TDK = CMC CRAP! Check your media even in the same spindle.

[Dragonfly2337]

I recently ran into a problem that I thought was my computer I have been a supporter and a loyal customer with the TDK brand of DVD+R's. I recently ran into a problem when I was burning movies. This trouble shooting took the whole weekend to figure out. They became blocky and some even became unplayable all 27 of them. Thought at first it was the DVD editing software, DVD Recording software, DVD Burner, Mother Board, Hard Drive, Power Supply, Trojan, Virus, Spyware, Adware, never questioned the media. That was until I took my last good DVD that was made and used DVD Identifier on it and it identified it as:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unique Disc Identifier : [DVD+R:RICOHJPN-R01-002]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disc Type : [DVD+R]
Manufacturer ID : [RICOHJPN]
Manufacturer Name : [Ricoh Company Ltd.]
Media Type ID : [R01]
Product Revision : [002]
Disc Application Code : [General Purpose]
Recording Speeds : [1x , 2.4x , 4x]
Blank Disc Capacity : [Not Supported By Method 2]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[DVD Identifier - http://DVD.Identifier.CDfreaks.com]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Then I took the DVD's that are blocky and unplayable and used DVD Identifier on it and it identified it as:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unique Disc Identifier : [DVD+R:CMC MAG-F01-000]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disc Type : [DVD+R]
Manufacturer ID : [CMC MAG]
Manufacturer Name : [CMC Magnetics Corp.]
Media Type ID : [F01]
Product Revision : [Not Specified]
Disc Application Code : [General Purpose]
Recording Speeds : [1x , 2.4x , 4x]
Blank Disc Capacity : [Not Supported By Method 2]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[DVD Identifier - http://DVD.Identifier.CDfreaks.com]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Half the stack of 100 disc's were good the other half were not.

Good DVD's lot number K370402C502RS3072216B2645 D1109A31010R

Bad DVD's lot number PAD64OHK16075696 5 C+DR47G-AFW022 0209

UPC 020356482817 DVD+R47CCB100

I bought 4 stacks of 100 DVD+R's from Best Buy on 12/31/03.

Why did they change manufactures in the middle of a spindle?

What should I do, what can be done about the other two spindles that I have not opened?

Wanted to give everyone a heads up to check your media even in the same spindle if you run into problems.

Sincerely,

Dragonfly2337

[lenti_75]

WOW....I heard about TDK and never bought them becasue they use CMC , but this is REALLY shitty....

i stick to Maxell Sony and Verbatim.

[Gurm]

If you have a Liteon, there are a number of threads at Club CD Freaks about which write strategies to use for CMC discs...

If you bought CMC F01 00's (HP 4x, KHypermedia 4x, and those Maxells and TDK's), I have personally tried a LOT of write strategies, and the best is Prodisc R03.

If you're in the dark about write strategies, you'll want to read up on Club CD Freaks first, or I might post a thread here just for reference if enough people ask.

- Gurm

[fritzi93]

The purists who advocate Taiyo-Yudens, etc. will naturally advise you to get better media. And they're right, but that doesn't help with your present dilemma, does it? Of course, there are a lot of variables, but have you tried burning to 4.2 GB or less?

I'm a sucker for specials and sometimes end up with CMCs. If I burn to the edge, most times it's a coaster. If I back off a bit, they're usable. YMMV

[SaSi]

Saw the posting and thought to myself, this explains my troubles with SONY and the TDK media.

Downloaded DVDIdentifier (handy tool) and checked some of the TDK branded media I have.

All identify as TTG01 (TDK Corporation) and all indicate recording speeds up to 4x.

But, no with the SONY.

Actually, I was able to record a couple of these at 8x on a LiteOn DVDRW.

Bad for TDK if they outsourced their production of media, and it will hurt them eventually, same way SONY must be hurting by the way their recorders fail to perform what consumers paid for.

