#1  
10-18-2005, 08:37 AM
przemek przemek is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 4
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I have purchased Sony DVDRW DWQ-58A Slim for my laptop (I hope it's good) and now I am researching the best blank media to buy.
From what I understand the important factor in getting quality blank media is choosing a disk that was made at a good factory and this inturn can be determined by the media code on the disk.
The question I have is there a way to determine the media code before I buy the stack of DVD's. I mean even buying a sample stack of Fujitsu or Sony or whatever will not guarantee that the next stack I buy is going to be good.
Reply With Quote
Someday, 12:01 PM
admin's Avatar
Ads / Sponsors
 
Join Date: ∞
Posts: 42
Thanks: ∞
Thanked 42 Times in 42 Posts
  #2  
10-20-2005, 08:53 PM
admin's Avatar
admin admin is offline
Site Staff | Web Development
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,310
Thanked 654 Times in 457 Posts
You have read correctly, and that the manufacturer is more important than the brand. The manufacturer is determined by their media ID codes.

Blank media is not all the same. Quality control and the materials used affects the caliber of the media. Even dye types and reflective foils play an important role. These details are all taken into consideration for the media guide that appears at www.nomorecoasters.com

The odd thing is manufacturers supposedly never intended for us peasants to know about media codes. So they have no interest in us finding out about them. Branders and stores have the same lack of incentive, as it would cut into their profits and/or reputations!
- For example, Memorex was forced to issue a public apology a year or two ago because they were caught using from really pathetic junk for their media. Of course, not much has changed and their brand is a conduit for inferior junk media.
- As another example, Apple uses the same discs as a Verbatim or Maxell package, but costs 3-5x more. They surely don't want you to know the media is the EXACT SAME THING on the other package.

All we have to go on is clues. The country where it was made, for example. Or the type of spindle that was used. Serial numbers in the hub on spindles where you can see the hub of the top disc.
- For example, Taiyo Yuden media has a certain kind of bubbly spindle that nobody else does.
- Another example, made in Japan Maxell are indeed MXL or TY media, while made in Taiwan Maxell are the not-so-great RITEK media. And then to see if the Japan discs are TY or MXL, look through the top of the spindle and see if serials are present. MXL has no serials, TY has serials.

Just don't turn into a conspiracist over it. I remember people in the pasts insisting certain colors of hubs and words on packaging making a different, but it was random and had no bearing on the media.

So, to sum all this up ..... no.

You have to know in advance. This means asking people who know (ask me!) or tracking media information on the various video sites and forums. The cdfreaks.com and videohelp.com forums both have lots of users that post experiences. Although those places can be a bit of a zoo, info overload.

For example, this week ... and you have TWO DAYS left!!! ... Sony DVD-R and Sony DVD+R is on sale at Best Buy for an awesome price of $14.99 per spindle. The Japanese DVD+R is YUDEN00T002, and the Taiwanese is one of the SONY codes. The Japanese DVD-R is either SONY08D or TYG02 (likely SONY), and the Taiwanese DVD-R is also SONY08D from their other plant. You can't go wrong buying any of this media, great stuff.

To be super-safe about media ID's, you can always buy from online stores that sell by ID (like rima.com), or stick to a brand that only uses good media (Verbatim, Sony, Fuji japan, Maxell japan). Or just buy JAPANESE branded media only. So there's a few ways to avoid the stress of buying good media.


- Did this site help you? Then upgrade to Premium Member and show your support!
- Also: Like Us on Facebook for special DVD/Blu-ray news and deals!
Reply With Quote
  #3  
10-21-2005, 08:58 AM
przemek przemek is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 4
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
That's what I figured. I think I am going to go with Tayo Yuden, from what I've read it's the best.
One last question. I'm in Canada so when buying from rima.com it makes sense to buy a spindle of 100 or more due to the fact that it costs 20 bucks for shipping. Having said that should I by a Taiyo Yuden locally and make sure my drive has no problem with it or am I just being paranoid and I should go ahead and buy the 100 pack?
Reply With Quote
  #4  
10-21-2005, 09:30 AM
admin's Avatar
admin admin is offline
Site Staff | Web Development
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,310
Thanked 654 Times in 457 Posts
Taiyo Yuden, authentic TY not fake, is excellent media. It's actually not my personal favorite, but it's quite good.

If I were you, I'd buy from http://www.blankmedia.ca

I would think buying within Canada would be cheaper than going to a USA store and importing (there is a media tax levied on imports to Canada).



- Did this site help you? Then upgrade to Premium Member and show your support!
- Also: Like Us on Facebook for special DVD/Blu-ray news and deals!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
10-21-2005, 09:32 AM
przemek przemek is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 4
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
So what is ur personal favorite and should I just go ahead and buy 100 or try a smaller batch?
Reply With Quote
  #6  
10-21-2005, 09:46 AM
admin's Avatar
admin admin is offline
Site Staff | Web Development
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 4,310
Thanked 654 Times in 457 Posts
One of my burners (a BTC drive) has an issue with TYG01 and TYG02 DVD-R media. Two of my players also choke on TYG02 media, for unknown reasons. This is authentic TYG02 media too. But I'm an anomaly more than anything else. Most people use it, and it burns and plays back great. If I were you, testing a small stack of 10 may be a more prudent choice before committing to 100 or whatever.

My personal favorite media right now is Taiyo Yuden's YUDEN00T002 DVD+R 8x media. Now that is some high class media. It even burns 12x in somr burners, and has no drawbacks in doing it.

For DVD-R, I'm using a stash of no-longer-made PVC001002 Pioneer DVD-R 4x discs, and some older MXLRG02 Maxell 4x DVD-R discs. I also have been using MCC media since 2001, and it's great stuff.

MCC03RG20 Verbatim 16x DVD-R media is top notch. The MCC003 Verbatim 8x DVD+R and MCC004 DVD+R 16x is not bad either.

Your best best these days on both quality and price is to find TYG02 DVD-R (assuming your burner/player is good to go), MCC03RG20 DVD-R, or YUDEN00T002 DVD-R

The MCC you'd probably have to buy in stores (and honestly brick-and-mortar stores are the same price as online stores, sometimes even less), and the TY/YUDEN you could get either in stores or online.

DVD+R media assumes you can burn DVD+R, and that your players can see DVD+R, as it does have a slightly lower compatiblity than DVD-R would. In general, at least.

FutureShop (Best Buy) and Staples (I think that's in Canada) are great places to find Verbatim, Fuji, and Sony, all of which carry these discs. TY is made in Japan, MCC is Taiwanese Verbatim.

Or blankmedia.ca for online.

- Did this site help you? Then upgrade to Premium Member and show your support!
- Also: Like Us on Facebook for special DVD/Blu-ray news and deals!
Reply With Quote
  #7  
10-21-2005, 09:49 AM
przemek przemek is offline
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 4
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanks for your help, things appear clearer ; cheers
Reply With Quote
Reply




Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
TDK blanks high quality? admin Blank Media 0 09-09-2009 01:22 AM
JVC DR M-10 Doesnt reconize blanks Konfusion Blank Media 1 02-06-2008 07:14 AM

Thread Tools



 
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:51 PM