Beware of new Verbatim non-AZO packaging

[lingyi]

Thanks to carlmart in his thread here: https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/391271-Best-CD-and-DVD-media for posting an image of the new Verbatim packaging of AZO and non-AZO discs
[Attachment 47492 - Click to enlarge]. Note the smaller AZO logo on the wrapper on the left and the blue/orange scheme of the value series on the right.

A quick search of Amazon brought up even worse news, the rumors of Verbatim using identical blue/orange (couldn't find blue/purple) wrappers for their non-AZO Lifestyle line is true. The only difference is no AZO logo and a small Lifestyle logo under the Verbatim name.
[Attachment 47493 - Click to enlarge]

Edit: Arrgghhhh...just found that the Lifestyle discs are also available in the blue/purple wrappers.
[Attachment 47495 - Click to enlarge].
Amazon shouldn't be a problem since they have different Amazon SKUs, but be sure if you buy from anywhere else, they allow returns as they may consider anything with a orange or blue wrapper as the same product.

*Shhhh*...Be vewy, vewy quiet...I'm hunting Verbatims.

[lingyi]

I don't know if everyone will get this, but I see a 40% off the first purchase of the AZO DVR-R 100 pack if you use Amazon's Subscribe and Save. It also says my last purchase was in 2012 and I still have some left on the spindle somewhere.

[JVRaines]

Is DVD still a thing?

[jjeff]

Yes it's sad how Verbatim itself keeps trying to disguise their better AZO product from their cheaper Life line You can't really go by the color of the label anymore, you basically have to see the AZO or it's not.
I've always purchased AZO Verbs but I do use the occasional Life series for PC burning(normally I burn on a DVDR) but my last spindles have been old stock?? 8x Maxell's from Newegg, <$10/50 spindle(with the occasional promo code) and have a ID of TY03, can't get much better than that! The one downside for me is they are the damn shiny top DVDs, fingerprint magnets for sure

[kyrcy]

I always have been careful when buying Verbatim media, but is the Life Series really so bad? Does anyone know the MID of these media?

[lingyi]

I always have been careful when buying Verbatim media, but is the Life Series really so bad? Does anyone know the MID of these media?

There's currently two reports here https://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia?dvdmediasearch=verbatim&dvdmediadvdridsearch=&type=...a&next=50#next
that they're some generic bad quality CMC discs.

The issue with the Life series is not only that they could be any CMC manufactured discs, but that CMC doesn't manufacture any good discs other than Verbatim AZOs and Taiyo Yuden which are manufactured to Verbatim and Taiyo Yuden specs using their dyes.

[kyrcy]

I can't find CMC branded media from the shops I usually buy, however I have some Imation DVD+R discs (CMC MAG F01) which I burned more than 10 years ago and they still test fine.

[dannyboy48888]

All of this got me looking at my previous purchases as well. These are at Sams Club for $19.99USD No life series or AZO logo on them. I'll have to keep a eye on them now I suppose. the code for the -R is MCC 03RG20 which seems to get decent reviews here.

[Attachment 47504 - Click to enlarge]
[Attachment 47505 - Click to enlarge]

[lingyi]

I can't find CMC branded media from the shops I usually buy, however I have some Imation DVD+R discs (CMC MAG F01) which I burned more than 10 years ago and they still test fine.

CMC doesn't sell discs under their own name. The majority of widely known and unfamilar brand names are CMC or Ritek discs, both of which are low quality.

How did you test your discs? Did you run them through a test program like Nero or actually try to copy / play the files from them. Some discs that test okay, actually aren't when trying to copy / play them. Same thing with hard drives. Just because tests say they're okay, doesn't mean the data isn't corrupted.

That said, even AZO and Taiyo Yuden discs can be bad, it's just that's far more unlikely than other discs.

BTW, did you buy a new hard drive?

[kyrcy]

CMC doesn't sell discs under their own name. The majority of widely known and unfamilar brand names are CMC or Ritek discs, both of which are low quality.

How did you test your discs? Did you run them through a test program like Nero or actually try to copy / play the files from them. Some discs that test okay, actually aren't when trying to copy / play them. Same thing with hard drives. Just because tests say they're okay, doesn't mean the data isn't corrupted.

That said, even AZO and Taiyo Yuden discs can be bad, it's just that's far more unlikely than other discs.

BTW, did you buy a new hard drive?

Benchmark and Disc Quality with Nero CD-DVD Speed. But I also read/copy files to make sure. No new hard drive yet.