[SaSi]

On the other hand, while checking a few RW disks, this is what I discovered:

1st TDK +RW (2x) --> MCC (Mitsubish Chemical Corp)
2nd TDK +RW(2x) -->RICOHJPN
3rd TDK +RW (4x) -->MCC


1st SONY +RW (4x) -->PHILIPS
2nd SONY +RW (2.4x) -->RICOHJPN (this is the original that came with the drive)

5x Sentinel +RW(2.4x) -->SENTINEL

Guess, Sentinel is the only "Brand" name among the RW media I got. All the others sell "sticker" technology...

[Gurm]

Yep. There are only a few companies that make their own dye.

- Gurm

[nufan292]

I guess you could try selling them on ebay or something. For returns, well ... the are way past the return date.

[DVDDave]

that is ******* BULL SHIT that they use multiple manufacturers in the same spindle. then again it is bullshit to buy say TDK, and one day you get RICHOJPNR01, and the next CMC or whatever. i was a firm believer in "stocking up" when the sales get good, thinking good media may be in the spindle. i guess when you buy multiple spindles, we need to verify the contents right away and return the CMC crap.

[Gurm]

CMC isn't ALL crap. Their E01's are pretty good from what I've seen.

Prodisc is cleaning up their act too. It's just that there seems to be a HUGE amount of crappy 4x media in the supply chain.

- Gurm

[DVDDave]

let's hope the new 8X stuff that comes out will be good!!!!!

[Dragonfly2337]

Gurm You let me down an interesting path. Looked up write strategies for my drives. But I only own HP and NEC. Did own a LiteOn but returned it because I could not change the book-type setting (now you can but this was three months to late for me.) Looks great though.

I got to thinking why and how can I get good burns from three of my drives but not the other two with that TDK = CMC crap. Rather perplexing was that one HP dvd300n would burn great disc's the other not at all.
Write strategie maybe. Used DvdinfoPro on both drives exact same drives.
And why did my new Dell 8300 ND-2100AD not burn them right either.
All firmware updated and everything. What in the world is the missing link?
Some disc's good out of the spindle some not? Possible. Then while using Nero InfoTool from www.cdspeed2000.com I found it! The answer? Have to give it a try. Adaptec's ASPI was not installed on either of the machines that were making bad disc's. Installed Adaptec's ASPI and tried it.

Thought that it worked. " It Worked " Tried on three disc's each while they were warm from the burner. Let them cool off and tried again.
Results not good error reading the files. Have not finished trying the surface scan but will report back on that. It takes awhile.

Could this have changed the write strategies of the burner for burning that type of media? I don't think so. Nero CD-DVD Speed program to check them. For more information go here www.nomorecoasters.com.

Dragonfly2337

If you have a Liteon, there are a number of threads at Club CD Freaks about which write strategies to use for CMC discs...

If you bought CMC F01 00's (HP 4x, KHypermedia 4x, and those Maxells and TDK's), I have personally tried a LOT of write strategies, and the best is Prodisc R03.

If you're in the dark about write strategies, you'll want to read up on Club CD Freaks first, or I might post a thread here just for reference if enough people ask.

- Gurm

[Gurm]

No, ASPI would not have effected the write strategies, but it may very well have effected the burn process itself.

ASPI is weird.

- Gurm

[hech54]

Taiyo-Yudens are most likely GREAT discs...maybe the best....but how do you know if you are getting Taiyo-Yudens as well? I've never seen a spindle or package of any kind marked Taiyo-Yuden. Yea....from past experience people have found out that "So-n-So" Discs are Taiyo-Yudens...but they dont SAY it on the package.
With all of the "guesswork - 50/50 chance" that goes on when purchasing brand name media (especially in spindles) from places like Best Buy and others....why do people keep doing it?
I know Ritek has had some quality issues recently but you know what?....when I buy a spindle of Ritek discs....from beginning to end...the whole freaking spindle is RITEK. The same goes for other media as well like Prodisc....the whole spindle is the same....good or bad....they are all the same.
When will people stop FVKKING around with the likes of Memorsux and others who use several different plants to get their discs from and buy REAL discs?

