need cheap verabitim DL

I saw a couple of 50-pk. DVD-R MIJ Maxell's at the Sears here - should I grab them?

(They also had a couple of DVD+R packs of the same.)

What speed? (4x/8x?) I'm SHOCKED you found these, if they're truly MIJ (and not a sticker falling off or something), as Maxell hasn't had MIJ stock in literally 2-3 years, if not longer.

4X is "iffy" -- I have heard reports of SOME of the 4X MIJ being some weird lower standard Taiyo Yuden media with bad bonding problems-- i.e., the discs actually can come unglued. I have some of these discs and have noticed in the rare case of having to "shred" one (running it through one of those things that puts a bazillion holes into the disc) they do come apart VERY easily (after 2-3 runs through) whereas most media doesn't, and they're VERY flexible (probably a bad thing).

Now, keep in mind, I've personally never had one come apart that wasn't being destroyed anyway, but I have heard of it happening.

Now if it's "true" Maxell 4X media, it's awesome. I don't know for sure about their 8X media, but the stuff I have that was Made in Japan was all true Maxell media (Not rebranded TY) and was spectacular.

I'd say buy it FOR SURE if it's 8x, and if it's 4x buy it, check the media ID to see if it's TY or MXLG02 (?? I could have that wrong)... if it's MXL, you got a great steal. (back in the day, I liked Japanese Maxell better than TY discs) Even if it's TY, the discs are fine, just be gentle with them.

Note to everyone else: Maxell discs today are utter crap. Avoid, unless you find very, very old Made in Japan stock. It won't be faster than 8x, if I remember correctly.

What speed? (4x/8x?) I'm SHOCKED you found these, if they're truly MIJ (and not a sticker falling off or something), as Maxell hasn't had MIJ stock in literally 2-3 years, if not longer.I'm pretty sure they were 8X. And no, the packaging was all intact, and the MIJ part was printed right on them, not on any sticker. (Notice I amended my post, because I forgot to add that they were only 5 BUCKS!)

I didn't have my reading glasses with me, and the print was very small, but I squinted at it for a good 3 minutes, and I'm about 95% positive it said "Made in Japan" (my vision isn't that bad without the glasses, as long as there's enough light).

I couldn't believe it either, especially because the last times I've ever seen Maxell's in their clearance bins over the last couple of years they weren't MIJ. I don't know why, but something just told me to check them when I noticed them - probably because I haven't seen any out there in maybe a year, and this Sears is famous for just digging up things buried in the storeroom at times and throwing them out there. In fact, that's how I got my never-even-plugged-in, display model RDR-HX900 really cheap a couple of years back. I just happened to stop in there and look around that day. I kind of had an intuition that it was about that time again for one of their occasional nuggets to show up. I had that feeling again the other day. Good thing I checked it out.

I'll definitely go back there and get them (and I will bring my glasses this time). Think I should take the +R's, too?

...I squinted at it for a good 3 minutes...

Next time, find a hot girl to read it for you while you squint at her for 3 minutes. ;)

Worst case scenario:

"Hey, are you looking at my (insert body parts)?"

"What? No! I can't even see! That's why I asked for your help." :)

I'm pretty sure they were 8X. And no, the packaging was all intact, and the MIJ part was printed right on them, not on any sticker. (Notice I amended my post, because I forgot to add that they were only 5 BUCKS!)

I didn't have my reading glasses with me, and the print was very small, but I squinted at it for a good 3 minutes, and I'm about 95% positive it said "Made in Japan" (my vision isn't that bad without the glasses, as long as there's enough light).

I couldn't believe it either, especially because the last times I've ever seen Maxell's in their clearance bins over the last couple of years they weren't MIJ. I don't know why, but something just told me to check them when I noticed them - probably because I haven't seen any out there in maybe a year, and this Sears is famous for just digging up things buried in the storeroom at times and throwing them out there. In fact, that's how I got my never-even-plugged-in, display model RDR-HX900 really cheap a couple of years back. I just happened to stop in there and look around that day. I kind of had an intuition that it was about that time again for one of their occasional nuggets to show up. I had that feeling again the other day. Good thing I checked it out.

I'll definitely go back there and get them (and I will bring my glasses this time). Think I should take the +R's, too?


The 8x MIJ Maxells I found at Sears about a year ago were HORRIBLE discs. They would give burns that would have bright purple/blue spots in places like drips of paint from a paintbrush. I read up and they were known to suffer from seperation that caused the effect I mentioned above. After 4-5 failed burns and 3-4 HORRIBLE scans on the ones that did finish I took them back to Sears for a refund.

Next time, find a hot girl to read it for you while you squint at her for 3 minutes. ;)Unfortunately, there were none around at that time. Just a bunch of dopey-looking guys. :)

The 8x MIJ Maxells I found at Sears about a year ago were HORRIBLE discs. They would give burns that would have bright purple/blue spots in places like drips of paint from a paintbrush. I read up and they were known to suffer from seperation that caused the effect I mentioned above. After 4-5 failed burns and 3-4 HORRIBLE scans on the ones that did finish I took them back to Sears for a refund.Okay, then maybe I'll pass. I don't really need them right now - I've got way more than I do already.

Okay, then maybe I'll pass. I don't really need them right now - I've got way more than I do already.

I thought I had found a gem when I found those. But it was just big ol lump o' coal for me.

I didn't have my reading glasses with me, and the print was very small, but I squinted at it for a good 3 minutes, and I'm about 95% positive it said "Made in Japan" (my vision isn't that bad without the glasses, as long as there's enough light).



There were some Maxell packages a couple years back that had "Made In Taiwan" stickers placed over top of the Made In Japan labels, Though as I recall they were jewel cases. It's pretty easy to find out who made the discs by checking the MID code in most any burn-type software.

The only +/-R media ever made in Japan are Taiyo Yuden and Sony. In a Maxell package, they would have to be TY, if indeed they are made in Japan. Odds are very good they would be very good discs, for $5 I would grab them all without hesitation.

TY cake boxes all have a characteristic shape, with no ridges or flanges sticking out at the base.

I'll check those things. Thanks.

need cheap verabitim DL

The cheapest I've seen them is on sale at Best Buy for $1.25 each, in 25 packs. They don't go on sale often. I think Sam's Club has about the best regular price on them, about $1.60 each, but I haven't looked there in quite a while.

Reposting due to the board's data loss..

Walgreens has 50 pack of Sony -/+Rs @ $14.99 this week.

And, Staples has 100 Sonys for $22.98, and 50 for $12.99.

Office Max
Verbatim 16X +R/-R
100 pk $19.99
50 pk $12.99

Office Depot has-
100 pk Maxell -/+R 16x @ $19.99
15 pk Maxell -/+RWs @ $9.99

Not sure if these are any good, but it's the lowest price I've seen for single discs: http://www.meritline.com/ritek-ridata-2x-bd-r-blu-ray-single-layer-write-once-blank-media.html

tdk 8x dl 25 for $27.99 with free shipping on newegg. at $1.12 per disc that's one of the best dl deals i've ever seen...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817131068

tdk 8x dl 25 for $27.99 with free shipping on newegg. at $1.12 per disc that's one of the best dl deals i've ever seen...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817131068

Good prices, but the recent reviews have me more than a bit hesitant. Wish we has some IDs for those.

Office Max
Verbatim 16X +R/-R
100 pk $19.99
50 pk $12.99

The 100 pks are MIT, so I'm a happy camper!

I didn't check this time, but in the past, the 50 pks have been MII.

Good prices, but the recent reviews have me more than a bit hesitant. Wish we has some IDs for those.

well i ordered it, so we'll know soon...

Office Max just mailed me a $10 off $30 coupon, and they have Magnavox DVD-Rs at $19.99/100. I haven't found much discussion of Magnavox here. Are they good DVDs?

I see that Office Max's next week specials (starting 8/31) feature TDKs at $19.99/100. Are they good? Better/worse than Magnavox?

Thanks,

Chris

The 100 pks are MIT, so I'm a happy camper!

I didn't check this time, but in the past, the 50 pks have been MII.

Received my 100 pack. Made in India.

Office Max just mailed me a $10 off $30 coupon, and they have Magnavox DVD-Rs at $19.99/100. I haven't found much discussion of Magnavox here. Are they good DVDs?

I see that Office Max's next week specials (starting 8/31) feature TDKs at $19.99/100. Are they good? Better/worse than Magnavox?

Thanks,

Chris

Magnavox is supposedly CMC, which is 2nd Class Media: http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm

TDK is all over the board. :confused:

Not sure if you can double-dip, but you can also get 25% off at Office Max if you pay with PayPal: http://dealnews.com/coupons/online-stores/Office-Max-com/345/

If so, that would make for some really inexpensive media! :)

Office Depot has 25 DVD+R DL discs for only $15! (Only 60 cents per!) :)

However...according to digitalfaq, these Ritek DLs have layer break issues. :(

If anyone's feeling bold and brave, please buy and post!

Magnavox is supposedly CMC, which is 2nd Class Media: http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm

TDK is all over the board. :confused:

Not sure if you can double-dip, but you can also get 25% off at Office Max if you pay with PayPal: http://dealnews.com/coupons/online-stores/Office-Max-com/345/

If so, that would make for some really inexpensive media! :)

Hmmm...might take a chance on TDK, though I would have to buy at least 150 to get the discount. Still, 150 would cost me only ~$22, so maybe it's worth a gamble. It's listed as 1st class per the Digital FAQ link you sent me (thanks for that, by the way), but from what I read here, quality is ever-changing, and maybe the Digital FAQ hasn't been updated in a bit.

Maxells and Verbatims have worked great on my Philips' HDD machines, and I'm a bit hesitant to try something else, but on the other hand, the more brands that work, the less difficult it is to find some when I need them.

Chris

Memorex :eek: 2-pack of 25 DVD+R DL 8X discs (total 50 discs) on sale at Buy.com (http://www.buy.com/prod/memorex-2-pack-of-25-8x-double-layer-media-dvd-r/q/loc/101/206820996.html) for $26.24 + $4.49 S&H for a total of $30.73. That's 61.5 cents per disc.

Memorex :eek: 2-pack of 25 DVD+R DL 8X discs (total 50 discs) on sale at Buy.com (http://www.buy.com/prod/memorex-2-pack-of-25-8x-double-layer-media-dvd-r/q/loc/101/206820996.html) for $26.24 + $4.49 S&H for a total of $30.73. That's 61.5 cents per disc.That's still a little expensive for coffee table coasters.

Now Office Max has slashed these Magnavox DVD-R's to $15.99 for 100. If I buy two packs and use my $10 coupon, that will be around .11 each. I'm still hesitant because I'm not sure of the quality, and further, Magnavox is not listed as a compatible in my Philips 3575 manual. But the coupon is about to expire! Decisions, decisions...

Now Office Max has slashed these Magnavox DVD-R's to $15.99 for 100. If I buy two packs and use my $10 coupon, that will be around .11 each. I'm still hesitant because I'm not sure of the quality, and further, Magnavox is not listed as a compatible in my Philips 3575 manual. But the coupon is about to expire! Decisions, decisions...

I got the same coupon and picked up 2 packs, but I might just return them. the media codes are probably CMC MAG AM3 and CMC MAG M01, and a lot of folks seem to post problems with these Media IDs. I hear some folks get good scans, but just don't want to waste time if the media has problems later on.

While a bargain is a bargain, maybe in the case of DVD-R media, paying more for Taiyo Yuden media may offer the best cost vs. benefit results. The 15 - 20 cents per DVD-R differential between brands sold at stores and sold from online resellers like Supermediastore is one consideration. The others are reliability and quality. I mostly use printable premium TY 8X DVD-Rs, which I buy when they are on sale. In five instances over dozens of spindles, the dye side of the TY disc was smeared, messing up the disc. But the DVD-Rs I burnt all played without problems, on my DVD players and others. Riteks I bought in the past had real problems, including age deterioration. I bought a spindle of Verbatims last year, but it was not up to TY quality.

My two bits on media deals.

I'm still hesitant because I'm not sure of the quality, and further, Magnavox is not listed as a compatible in my Philips 3575 manual. But the coupon is about to expire! Decisions, decisions...Oh, you can be sure of the quality, all right. It will be poor. Any recordings you do make probably won't last a year. I concur with gerrytwo about T-Y. It's all I ever use.

Is the TY "Value Line" ok, or do you have to buy the "Premium" line?

I can find TY for around .28 (8x). Does the price ever get much better than that?

Is the TY "Value Line" ok, or do you have to buy the "Premium" line?

I can find TY for around .28 (8x). Does the price ever get much better than that?Stick with Premium 8X. I use the Premium silver laquer 8X and write on them with a Sharpie marker. I don't touch the value line. They are seconds.
I usually buy from supermediastore.com (http://www.supermediastore.com/taiyo-yuden-silver-thermal-8x-dvd-r-media.html). You can get them for $0.35 each in lots of 100 or $0.30 each in lots of 200. I don't look for bargains on these. $0.30 each is cheap enough for me and well worth the price for top quality media that lasts.

Stick with Premium 8X. I use the Premium silver laquer 8X and write on them with a Sharpie marker. I don't touch the value line. They are seconds.
I usually buy from supermediastore.com (http://www.supermediastore.com/taiyo-yuden-silver-thermal-8x-dvd-r-media.html). You can get them for $0.35 each in lots of 100 or $0.30 each in lots of 200. I don't look for bargains on these. $0.30 each is cheap enough for me and well worth the price for top quality media that lasts.


