VideoHelp Forum
+ Reply to Thread
Page 1 of 2
1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 30 of 50
Thread
  1. sometimes you come across a product that is so good that it inspires you to write a good review.
    other times you need to do the same for the opposite reason.

    do not under any circumstance ever buy ridata dvd-r blanks (16x or 8x or ANY).

    imade this mistake a couple of years back (thinking it was a decent brand) and now when i need to retrieve the data a backed up on them 4 out of 5 disks are useless.
    there is not a single scratch on them, they were all burned at low speed, they are simply garbage.
    tried few different players to read but no go.

    the other brand that i used was the sony, and only one disk was bad (it had a scratch on it too)

    just posting this so others dont get burned like i did
    check out my trip hop beats: http://www.youtube.com/user/octeuron
    Quote Quote  
  2. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    dFAQ.us/lordsmurf
    Search Comp PM
    That's what can happen when media isn't tested after it's burned. You can't assume a "successful burn" is a good burn. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. But this isn't a secret. It's long been known that Ritek (Ridata) media is inferior to others. See the best blank DVD quality review guide.

    You might try a better drive. The commonly-found LG drives used by OEMs are crap at reading discs.
    Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
    FAQs: Best Blank DiscsBest TBCsBest VCRs for captureRestore VHS
    Quote Quote  
  3. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    lordsmurf, do you have a similiar guide for blank blu ray discs??
    Quote Quote  
  4. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    dFAQ.us/lordsmurf
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by mobie29 View Post
    lordsmurf, do you have a similiar guide for blank blu ray discs??
    Under development.

    It takes a long time to acquire a large enough sample base to write a guide that isn't merely opinionated BS from a limited sample size. It took two years to build the first version of the DVD media guide. Look at Q1 2011.

    In general, CD and DVD and BD is all about the same, however. Verbatim/MCC/MKM is best, TY next (when it makes the format), then a bunch of mediocre stuff (Ritek, CMC), follow by some pure crap (Umedisc, Princo, random no-name sewer slime of the era).
    Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
    FAQs: Best Blank DiscsBest TBCsBest VCRs for captureRestore VHS
    Quote Quote  
  5. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    Are you familiar with "blaze" blu ray media? Good or bad??
    Quote Quote  
  6. Member hech54's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Yank in Europe
    Search PM
    My 3 LG drives(4040B, 4167B, H58N) have been completely bullet-proof.
    Quote Quote  
  7. Originally Posted by lordsmurf View Post
    then a bunch of mediocre stuff (Ritek, CMC), follow by some pure crap (Umedisc, Princo, random no-name sewer slime of the era).
    ive read the opinion that ritek/ridata are "medium quality" before but in my opinion if 6 out of 7 disks are bad then its right at the bottom of garbage.

    btw, they worked for a while; maybe a month or two after burning, but only now after 2 years they are unreadable.
    check out my trip hop beats: http://www.youtube.com/user/octeuron
    Quote Quote  
  8. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Search Comp PM
    I have lost what amounted to months of time worth of 'work' through bad DVD-R discs . Even worse, I had spent more months and redone much of it after having been unable to retrieve the data from the discs,- then the hard-drive failed, nooooooo!.
    I fitted another hard drive (good job I had bought 2 of the same model right?), spent more months redoing as best I could much of what I had lost (twice), then the second hard drive started to make bad-noises, managed to urgently zip some of my work up and burn it, before then the the second drive failed failed.... - turns out it was a 'known controller issue on that model (to hell with Fujitsu! ), then it turns out that I couldn't retrieve some of the zips which I had just burnt! (more bad DVD-Rs), lastly of all, some of the zips which I did manage to read eventually wre 'broken' probably because of that failing hard-drive they had been made on.
    I then slogged away for night after night (even more months passed) getting the data all again, to cut a long sorry tale short I backed all my stuff up recently (after encountering more bad DVD-R media) to an external 1TB drive which I rarely plug in and keep very safely packed away on a shelf near no magnets. After checking the backup to this external drive had worked I destroyed all my DVD-R and CD-R 'backups' (if you can call them that) with a pair of pliers.

    A rule of thumb could be if you buy any DVD-Rs is the relative weight of them, reject them if they feel lightweight - simple as that, a more decent quality disc will feel heavier and more coated on the label-side. Don't write on them with indelible ink (like permanant marker) which eats into the label and can destroy the reflective layer behind it, nor hard-point pens etc.

    Maxell have been good for film discs to play, I no longer back anything up to DVD-Rs to save data on without having another copy on my external hard-drive unit.

