Could this be due to age?

[dxj40c]

I have recently noticed that some of my recorded disks that once played great now freeze up when played. I would say this failure has been happening to about 10% of my discs. At first, I thought my standalone player might have a dirty lens or something, but they freeze up on the computer also. I have really looked closely at the disk surface for dust, scratches, fingerprints, but see nothing. Why do you think a disk would play flawlessly for a year or so then suddenly be unplayable? I use Verbatim DataLife Plus almost exclusively because they have been reliable in the past. The only other variable is burn speed (I have 2 burners, one 2.4x, the other a 4x) and I don't remember which speed was used on which disk. But, all of them played fine the first year or so. Has anyone out there had this problem?

[Faustus]

Could be, any clue what the actual media code on the disk is? A brand name doesn't say much.

[p_l]

Do your discs have labels? If so, wash them off with warm water and mild soap.

https://www.videohelp.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=138166

[Goober57]

I have the exact same problem with my Emtec discs. Bought and burned about a year ago. Started breaking up about 6 months later.

When I read you post I cleaned one of the discs but still no good.

Today I did a test burn with one of the Emtecs. Nope, didn't work.

I downloaded the latest version of DVDinfo and guess what.......!!! Emtec is, or was using the following media......... CMC00RG300

From what I've read CMC is junk. Well, I'm a believer! I'm stuck with 3 boxes. At least my coffee table won't get stained

By the way, I've never had a coaster with any of my computers so I ruled out hardware/software problems. Now I only use Taiyos.

Check those old discs and back them up.

__________________________

[SLICK RICK]

I have the exact same problem with my Emtec discs. Bought and burned about a year ago. Started breaking up about 6 months later.

When I read you post I cleaned one of the discs but still no good.

Today I did a test burn with one of the Emtecs. Nope, didn't work.

I downloaded the latest version of DVDinfo and guess what.......!!! Emtec is, or was using the following media......... CMC00RG300

From what I've read CMC is junk. Well, I'm a believer! I'm stuck with 3 boxes. At least my coffee table won't get stained

By the way, I've never had a coaster with any of my computers so I ruled out hardware/software problems. Now I only use Taiyos.

Check those old discs and back them up.

I use to use the Verbatim DataLife Plus that dxj40c is/was using until I started noticing that they had the CMC media code. I bet if dxj40c were to check the media code on one of those disc that he is having issues with they too will have the CMC media code.

[dxj40c]

Thanks for the input. I'll DL DVDinfo and check it out to see if I got some CMCs, the last time I looked (about a year ago) they were MCC.

[dxj40c]

I just finished checking the mfg code with DVD Info on the disks that were screwing up, and I hate to say it, it's MCC 002....I guess they had a bad day; and, it is possible that all of the defectives are from the same batch (spindle).

I'll still use Verbatim because, even at 5-10% failure, it's better than I was getting with other brands I have used. This is the first time I have had a problem with them. Now I think I will peel the label off one and see if it works better.

Thanks for the input.

[FulciLives]

TAIYO YUDEN DVD-R

TAIYO YUDEN DVD-R

TAIYO YUDEN DVD-R

Taiyo Yuden DVD+R don't count :P

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[Skith]

Actually, verbatim media is a rather confusing subject. Their DLP (+R) media is manufactured in Taiwan and Singapore. Tiawan media (last I heard) is manufactured by CMC using Mitsubishi technology (dyes), and is given the MCC media code. Discs "Made in Singapore" are true MCC (Mitsubishi Chemical Corp.) These discs are also given the MCC media ID.

If you no longer have the packaging the discs came in, it could be difficult to tell which media you have. One possible way is to look at the serial # printed on the disc (on or near the HUB). I do not have any more specific info on hand, I have read posts about this issue on the http://www.cdlabs.com forum, the http://www.cdrinfo.com forum, and the cdfreaks forum - http://club.cdfreaks.com

It gets even more confusing (at least for 8X media, I cannot say for sure about other rated speeds). MCC (verbatim DLP) media "Made in Singapore" has (two) different grades of media (that I have read about).
The only way to tell what grade you have (which also plays a role in whether the media might be burnable at 12x) is to look at the serial # on the disc. The S/N is printed on the darker inner ring of the reflective part of the disc. You have to look at the disc from the bottom to read it. (its backwords if you try to read from the top).

S/N ending with "X47A" are of less quality than discs with a S/N ending in "X47B".

I have some of the "X47A" media, and neither my plextor 712A (1.04, 1.05) nor my Nec3500A (herries2.17, Liggy's Beta 7, or TDK 2C8) can burn this media at speeds greater than 4X without having PI/PO out of specs... assuming the disc can even be read.

I cannot say anything about their -R media.

whew...my fingers are tired from typing all that...

[dxj40c]

Skith, what you say makes sense. I have used the Sinapore Verbatims for a long time. Recently, the store I was using quit carrying them and started selling the Taiwan made ones. The Singapore ones were expensive ($49.95 for 25) and I guess I was the only one buying them because there were 4 spindles when I bought my first one, and over time, I had bought all four. The Taiwan discs may be 'miscoded', there are no markings at all on the hub and have 'sharp' cuts where the Singapore ones were nice and smooth, definitely a better quality disc. I'll have to hunt for a supplier of TY's. Does anyone know of a 'walk-in' store in the Dallas area that carries them? Or is this something that can only be purchased over the Internet? I don't want to do credit card transactions over the internet due to a previous bad experience.

[FulciLives]

Skith, what you say makes sense. I have used the Sinapore Verbatims for a long time. Recently, the store I was using quit carrying them and started selling the Taiwan made ones. The Singapore ones were expensive ($49.95 for 25) and I guess I was the only one buying them because there were 4 spindles when I bought my first one, and over time, I had bought all four. The Taiwan discs may be 'miscoded', there are no markings at all on the hub and have 'sharp' cuts where the Singapore ones were nice and smooth, definitely a better quality disc. I'll have to hunt for a supplier of TY's. Does anyone know of a 'walk-in' store in the Dallas area that carries them? Or is this something that can only be purchased over the Internet? I don't want to do credit card transactions over the internet due to a previous bad experience.

Well the cheapest way to buy Taiyo Yuden DVD-R discs is to buy them on-line from RIMA.COM

If you want to buy them on the retail level then look for DVD-R packs of FUJI that say MADE IN JAPAN as these are Taiyo Yuden DVD-R discs with the FUJI brand name.

Another good choice on the retial level are the MADE IN JAPAN packages of MAXELL DVD-R discs. These are very nearly as good as Taiyo Yuden ... maybe only a hair's breath not as good but so damn close that it is nothing to worry about. Often the Maxell discs are cheaper on the retail level than the MADE IN JAPAN packages of FUJI.

Beware becaues both MAXELL and FUJI have DVD-R packages that say MADE IN TAIWAN and those are NOT Taiyo Yuden discs.

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

P.S.
Just so you know sometimes (not often) but sometimes the MADE IN JAPAN packages of MAXELL DVD-R discs are Taiyo Yuden but it seems 99% of the time they are MAXELL's own brand which as I have said are just about the same in terms of quality.