Thanks, Kelson and others, for all the help and advice. I think I'm sold on TY but need to figure out which specific discs to buy since there is a 'value line' (described differently at different sites) that is not good per the note above.
Is the following OK?

Taiyo Yuden Premium Silver Thermal Lacquer 8X DVD-R Media (Premium Line) 100 Pack in Cake Box (Free Ground Shipping)

Product Code: DV-001-0490
Manufacturer: Taiyo Yuden
Mfr part #: DVD-R47ZZ100SB8

Taiyo Yuden Premium Silver Thermal Lacquer 8X DVD-R Media 100 Pack
Taiyo Yuden's 8X speed DVD-R disks provide exceptional quality for general use and feature silver thermal surface configurations. The extraordinarily versatile 8X DVD-R media can be used with the new higher-speed DVD writers from Sony, Pioneer and other leading manufacturers, as well as upgraded 2X writers from Apple, Pioneer and others.

Top-Notch Performance Reliability and Archival Life!
Taiyo Yuden 8X DVD-R disks offer 4.7GB of write-once storage capacity and superior recording quality. They provide the highest level of performance, reliability, and archival life. In addition, Taiyo Yuden DVD-R media deliver broad read compatibility with the vast majority of DVD-ROM drives and DVD-Video players in use today. These affordable 8X DVD-R discs offer exceptional solutions for a wide range of applications, including home and professional video recording, DVD content development, DVD duplication, PC back-up, and data archiving.

Manufacturer: Taiyo Yuden
Manufacturer Part#: DVD-R47ZZSB8

Features

Media Type: DVD-R, DVDR Blank Media
Storage Capacity: 4.7GB
Recording Speed: 1X - 8X
Top Surface: Silver Thermal Lacquer
No Stacking Ring

Thanks, Kelson and others, for all the help and advice. I think I'm sold on TY but need to figure out which specific discs to buy since there is a 'value line' (described differently at different sites) that is not good per the note above.
Is the following OK?

Taiyo Yuden Premium Silver Thermal Lacquer 8X DVD-R Media (Premium Line) 100 Pack in Cake Box (Free Ground Shipping)

Product Code: DV-001-0490
Manufacturer: Taiyo Yuden
Mfr part #: DVD-R47ZZ100SB8

Taiyo Yuden Premium Silver Thermal Lacquer 8X DVD-R Media 100 Pack
Taiyo Yuden's 8X speed DVD-R disks provide exceptional quality for general use and feature silver thermal surface configurations. The extraordinarily versatile 8X DVD-R media can be used with the new higher-speed DVD writers from Sony, Pioneer and other leading manufacturers, as well as upgraded 2X writers from Apple, Pioneer and others.

Top-Notch Performance Reliability and Archival Life!
Taiyo Yuden 8X DVD-R disks offer 4.7GB of write-once storage capacity and superior recording quality. They provide the highest level of performance, reliability, and archival life. In addition, Taiyo Yuden DVD-R media deliver broad read compatibility with the vast majority of DVD-ROM drives and DVD-Video players in use today. These affordable 8X DVD-R discs offer exceptional solutions for a wide range of applications, including home and professional video recording, DVD content development, DVD duplication, PC back-up, and data archiving.

Manufacturer: Taiyo Yuden
Manufacturer Part#: DVD-R47ZZSB8

Features

Media Type: DVD-R, DVDR Blank Media
Storage Capacity: 4.7GB
Recording Speed: 1X - 8X
Top Surface: Silver Thermal Lacquer
No Stacking RingClick on the link I embedded for you above under supermedia.com. That will take you directly to their stock of T-Y Premium 8X silver thermal lacquer DVD-R. This is what I buy. As for the value line, they are what they are -- seconds. T-Y considers them rejects and sells them off to liquidators who tape wrap them and stick a "value line" sticker on them. Taiyo Yuden does not sell a value line. They are still better than most of the chinese junk you will find in B&M stores, but why bother for such a small price savings.

Office Max 9/14 - 9/27
VERBATIM 16x DVD+/-R, 100-Pack Spindle
#2122-3123/2122-3105
$19.99

I'm new at this. Is there a preference for +R or -R for everyday use in the Magnavox H2160?

Q

Office Max 9/14 - 9/27
VERBATIM 16x DVD+/-R, 100-Pack Spindle
#2122-3123/2122-3105
$19.99

I'm new at this. Is there a preference for +R or -R for everyday use in the Magnavox H2160?
+R/RW is the Philips/Magnavox "native" format developed by a consortium of companies, incl. Sony (info here if interested, incl. some discussion of its tech. "merits" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVD%2BR)).

DVD+R/RW can produce better burns due to the plus-format's inherently better design for tracking, speed control and addressing (location on the disc), esp. at higher burn speeds. One lifelong user here reported he switched to +Rs when he found they burned with a 99% quality rating in post-burn tests compared to his previous 95-96% quality burns with his -Rs.

Here's a ref. article by a tech expert for more info. (http://www.cdfreaks.com/reviews/Why-DVDRW-is-superior-to-DVD-RW) See esp. "Pre-pits versus ADIP" discussion, but ignore the following section on "Defect Management" and DVD+MRW Mount Rainier... it's a hardware implementation and not used in consumer recorders. The section on "Multiple recording sessions and compatibility" farther down is also interesting.

DVD+R/RW discs will FF/REW normally in Philips, Magnavox, and other Funai/Philips DVDRs (~50% of DVDRs in NA) but not all speeds in Pios and Pannys. As far as universal compatibility, in 2006, a German magazine did multiple-unit tests and found -R was 95% compatible and +R was 93% compatible (but 95% if it was bit-set to ROM).

Some older players/recorders (pre-2004) may not be +R compatible.

Thanks for the good info Wajo. Looks like the DVD player in my old laptop will play video recorded on +R/RW but won't read +R/RW data disks so I'll probably go with -R or maybe both.

Q

Office Max, Verbatim 2-4X +R DL, 20 pack, $27.99

Also Verbatim 16X +R/-R, 100 pack, $19.99... 50 pack, $11.99.

Office Max, Verbatim 2-4X +R DL, 20 pack, $27.99.

Good price, but still more than newegg.com. I wonder, are they MIS or MII discs at O.M.?

I just got back from the local Sam's Club, where I found a cake box of 50 Verb +R DLs, made in Singapore, for $60, i.e. $1.20 each. So, I picked up a box. That should be a couple of year's worth of DLs. :eek:

Office Max is having a Verbatim bonanza this week. In my local store today I saw....

100 pk spindle @ $19.99 made in Taiwan, orange and purple label
50 pk spindle @ $11.99, in purple and orange labels, and a few in the old blue and white labels-some with a DVD rental service offer (Movieplex, iirc) on the side and top label...
20 pk 2.4x DVD+R Dual-Layer @ $27.99 made in Singapore
30 pk Lightscribe @ $14.99, made in India

CHEAP!!! newegg.com has Verbatim DVD+R DL 20 packs @ $25 w/free shipping.

(There are made in Singapore, confirmed personally.)

My fresh batch of newegg +R DLs arrived. MIS, just as always. Still on sale: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?SID=843302-1-0-ARTICLE-0&Item=N82E16817130008&nm_mc=AFC-DealNews&cm_mmc=AFC-DealNews-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA

Linkyo Taiyo Yuden Premium White Inkjet Hub Printable 16X DVD-R Media 4.7GB 300 Pack in Retail Box with 300 Pack White Paper Sleeves (Free Ground Shipping):

http://www.supermediastore.com/taiyo-yuden-white-inkjet-hub-printable-16x-dvd-r-media-retail-cake-box-300-pack-with-paper-sleeves.html

All for just $99.00

At Staples this week, 100 packs of Sony +R and -R, $22.99. I've used a few hundred of these with only one coaster.

At Staples this week, 100 packs of Sony +R and -R, $22.99. I've used a few hundred of these with only one coaster.

Made in Taiwan or made in Malaysia? More and more stores around here only have the MIM and I haven't seen any Sony MIJ forever. What's your luck been with the MIM?

I believe I've had MIT in the past. I read here that the 100 packs come from Taiwan, but 50 packs come from Malaysia. Not sure if that is still true. I'm flush with Verbs at the moment, so I'm not planning on picking up any Sonys right now. But, this was the best deal I saw this week...

Today my nearby Staples was out of DVD-R 100 packs but substituted two 50 packs for the same price. These are my first Sony DVDs. These 50 packs are from Malaysia. Are these better than those from Taiwan?
Why not check their media ID with your Philips 3575 disc utility (bottom of this page (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=12298494&postcount=20)) and match to the 3 quality classes on digitalfaq.com? (However, some Sonys can't be read properly cuz they have too many null points (....), so you might need DVD Decrypter?)

The Sony DVD-R 50 pack from Malaysia are coded "SONY 16D1", and are included in both the top and second class of media. I've personally burned about 150 of these with not a single problem.

The 16D1 from Malaysia are 2nd Class, the ones from Japan and Taiwan are 1st Class.

These are my first Sony DVDs. These 50 packs are from Malaysia. Are these better than those from Taiwan?

From what others have said here, it seems those from Taiwan are better. I have not used those from Malaysia. But, do as Wajo said, and let us know what you find out!

Whoops! I didn't see the last two posts before I posted. THanks for the info, daniel and Wajo.

Micro Center has 100 pc spindles of Verbatim -Rs (MIT) for $22.99. And 50 pc spindles of same for $24.99. Which to buy?:rolleyes:

OfficeMax has 100 pack spindles of Verbatims on sale this week for $24.99. With 50 packs @ 14.99, in case you'd rather not risk having 100.
The last spindle I bought (made in India) gave me headaches, and I waffled so long on whether to return em or not-thinking it may have been my pc having issues, the 30 day return limit expired.

OfficeMax has 100 pack spindles of Verbatims on sale this week for $24.99. With 50 packs @ 14.99, in case you'd rather not risk having 100.
The last spindle I bought (made in India) gave me headaches, and I waffled so long on whether to return em or not-thinking it may have been my pc having issues, the 30 day return limit expired.

I just opened a 100-pack of -R Verbs I bought at Office Max 45 days ago. I tried 15 of them, and all 15 had the dreaded "disk error" on my Philips 3575. I had just successfully burned all 100 of a +R pack. I don't think the +/- had anything to do with it as I have successfully used Verb -R in the past, but I have now read that their reliability has become erratic. The cashier originally did not want to exchange them, but I pointed out that I was returning defective merchandise (and simply asking for an exchange as I suspected I just got a bad batch), not asking for a frivolous refund, and the manager agreed to exchange them. I got +R and have had no problems with the first few I've tried. Still, I'm probably switching to Maxell, which have given me no problems whatsoever.

Out of the pack of 100 Verbatim -R disks I bought at Office Max about 2 months ago I've burned about 50 in the Mag 2160 with no problems. They play fine on other machines including my laptop. Have also burned about 30 out of the same pack on the computer with no problem.

Q

I'm somewhat reluctant to post this since I'm not sure if it's just my local Sams club or if all have the same "one time buy" (according to sign) but here it is:
Verbatim + or - R discs (made in Taiwan) $10.99/50. Oh they still had the 100 spindles for $29.99:rolleyes: I don't think they'll be selling many of those for a while.
This pretty much made my pp of 50/$10 so I bought a few spindles. I noticed the same pricing at another local Sams so it might be nation wide.

Thanks, jjeff, I'll check that out!

Is anyone aware of sales for the +RW or -RW discs (DVD or CD). It seems like those formats have dwindled in availability over the last year and the deals are few and far between. Any info is welcome. Thanks!

Is anyone aware of sales for the +RW or -RW discs (DVD or CD). It seems like those formats have dwindled in availability over the last year and the deals are few and far between. Any info is welcome. Thanks!

Walgreen's, Office Max, Circuit City, and Office Depot each puts various brands of blank dvds on sale every week. You just have to check each week's ad to find which they've got on sale for any given week. Walgreen's had Sony -/+Rs and RWs on sale last week, this week they've got Maxell-though no RWs are in the online ad for the week.
$6.99 SONY media Walgreens
thru Nov 22
Add to Shopping List
• 2 pack Camcorder Double Sided DVD-R Discs
• 3 pack VHS-C, 8mm or DVD-R Camcorder Tapes
• 6 pack T-120 Videocassettes
• 15 pack DVD-R
• Plus more

Office Max's online weekly ad (which is localized by entering your zip code) doesn't always list everything that may be on sale. This week, Magnavox dvds (100pk 24.99) and cds (100pk 14.99) are listed, last week they had Verbatims on sale in the store, but not featured in the ad.

Office Depot has Memorex dvd (12.99) and cd (7.99) on sale this week.

And if you need ink for your printer,
this week Walgreen's is offering a printer cartridge refill-buy one get one free.
Black ink $10
Color ink $15
Bring in your empty b/w and color cartridges, get them both refilled for the price of one. Call them to ask which brands they refill before you go, and pick up the paper ad in the store with the coupon inside before heading to the photo center desk.

BB in their weekly ad and online, has a sale on Sony blank dvds (100 pk + and - Rs) for $22.99.

