Excerpt on Gold DVD-R from C't (2008)

[kpmedia]

Below are comments from C't Mazazin (Germany), in their 16/2008 issue, regarding gold DVD-R. I'm excerpting this here for the benefit of others. Our so-called "bias" against gold media has recently been questioned 3-4 times -- and I sometimes wonder if the unusual questions come from shill interests, but I'll respond anyway! -- so this is being put out there as another well-known expert in optical testing (albeit not to English speakers/readers).

Also know that several articles on the topic are forthcoming from The Digital FAQ in the near future.

Quote:

Fool's gold

Unfortunately, in recent years, the price pressure on the market for optical storage media is so high that many manufacturers have shifted production to Southeast Asia or India and get their goods from various third parties. Since the quality of blank DVDs can be difficult to verify, is one of the dealers, ultimately only the price, and is pressed, cost what it may. Tests of low-blanks and supermarket goods are so absurd, because the suppliers and the quality change at any time, without this being clear on the package would be.

Those who want to use DVDs for archiving, it can be sure that he gets high-quality media with the same quality. Some large manufacturers have now recognized that there appears to be a market for archiving DVDs, the quality is more important than price. For this test we have therefore focused on brand vendors who advertise their windows some with extra-long storage times.

Sun applies his golden Kodak DVD-R with a shelf life of 100 years. Kodak as a reflective layer is not, however, a pure 24-carat gold, but a mixture of gold and silver, and other additives, since pure gold would reflect too little light.

Even Verbatim is in its DVD-R Archival Grade "no gold as a reflective layer, but works with two layers: A silver alloy on the data layer side in order to reflect as much light, and to prevent behind a layer of gold, the reactions with the adhesive layer. According to Verbatim they are produced on selected lines with very low error tolerances. For archiving in hospitals Verbatim offers turn medi disc DVD-R to. This has to do without gold layer. It corresponds to the normal Verbatim DVD-Rs, however the production lines comply with very strict tolerances.

As the fourth in the league we have the scratch proof DVD-R from TDK selected that is different from the rest of TDK blanks by a scratch-resistant protective layer on the data side. Such is also available on the Verbatim Archival Grade DVD-R. While Verbatim but uses an azo dye for recording layer, TDK uses phthalocyanine. For comparison, we were still normal DVD-R Taiyo Yuden with the Japanese manufacturer in the test, which belong because of their good quality fuel now one of the standard media for our test drive. The Taiyo media will have no scratch protection layer and used for recording a cyanine dye that has been steadily improved since the time of the first CD-R. Taiyo Yuden as supplies to business customers only, you can find the discs not in retail, but only on the unprinted spindles in online shops. Here you should however beware of cheap offers, as many fakes in circulation. The original cost in Germany is usually 70-80 cents per disc

The separation of the optical disk from the drive, unfortunately, brings with it considerable uncertainty factors. For an assessment of the quality and durability that is necessary to always consider the complete system, not just the media but also the recording system (the burner) and the reader (the DVD drive). For hard drives, these are connected together, so that statements possible about the life and reliability. To assess the lifetime of a DVD, so you must always include the burner and the top drive.

Against this background, it is clear why slogans on a supposed 100-year shelf life are dubious. To make such sweeping statements, too, would be the burners, scanners and storage conditions define exactly what the producers but failed.

It's a bit broken up when translated via Google Translate, but it's nonetheless a secondary opinion on "fools's gold" and outlandish claims that gold discs (or any discs, for that matter) will last 100+ years, or are necessarily more "archival" than other "non-archival" discs.

This is from one of many articles C't has run in the past decade. In earlier issues, circa 2005-2007, MAM-A and MAM-E media -- discs made by the former Mitsui, then owned by CSI in France, now only Colorado-based MAM-A -- had awful test results.

I'm not getting into it much further here, as that's going to be at least one new article on blank discs made of gold, and all the malarkey that seems goes with it. We want to educate consumers on concerns they should have with "archival grade" media, and discs that claim to be as such.

Thanks.

[kpmedia]

If you can speak German, watch the accompanying video: http://www.heise.de/ct-tv/artikel/Vi...ge-801183.html
But it's still interesting to watch, even if you don't!