pry the disc out with a fork.

Cheap media really isn't worth it. My advice woulkd be to stick with whtat works for you now.

[ana_costa_brazil]

I'm certainly no expert, But I have owned a DVD recorder since late 2000 and I now have two. Other than some of the older DVD players having problems with high speed media (x4 and up) I can't think of any way media could possibly damage your recorder.

Here are some things that CAN happen with bad media:

1) Blocky and or skipping picture
2) Over time, the disc can degrade and become unreadable
3) During recording, the recorder will stop recording and shut off
4)The disc can freeze the recorder- rendering it useless- the disc just shows "reading" and it wont eject.

I had this happen a few time and had to pry the disc out with a fork.

Cheap media really isn't worth it. My advice woulkd be to stick with what works for you now.

dafoe THANK YOU SO MUCH for your answer !

I'll do exactly what you recommend, I'll stick to the media I have been using (Samsung 2x and Panasonic) and maybe try some famous ones like TDK and Sony !

I would hate to have to use a fork with my standalone recorder !!!

[ChrisX]

maybe try some famous ones like TDK and Sony !

I am thinking of doing the same; only trust the well known brands like TDK and Sony.

I am thinking doing the same as you, buy only TDK and Sony.

I bought a new Pioneer DVD recorder only recently and I have been trying to find suitable DVD recording discs without success yesterday.

My local area everywhere is having a shortage of DVD-R and DVD-RW media and having oversupply of the +. The DVD-RAM is as so rare like gold.

Not only that, brands I don't know or trust and some as too cheap such as Verbatim and Imation? The cheap unknown stuff is everywhere.

Sony and TDK is rare is my area too. I seen in a couple of places but expensive?

I was also pretty worried about damage to equipment using the wrong media. I've seen warnings about it too.

I also checked out to make sure that my machine as compatible with high speed media. Yes, it is after going into DVD High Speed.

I felt relieved and will have to wait until Friday when I visit Sydney’s CBD shopping.

Hopefully I will be able to buy what I want and cheaply as possible.

I'll probably try Woolworths - George Street?

[ana_costa_brazil]

Hi ChrisX !

I had a standalone Philips Recorder (model 985), which BTW I DO NOT recommend (at least not the ones sold in Brazil), and I made over 30 DVD+Rs with Verbatin Media. They are over one year old and they all play perfectly. So I would trust Verbatin Media if there were any for sale in Brazil nowadays.

So far, I have had 100% success with Samsung (2x) and Panasonic media. I have also used one called Powerdisc but only once. It recorded with no problem. As for DVD-RAM I have only used the Panasonic disc that came with the recorder and I don't intend on buying more, I think one re-writable is more than enough.

[ChrisX]

As for DVD-RAM I have only used the Panasonic disc that came with the recorder and I don't intend on buying more, I think one re-writable is more than enough.

Yes, I can see that and I can see why.

DVD-RAM isn't compatible with other machines and the PC. This was the major reason for not buying the Pana and I got the Pioneer DVD hard disk recorder instead.

Thanks for your advice on Verbatin Media. I believe there is an info in VideoHelp on DVD media generally.

Chris

[handyguy]

I only use Accu media in my panasonic.

btw, if it doesn't want the media you put in it, it goes into a recovery mode & sometimes you got to unplug it for ten seconds & plug back in just cause you put in media you arent' supposed to. How about some Panasonic media?

[Capmaster]

Ana,

I also have an E50 and while bad media can't directly harm your recorder, it can cause the drawer to not eject, which is annoying. I've had that happen several times while I was experimenting with media trying to find one it liked.

Remember, if it refuses to eject and only shows that annoying "RECOVER" display, press and hold the power button until it appears to power down. Then, with the unit off, press only the drawer eject button. The unit should power up and spit out the bad disc. Then you must power the unit down without any disc in it to fully reset it. Otherwise it'll keep trying to recover and restore the failed recording.

By the way, Maxell branded DVD-R media works superbly in my E50 No coasters yet

[DVD_Ripper]

maybe try some famous ones like TDK and Sony !

I am thinking of doing the same; only trust the well known brands like TDK and Sony.

I am thinking doing the same as you, buy only TDK and Sony.

I bought a new Pioneer DVD recorder only recently and I have been trying to find suitable DVD recording discs without success yesterday.

My local area everywhere is having a shortage of DVD-R and DVD-RW media and having oversupply of the +. The DVD-RAM is as so rare like gold.

Not only that, brands I don't know or trust and some as too cheap such as Verbatim and Imation? The cheap unknown stuff is everywhere.

Sony and TDK is rare is my area too. I seen in a couple of places but expensive?

I was also pretty worried about damage to equipment using the wrong media. I've seen warnings about it too.

I also checked out to make sure that my machine as compatible with high speed media. Yes, it is after going into DVD High Speed.

I felt relieved and will have to wait until Friday when I visit Sydney’s CBD shopping.