Is anyone aware of sales for the +RW or -RW discs (DVD or CD). It seems like those formats have dwindled in availability over the last year and the deals are few and far between. Any info is welcome. Thanks!

I don't remember the price, but I picked up a stack of 50 Verb -RWs at Sam's Club for just a penny or two more per disc than the cheapest sale I'd seen anywhere else.

Yes, unless it's a loss leader Sams normal price on the Verb. -RWs are one of the best deals going. Sometimes Office Depot/Max will have a better price on their store brand or Maxells, but I haven't seen that in a while. Maybe closer to black Friday.
The problem with the Sams deal is the Spindle is 50 discs, maybe too many for some people. OD/M usually has 25 or even 15 pack spindles.

I haven't seen Office Depot DVD-RWs on sale for QUITE a while.. (Though I think both brands they have on sale are 4x nowadays -- and I've never bought one just to try to see if it would work in my replaced XS32 burner..)

The problem with the Sams deal is the Spindle is 50 discs, maybe too many for some people.

It is quite a few... I expect it to last a couple of years, at least, and save me from having to look through the ads for sales on them in the mean time!

I have next weeks Best Buy flyer, they'll have Verbatim +/- R 50 disc spindles for $9.99 (on sale from Nov 23-26), but aren't all BB Verbs made in India now, would these be worth buying?

I've used a couple of spindles so far, with no problems, on my Pio 640. But, others have reported problems.

cdfreaks say MII Verbs were very problematic in the past but are pretty good quality now, maybe I'll buy only one spindle to see how they are.
Edit: went to my BB in Elmhurst Queens, all the -Rs were the newer orange blue wrapping, but the +Rs were older 2005 advanced azo wrapper Taiwan discs, I bought 2.

but aren't all BB Verbs made in India now, would these be worth buying?

I picked up a couple of spindles today, and they are made in Taiwan. I'll try them out later tonight to see if they act up in my persnickety Pioneer 510H recorder.

BB Verbs are going for $9.99 per 50 right now.

Better yet, if you live in the midwest, you might have an Inkstop near you. Right now, Verbs are $8.99 per 50. The ad shows the old MIT wrappers, but I haven't been to the store yet.

I just bought a 50-pack of the Verb DVD-R at BB and my Philips 3575 wouldn't read them. This is the second time in the past couple of months that has happened. I don't know if they have just become incompatible with my Philips or if there is some manufacturing issue. Out of desperation, I went to Office Depot and picked up a 100-pack of TDK DVD+R for $17.99. The Philips 3575 recognized them with no problem and they are burning fine. The media code is simply RITEK with no additional #s, which is not even listed at http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm.

I just bought a 50-pack of the Verb DVD-R at BB and my Philips 3575 wouldn't read them. This is the second time in the past couple of months that has happened. I don't know if they have just become incompatible with my Philips or if there is some manufacturing issue. Out of desperation, I went to Office Depot and picked up a 100-pack of TDK DVD+R for $17.99. The Philips 3575 recognized them with no problem and they are burning fine. The media code is simply RITEK with no additional #s, which is not even listed at http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm.
If you're reading the media code (MID) with the 3575, it might not be reading the entire MID code... if it has several "null points" (...) after the name, there are prob. other numbers there that only a computer app like DVD Decrypter can read properly. (The 3575 can read a single null point and any blank spaces.) If no null points and only RITEK, they might be counterfeit? Many SONY discs have null points and show up as just "SONY" in the 3575, but DVD Decrypter reads the numbers after the points and the discs are usually a good MID. In fact, digitalfaq.com used to list "SONY" as a counterfeit MID but it could just be the people using SONY discs used an app like in the 3575 and it just didn't read the whole code?

Since the Philips 3575 is "more friendly" to the plus format, and you might even get better burns with the plus format, you might want to use them exclusively (only drawback: might not have all FF/REW speeds in some -R-based machines).

Well, it's a bit late but maybe not too late for someone to take advantage of this deal. Office Depot emailed me a $10 off $40 coupon that said it would not work with media. I tried it anyway online and it didn't work. Printed it out and took it to the local store, and they took it. I got two 100-packs of TDK DVD+R for 13.5 cents each after the coupon. Not bad. The coupon expires today.

Better yet, if you live in the midwest, you might have an Inkstop near you. Right now, Verbs are $8.99 per 50. The ad shows the old MIT wrappers, but I haven't been to the store yet.

These proved to be MIT Verbs, but in the new wrapper.

Circuit City has Sony 25 spindle packs on sale this week for $6.99. Don't know where they were made, so you'll need to check the label should you decide to pick some up.

Walgreen's has
Maxell $8.99
thru Dec 6
• 25 pack DVD+R or DVD-R Discs
• 30 pack CD-R Music Discs
• 50 pack CD-R Data Discs

Office Max has
Verbatim
$22.99
Reg. $59.99
thru Dec 6
VERBATIM® 16x DVD+/-R, 100-Pack #2122-3123
and-----
$14.99
Reg. $39.99
thru Dec 6
VERBATIM® 52x CD-R, 100-Pack #2101-6883
SAVE $25

And if you were curious, Office Depot has Memorex discs for $12.99.

...And if you were curious, Office Depot has Memorex discs for $12.99.

:eek: WOW! $12.99 for 100,00 Memorex discs?* :eek:

*Any amount under that is no bargain.

Here is a bargain though: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817130008

(These came to me last time in the new packaging and were MIS.)

:eek: WOW! $12.99 for 100,00 Memorex discs?* :eek:

*Any amount under that is no bargain.

)
:BLUSH: They're 50 pk spindles...I didn't look at the size, since I know Mems are not so favored for most veteran media buffs. :p

Just messin' with you here. :)

I suppose if I got 1000 Memorex for $13.00 it might be worth it...what's the going rate for scrap plastic thse days? :D

Just messin' with you here. :)

I suppose if I got 1000 Memorex for $13.00 it might be worth it... :D

Cheaper than clay pigeons, if you shoot skeet... :D

Inkstop has 50 packs of Verbs for $8.99 again. When I got them two weeks ago, they were MIT. The ad says one to a customer, but they were fine with me buying as many as I wanted. There website is www.inkstop.net. You can check for stores near you.

Best Buy has 50 packs of Sonys for $12.99, and 20 packs of Verb +R DLs for $29.99.

Staples has 50 packs of Sonys for the same price as Best Buy, and 100 packs for $21.99.

Something NEW on digitalfaq.com (http://www.digitalfaq.com/media/dvdmedia.htm): an opening section on

"Quick suggestions, get good media now...."

where they list three suggested "best" media brands/types/mfgrs:
1. Verbatim DVD-R or DVD+R, made in either India or Taiwan.
2. Taiyo Yuden DVD-R or DVD+R, from an authorized dealer only [Premium Line].
3. Sony DVD-R or DVD+R, made in Taiwan only.

PLUS some "deals" on media for the USA, Canada and UK/Europe.
Using their links gets support for their excellent ref. site from the sellers.
Besides those links, other excellent sources for the first two recommended discs are:
supermediastore.com (http://www.supermediastore.com/) and rima.com (http://www.rima.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc).

I don't put much stock in their ratings.

I have had good luck with media they call 3RD CLASS MEDIA - CRAP DISCS.

Am now watching SG1 recorded 2 to 3 years ago on that there 3RD CLASS
MEDIA - CRAP DISCS on a old computer.

James

Is it safe to ship media in very cold weather?

Years ago I read if temperatures were comfortable for people then they are OK for discs. That you did not want to overheat & warp them or freeze & crack any of the layers.

I’d like to order some DVD-R discs, but I’m in the Midwest where it has been pretty cold & looks like it will be for a while. I'm sure the semi driving over the mountains from the west coast is not climate controlled. My concern is receiving the discs with hairline cracks that you cannot see, but will eventually cause disc rot.

Is this a legitimate concern or am I being too cautious?

...Is this a legitimate concern or am I being too cautious?

Probably too cautious.

Here's my reasoning: Let's say that you bought some discs at a retail outlet instead to tide you over. How did those get there? Same trucks, same environment. Maybe even worse, as they could be left unprotected on some dock for hours along the way. Plus, I doubt many media manufacturers have their storage facilities temperature-controlled 24/7/365.

Another example: I've left CDs in my car for years on end here in Utah, where the temperature extremes can go from 110 down to -10 throughout the year. I have CDs that are around 20 years old that still work fine, with no signs of rot, despite the 100-degree swings.

DVDs have been reported to have temperature ratings of -40 up to 140, so you're probably OK. The biggest thing to remember is to allow the media to slowly acclimate to the ambient temperature before use. Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it too much.

As has been said here by myself and others many many times: crap is in the eye of the beholder, or in this case the drive of the user. The A-number-one criteria is, does it burn reliably, predictably and completely in YOUR burning hardware? If it does, you're largely home-free. But there are complications: sometimes borderline media SEEMS to burn perfectly, and may even test that way using the dubious "home testing" tools, yet the burn is NOT really perfect and that disc can blow chunks at any future date. A "perfect" burn can survive the aging process, temperature swings, changes in playback hardware, etc. An imperfect burn will nail your ass to a wall when you least expect it, upon the slightest disc deterioration. A good example was the debate that raged three years ago re TY vs Ritek media on Pioneer recorders. Using the dopey "home test" tools, the TY discs read as having tons of errors while the Riteks showed a "perfect" burn. Six months later, many Riteks decomposed or became otherwise unplayable, three years later the "crap" TYs still play fine, even though they're supposedly "riddled with errors". Media issues are never as cut-and-dried as we'd like.

If you have loosey-goosey hardware that accommodates anything you put in it and rarely if ever produces a coaster, then go right ahead and save a couple bucks per spindle and use whatever media goes on sale at a convenient retail store. But if you have a standalone recorder or laptop that suddenly starts choking on retail media, cope with the fact you've "dropped off the radar" and need to start buying known-good-compatible media from online sources. And if you want a little extra insurance of archival quality, routinely opt for the TY or Verbatim 8x and have one less thing to worry about. Its that simple, but its amazing how this "online" vs "retail" media debate completely polarizes people: they'll happily order groceries and toilet paper at inflated prices from Fresh Direct, but flatly refuse to order media online because its $5 more. The thrill of the hunt for "media deals" shoves aside usability concerns: I don't get it. Find what works for you and stick with it for as long as it works. If you can't be bothered worrying and testing, go online and buy the slightly more expensive TY or Verbatim 8x.

Regarding the media shipping question, blank media is different than prerecorded. Pre-rec can survive (most) temperature extremes because its inorganic and stable. Recordable media has a fragile dye layer easily damaged by heat and in some cases humidity. I would be much less concerned shipping to Chicago in winter than to Miami in summer.

100 pk Sony -R or +R "Printable" 16X
Buy One Get One Free
Costco with coupon
Gold pkg shown on -R and blue on +R

I've had real good luck with those. I bought them last time they had a BOGO offer.
Hopefully I'll be getting my coupon book soon:confused: Hoping they have the coupon on Turbo Tax again:)

Lots of good coupons for Jan 5-25, incl. Turbo Tax $10 off.

This week
Walgreens has
Sony 25 pks of DVD+/-R for $7.99

Office Max
VERBATIM® 16x DVD+/-R, 100-Pack
$24.99
(Reg. $59.99)
thru 1/3/09

Circuit City
TDK 50 PK DVD-/+R
$10.99

Office Max
VERBATIM® 16x DVD+/-R, 100-Pack
$24.99
(Reg. $59.99)
thru 1/3/09

Get $10 off these discs by using this coupon:

http://view.ed4.net/v/KS70YW/NFGDH/C5W1PFI/JSXLKI/?mid=893267-1-0-ARTICLE-0

Can't beat 15 cents per for Verbatims! :)

^^ Wow, thanks for sharing that. Was planning on getting a couple of Sonys this week, but at just $14.99, I'll go for the Verbs.

Just to let you guys know, I bought 2 of the 100 disc -R packs of Verbs from Office Max for $16.01 each after tax/coupon. They are MiT, so they should hopefully be good. :) The ones I bought from newegg a while back were MiI. Haven't done a scan on any of these yet, but...

The -R discs at OM come in an orange package, but the +R come in the purple packs. I don't ever use single-layer +R, so I didn't check their manufacturing location. Sorry.

Futureshop up here in Canada has Fuji 100 packs of +/- R's for $17 each at the moment (marked down from $55). No coupon...no rebate...no problem.

100 pk Sony -R or +R "Printable" 16X
Buy One Get One Free
Costco with coupon
Gold pkg shown on -R and blue on +R

It's about time, I just received my coupon book today:eek:
If anyone wants a extra BOBO coupon for the Sony DVDs just PM me with your address and I'll mail it to you. I've still got a spindle from the last time Costco did this:D
The coupon is good Jan 5-25. I'll update this when I no longer have the coupon.
Note you usually can't use 2 coupons on the same receipt but you can always send your significant other to another lane or just come back at a later time.
AFAIK there computer system does not keep track that a members card has already used a BOGO coupon, even the same day.

spyder696969,

Thanks for the information & coupon link.

I picked up a 100 pk of the Verbatim DVD-Rs from Office Max. They are MiT. I checked out the purple wrapped DVD+Rs and they too were MiT.