    We have all been mislead and misold by what DVD-Rs are good for, I have lost so much time and work, I don't trust BLU-Ray neither. Burn 2 copies of anything precious.
    Quote Quote  
  9. Member hech54's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Yank in Europe
    Search PM
    Originally Posted by video_magic View Post
    Don't write on them with indelible ink (like permanant marker) which eats into the label and can destroy the reflective layer behind it
    That is complete horse-$h1t.
    Quote Quote  
  10. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    United Kingdom
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by hech54 View Post
    That is complete horse-$h1t.
    Why do you make that statement?

    I have found it to be the case (on some of mine and friends' early burnt discs), as well as having read it a few times in different places over the years.

    One example:
    A friend of mine makes DVD 5 copies to DVD-R to put on repeat play (verified after being burnt no problems). She used to scrawl on them with permanent marker and many of those used to pixellate and freeze up at various places etc before too long. I noticed about the permanant marker and got her some pens which claim suitability for use on CDs & DVDs. These newer burnt discs which don't have that Permamant marker writing on suffer much less instances of the increasing playback problems mentioned before. This is across a right mixture of media brands and 3 or 4 players over 5 years, the permanent marker writing has been the factor in the noticeable difference, and that in conjunction with other peoples and my own use. I've found it (the permanaent marker) writing to be the cause of a problem,- and the explanation of it (that the indelible ink 'eating in' to the surface corrupts the reflective layer under the label-side) quite likely.
    Hence, my passing on of this in advice 'don't use permanent marker on your DVD-R labelling' - use pens that say they are suitable for labelling of that kind of media. Surely good advice?
    Quote Quote  
  11. Member hech54's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Yank in Europe
    Search PM
    Originally Posted by video_magic View Post
    Originally Posted by hech54 View Post
    That is complete horse-$h1t.
    Why do you make that statement?
    Oh...I don't know. I tend to believe the hundreds of "other" testimonials here on VideoHelp since 2001, Sanford(the makers of Sharpie pens) and everyone Sanford has asked the same exact question.
    Sanford has used Sharpie markers on CDs for years and we have never experienced a problem. We do not believe that the Sharpie ink can affect these CDs, however we have not performed any long-term laboratory testing to verify this. We have spoken to many major CD manufacturers about this issue. They use the Sharpie markers on CDs internally as well, and do not believe that the Sharpie ink will cause any harm to their products.
    http://www.sharpie.com/enUS/FAQ/default.html

    So I'll say it again for you.....That is complete horse-$h1t.
    Quote Quote  
  12. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    dFAQ.us/lordsmurf
    Search Comp PM
    Hech54 is correct -- that's bollocks. It's incorrect. Sorry, but your advice has no basis in science of optical media. The pen would have to have highly toxic acid in it to eat through the polycarbonate layer of the DVD. In fact, the pen could not exist, because the acidity would eat it up. Nothing can "eat into" the upper layer of a DVD. Some harm could potentially come to CD media, but that's still unlikely. The bigger issue is the quality of the media, laying primary with the translucence of crappy foil. There are some cases where poorly-made foil-exposed media (with or without poly upper layer) can be augmented in read quality by ink on the surface. (The non-upper discs are, of course, out of specs, and are not truly DVD media. It's just some fake Chinese crap.) And If I'm not mistaken, I think the guys at MythBusters dismissed this one years ago.

    Hard-point pens -- this one is correct. Etching into the disc with anything -- knife or ball pen -- can damage the disc internals.

    Your advice on disc weight is incorrect, too. Much of the weight of a disc is determined by the weight of the plastics and glues -- neither of which primarily affect the read/write quality of a disc. (Longevity may come into play, however. -- Just not the way you're saying it does!)

    This is correct: "Burn 2 copies of anything precious." --- Yes, indeed!
    Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
    FAQs: Best Blank DiscsBest TBCsBest VCRs for captureRestore VHS
    Quote Quote  
  13. Banned
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    ®Inside My Avatar™© U.S.
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by video_magic View Post
    Originally Posted by hech54 View Post
    That is complete horse-$h1t.
    Why do you make that statement?
    Because it is true!!!

    I have Verbatim dvd+r's that were burnt back in 2004, and that's just what i know for sure!!
    That i wrote on with a sharpie marker and they still play fine as of a couple of months ago.

    If i took the time to go through every dvdr i ever burned i could probably find older ones!!

    One thing i noticed, no where did you state what "brand" of dvdr's your "Friend" used......