Hopefully I will be able to buy what I want and cheaply as possible.

I'll probably try Woolworths - George Street?

Watch out for TDK disks... I purchased a 25 pack a few weeks back and they were landfill material (CMC mfg ID).... It seems (IMO) that those vendors you can trust to make good quality disks are: Sony, Apple, Maxell and Fuji. All the OEM Mfg's they use are are 'good to great'.... where as TDK uses 'poor to great'

HTH

[ChrisX]

Watch out for TDK disks... I purchased a 25 pack a few weeks back and they were landfill material (CMC mfg ID).... It seems (IMO) that those vendors you can trust to make good quality disks are: Sony, Apple, Maxell and Fuji. All the OEM Mfg's they use are are 'good to great'.... where as TDK uses 'poor to great'

HTH

Thanks for the advice and greatly appreciated. I’ll be getting them on Friday so hopefully the reputable ones. I’ll just buy a couple of each just to try out.

Sony perhaps and what I haven’t seen Maxell for years.

Is Maxell really good too?

Anyone experiences on DVD-R and DVD-RW discs, tell me?

[ana_costa_brazil]

Watch out for TDK disks... I purchased a 25 pack a few weeks back and they were landfill material (CMC mfg ID).... It seems (IMO) that those vendors you can trust to make good quality disks are: Sony, Apple, Maxell and Fuji. All the OEM Mfg's they use are are 'good to great'.... where as TDK uses 'poor to great'

HTH

DVD_Ripper THANKS for the tip on TDK discs ! I did buy a bandle of 20 spindle TDK DVD+Rs and the Philips 985 can't record anything. It starst recording and less than 10 seconds later it stops and shuts off. I thought it was the recorder so I bought a few Verbatin Media again and the recorder was able to record without problems. Now I have 19 TDKs in hand and I want to test them in a different DVD+R recorder (Or DVD+R Writer) to see if these discs are indeed faulty. I bought them from the internet (a US store), but you can buy DVD-R (or DVD+R) TDK discs easily in Brazil. They are pretty expensive here, and they only sell in the box, I haven't bought any TDK in Brazil yet.

Are you saying that ALL TDK discs (DVD-R or DVD+R) are bad or just the ones they sell out of the box (case) ? I thought we could trust such a famous brand...

[Capmaster]

Watch out for TDK disks... I purchased a 25 pack a few weeks back and they were landfill material (CMC mfg ID).... It seems (IMO) that those vendors you can trust to make good quality disks are: Sony, Apple, Maxell and Fuji. All the OEM Mfg's they use are are 'good to great'.... where as TDK uses 'poor to great'

HTH

DVD_Ripper THANKS for the tip on TDK discs ! I did buy a bandle of 20 spindle TDK DVD+Rs and the Philips 985 can't record anything. It starst recording and less than 10 seconds later it stops and shuts off. I thought it was the recorder so I bought a few Verbatin Media again and the recorder was able to record without problems. Now I have 19 TDKs in hand and I want to test them in a different DVD+R recorder (Or DVD+R Writer) to see if these discs are indeed faulty. I bought them from the internet (a US store), but you can buy DVD-R (or DVD+R) TDK discs easily in Brazil. They are pretty expensive here, and they only sell in the box, I haven't bought any TDK in Brazil yet.

Are you saying that ALL TDK discs (DVD-R or DVD+R) are bad or just the ones they sell out of the box (case) ? I thought we could trust such a famous brand...

Ana,
This is the same situation as the one we had with VHS tapes for years. Many brands are merely relabeled from a different manufacturer. You'd be suprised, and disappointed, in seeing what junk DVD media some of the better-known brands are putting out there. A single "brand" of DVD-R for example could have product made by CMC, Taiyo Yuden or Ritek. You only know for sure by using an application like DVD Info Pro and reading the media code on the blank. But by then you've already bought it so you have to return it if you get junk. Some places won't take it back if it's been opened :P

Visit Lordsmurf's media site at
www.nomorecoasters.com
He has lots of information about dyes, brands, problems, etc. He's also a member here

[ana_costa_brazil]

You'd be suprised, and disappointed, in seeing what junk DVD media some of the better-known brands are putting out there. A single "brand" of DVD-R for example could have product made by CMC, Taiyo Yuden or Ritek. You only know for sure by using an application like DVD Info Pro and reading the media code on the blank. But by then you've already bought it so you have to return it if you get junk. Some places won't take it back if it's been opened :P

Visit Lordsmurf's media site at
www.nomorecoasters.com
He has lots of information about dyes, brands, problems, etc. He's also a member here

Capmaster thanks for that info. I have two problems, in Brazil you can't exchange anything if you have oppened it, and many times even if you haven't oppened. And I don't own a DVD-ROM so I am not able to check the media with any software. That's pretty annoying. Owners of standalone recorders like myself, won't be able to know what exactly they are buying.

I'll check Lordsmurf's page. Thanks for that tip !