There were two orange label versions, both MiT. At first glance they looked the same, and the UPC was the same. Under the large “DVD-R” on one spool’s label it stated: Recordable/Inscriptible/Grabable. It had Verbatim #95102 0705-203. And was dated 2007. I’m surprised this one was still there.

All the other spools had no writing under the “DVD-R”. They stated Verbatim #95102 0804-203 and were dated 2008. This is the version I bought.

I mention this in case somebody has problems & it may be traceable to a certain batch

spyder696969,

Thanks for the information & coupon link.

I picked up a 100 pk of the Verbatim DVD-Rs from Office Max. They are MiT. I checked out the purple wrapped DVD+Rs and they too were MiT.

There were two orange label versions, both MiT. At first glance they looked the same, and the UPC was the same. Under the large “DVD-R” on one spool’s label it stated: Recordable/Inscriptible/Grabable. It had Verbatim #95102 0705-203. And was dated 2007. I’m surprised this one was still there.

All the other spools had no writing under the “DVD-R”. They stated Verbatim #95102 0804-203 and were dated 2008. This is the version I bought.

I mention this in case somebody has problems & it may be traceable to a certain batch


You're most welcome! Thanks for the dedication in passing along the batch info. :)

No 16x for me. Don't use any higher than 8x. Rarely ever have problems or coasters since I swore them off.

No 16x for me. Don't use any higher than 8x. Rarely ever have problems or coasters since I swore them off.

Agreed, although I'm more interested in the lower of the two specs. If it says 2.4X, I buy 'em.

Agreed, although I'm more interested in the lower of the two specs. If it says 2.4X, I buy 'em.

Could you please explain what is meant by the lower of the two specs?

Could you please explain what is meant by the lower of the two specs?

Typically, manufacturers will post the "max speed" of the discs in big, bold letters/numbers as a selling point. Usually, the lowest speed will be listed in smaller font somewhere on the discs or the packaging.

For example, the 100-pack of Verbatim -R discs I just bought are listed as 16X on the cover/top, but in (very small!) lettering on the "back" of the case wrap, it is specified as 16/1 X, meaning that while they can go as high as 16X, they can also go all the way down to 1X.

In a completely opposite approach, Varbatim sells packages of +R Dual-Layer discs as 2.4X, though it specifies (again, in very small font!) that they can go as high as 6X.

Even though I could, I never burn past 2.4X. Ever.

spyder696969,

OK I see the 16X/1X. Does that mean you will burn these at 1X?

I've been using 8X discs and this is my first spool of 16X. I've seen postings where people don't like to burn faster than 8X and it never was a concern for me before. I want to say I've also seen comments that you should burn at the rated speed because the disc is optimized for this, or something to that effect. IOW burning a 16X disc at 8X does not provide as good a burn as doing it at 16X.

Am I interpreting that correctly? Do you recommend I use 16X, 8X or whatever the burner or recorder automatically sets as max?

Now I need to get some DVD slim line cases. The last batch I bought from Sam’s Club were by Verbatim. They grip the hub too tight and the discs flex quite a bit when trying to remove them. I usually squeeze the little prongs together a bit in order to loosen them up. I wish they had the push to release mechanism.

Does anyone know of any good deals on DVD cases?

Sam's also sells Memo-wrecks cases even cheaper, but I don't know if they'd be any better.

I've been meaning to try them sometime, but I never have.

Meritline has TY premium 8X at 28.99/100 or 53.99/200. 27 cents per.

...Does that mean you will burn these at 1X?

Verbatim spool states:
"Damage to hardware or media/data could occur if these discs are used on some 1/2X DVD-R drives."

I pretty much burn all DVD media at 2.4X since it has been an "industry standard" for so long and has never given me issue. Set it and forget it, if you will. (Keep in mind that I only use Verbatim or TY discs about 95% of the time.)

...I want to say I've also seen comments that you should burn at the rated speed because the disc is optimized for this, or something to that effect. IOW burning a 16X disc at 8X does not provide as good a burn as doing it at 16X...

I find it hard to believe that drive manufacturers could "optimize" their product for any one particular speed, given the fact that there are countless media options out there. In a similar vein, since there are also countless drives in existence, manufacturing media with one "optimized" speed in mind would be neigh impossible as well.

I have seen companies use "Optimized for use with XXXX (read as OUR brand) media/recorders" as a marketing gimmick, but the validity of such a claim is dubious, at best. :confused:

...Do you recommend I use 16X, 8X or whatever the burner or recorder automatically sets as max?...

No. Recording at max speeds (as well as working on other projects while recording) can often lead to your buffer being eaten away, causing bad burns. Better to let your recorder sleep while you work and work while you sleep.

...Now I need to get some DVD slim line cases...

Supermediastore and Meritline have always given me good results at great prices.

I was at Fry's today & figured I pick up a 5-pack of Panasonic DVD-RAM discs, but they were out of them. This is the first time I've noticed they had none. They sold the last 3 packs earlier today. I asked if they sold a lot of these as I was concerned if they were getting more in. The shelves appeared to be low on stock on a lot of the media, and optical drives. The salesperson said they sold 37 packs on one day earlier this month. He looked up figures on his terminal and said they sell about 40 packs a month. So they do appear to have a steady sales pattern. Anyway they are getting more in near the end of the month and they are $6.99 for the 5-pack.

Help! I'm a Taiyo Yuden virgin, who regularly uses Verbatims. I've decided to bite the bullet, and order some Tys on line. I remember reading that it is possible to get them with free shipping. How is this done? Is it a regular thing at a particular store? A coupon? Occasional promotion at a particular store? I just ordered 400 of my favorite poly cases from Rima, but I didn't see any free shipping offers from them for Ty discs. So, someone please put me hip, how do I avoid shipping costs?

Help! I'm a Taiyo Yuden virgin, who regularly uses Verbatims. I've decided to bite the bullet, and order some Tys on line. I remember reading that it is possible to get them with free shipping. How is this done? Is it a regular thing at a particular store? A coupon? Occasional promotion at a particular store? I just ordered 400 of my favorite poly cases from Rima, but I didn't see any free shipping offers from them for Ty discs. So, someone please put me hip, how do I avoid shipping costs?"Free" shipping is right here at Supermedia Store.com (http://www.supermediastore.com/taiyo-yuden-silver-thermal-8x-dvd-r-media.html) I've bought hundreds of the 8X Premium Silver Thermal Lacquer DVD-R disks from them without issue. No need for the white tops unless you want that sort of thing. You can write on these with a Permanent Sharpie marker to lable without issue. I've been doing it for almost 5 years.

LOL, of course they cost more when you get "free" shipping. If you buy 100 then get them from Rima for a dollar cheaper; if you buy 200 get them from Supermedia Store for a dollar cheaper. There's no free lunch with T-Y. You'll pay $0.30-35/disk, but you get what you pay for.

Meritline is also another good place to buy media, etc. As Kelson states, T-Y isn't going to be "cheap" at any time, even if you're on Meritline, Supermedia Store, Newegg, or whoever else's mailing lists*.

*If you are on the mailing lists, there can be some pretty damn good deals though! :)

What are the differences between the Premium and Value lines of Taiyo Yuden? Are both made in Japan?

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41AG0LCVa9L._SL500_AA280_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/Taiyo-Yuden-Premium-Thermal-Lacquer/dp/B000F34IA0/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1234896583&sr=8-2)

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/419BasC84XL._SL500_AA280_.jpg (http://www.amazon.com/Taiyo-Yuden-DVD-R-Media-Value/dp/B000FVUZYA/ref=pd_cp_e_2?pf_rd_p=413863501&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000M1A3TK&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1FZP4NNZDZZ76CX5G10Y)

What are the differences between the Premium and Value lines of Taiyo Yuden? Are both made in Japan?The Value Line are seconds. These are disk lots that have failed the quality tests of the Premium line. It's important to understand that means they are not made to any minimum standard, but rather they failed the minimum standard they were designed to. They are not sold by T-Y, T-Y does not offer a Value Line. T-Y sells the rejects to liquidators who package them in unbranded tape-wraps with the label Value on them.

That said they are still better than most chinese media sold in stores. However, I would caution away from them. They are not that much cheaper than Premium T-Y, so why bother with the rejects.

The best disks available are still T-Y 8X Premium DVD-R.

For anyone looking for -RW discs in a smaller spindle than Sams sells (50) Office Depot has 25 spindle TDKs for $12.99 or about the same price Walmart regularly sells the 15 spindle of Maxell RWs for.
OD also has 16x TDK Rs for $10.99/50 if you care for regular TDK discs.

For anyone looking for -RW discs in a smaller spindle than Sams sells (50) Office Depot has 25 spindle TDKs for $12.99 or about the same price Walmart regularly sells the 15 spindle of Maxell RWs for.
OD also has 16x TDK Rs for $10.99/50 if you care for regular TDK discs.

I've had a lot of luck with Verbatim +RWs....how do these TDKs compare?

Also, I have a lot of Office Depot and Maxell +RWs where the recording plays OK for a while, then "sticks" for 2 or 3 seconds. Is there any way to fix those or just pitch them????

thnx

Boy, no sales in a while!

Kmart has Sony DVD-R and DVD+R $10 for 50 on a spindle this week. The -R are made in Malaysia, the +R are made in Taiwan. I bought a spindle of both.
Has there been any more feedback on the Malaysia-made discs?

newegg has 100-disc packs of Verbatim +R at 18 cents per.

Boy, no sales in a while!
Kmart has Sony DVD-R and DVD+R $10 for 50 on a spindle this week. The -R are made in Malaysia, the +R are made in Taiwan. I bought a spindle of both.
Has there been any more feedback on the Malaysia-made discs?

The Malaysian discs are awful.
The Taiwan are good.

See http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/showthread.php/sony-daxon-sony-424.html
and the review link in my signature.

The Malaysian discs are awful.
The Taiwan are good.

See http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/showthread.php/sony-daxon-sony-424.html
and the review link in my signature.
That's just one person's opinion. Although I now use the TY08 -Rs, I've burned about 100 of the Sony 16D1 (Malaysia), and recall one bad burn. Check the link below for ratings on various media. The Sony Malaysia discs are listed as 2nd class or "okay" quality - but certainly not awful.

http://www.digitalfaq.com/reviews/dvd-media.htm

[QUOTE=daniel711;16076298]That's just one person's opinion. Although I now use the TY08 -Rs, I've burned about 100 of the Sony 16D1 (Malaysia), and recall one bad burn. Check the link below for ratings on various media. The Sony Malaysia discs are listed as 2nd class or "okay" quality - but certainly not awful.

I cringe everytime I see someone post a link to digitalfaq as the reference "Bible" for media-buying decisions. The ever-changing landscape from media manufacturers renders a lot of their data and ongoing bias useless.

The Malaysian discs are awful.
The Taiwan are good.

See http://www.digitalfaq.com/forum/showthread.php/sony-daxon-sony-424.html
and the review link in my signature.

That site says, "LeadData-made Sony media is usually not sold under the Sony brand name, in Sony packaging"

So, is there a difference between Sony 16D1 sold as Sony and 16D1 sold under other brands?

Worse comes to worst I can use these for givaways. I have a ton of TYs and Sony branded TYs packed away.

so which is the best RW (+ or -) media today?

so which is the best RW (+ or -) media today?

I use +RWs a lot and find verbatim work well.

I'll be curious to see what the pros have to say.......

I've used Sony DVD-R 16X and +R D/L 3X in the past and they've all burned well. The D/Ls were slow as hell but I backed up some really high quality videos. When those ran out, I ordered some premium Taiyo Yuden 8X (100 spindle) after that and they're excellent. But recently, buy.com's got some Memorex 16X -R (100pcs) going for $19.99 with free s/h. I'm not a fan of Memorex's but I couldn't resist the price and went ahead and scoop those up too (I'm reserving the TYs for important back ups) and so far I haven't had any problems with them and the batch hasn't failed on me yet, so far so good! Now I have a boatload of DVD-Rs!

...But recently, buy.com's got some Memorex 16X -R (100pcs) going for $19.99 with free s/h. I'm not a fan of Memorex's but I couldn't resist the price...

:confused: That's about the same price as quality media posted here regularly. :eek:

Maybe you can work on your "resistance skills" a bit in the future. ;)

^^I'm a sucker for "sale priced" items and FREE shippings....except for my EH55!

so which is the best RW (+ or -) media today?

I use +RWs a lot and find verbatim work well.

I'll be curious to see what the pros have to say.......

I use -RW on my Pio 640. Recently, I have used exclusively Verbatims, with no problems. A couple of years ago, when the player was new, I started out using Maxell -RWs. I did have failures with a couple of them. I don't use RWs a lot. I have about 40 discs, which I use in rotation, for saving things long term, until I get the rest of what I want to make a complete -R Video Mode disc. I'm not a pro...

I just stopped by Best Buy today. They are selling Sony DVD-R and +R 50 pack for $12.99. I picked up the -R disks. The Media ID is SONY 16D1. I haven't tried burning any yet but should in a day or two.

Office Max has 100 packs of Verbs for $24.99 this week.

The ever-changing landscape from media manufacturers
The landscape barely moves. Aside from DVD+R DL, there hasn't been a major shift in media since about 2006. Before that, it was late 2003 / early 2004.

"Ever changing" is a myth, mostly perpetuated by the same people who believe in "batches" -- another bogus explanation to account for how unreliable media is from lower-grade vendors such as CMC and Ritek.

