Whose media is the DVD-R Blank Test Disk

[oldandinthe way]

All DVD-R drives are required by the DVDForum to be verified against a standard blank test disk available from Pioneer. Who actually makes that disk?

It seems it should be the one DVD-R disk that will work in any writer.

[VegasBud]

I don't think those are just normal disks, but I doubt we'll ever find out for sure. According to this document, the test disks are only available from the Pioneer Verification Laboratory, and to get one requires a contract, including a signed non-dislosure agreement.

[oldandinthe way]

I'm hoping that one of the experts on which factory makes which disk can shed light on the question.

[lordsmurf]

It used to be a Pioneer. I don't think it was a normal disc, however.

At this late date, I'm no longer sure how all the certifications work. Some of the tests, like the Pioneer Class A Laboratory certification, seem to have gone down the crapper. I no longer see the same things in 2007 as I did in 2003, when it was more controlled.

[oldandinthe way]

Could they still be verifying to media discontinued in 2003?

How could it differ from a normal disk?

The procedures still appear to be in place and a license is required to use the logo. And this litigation prone time I'd pity anyone who infringes on the logo.

[lordsmurf]

I could find out, but the folks in question usually don't like to be bothered with these kinds of questions (or cannot, due to things like NDA and company policies).

[VegasBud]

Obtaining real world knowledge of anything protected by a non-disclosure agreement is close to impossible. If someone knows the details, they can't disclose them, and if they aren't restricted by a NDA, there is no access to the details, and it's speculation.

That being said, I can give you a reasonable speculation of one way the verification disks might differ from normal disks. Since recordable dvds for verification purposes would have to strictly adhere to the specifications, the most likely difference would be in the area that is least controlled by the specification, yet the single largest determining factor of reliability...the dye.

Given that half of the cost of producing a marketable dvdr blank is the dye, economic factors are more likely the limiting factor than the technological ability to produce a superior blank (at least for the general market). The two biggest factors in the dye cost, synthesis and purification, most probably have alternate methods that, while not economically viable for the general marketplace, or perhaps even feasible for mass production, might have an application for a special use product, like verification disks, where cost isn't an issue.

A disk that used such a dye, while impractical for general use, would be ideal for verification purposes, where changing the dye from a variable to a constant in the equation would greatly enhance the reliability of the process.

[oldandinthe way]

After actually reading the verification test specifications, I believe that there is nothing special about the disk used in verification.

The sole reason for the disk is probably consistancy. The actual tests will vary in their results based on the specific media used and and the OSTA and DVDForum and other industry groups have issued disclaimers about the results of many of the tests procedures on a cross drive/cross media basis.

It appears to me the the disk could be any commercial disk, but is probably one that has been around a long time, and probably from an early participant in the DVD-R process. Obviously if Pioneer was still making media, they'd be my guess. I doubt tests are being run on 4 year old media, so I'd suspect someone else.

If we had access to a test disk, we could find its mediaID and write strategy. Yes the tests require the drive have one.

So to be certified, a drive must run with one type of media.

Is it any wonder that different manufacturers drives prefer different media? Obviously if the manufacturer tests a given media, the odds are better it will perform well. I guess that's why some manufacturers have recommended media lists.

When time permits I will start reading DVD+R specs.

[lordsmurf]

Well, they do make "cherry-picked" media under strict controls. It might simply be one of those. When RITEKG04 first came out, I received some special test samples. It was outstanding media, but was not at all representative of RITEKG04 quality as found in normal stores.

[OneSickPup]

I heard from a very reliable source they are indeed 1x PRINCO's.

[FulciLives]

I heard from a very reliable source they are indeed 1x PRINCO's.

That's funny ... I heard from my source that the official test disc is from NAKED GEEK

- John "FulciLives" Coleman

[redwudz]

If your burner and player can handle Princo's or Naked Geek media without errors, that would be a test.

[VegasBud]

...I believe that there is nothing special about the disk used in verification.

From my own personal experience, and everything I've seen on this and other sites, a disk that would even just finish the burn (on each and every burner carrying the dvd logo), much less stand up to scrutiny after the burn, could properly be referred to as "distinguished or different from what is ordinary or usual".

[oldandinthe way]

From my own personal experience, and everything I've seen on this and other sites, a disk that would even just finish the burn (on each and every burner carrying the dvd logo), much less stand up to scrutiny after the burn, could properly be referred to as "distinguished or different from what is ordinary or usual".

Unfortunately, my long experience in the electronics industry tells me that if there is a known test, manufacturers can tweak their product to pass it, even if that effort subverts other functions.

There is but one test disk, and the test procedure does not require testing at multiple speeds, so even if this were a commercially available disk it is unclear that you could find it from the media reports on this and other sites.

Furthermore, some media such as the slower speed TY and MCC do come close to being universal media