    After years and years and years and years and years and years of burning cdr's and dvdr's not once have i ever been able to trace using a sharpie or marker to a media failure

    99.9% of the time it is the quality of the media!!
    I have seen media that looks 100 percent brand new, and is total garbage the second it is finished burning and played back, ends up bad after a short or lengthy period of time, or the writable (as in where you use a sharpie) surface starts to flake after a couple of years.....

    Unless someone does this...
    Originally Posted by lordsmurf View Post
    Hard-point pens -- this one is correct. Etching into the disc with anything -- knife or ball pen -- can damage the disc internals.
    Let's break out the ball point pen!
    If we push hard enough and go over it several times it will write on recordable optical media!!!
    LOL!!!
    Quote Quote  
  14. I'm a Super Moderator johns0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    canada
    Search Comp PM
    I have ridata dvd's that i burned 6 years ago that i wrote with sharpies on the label and still work ok,thing is i always scan my discs after i burn them,lot of ridata's i have tossed out due to burn errors while error scanning.

    I wouldn't say ridata are the worst discs,just mediocore as lordsmurph has said.Always test your disc right after you burn them!
    I think,therefore i am a hamster.
    Quote Quote  
  15. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    It depends on what you use the discs for. I bought a bunch of Ritek and Ridata discs years ago and although all of the DVDs that I backed up were coasters (every single one of them), all of my data discs are flawless. I still use them today for data discs because that's the only thing that they're good for. I hate to throw anything away.

    I didn't think you could get coasters from CDs (I've bought a few store brands before) but I bought a box of Sony's a while back and every CD I tried to burn was a coaster.
    Quote Quote  
  16. Member hech54's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2001
    Location
    Yank in Europe
    Search PM
    Ritek of "days gone by".....4x and slower/older were fantastic. I used them almost exclusively with no problems. Once the demand for higher speed discs came, Ritek fell behind and never caught up.
    I don't recall ever having a bad CD burn. I use Sony 700MB discs and TDK 800MB discs with my LG drives and never get bad burns....that also goes for my Taiyo Yuden and Verbatim DVD media as well....zero problems.
    Quote Quote  
  17. Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    I bought my brother a 50pk of Fuji 16x DVD+R discs about three years ago and found out after we got them home that they were Ritek discs. I was pretty bummed out cause I knew they were going to be crap but he hasn't burnt a coaster yet. He doesn't burn many DVDs but I'm amazed that he hasn't burnt a coaster yet.
    Quote Quote  
  18. Originally Posted by johns0 View Post
    I have ridata dvd's that i burned 6 years ago that i wrote with sharpies on the label and still work ok,thing is i always scan my discs after i burn them,lot of ridata's i have tossed out due to burn errors while error scanning.

    I wouldn't say ridata are the worst discs,just mediocore as lordsmurph has said.Always test your disc right after you burn them!
    as ive mentioned, the discs were tested and used and were fine for a couple of months. only after 2 years (which is really not that long) they failed.
    if a disc cannot hold data for 2 years then how is it mediocre? (useless crap imo)
    check out my trip hop beats: http://www.youtube.com/user/octeuron
    Quote Quote  
  19. Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Canada
    Search Comp PM
    I have in the past used ridata dvd's and it seems they are still producing coasters for the coffee table. Maxell DVD-R & +R with the blue label are junk as well but however at least Maxell got their act together and put out more decent blanks in the gold label series. I purchased a 100 +R spindle with the blue label and only 23 blanks were good. When the Gold label came to market I purchased 100+R spindle and all 100 disc burned successfully.

    As flimsy the MEMOREX blanks are I only 1 bad disc in the 100 pack. Memorex is not bad, just don't drop them on a hard floor or they may split. I dropped one on my hardwood floor after burning it and split right in half. What I noticed the material that burns our image on is actually silver but the manufactures add a purple dye. I guess they do this to distinguished them to original bought dvd movies.
    Quote Quote  
  20. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    dFAQ.us/lordsmurf
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by octeuron View Post
    as ive mentioned, the discs were tested and used and were fine for a couple of months. only after 2 years (which is really not that long) they failed.
    John likes blue.
    John likes bananas.
    Bananas must be blue.
    ....... that's the logic you're applying here. And it's wrong. You don't understand media well enough to trace the actual issue, so you've blamed the disc for magically "disappearing" your data. Sorry, but that doesn't happen. More likely is you remember wrong, and the discs were never good. Or handling issues have created issues. Or the equipment you're using now is aged or inferior. Those are the only options. "Data disappeared" isn't one of them.