The same players, same complaints, same praises -- it's been stagnant like this for a while now.

This week Best Buy is having the rare sale of +R DL Verbs. A 20 pack for $29.99. Also, SL Verbs, 50 @ $12.99.

This week Best Buy is having the rare sale of +R DL Verbs. A 20 pack for $29.99. Also, SL Verbs, 50 @ $12.99.

Saw the DLs listed this week. Unfortunately, BB's "sale" price is still $3 more than newegg's regular price...before tax! :confused:

Meritline also had 30 DLs for $33 this week. Again, it was unfortunate, because those were the 8X and were likely MiI, not the 2.4X. :(

Saw the DLs listed this week. Unfortunately, BB's "sale" price is still $3 more than newegg's regular price...before tax! :confused:
(

As there are no Neweggs in my area, BB's price is the best I ever see for DLs.

As there are no Neweggs in my area, BB's price is the best I ever see for DLs.

Even though I think you're pulling my leg a bit, I apologize for not being more specific. Like monoprice, I'd assumed that everyone here had heard of newegg.com. :o Their shipping is, of course, free. They're also incredibly speedy - most things are to my house in 2 days. :)

For those that are leery of online buying, it's highly likely that they sell more in a single day than all the BestBuys on Earth do in an entire month. With prices that are typically 50%-75% less than BB or any other B&M store, it's no wonder. :cool:

Actually, I wasn't pulling your leg. A few years back we had a B&M store I think was called Newegg, But it closed. So I didn't realize they were online. I've got quite a few DLs now, but next time I need some, I'll check them out.

I think Newegg is unrelated to the the former Egghead chain. After the retail stores closed it was online for a while until it disappeared. My daughter worked in their call center in Vancouver WA.

CompUsa has gone the same way, first retail, then online, and then . . .

....and then the name and assets were acquired by TigerDirect. CompUSA trademark is now owned by TigerDirect. Same stuff. Same prices. Same company. TigerDirect.

Too bad about Egghead. I'd gotten some stuff with them a few times and they were a great company to deal with. However I've also bought things from Newegg and so far I've had good experiences with them, and I'd recommend them to anyone. They often have good prices -- I got a great deal on my current HP printer last Black Friday from Newegg...before shipping I got it for $30 (normally was over $100). It's weird to have paid less for the printer than the print cartridges... ;)

For recordable media though I usually stick with local places...it's usually easy to find a good deal in the local stores, and no shipping costs. (Not as easy as it used to be now that CCity is gone, though....)

DGK

For recordable media though I usually stick with local places...it's usually easy to find a good deal in the local stores, and no shipping costs.

It's pretty rare these days to have to pay shipping for things bought online. Even if you do pay shipping, it's usually less than paying tax + gas (and not including your time) to drive around town to get to the 3 packages of discs they have "in stock" between 10 stores. As for local B&M stores, you can find good deals...if you love crap media. Seems that every single week, in every single store, Memo-Blechs are "on sale." :mad: All of this is assuming that you're looking for common media of the +/- variety. BB only does their DL or RW media "sale" once every 4-6 months. :(

....and then the name and assets were acquired by TigerDirect. CompUSA trademark is now owned by TigerDirect. Same stuff. Same prices. Same company. TigerDirect.

Tiger's true value (along with many other online companies) is in being on their mailing list and getting the "insider" or closeout deals. :) Once again, this beats B&M's offering a closeout...that employees (or friends/family of said workers) have pillaged long before opening the doors.

CompUSA and Tigerdirect always charge me taxes, where Newegg doesn't. Sooooo, with better prices (usually) and no taxes Newegg gets 95% of my Etailer $$$$$.

I can usually buy DVD Media (Verbatim-R MIT) Cheaper at Officemax on sale than I can get them delivered from most anywhere though. I just keep a good eye out and stock up when they run a sale.

CompUSA and Tigerdirect always charge me taxes, where Newegg doesn't. Sooooo, with better prices (usually) and no taxes Newegg gets 95% of my Etailer $$$$$.

I can usually buy DVD Media (Verbatim-R MIT) Cheaper at Officemax on sale than I can get them delivered from most anywhere though. I just keep a good eye out and stock up when they run a sale.

Oops, I forgot (and agree) about the twice-per-year deal on Verb +/-Rs at OfficeMax. :o

I bought 400 of them last time. Seems that they were $14 (or somewhere around that) with tax + coupon. :)

Oops, I forgot (and agree) about the twice-per-year deal on Verb +/-Rs at OfficeMax. :o

I bought 400 of them last time. Seems that they were $14 (or somewhere around that) with tax + coupon. :)

Is it the same times every year Spyder? I hadn't noticed. I love the MIT 16x -R Verbs, almost all my Rack Unit DVDR burners give me the best burns with Verbatim-R MIT blanks. The Philips 3576 does well with Verb-R, but does REALLY great with (Taiyo Yuden Made) Sony MIJ 16x -Rs.

It seems to be around the same couple of times per year to me, but I am not entirely certain there's a set date, so to speak. This last "sale" I hit wasn't even necessarily for the Verbatims themselves, it was enabled via a few $10 off any $20 purchase coupons, with the Verbs sitting that week at a decent 100 for $22 + tax = $14 total.

With this economy, we may not see another 1/2 off coupon for some time. It certainly feels like I haven't seen such a coupon for some time now (from ANY store, not just O-M) though it may just be me missing the ad or that said coupon is coming up shortly. Oddly, it's these types of coupons that get misers like me to put a crowbar to their wallets and stimulate the aforementioned poor economic status we have today.

:D:D:D

600 pack! :eek:

I can't help but ask this yet again - are you ever going to watch all of those recordings, and if not, who is?

(I have found that even if libraries take them, they actually never use them. I've never seen them on the floor, anyway.)

Nevermind - now that I think of it, there's always some crazy collector somewhere in the world that would probably want them through ebay or whatever.

Don't imagine you'd even get what the discs actually cost for them all in a bundle, though.

(If they were all in one bundle, I'd imagine the package would have to be hauled in a semi.)

:D:D:D

600 pack! :eek:

I can't help but ask this yet again - are you ever going to watch all of those recordings, and if not, who is?

(I have found that even if libraries take them, they actually never use them. I've never seen them on the floor, anyway.)

Most of my archive is made up of early talkies through the film noir era.

I may watch whatever I please, whenever I please.

Once I've passed on I hope my survivors will find a good place (or use) for this archive.

You mean to tell me that some libraries use DVDs as floor coverings?

I may watch whatever I please, whenever I please.
Once I've passed on I hope my survivors will find a good place (or use) for this archive.


My thoughts exactly. There are some serious archivists out there. I just put disc # 11,050 on the shelf.

I'd say that any of these numbers are excessive...but then I realize that somewhere out there someone has that many "Precious Moments" figures, Pokémon cards, or some other obsession. ;)

Tonight my wife and daughter were discussing make-up used by television personalities.

I went to my DVD Index to find Paramount's 1939 Popular Science short (Shields #39-3, aka. J-8-5) that has a segment demonstrating make-up used in early television. This Popular Science short was shown by AMC on 1/18/97 and again on 4/5/97. Ten years later this was one of the 5,200 titles I dubbed to DVD. I ran this Paramount short's "The Birth of Television with Philo T. Farnsworth" segment so my family might view the application of the garish television make-up developed by Max Factor. The narrator mentions that some day there will be television receivers in thousands of private homes.

For more on Philo Farnsworth, see The American Experience: Big Dream, Small Screen (1997).

I have found a local source for FUJI made DVD+R discs. It says made in Japan on the package, and may be new old stock. It was a ten pack in indivdual cases for $7.00 a pack.

My Magnavox DVD recorder has not arrived yet from Walmart, so I have not tried any yet. How ggod are they; anybody know?

I have found a local source for FUJI made DVD+R discs. It says made in Japan on the package, and may be new old stock. It was a ten pack in indivdual cases for $7.00 a pack.
My Magnavox DVD recorder has not arrived yet from Walmart, so I have not tried any yet. How ggod are they; anybody know?

Any Fuji MIJ +R media I've ever had were made for Fuji by Taiyo-Yuden and were excellent discs. You might just luck out.

I have found a local source for FUJI made DVD+R discs. It says made in Japan on the package, and may be new old stock. It was a ten pack in indivdual cases for $7.00 a pack.

My Magnavox DVD recorder has not arrived yet from Walmart, so I have not tried any yet. How ggod are they; anybody know?

$0.70 per disc?!? :eek: Unless you meant DVD+R DL, that's an absurd price. :confused:

The individually packed DVDs are always much per disc than say the 50 or 100 spindle. When I'm recording a lot 10 DVDs wouldn't last but a few days but for others especially ones with a HDD unit for timeshifting, 10 may last for months or more.

Imation 16x DVD-R White Inkjet Printable 100pcs for $33 Shipped at http://runtechmedia.com/product.asp?sku=Imation16xDVDmRWP100&a=11

Optical Quantum 4x BD-R 25pcs for $70 Shipped at http://www.runtechmedia.com/product.asp?sku=OQBV-BD-R-04-NPS-25&a=11

Office Max advertises Verbatim 16x DVD+/-R, 100-pack for $24.99.
Best Buy advertises Verbatim 16x DVD+/-R, 50-pack for $12.99.

I know Verbatim has 8x DataLifePlus discs that are printable but I don't recall ever seeing these on sale at a B&M store. I'm currently using the 16x DVD-R version which I previously bought at Office Max and so far they are working out OK. I've done some disc scans & the results have been quite good with quality scores typically 92 to 97.

I'm currently using the 16x DVD-R version which I previously bought at Office Max and so far they are working out OK. I've done some disc scans & the results have been quite good with quality scores typically 92 to 97.

Forgive my ignorance, but how do you do a disc scan???

philherz,

A major source of information about media can be found at:
http://club.cdfreaks.com/f33/

For details on testing:
http://club.cdfreaks.com/f96/

You'll find out only certain drives can do this, & the results are not absolute. But it's a place to start.

This week at Office Max: Verbatim 100 disc cakebox, $19.99. Just about as cheap as it gets for decent media.

Forgive my ignorance, but how do you do a disc scan???

Using this program,Nero CD-DVD Speed http://majorgeeks.com/Nero_DiscSpeed_d118.html, you can scan the disc, for any errors, much like the hard drive disk scan utility in all pcs.

Using this program,Nero CD-DVD Speed http://majorgeeks.com/Nero_DiscSpeed_d118.html, you can scan the disc, for any errors, much like the hard drive disk scan utility in all pcs.

Forgive my ignorance, but how do you do a disc scan???Just be aware that not all DVD drives have support for doing the scanning operation. My Lite-On drives do, but my LG and Panasonic drives do not.

Just be aware that not all DVD drives have support for doing the scanning operation. My Lite-On drives do, but my LG and Panasonic drives do not.

I think I figured that out....after downloading this software and trying to scan a couple DVDs, it looks like the information is barely minimal.....

Some of the newer LG drives can do a scan, but you may have to change an entry in the registry. I found out about this on another forum & it did work for me. But the LG scans are pretty slow. From reading other forum postings it appears different drives give different results and usually scans are only good for comparing different media & different write speeds on your own equipment. Other comments that I have read is that the TRT (Transfer Rate Test) is more meaningful than doing a scan for Quality.

I did several quality scans & TRTs and essentially there was not a lot of difference between write speeds or T-Y and Verbatim discs. I also had a friend check one of my test discs using a Lite-On and while different results than my LG, everything seemed pretty good with either drive.

I occassionally make a disk with some skips on it when I play back a movie...I was just wondering if this software might show some bad sectors (or something) and, if I'm lucky, make a suggested fix.

My TSST DVD +- RW TS-H653A drive didn't appear to be recognized.

I occassionally make a disk with some skips on it when I play back a movie...I was just wondering if this software might show some bad sectors (or something) and, if I'm lucky, make a suggested fix.
My TSST DVD +- RW TS-H653A drive didn't appear to be recognized.

Nero does include a disc scan feature which will indicate bad sectors, however the software will not automatically support TSST/Samsung drives without editing your registry to remove your drive from the "blocked" list.

I occassionally make a disk with some skips on it when I play back a movie...I was just wondering if this software might show some bad sectors (or something) and, if I'm lucky, make a suggested fix.

My TSST DVD +- RW TS-H653A drive didn't appear to be recognized.

Phil, Nero CD/DVD Speed will show "bad areas" on a regular Quality Scan. I can see HUGE spikes in PI Errors and PI Failures near the end of some Ridata+R 16x media a Pal bought "On Sale" at Newegg. These DVDs are playable in certain DVD Players (I'm assuming Superior Error Correction in these units) but completely unplayable in some other DVD Players. But you can easily see the problem areas by using a Nero Quality Scan. FYI, that Tool will also scan CDs for errors. I can see errors near the end of a music CD a Pal burned for me, and the 3rd song from the end starts Skipping, Popping and Jumping right about where I expected it would.

I am off to OfficeMax tomorrow to buy 200 Verbatim-R as long as they ar MIT. I sure would LOVE an OfficeMax 20% Off (or better) Coupon right about now though!

Those RIDATA (Ritek F16 code) are one more reason I never buy or use DVD Media made by Ritek. IMHO they are a garbage Maker.