[chas0039]

hech54:

Relax. A lot of people buy "Brand" names from companies that farm out their manufacturing for a variety of reasons. They have a right to be annoyed when they get less than they expect, they just can't really complain to the "Brand" because they know that they farm out and it might be a different disc from time to time. They have a real right to be annoyed when the disc changes in mid stack.

This forum should be a safe place to blow off steam when they get stuck with a bad deal. No one should have to deal with a media shift in mid stack; that is not part of the deal when you buy a "Brand" buy obviously now it is one of the risks and I am glad to be informed of this.

[hech54]

that is not part of the deal when you buy a "Brand" buy obviously now it is one of the risks and I am glad to be informed of this.

NOW?

Have you been under a rock for the past two years? This complaining about changing manufacturing codes from one package to the next one behind it on the shelf has been going on for a LONG time by the same companies....especially Memorsux.

[QuaiBoy]

... I know Ritek has had some quality issues recently but you know what?....when I buy a spindle of Ritek discs....from beginning to end...the whole freaking spindle is RITEK. ...

Very true, the reason why I buy using media codes online (plus the price advantage). It's still good to know what brands are doing what though. Sometimes I have to buy media locally if I run out before I get a chance to reorder.

-Evan-

[VicodiN]

Well, it seems you found out about TDK the hard way - which really sucks, and i feel for you...

Shopping at my nearest Costco, I usually picked up a 15/25 pack spindles of TDK +R 4x, made in Japan - which would ID as RICOHJPN... Man, they were sweet... Havent had one coaster with those suckers.
It seems that Costco is now running a special on TDK +/-R's 25 pack spindles... Looking at the package, I notice a 'MADE IN TAIWAN' sticker on the UPC... UGHH!

I think Ill stick to Ridata's RICOHs from newegg. Retail for about .63 a piece.

[oddbod77]

"Spindle packs are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you're gonna get"

But seriously, thats almost as low as manufacturers using another companies media codes on their cruddy no-name junk discs.

@Gurm: Thanks for your work on finding decent write strategies, I have quite a few of those TDK CMC discs left .

[chas0039]

that is not part of the deal when you buy a "Brand" buy obviously now it is one of the risks and I am glad to be informed of this.

NOW?

Have you been under a rock for the past two years? This complaining about changing manufacturing codes from one package to the next one behind it on the shelf has been going on for a LONG time by the same companies....especially Memorsux.

This is the first I have heard of a media change in mid package. At least that is the impression I got when I read the original post. And keep in mind that while I may not have been under a rock for the last two years even you at one time had never read this or any other forums. We all need to start somewhere.

[Mortomer]

same problem here any cmc disks I got are nothing but trash.

[SaSi]

Well,

after being fed up with the Sony recording at 2x tops, I replaced it (temporarily) with a Lite-On 811s, which is rated at 8x.

My first try to record on a DVD+RW (4x rated) was a joy. Recording was finished in under 15 minutes.

The second try was to record the final DVD onto a TDK 4x -R. To my surprise, Nero suggested only 1x and 2x speeds. I started at 2x. I am now, 50 min later and at 87% finished .

I guess the Sony is junk, but probably the TDK media I am getting is even worse!

I am now literaly confused:
Should I be thankful to Sony?
Should I be mad to Lite-On?
Should I ever buy TDK media again?

Personaly, I answer NO, NO, NO to all three questions!

[chas0039]

It looks like Nero is identifying your DVD media speed correctly. I would get Nero CDSpeed or one of the many other utilities listed at the left and check out the recording speeds of your media. The media will only write as fast as the ID will allow and this will not be changed on a faster drive without hacked firmware. It sounds as though everything you have is working as it should.

Please excuse me if you know all this; with 1200 postings you most likely know more than I do.

[DVD_Ripper]

Where they two 50's shrinked together?