What is it with the DVD-R media?...

[rubberman]

Seems that I hear alot of problems with DVD-r media. Some dont burn right, some writers dont like it, Some work in home dvd player/other dont, etc. Never really had any problems with CD-R media when using it to backup games, software or music. Is DVD-R media just unstable? just curious. There are some many different brands of media not sure what too choose.

[tumbar]

DVD is still a realatively young media. Noone generally complains about the expensive media, it's usually the "cheapo" no brand.

I would think that the same bemoaning occured regarding "cheapo" cdr media 5 years ago.

Another added fact is burning with dvd writers and actually making a dvd which plays in a player is a little more difficult than burning a cd. You also have user error and I personally think this fact has a lot to do with the "cheapo" trashing.

I have burned from 5 seperate buys. 1 high quality and 4 "cheapo". I've burnt over 100 dvd's, maybe 3 or 4 coasters. Only one was due to media error. I usually had a setting wrong or aborted or was testing out as new program and didn't know what I was doing.

I use "cheapo" exclusively CDR or DVDR.
I use "high-quality" CDRW and DVDRW.

Then again, maybe I've just been lucky!

[thxkid]

No your not, I have used over 100 DVD-R's that I paid $1.25 each for and the only time I got a coaster is when I messed it up myself and I am using 2 Panasonic DVD Home recorders and yes 5 years ago when the 1st cheapo CD-R's came out I had coasters all the time caused by the media, I feel I am actually having better luck with the DVD-R media in its very early stage than what CD-R's was 5-6 years ago in their early stages.
personally I see no difference in my cheapo Primediscs and the more exspensive TDK's I have used, and also use Compusa's brand of DVD-Ram for $5.95 each and have 10 of them and each one works perfect ever time I use them, I think some of the cheaper DVD media is getting better than lets say it was 6-12 months ago. Now I do have a friend who just got a pioneer burner and he he having a hard time getting a good burn with a DVD-R, but thats because its his 1st time using a DVD Burner which is alot more difficult to use than a CD Rom Burner.
Plus I remember my 2x CD Rom burner they were pretty touchy back then compared to the rock steady burners out today. As time goes by the DVD media and hardware will become more reliable, just like the CD media and hardware has over the last 5-6 years.

[Faustus]

Media makes a huge difference! Cheap media often cannot read fast enough near the end of the DVDR when the data tracks become more dense... this causes it to skip and pause alot.

Also some players do not like reading specific types of cheap media. You'll just have to play around and find what works for you, my suggest is avoid buying in large quantity until you do... also find online stores with "sample packs" to try a little of everything.


tumbar:

I rembmer the days of unreliable media for CD-Rs quite well... I remember buying a friend a carton of smokes to cover his cost on burning a few CDs too. Guess what? Those days are not gone.... next time you pick up some of that super super super cheap CD-R media (the greenish bottom stuff usually) You know the stuff thats on sale for like $16 for a 100, try a FULL data burn the try to read all those files back off. Same thing... errors. Its still there, just less common.

[tumbar]

My favorite cdr's are the ones office max has 100 for 35.00, with a 20.00 mail in rebate and a seperate 10.00 mail in rebate and a 5 dollar instant coupon. Usually I just pay sales tax...lol. Ofcourse I do have to fill out the paperwork and wait for my rebate. But by using this method, I haven't paid for cdr's for over two years. This was especially sweet in the dvd2svcd stage... before I moved into the dvd2dvdr stage.

If they don't burn right I would take them back and OfficeMax would replace. Usually they are imation or tdk. I mean value, not cheap.

For dvdr media I like the Accu's at cdrdvdr.com. Last batch I got turned out to be Ritek G03. Hey, if you buy a 100 spindle they are .84 a peice delivered. Again I guess I mean value, not cheap.

There are "value" disks and there are "cheap" disks. Takes a while to figure out which is which.

Med-High quality + Low price = Value

I only use TDK and Verbatim for the rewriteables. Couldn't get the offbrands to rewrite 1/2 the time.

Wonder when OfficeMax will start with the dvdr media and the mail in rebates...

[Faustus]

Actually I quite agree with you about the difference between the idea of a cheap disk and a value disk. I'm just saying that to this day you can get scammed even on CD-Rs if you dont know what your doing.

BTW you had luck with the Ritek G03s? I have a test batch coming in and if they work I'm ordering 300.

[tumbar]

flaystus

Yes I've had good luck with the Ritek G03. I understand you can write at 2x with them if you use the 2x4all firmware patch, but one guy said he had a couple of them pixcelate on him. He advised sticking with th 1x burn. I have some 2x tdk's but I just can't justify the price, personally. Guess I'll just stick to the 1x accu's or riteks.

Good luck on the Riteks!