Phil, Nero CD/DVD Speed will show "bad areas" on a regular Quality Scan. I can see HUGE spikes in PI Errors and PI Failures near the end of some Ridata+R 16x media a Pal bought "On Sale" at Newegg. These DVDs are playable in certain DVD Players (I'm assuming Superior Error Correction in these units) but completely unplayable in some other DVD Players. But you can easily see the problem areas by using a Nero Quality Scan. FYI, that Tool will also scan CDs for errors. I can see errors near the end of a music CD a Pal burned for me, and the 3rd song from the end starts Skipping, Popping and Jumping right about where I expected it would.



I must be 1,000 miles off-base! I downloaded Nero Disc Speed 4 (4.11.2.0) and the "Start" button for Disk Quality and Scan Disk are greyed out! About all I can do is Benchmark.

I didn't get the "manual" with the download, so my Help section is pretty useless....

Am I using the wrong edition???

thnx

I must be 1,000 miles off-base! I downloaded Nero Disc Speed 4 (4.11.2.0) and the "Start" button for Disk Quality and Scan Disk are greyed out! About all I can do is Benchmark.

I didn't get the "manual" with the download, so my Help section is pretty useless....

Am I using the wrong edition???

thnx
Do you have more than 1 drive? If so, you may want to click the drop down bar next to the start button and select the drive the disc is in.

I was unaware that the software wasn't compatible with all disc drives. Sorry. :( There's an older version carried at http://club.cdfreaks.com/f96/cd-dvd-speed-disc-quality-pi-pif-test-96285/, if you want to try it and see if it works.
Look for-
You can also download the latest release of CDSpeed from cdfreaks.com:
Download CDSpeed version 4.60 made available on 31 august 2006.
and click the link in that sentence.

There's a new version that no longer carries the Nero logo at this site (which I was directed from the link in the Nero CD-DVD Speed "About" tab.
http//www.cdspeed2000.com/index.html (http://www.cdspeed2000.com/index.html)
Look at the FAQ page to check for drive compatibility.

I must be 1,000 miles off-base! I downloaded Nero Disc Speed 4 (4.11.2.0) and the "Start" button for Disk Quality and Scan Disk are greyed out! About all I can do is Benchmark.

I didn't get the "manual" with the download, so my Help section is pretty useless....

Am I using the wrong edition???

thnx


It's been awhile, but that sort of sounds like what I experienced until I unblocked my drive in the Registry. Go to CDFreaks.com and search around there for additional info. Hopefully there will be info about your drive.

Phil, I downloaded and tried the program listed below. It did NOT work with my TSST SH-S202J DVD Writer. It did work with my Sony/NEC Optiarc and my Lite-ON Writers. So, I suspect the TSST Drive is your problem. My TSST Drive is the worst Piece-O-Crap DVD Writer I ever bought or used. I doubt I will ever buy a Samsung Writer again. I have installed 3 Firmware Updates for it, none of which helped more than minimally. Really, I should pull it out, take a hammer and bust it up. It does write CD-Rs well, so I guess I probably won't smash it just yet, though the temptation is strong.

Phil, even with my other drives I could never get the earlier versions of Nero CD/DVD Tool to work for me. Version 4.7.7.15 works for me on my Vista Machine, but I cannot find a link to that version now. Here is a link to a different (???) tool by Nero. Looks the same to me. Softpedia is supposed to be a Clean Safe site to download stuff, but I still scan all files I download at http://www.virustotal.com before I install them on one of my computers. Good luck!

http://www.virustotal.com/

http://www.softpedia.com/get/CD-DVD-Tools/CD-DVD-Rip-Other-Tools/Nero-CDDVD-Speed.shtml

Let me add, I have Nero 7 installed on my computer.

EDIT" Ok, I was curious so I downloaded the DiscSpeed 5.0.1.250 from the link I provided above. I scanned it at virustotal.com and all 41 scanners reported it as 100% Clean. (I still suggest you scan it yourself if you do choose to download it). It downloads as Discspeed.exe. I saved it to my Windows Desktop. You can save it anywhere you can locate it for use later. When I click on the Discspeed.exe Icon it opens the program without opening Nero 7, so no need for Nero (I think). I then was able to use it to scan both a CD and a DVD using the Disc Quality Tab. Works fine on my Vista Computer, I have not tried this version on an XP box yet. Good luck!

Phil, I downloaded and tried the program listed below. It did NOT work with my TSST SH-S202J DVD Writer. It did work with my Sony/NEC Optiarc and my Lite-ON Writers. So, I suspect the TSST Drive is your problem. My TSST Drive is the worst Piece-O-Crap DVD Writer I ever bought or used. I doubt I will ever buy a Samsung Writer again. I have installed 3 Firmware Updates for it, none of which helped more than minimally. Really, I should pull it out, take a hammer and bust it up. It does write CD-Rs well, so I guess I probably won't smash it just yet, though the temptation is strong.

Phil, even with my other drives I could never get the earlier versions of Nero CD/DVD Tool to work for me. Version 4.7.7.15 works for me on my Vista Machine, but I cannot find a link to that version now. Here is a link to a different (???) tool by Nero. Looks the same to me. Softpedia is supposed to be a Clean Safe site to download stuff, but I still scan all files I download at http://www.virustotal.com before I install them on one of my computers. Good luck!

http://www.virustotal.com/

http://www.softpedia.com/get/CD-DVD-Tools/CD-DVD-Rip-Other-Tools/Nero-CDDVD-Speed.shtml

Let me add, I have Nero 7 installed on my computer.

EDIT" Ok, I was curious so I downloaded the DiscSpeed 5.0.1.250 from the link I provided above. I scanned it at virustotal.com and all 41 scanners reported it as 100% Clean. (I still suggest you scan it yourself if you do choose to download it). It downloads as Discspeed.exe. I saved it to my Windows Desktop. You can save it anywhere you can locate it for use later. When I click on the Discspeed.exe Icon it opens the program without opening Nero 7, so no need for Nero (I think). I then was able to use it to scan both a CD and a DVD using the Disc Quality Tab. Works fine on my Vista Computer, I have not tried this version on an XP box yet. Good luck!

Great info! I downloaded 5.01.250 and it seems to work a little better with my TSST TS-H653A....I can't scan using Disc Quality, but it does work with ScanDisc.

Although this is the drive in my PC, my curiousity centers around my stand-alone Toshiba DVD Video Recorder R-410 which I use all the time to burn movies for my parents to watch.

Most of my Maxell, Ativa & Office Depot discs make recordings that skip & stutter after a few uses. Although I've switched almost exclusively to Verbatim +RW discs, they occassionally mess up to.

I was trying to get a handle on why this happens and was hoping there might be some software that might "fix" some of these discs (the Verbatim...the others are hopeless) if it was a bad sector type thing.

thnx!!!!!

You're most certainly welcome Phil. Using the very best media available is always a good idea. I avoid any Ritek made DVD Media like the plaque.

For anyone interested (who has a Costco membership) in the most recent coupon book they have a coupon for BOGO on Sony 16x white printable DVDs. I think the regular price for the 100 spindle is ~$30 so 200 discs for $30 is a good price if you like Sony discs. I've burned 100s and haven't had a coaster. Well I guess I did have one coaster when making backup discs for my new PC but for DVDR use I've had no coasters:D
BTW the coupon is good Aug. 17th-Sept 6th, I was just about of discs so the coupon came at a good time for me:)

Are Magnavox 16x DVD's either -R's or + R's gaining ground? Are they any good?

Thanks,

I haven't used them but I did notice Office Max had them for a good price(under $20/100 I believe). Personally I'd be leary but maybe someone else has first hand experience. The problem with brands like Magnavox is they might be made by a variety of mfgs.(who ever comes in the cheapest that month etc.) so you really never know what you're getting until you open the package and test.
Personally I'm probably only going to buy Sony or Verbatim discs B&M and if I run out and nothings on sale I may try mail ordering the 8x Tys everyone raves about.
I was just about to do that when the Sony Costco coupon came along.

. . . Personally I'm probably only going to buy Sony or Verbatim discs B&M and if I run out and nothings on sale I may try mail ordering the 8x Tys everyone raves about.
I was just about to do that when the Sony Costco coupon came along.

My daughter will probably use the Costco coupon for the Sony two-fer deal. I still have an unopened Sony DVD+R white inkjet spindle from the last Costco two-fer deal. I still have around 30 Maxell DVD-R discs and 400 TY Value Line DVD-R discs on hand. My main use discs are Taiyo Yuden Premium Line "Shiny Silver" 8X DVD-R, currently with around 1,100 on hand.

The TYs are the best discs I've ever used. Is there anything about TYs that require special attention? It seems to me that the recording underside surface of TY discs are more prone to being soiled with skin oils or grease through careless handling than are lesser brands. The underside of TY discs seem to me to have a "tackier" surface than other brands. I may be opening a can of worms here but perhaps there might be someone that might address this or correct me if I'm mistaken.

My advice, wash your hands and keep the underside recording surface of all DVDs away from anything that may soil them.

Are Magnavox 16x DVD's either -R's or + R's gaining ground? Are they any good?
Acc. to digitalfaq.com and videohelp.com, they're undoubtedly CMC Mag, and in the middle of the Class 2 list (digitalfaq lists are ordered by quality).

Are Magnavox 16x DVD's either -R's or + R's gaining ground? Are they any good?

Thanks,

Probably gaining ground in landfills... best to buy reliable media.


I may be opening a can of worms here but perhaps there might be someone that might address this or correct me if I'm mistaken.

My advice, wash your hands and keep the underside recording surface of all DVDs away from anything that may soil them.

To your advice, I would add, only touch your DVDs only on the outer edge, and never, ever open a can of worms any where near your DVDs, or DVDR.... :D

I always read the country of origin when I go looking for new disks. It used to be that made in Japan disks were the best quality and were USUALLY TY made.
I haven't bought any disks in a long time and have burned through all my best quality TY and Verbatim stuff, and also some excellent sony made disks I had.
CD freaks and video help used to keep track of what disks were best and how to find out what you have before you buy them with codes on the inner hubs and country of origin info so that's where I'd look.
Sometimes cheap disks like the office stores sell turn out to have high quality media in the packs but I think finding A grade anything these days is getting pretty hard.

Today, for the first time, I encountered a Taiyo Yuden Value Line 8x DVD-R with a visible irregularity. That irregularity extends from the clear hub area into the area just touching but not extending beyond the “ring.” On the recording side the irregularity is purple, starting as a blotch seen in the lit area of the first photo and as parallel lines in the area approaching the “ring." The parallel lines on the label side are silver, seen a little beyond the pencil tip in the second photo.

This disc was recorded, finalized and plays without a problem.

This disc got dusty with examination and photo taking.

Thanks for the info, Digado. Have you ever seen any irregularities on a TY PREMIUM line disc?

Thanks for the info, Digado. Have you ever seen any irregularities on a TY PREMIUM line disc?

No.

Does anyone know of a good disc profiler and/or checker of burn quality on a disc for an Intel-based MacOSx user? I have always wanted to have this capability but can't find it.

Add me to the list of those who swear by TY media. I used to use the Value Line but switched to the Premium, not because I had any problems with the former, but just because it didn't seem worth it to compromise over a few pennies per disc.

I've used TY's on my DMR-E85H and DMR-E50 without incident for many years. My only fears are the 8x will one day be discontinued the way the 4x were. My decks are only rated for 4x, but have never had any problem with the 8x, but I don't want to push it.

Good question, Nero MAY make a version that works but I don't know for sure.
DVDInfopro is the other one most folks use and I have no clue whether he makes a Mac version either but those are the 2 main ones in the PC world.
CD speed is the Nero version, the author just went on his own and now calls it
Opti Drive Control http://www.cdspeed2000.com/
Well after looking at both sites it seems that it's windows versions only:(

Thanks, Dartman, for taking the time to confirm what I suspected concerning the lack of disc analyzing tools in the MacOS environment. I'm unwilling to partition my Mac's hard drive to use Windows software, so I guess I'm out of luck.

I suppose if I keep burning premium TY's there's no problem anyway!

Wow, doing just a quick google of Mac disk quality testing software turned nothing up. You'd think Mac folks want to know how well their burns turned out just like PC folks do.
I guess the other option is to see if you can dual boot or emulate something on that that will work or just buy or build a cheap PC machine just to run the testing stuff you need.
I know pretty much nothing about them always ran a PC type box here so you may have to hit some Mac specific forums and see what if anything other like users are using if anything:eek:

Thanks, Dartman, for taking the time to confirm what I suspected concerning the lack of disc analyzing tools in the MacOS environment. I'm unwilling to partition my Mac's hard drive to use Windows software, so I guess I'm out of luck.

I suppose if I keep burning premium TY's there's no problem anyway!

Maybe "the iPhone has an app for that!!??" ;)

It seems to me that the recording underside surface of TY discs are more prone to being soiled with skin oils or grease through careless handling than are lesser brands. The underside of TY discs seem to me to have a "tackier" surface than other brands. I may be opening a can of worms here but perhaps there might be someone that might address this or correct me if I'm mistaken.