    Originally Posted by dvdsham View Post
    Maxell DVD-R & +R with the blue label are junk as well but however at least Maxell got their act together and put out more decent blanks in the gold label series
    Maxell has used blue/green, yellow and gold through the series. All of those discs are consumer series media. Many of them in then 2x-4x days were actual MXL media. A few in the 8x days were too. But there have also been a lot of Ricoh, Ritek, Ritek/Ricoh, CMC and others. Anything you buy now is no different than a Memorex.

    What I noticed the material that burns our image on is actually silver but the manufactures add a purple dye. I guess they do this to distinguished them to original bought dvd movies.
    No. The silver foil is the backing. The dye is what gets burned. I don't know how you arrived at that conclusion, but it's wholly incorrect.

    Please, please, please read the blank DVD media guides at http://www.digitalFAQ.com/guides/media/index.htm

    I hate to seem mean, but the things both of you are saying are ridiculous. That's okay, you don't understand media. That's understandable. But the information for learning is there.

    Now get to reading!
    Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
    FAQs: Best Blank DiscsBest TBCsBest VCRs for captureRestore VHS
    Quote Quote  
  21. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    I also recommend backing up data on several different disc's, but also remember to use several brands of media like Verbatim & TY. If you use other brands like Maxell of Memorex for example you need to use a program like DVD Info PRO or DVD Identifier to identify the media ID and manufacturer. Please note that Verbatim has started out sourcing some of their media in a series that they call "LIFE". This series packaging is mostly white in color. For more info please see the thread link below.


    https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/319565-Verbatim-Life-Series-DataLifePlus
    Quote Quote  
  22. Originally Posted by lordsmurf View Post
    Originally Posted by octeuron View Post
    as ive mentioned, the discs were tested and used and were fine for a couple of months. only after 2 years (which is really not that long) they failed.
    John likes blue.
    John likes bananas.
    Bananas must be blue.
    ....... that's the logic you're applying here. And it's wrong. You don't understand media well enough to trace the actual issue, so you've blamed the disc for magically "disappearing" your data. Sorry, but that doesn't happen. More likely is you remember wrong, and the discs were never good. Or handling issues have created issues. Or the equipment you're using now is aged or inferior. Those are the only options. "Data disappeared" isn't one of them.
    wow.
    your analogy = complete fail.

    if you feel you need to exaggerate something i said and twist it into something that it was not at all in order to win a debate or prove something to yourself or maybe the community... thats pretty sad.

    although i admit that my knowledge of media is limited, here is what i do know:

    less than two years (approximately october 2008) ago i was using two types of media to back up photos and data: 16x sony -R, and the riData 16x -R.

    i burned the disks, checked them, looked at the photos and footage straight off each disk and everything was fine.

    now, not even two years later im trying to copy those disks onto a external hard drive and 7 out of the 8 ridata disks are corrupted and i cannot retrieve all the data from them. out the sonys ALL 6 out of 6 disks copied flawlessly.

    all the disks (sony and ridata) were burned at the same speed and kept in the same folder/book and not even hadled at all.

    so.... it doesnt matter what you think you know, facts are facts, the above situation is almost a perfect control-test study.

    the result is that the ridata disks are crap.

    and as far as "Data disappeared"... is the concept that dvd-r media has a limited life span a new one to you?
    you should know that that is exactly what happens to optical media, however it should last at least 10 years on anything thats 'mediocre' in my opinion. Not less than 2 years which is what happened with the ridatas
    check out my trip hop beats: http://www.youtube.com/user/octeuron
    Quote Quote  
  23. I'm a Super Moderator johns0's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Location
    canada
    Search Comp PM
    Most likely your dvd's were burned with very marginal results and your burner has either been replaced and can't read that certain brand of disc or the burner you used is starting to go.

    I have discs that cant be read by my liteon burner that were good a few years ago but my lg can read the discs.
    I think,therefore i am a hamster.
    Quote Quote  
  24. Member
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Canada
    Search Comp PM
    I have burned probably 1000 (have about 600 here, have burned countless scores for friends) Ridata dvd-r (mostly hub-printable, the 100 I have here right now are 16x) with absolutely no problem at all. The only time I ever have bad burns is when my burner is on its last legs (that's how I always know it's time for a new one). I can put one burned 8+ years ago in and make a copy any time I like.

    I always burn movies @ 4x, and pretty much always use Pioneer burners.