No, you're absolutely spot-on, DigaDo: the TY discs are dust and grease magnets, on both sides. Most users think its just because of their mirror-like silver finish, but you nailed it when you said they also have an almost "tacky" or "sticky" surface. This is about the only drawback of TY media: it is utterly impossible to keep free of fingerprints and dust. You could use these discs in a vacuum, clean-room environment and they would still exhibit dust and fingerprints. This results in an unattractive sloppy appearance, but there isn't much you can do to prevent it. If you're the compulsive type, TY media will send you to the loony bin, but otherwise its merely a cosmetic annoyance: the discs function perfectly even though they "look dusty". Because of the sticky surface, I recommend NOT constantly trying to wipe the dust off: its impossible, all you'll do is inflict minor scratches and move the dust around. A quick gentle swipe with a microfiber cloth before loading is as far as anyone needs to go, the dust gets blown off as the disc spins and doesn't seem to cause reading or writing issues.

TY 8x DVD-R is still the best media you can use in a standalone recorder. Verbatim 8x is equally good but difficult/pricey to obtain. From retail stores, Verbatim 16x is fine if your standalone can handle it, but some can't. Ditto the Sony: their production methods changed about a year ago and they're not as broadly compatible with standalone recorders as they once were (Magnavox owners in particular are posting many reports that Sony media will not burn in the H2160A). All other brands are OEM'd by CMC or Ritek and are a poor risk for recorder use, although they can work well in a PC burner.

Wow, doing just a quick google of Mac disk quality testing software turned nothing up. You'd think Mac folks want to know how well their burns turned out just like PC folks do.

In recent years the Mac has forged an odd path, zig-zagging thru assorted purposes with varying degrees of utility. After an early lead in A/V applications, Mac seems to have ceded some of the digital video market to Windows. Aside from production tools like Final Cut Pro, there isn't much available for Mac in the way of small nuts-and-bolts utilities to handle many DVD-related tasks. You also have zero choice in terms of burners, unless you opt for the Mac Pro towers (the popular iMacs, Minis, and laptops all have embedded non-replaceable slot drives). I am not disparaging Apple here, I am primarily a Mac user myself (and wouldn't use anything else for some applications), its just the way things have developed. Instead of pulling my hair out in search of nonexistent or inappropriate Mac tools, I find it much easier to just keep an old Windows XP box in reserve for my DVD backup or nitty-gritty VOB/MPEG2 work. If similar tools appear for Macs in future, it would make life easier to stay on a single platform, but at the moment it really is quite handy for Mac users to have a Windows PC available as needed. They're certainly cheap enough second-hand, making use of Windows partitions on Macs kind of redundant (for the cost and aggravation of running something like the "Parallels" Windows environment, you may as well pick up a slightly outdated XP box or bulky laptop).

Just to weigh in on the whole CD/DVD check movement, it can be beneficial but may be misleading if the end user doesn't know what to look for or is overcritical of the results.

The problem is that, at least up until I stopped reading the CD Freaks board religiously a couple years ago, no one had ever offered hard evidence that any burn (except those with POF's) would not last in the long term with high PIE/PIF counts. Clearly they're not 'perfect' burns, but does that mean they won't last 10-20 years? Or more importantly that the'll last significantly less than 'better' burns? No one had an answer then. I've had a BENQ 1650 (probably one of the top 5 recommended computer burners) and a Sony DRU-820A for years now, and using both Verbatim and TY media they have produced excellent results (though the Verbatim were hit a miss for a couple spindles). I no longer even do full testing on computer burns as I'll use a md5 checksum test and a read test. If it passes both of those, the burn is good.

The problem with testing DVD recorders is that there's not much one can do. If testing reveals lots of PIE/PIF's, the only option is to replace the DVD drive. But since certain recorder model/years appear to be married to a specific DVD model drive, what's to say a new drive will fix the perceived problem? The drive used for a particular model may just be a crappy burner, many computer drive models are considered mediocre at best. The only other option is to invest in a whole different model, but again there is a possibility of having the same problems.

I believe that the best thing a user of a standalone DVD recorder can do is just perform a read test (all drives should be able to do this under CD/DVD Speed). Last I checked, 8x was the recommended setting. If your drive can pull a good read test on the disc @ 8x, your standalone player should have no problem playing the disc @ 1x. Just as important is taking care of the disc as one would any other optical media. Scratches won't immediately render it unreadable, but they definitely don't help. Look into decent storage solutions like quality DVD wallets.

If you're really worried about archiving and losing any data, either go the full computer capture/encode/author route, or burn on a standalone and immediately extract the fileset and copy to a HDD, solid state drive or large USB flash drive.

Office Depot this week: TDK 16x +-R $9.99/50 TDK 8X +R DL $19.99/25
Office Max this week: Verbatim 16X +-R $19.99/100
B&M's don't seem to have good deals on RWs very often anymore:(

I've just noticed that supermediastore.com is selling a newly arrived Maxell DVD+R DL (http://www.supermediastore.com/maxell-634081-double-layer-8x-8-5gb-dvd-pius-r-media.html) for a very attractive price of $1/disk in spools of 25. The Verbatims are still selling for $1.50/disk. Does anyone have any experience with these Maxell +DL disks?

I've just noticed that supermediastore.com is selling a newly arrived Maxell DVD+R DL (http://www.supermediastore.com/maxell-634081-double-layer-8x-8-5gb-dvd-pius-r-media.html) for a very attractive price of $1/disk in spools of 25. The Verbatims are still selling for $1.50/disk. Does anyone have any experience with these Maxell +DL disks?
Reviews sparse, 5 eggs here (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16817287016).

Well, at least one guy likes them. I guess I can afford to take a chance here on a 25 spool.

The TDK's are only 80 cents B&M at Office Depot but I don't know how they rate either. For that price it may also be worth a shot although their SL media isn't very highly regarded.

It seems TDK and Memorex may be from same manufacture, since they have the same "packaging" now. Both are made in Taiwan.

It seems TDK and Memorex may be from same manufacture, since they have the same "packaging" now. Both are made in Taiwan.
Several years ago, Imation bought TDK and Memorex consumer DVD ops.

It seems TDK and Memorex may be from same manufacture, since they have the same "packaging" now. Both are made in Taiwan.

You are correct. When identified by my Philips 3576 the last Memorex disc I used in April 2007 is the same as the last TDK disc I used in April 2008:

So if you get Imation, you are getting the same as the other two?

Actually in my area Imation has sold out and you cannot find them any more. TDK and Memorex did have a bad spell, but they seem to be doing better lately.

So if you get Imation, you are getting the same as the other two?

Actually in my area Imation has sold out and you cannot find them any more. TDK and Memorex did have a bad spell, but they seem to be doing better lately.

Memorex is notorious for its inferior quality media. TDK media had a good reputation until production was outsourced. When a manufacturer sacrifices quality to meet a price point they deserve to have a "bad spell."

You are correct. When identified by my Philips 3576 the last Memorex disc I used in April 2007 is the same as the last TDK disc I used in April 2008:

If that's the case then I wouldn't trust either TDK SL or DL discs. Dang, I've used probably (4) 100 spindles of the gray TDK discs over the last couple years(Costco used to occasionally have a BOGO coupon), I hate to think they're Memorex:mad: Lately they've been selling Sonys which like the TDKs have been burning just fine, it's just now I worry about the longevity of the TDK's aka Memorex:(

I've just noticed that supermediastore.com is selling a newly arrived Maxell DVD+R DL (http://www.supermediastore.com/maxell-634081-double-layer-8x-8-5gb-dvd-pius-r-media.html) for a very attractive price of $1/disk in spools of 25. The Verbatims are still selling for $1.50/disk. Does anyone have any experience with these Maxell +DL disks?

$1.25 here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817130008

These are the good ol' MiT 2.4X Verbs, not the craptacular 8/10X.

For a measly quarter, the cost of sticking with greatness is a no-brainer.

The TDK's are only 80 cents B&M at Office Depot but I don't know how they rate either. For that price it may also be worth a shot although their SL media isn't very highly regarded.

After some extensive research, I too, came up with a plethora of verifications that the TDK +R DLs at OD were Memorex garbage. Not one, single site stated otherwise. :( No wonder they're only $0.80 per! :rolleyes:

My very first spindle of -Rs was Imation.

If you held them up to the light, you could clearly read "noitamI" though the dye layer.

A 50% coaster rate ensured that that was the last spindle of Imation I bought.

It really depends on what burner you use if your going to burn substandard DL disks. My favorite burner has been my older LG h22n for just about any crap DL media. they don't always test great afterwards but they always seem to play in my pickiest machines. my Pioneer 111 was also good at any DL media and the new 7240 burners have mostly been very good at them as well as they use a NEC chipset and they are very good at it.

Great bargain on Verb -Rs here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?nm_mc=AFC-SlickDeals&cm_mmc=AFC-SlickDeals-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA&Item=N82E16817507005

A mere 14 cents per! Pick up a few hundred. :)

One of those Verb reviewers said they smelled like "waffle syrup" but if he's mistaking that for "peaches" then they're probably Taiyo Yuden media! :D

One of those Verb reviewers said they smelled like "waffle syrup" but if he's mistaking that for "peaches" then they're probably Taiyo Yuden media! :D

I thought all we had to do is run a utility to identify the manufacturer's media ID. Who knew a quick "sniff test" would do the job?

Seriously, where do you guys come up with this stuff? :p

Great bargain on Verb -Rs...

...A mere 14 cents per! Pick up a few hundred. :)

Better read the fine print on that mail-in offer again. "Limit 1 per house hold"

I thought all we had to do is run a utility to identify the manufacturer's media ID. Who knew a quick "sniff test" would do the job?

Seriously, where do you guys come up with this stuff?
An article on genuine TY discs and methods to identify them ended by saying there's one other way: IF they smell like peaches, they're genuine cuz they're made in Japan's peach-growing region! :D

Better read the fine print on that mail-in offer again. "Limit 1 per house hold"

Good catch, even though I don't really need anymore DVDs, for the price I couldn't pass them up:o BTW it looks like only -R? That's OK with me but others may prefer +Rs.
edit: looks like Spyder did say only -R

...Better read the fine print on that mail-in offer again. "Limit 1 per house hold"

I know lots of people. Shockingly, most have a different address than my own. ;)

20 pack of the good 2.4X (not the crappy 8/10X) Verbatim DVD+R DL for just $20 shipped:

http://www.buy.com/prod/verbatim-dvd-r-dl-double-layer-8-5gb-2-4x-20pk-spindle-95310-verbatim/q/loc/101/202805081.html

($6 rebate good from 9/1/09 - 9/7/09)

Edit: Just read the specs: Says "Country of Origin Singapore,India."
However, I've never had any issues with Verb DLs, regarless of where they're made.

20 pack of the good 2.4X (not the crappy 8/10X) Verbatim DVD+R DL for just $20 shipped:Not $20 shipped. More like $26 shipped with a $6 mail in rebate. I hate rebates.

Not $20 shipped. More like $26 shipped with a $6 mail in rebate. I hate rebates.

Meh. $6 is worth 2 minutes of my time. (Buys me a nice Carl's Jr. burger. ;))

For those who hate rebates, just get 'em at newegg for $27. Easy enough.

I just saw an ad for "R" media. Not -R, not +R, but R. The ad claimed they will work in a computer burner for either -R or +R. They were Memowrecks, so I'll not be buying any to try, but does anyone here have any experience with "R" media? Will they work in DVDRs? Any details would be interesting...

I just saw an ad for "R" media. Not -R, not +R, but R. The ad claimed they will work in a computer burner for either -R or +R. They were Memowrecks, so I'll not be buying any to try, but does anyone here have any experience with "R" media? Will they work in DVDRs? Any details would be interesting...

Yeah, that's Memodrek's new marketing for media. They also made their wrapping all bright and colorful with flousecents, I guess to "stand out" from the others. Gimmicky, at best. :(

Well, universal media would be more than a gimmick, if they really work. I assume you have not tried them.

i just saw an ad for "r" media. Not -r, not +r, but r. The ad claimed they will work in a computer burner for either -r or +r. They were memowrecks, so i'll not be buying any to try, but does anyone here have any experience with "r" media? Will they work in dvdrs? Any details would be interesting...

THEY are -R . They will not work in a +R only player/recorder.

Here's a fantastic deal*... http://www.buy.com/prod/memorex-50pk-dvd-r-8x-double-layer-media-spindle-memorex-8x-dvd-r/q/loc/101/205147220.html



*...For those of you that are tired of water marks on the coffee table! ;)

:D An anti-virus warning popped up when I clicked that on.

Smart AV. :D

What I loved was seeing the "list price" as $120! :eek:

Yeah, right. :rolleyes:

Thats junk DL media but if your burner likes it more power to you at that price:D I have a couple of burners here that seem to burn any junk DL at full speed, my favorite right now is my LG h22n, the Pioneer 111 used to do pretty well too if anyone still has either one in use.

But from what I've read about Memorex media the initial burn may be the least of your worries. Others have reported discs only a year or so old not playing due to disc fade:eek: Personally I'd worry more about that than initial burn, 1 year isn't really archiving to me.

Thats junk DL media but if your burner likes it more power to you at that price:D I have a couple of burners here that seem to burn any junk DL at full speed, my favorite right now is my LG h22n, the Pioneer 111 used to do pretty well too if anyone still has either one in use.

Yep, both my Pio 110 and 111 are still going strong. :)

Still...wouldn't put Memowrecks in them, as that seems like feeding a prized workhorse poisoned hay.

20 pack of the good 2.4X (not the crappy 8/10X) Verbatim DVD+R DL for just $20 shipped:

http://www.buy.com/prod/verbatim-dvd-r-dl-double-layer-8-5gb-2-4x-20pk-spindle-95310-verbatim/q/loc/101/202805081.html

($6 rebate good from 9/1/09 - 9/7/09)

Edit: Just read the specs: Says "Country of Origin Singapore,India."
However, I've never had any issues with Verb DLs, regarless of where they're made.

Update: Discs arrived today. (FedEx tried to deliver the last 2 days, but I wasn't home.) They are made in Singapore. Seems that buy.com shoppers are reporting nearly all discs are MiS, not India. :)

The $6 rebate took about 30 seconds to fill out and put in an envelope. :D

Worth my time? $720 per hour isn't bad. ;)

About a week ago I was in a Radio Shack shopping and noted they had new blank Gigaware DVDs for sale at $12 for 25. Not a jaw-dropping sale, but they were made in Taiwan and came to the US via Mexico apparently... I needed some, so I bought them. My first DVDR is a Pioneer 531H and lately it has rejected Sonys and then Maxells, so I thought, what the heck, I'll try one of these Gigaware DVDRs. The worst that can happen is it won't finalize and I'll revert to plan B later, which is use my ancient (2001?) Dazzle Digital Creator device to turn important content into MPGs, and my computer's external/stand alone (HP-ugh!) DVD burner to burn those to CD.

BUT! the Pioneer *didn't* reject the new DVD brand and burned okay to the finish (who knows if the finalized DVD will remain okay, but I got stuff off the DVDR hard drive and can continue to use it for mostly day-to-day junk recording ;)

I went back to a different Radio Shack (aka lately "The Shack) on Sunday (Sept 6) for something else and noted they had the very same spindles of 25 on sale for I think it was $4.95. The only had on -R, which I bought, and a lot of +R (which I may try if the machine eventually rejects the -R). I think I'll keep my eye on this brand... wish they didn't have so much of the label side taken up by advertising though.

Yep, both my Pio 110 and 111 are still going strong. :)

Still...wouldn't put Memowrecks in them, as that seems like feeding a prized workhorse poisoned hay.
they are cheap enough to use for things you may not want to last forever so might be worth a shot for some users. I have crappy disks I put giveaway stuff on and good grade A stuff for things that are important to me, plus I've been doing a lot of HDTV to dvd's to watch on the main set out front. I've used up all my quality DL media and all of my crappy Ritek D01 stuff as well but so far I think all the disks that worked are still OK, I don't re watch them a lot.
The LG h22 would not only do the Ritek stuff, it did it at 8x with good enough quality to work so thats the one I use for DL these days.

Great bargain on Verb -Rs here: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?nm_mc=AFC-SlickDeals&cm_mmc=AFC-SlickDeals-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA&Item=N82E16817507005

A mere 14 cents per! Pick up a few hundred. :)

Mmmmm, 100 waffles for $13.99, do I tip the waitress?

They are prolly made in japan's peach country. The chemistry and countryside gives these disks a di-stink-tive smell. Not a bad smell actually. Try a sniff by spinning a stack, pulling them apart, and letting them collapse to waft out its scent. ;)

The last Verbatim DVD-R discs I used in October 2008, when checked in my Philips 3576, are MCC 03RG20 media.

The verbatim +R I picked up week before last were made in Taiwan and are MCC 004 mid code. They seem to burn fine at up to 20x in all my burners. I looked all through the stacks of both flavors and all were Taiwan made disks but I got there on the last day of the sale. It's been very hard to find Japan made disk lately.

Same deal as the buy.com one from last week, now at newegg.com:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817130008&nm_mc=AFC-SlickDeals&cm_mmc=AFC-SlickDeals-_-NA-_-NA-_-NA

(20 DVD+R DL for $20 = $26 - $6 rebate)

The ones I've ordered from newwegg (only 2.4X, not 6/8/10 X) have always been MiT. :)

Free shipping for selected Verbatim blank media at Newegg.
DVD-R
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817507005
DVD+R..lower than the -R. Grrr.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817507003
Ends Oct 8.

All Verbs with free shipping here
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2%2050001649%2040000071%204808&name=Free%20Shipping&SpeTabStoreType=1

Recently at Big Lots in Reno, Nevada, I found 50pc cake boxes of Verbatim DVD-R (MCC 03RG20) for $15. Not a great price, but good to find at a B&M store.

While technically not a media deal, anyone looking for a good B&M price on DVD holders, Staples has a super deal on a 208 Targus album. The outside is nylon instead of my preference vinyl but they say regular price is $39.95:eek: on sale this week for $7.98:) I grabbed a few, $7.98 is a good deal for a 96 DVD holder let alone a 208.
They've also got Sony 16x DVDs for $24.95/100 and a HP 50 DVD/50 CD pack for $14.98 for those interested in HP media.

SuperMediaStore.com has a 3 day sale. 100 pack T-Y 8X premium DVD-R discs for $26.99 with free shipping.

Kind of blows my $24.95+tax Sony Staples deal out of the water:D
BTW I was at MicroCenter today and noticed they had a 20 spindle of Windata DL +R 8x DVDs for $11.99. Under 60 cents is a great price for DL media but I didn't have much luck with a spindle I bought a few years ago, think I'll pay double and stick with 2.4x Verbs.
Oh and man have BR discs dropped. I noticed they had 3 packs of Verbatim 25gb write once discs for $12.95:eek: Last I noticed they were more than that a piece! I don't think it was a closeout deal and they had a rung full of them.

Hello all,

Pardon me if this is not the correct place to post these questions, but it seemed like an appropriate place.

A few weeks ago, when Costco was running its buy-one-get-one-free sale on Sony blank DVDs, I bought two 100-DVD packages of DVD+R Sonys. However, when I got them home, I realized, after checking with this and other sites, that they were manufactured in Malaysia.

My two questions are:

1) Have others who purchased Sony DVD+R spindles at Costco found that they are manufactured anywhere else? Or do all the Costco Sony DVDs come from Malaysia? If they don't, I suppose I could wait to see if they get in a batch from elsewhere, and I could exchange them.

2) Has anyone found that there's actually a significant difference between Sony's manufactured in Malaysia and those manufactured elsewhere.

By way of background, I have a Magnavox H2160MW9 and a Panasonic EZ27. Interestingly, I have, until now, only used Memorex and TDK DVD+R's with no issues ever with any of them, as far as I can tell. (except for Memorex DL).

Thanks so much in advance for any info you may have.

Altho those may be OK, digitalfaq.com recommends Sony only from Taiwan... see item 3 here (http://www.digitalfaq.com/reviews/dvd-media.htm) under "What are the best blank DVDs?"

think I'll pay double and stick with 2.4x Verbs.Yeah, I wish those would go on sale every once and a while. I've been paying $26 for 20 packs. They seem to be getting harder to find.Oh and man have BR discs dropped. I noticed they had 3 packs of Verbatim 25gb write once discs for $12.95:eek: Last I noticed they were more than that a piece! I don't think it was a closeout deal and they had a rung full of them.When they come down to $2 each I'll buy a BD burner for my PC. By that time the Panasonic DMP-BD60K (or it's successor) should be at $125. It's already down to $145 at Beach Camera.

Yeah, I wish those would go on sale every once and a while. I've been paying $26 for 20 packs. They seem to be getting harder to find.

newegg is about the only place I'll buy them anymore. I've had nothing but good luck with the 2.4X there.

When they (BR media) come down to $2 each I'll buy a BD burner for my PC. By that time the Panasonic DMP-BD60K (or it's successor) should be at $125.

:eek: $2 each! :eek:

That's almost as cheap as Verb DLs!

It's not the media cost for me, though. It's the burner. When those get to $50, it's time. ($150 right now.)

It's already down to $145 at Beach Camera.

Online store + the word "Camera" = scam, typically. :(

Online store + the word "Camera" = scam, typically. :(Not in this case. I've bought many things from them including my E-85 back in early 2005. Very reliable and highly rated on Price-Grabber.

:eek: $2 each! :eek:

That's almost as cheap as Verb DLs!Memorex BD-R are under $3.50/disk in lots of 15. Very reliable media. Should be down to $2 within a year.

A few weeks ago, when Costco was running its buy-one-get-one-free sale on Sony blank DVDs, I bought two 100-DVD packages of DVD+R Sonys. However, when I got them home, I realized, after checking with this and other sites, that they were manufactured in Malaysia.

My two questions are:

1) Have others who purchased Sony DVD+R spindles at Costco found that they are manufactured anywhere else? Or do all the Costco Sony DVDs come from Malaysia? If they don't, I suppose I could wait to see if they get in a batch from elsewhere, and I could exchange them.

2) Has anyone found that there's actually a significant difference between Sony's manufactured in Malaysia and those manufactured elsewhere.

By way of background, I have a Magnavox H2160MW9 and a Panasonic EZ27. Interestingly, I have, until now, only used Memorex and TDK DVD+R's with no issues ever with any of them, as far as I can tell. (except for Memorex DL).

Thanks so much in advance for any info you may have.

I've probably burned a couple hundred Sony -R Malaysia discs and I've yet to have a coaster. I think the ones Costco have sold for at at least the last year and a half have been Malaysia, the -R ones anyway.
Did I miss a BOGO Costco coupon? I usually look for them in the coupon books but haven't seen one in a while. Guess I have plenty of blanks anyway, I took advantage of the Newegg Verb. deal someone posted last month and I haven't even cracked the spindle yet.
I also had good luck with the grey TDK -R discs, I think it's what Costco carried before they switched a few years back to the Sonys, although since learning they are made by Memorex I doubt I'll buy them anymore. I'm more worried about long term stability.
Beach camera has been around for years, I think I bought 35mm equipment from them years ago. It's the fly by night ones you've got to worry about.

Spam Spam Spam Spam

Spam Spam Spam Spam

Lovely Spam, wonderful Spam

Lovely Spam, wonderful Spam

PROPOSED?

I'll have the one with not so much spam in it... :rolleyes:

I love spam
Spam & eggs
Spam & baked beans
I was at a reception once where the wedding cake was made of spam

SuperMediaStore.com has a 3 day sale. 100 pack T-Y 8X premium DVD-R discs for $26.99 with free shipping.Thanks for the tip. I don't think I've ever seen them that cheap. I picked up a spindle of 100.

As an aside, for those who still burn music CD's and want the highest quality CD-R media on the market. Supermedia is also having a special on T-Y silver CD-R (http://www.supermediastore.com/taiyo-yuden-48x-cd-r-silver-thermal-printable.html). I picked up a spindle of those also.

....When they (BR discs) come down to $2 each I'll buy a BD burner for my PC...

$2 each here: http://www.meritline.com/merax-blu-ray-media-bd-r-25gb-4x-silver-shiny---p-37055.aspx?source=nl091012&emc=el&m=1822769&l=35&v=b7be41a6e8

Merax brand, whatever that is. :confused:

Merax brand, whatever that is. :confused:

Maybe they were the Memorex discs that just couldn't pace Q.C.:eek:

If they was any quality control at all for Memorex discs, they probably wouldn't make it past the inspection. :cool:

If they was any quality control at all for Memorex discs, they probably wouldn't make it past the inspection. :cool:

Memorex probably has an "inspector" just for marketing purposes.*

*Too bad it's a blind, deaf, lobotomized, and quad-amputeed lemming!

...When they come down to $2 each I'll buy a BD burner for my PC. By that time the Panasonic DMP-BD60K (or it's successor) should be at $125. It's already down to $145 at Beach Camera.

Guess it's time to tell us where those discs can be had for $2! ;)

Your wish is half-fulfilled. DMP-BD60 for $125 at Amazon.com right now: http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMP-BD60-Blu-ray-Player-Black/dp/B001V9LA44/ref=sr_1_1?tag=slickdeals&ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1255736880&sr=1-1

Guess it's time to tell us where those discs can be had for $2! ;)

Your wish is half-fulfilled. DMP-BD60 for $125 at Amazon.com right now: http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMP-BD60-Blu-ray-Player-Black/dp/B001V9LA44/ref=sr_1_1?tag=slickdeals&ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1255736880&sr=1-1

This model looks like it's a player only --nice, though .... and it has vieracast but *cannot* do streaming netflix? Nice to see the prices finally coming down.
I was thinking of another roku box, but this approach is more flexible in that you can play BR discs and stream video (well, not netflix, yet, but amazon and yt)

I'm a little hazy on what can be achieved ... this probably isnt the right thread, but since we already were discussing BR media and players, I'll ask the obvious questions -- how many hours can be recorded on one of these discs in 'high def' ? And more importantly ... from what sources? How does one get a high quality signal IN to a bluRay recorder? I can see the appeal of having a BR burner in my computer for digital recording of various media formats, but I'm not certain how it could replace our video recorders, given the mountain of restrictions. OTA input only? Surely the cable STBs won't feed anything recordable at that level of quality. I was under the impression that standalone BR video recorders still are only available in Japan. Has that changed?

Guess it's time to tell us where those discs can be had for $2! ;)

Your wish is half-fulfilled. DMP-BD60 for $125 at Amazon.com right now: http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMP-BD60-Blu-ray-Player-Black/dp/B001V9LA44/ref=sr_1_1?tag=slickdeals&ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1255736880&sr=1-1That's used. I don't buy used.