    "the above situation is almost a perfect control-test study.
    the result is that the ridata disks are crap"

    I guess my 1000+ are a fluke lol.
    Quote Quote  
  25. Banned
    Join Date
    Jun 2004
    Location
    ®Inside My Avatar™© U.S.
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by 95teetee View Post
    I guess my 1000+ are a fluke lol.
    Uh huh
    Quote Quote  
  26. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    dFAQ.us/lordsmurf
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by 95teetee View Post
    I have burned probably 1000
    While your sample size is acceptable, the other conditions are not. (Burners, players, tests, etc.) The simple act of burning the discs does not quantify any of the data, and therefore none of the conclusions you've made have any merit.

    Originally Posted by octeuron View Post
    although i admit that my knowledge of media is limited,
    And that's why your conclusions are all based on false premises.

    Sometimes discussing media is like trying to discuss evolution/creationism. People have their heads firmly planted up their ass, unwilling to discuss any of the science involved. "I've made up my mind, facts/science be damned!" Just because something "makes sense" in your head doesn't mean that it's realistic in any way.

    Originally Posted by johns0 View Post
    Most likely your dvd's were burned with very marginal results and your burner has either been replaced and can't read that certain brand of disc or the burner you used is starting to go. I have discs that cant be read by my liteon burner that were good a few years ago but my lg can read the discs.
    Yes.
    Last edited by lordsmurf; 10th Jul 2010 at 07:43.
    Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
    FAQs: Best Blank DiscsBest TBCsBest VCRs for captureRestore VHS
    Quote Quote  
  27. Originally Posted by lordsmurf View Post
    Originally Posted by octeuron View Post
    although i admit that my knowledge of media is limited,
    And that's why your conclusions are all based on false premises.
    false premises?
    as in my experience with the ridata disks did not actually happen?

    Originally Posted by lordsmurf View Post
    Sometimes discussing media is like trying to discuss evolution/creationism. People have their heads firmly planted up their ass, unwilling to discuss any of the science involved. "I've made up my mind, facts/science be damned!" Just because something "makes sense" in your head doesn't mean that it's realistic in any way.
    i agree. but please practice what you preach. feel free to discuss the science involved instead of blue bananas.

    Originally Posted by johns0 View Post
    Most likely your dvd's were burned with very marginal results and your burner has either been replaced and can't read that certain brand of disc or the burner you used is starting to go. I have discs that cant be read by my liteon burner that were good a few years ago but my lg can read the discs.
    Yes. [/QUOTE]

    this was my initial assumption however as ive mentioned, i have tried MULTIPLE players (not just my own comps but also computers at work , a friends desktop, etc) and while some players will read a little more than others, overall the ridatas will not read more than 50% on ANY player (most disks get rejected at the halfway point)

    ----------

    anyways, it seems like i keep repeating my experience and results: yes same burn speed, yes tested, yes they were stored in the same way/book, yes i tried various players (6) with almost identical failed results.
    the point is that the sonys worked as they should have and the ridatas failed 7 out of 8.
    this is my experience and i will base future purchases based on my experience and not on other peoples theories.

    i thought id share this experience here so others dont get burned but to be honest if they work for you then keep using them
    check out my trip hop beats: http://www.youtube.com/user/octeuron
    Quote Quote  
  28. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    dFAQ.us/lordsmurf
    Search Comp PM
    Describe your tests.
    Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
    FAQs: Best Blank DiscsBest TBCsBest VCRs for captureRestore VHS
    Quote Quote  
  29. aBigMeanie aedipuss's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2005
    Location
    666th portal
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by 95teetee View Post
    I have burned probably 1000 (have about 600 here, have burned countless scores for friends) Ridata dvd-r (mostly hub-printable, the 100 I have here right now are 16x) with absolutely no problem at all. The only time I ever have bad burns is when my burner is on its last legs (that's how I always know it's time for a new one). I can put one burned 8+ years ago in and make a copy any time I like.

    I always burn movies @ 4x, and pretty much always use Pioneer burners.

    "the above situation is almost a perfect control-test study.
    the result is that the ridata disks are crap"

    I guess my 1000+ are a fluke lol.

    a heads up. pioneer doesn't make their own dvdr burner anymore, what is sold as a pioneer these days is relabeled crap.
    --
    "a lot of people are better dead" - prisoner KSC2-303
    Quote Quote  
  30. Video Restorer lordsmurf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    dFAQ.us/lordsmurf
    Search Comp PM
    That's not correct.
    Pioneer does still make their own burners.
    But they switched to Mediatek chipsets. They no longer use NEC chipsets.

    I know there was some confusion in forums regarding this, much of last year.
    Want my help? Ask here! (not via PM!)
    FAQs: Best Blank DiscsBest TBCsBest VCRs for captureRestore VHS
    Quote Quote  



Similar Threads

Visit our sponsor! Try DVDFab and backup Blu-rays!