[7558037]

Some recent links to "cheaper-than-normal" JVC discs with allusions to Taiyo Yuden exposed some interesting info.


One of the sellers of "JVC / Taiyo Yuden 16X" has a line stating "Manufactured by Victor Advanced Media Co., A subsidiary of Taiyo Yuden & JVC."


Inquiring minds want to know, so I dug up the following tidbits, showing what looks to me like a tangled web of corporate intrigue in the "strange" Oct 2008 JVC/TY joint venture (JV):

Interview with JVC President Masatoshi Inui, revealing many things including this: "Last fall [2010], Taiyo Yuden significantly reduced its production and workforce...."


Another item of note is his answer to this question:
CDROM2GO: How did JVC Advanced Media USA become a leader in the disc industry?

Masatoshi Inui: JVC Advanced Media USA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Victor Advanced Media Co., Ltd (Japan), which is a joint-venture between JVC and Taiyo Yuden. We have been globally engaged in the recording media business for a long time, including video tapes (VHS), magnetic tapes (for professional use), and recordable CD/DVD media.


Our parent company, Victor Advanced Media (Japan) has a strong technological capacity for the development of recording technology, and has manufactured high quality optical discs at several manufacturers worldwide including Taiyo Yuden. As one of our suppliers, Taiyo Yuden can confirm our highest quality requirements and continue to supply high quality discs for business use customers. JVC Advanced Media USA is exclusively selling Victor Advanced Media’s products from while controlling its design, specification, quality, and so on. Taiyo Yuden no longer sells optical discs in the U.S.
I'm curious about his mention of "business use customers"?

Here's a strange JVC announcement in 2009 (after the JV in 2008), which includes this section:

It has come to our knowledge and notice that various trademarks without prior authorization or license are displayed on websites. Examples of unauthorized display and use are:


1. Combination of JVC ("JVC®") and Taiyo Yuden ("TAIYO YUDEN®");

2. Comparison of our product No. with Taiyo Yuden product No.;

3. Mention of Taiyo Yuden ("TAIYO YUDEN®");

4. Mention of Taiyo Yuden as the manufacturer of the products.
Lots more online info on Victor, JVC and TY along these lines that just might make you say, "WTH!?"

 

[Kelson]

Distressing. I've read stuff too that is not flattering.

Is Taiyo Yuden just a name now?

People have posted problems with JVC-TY disks. Few reports to be sure, but before the merger there were virtually no bad reports of T-Y media -- even the value line.

Is JVC trading off that name recognition to sell an inferior product at an otherwise inflated price?

It is sounding more like the actual truth is that JVC simply bought out T-Y and is transitioning their product line to JVC made disks while using the T-Y name to sell them.

Sad development, indeed.

 

[Church AV Guy]

This info seems to be going back a few years. So can I assume from THAT, that there is no real change to the media we have been buying as T-Y. It's a corporate finger-pointing game to decide who gets the naming rights for the disks, but they are still coming from the same sources, and have the same quelity standards, right?

 

[7558037]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Church AV Guy /forum/post/21971512


This info seems to be going back a few years. So can I assume from THAT, that there is no real change to the media we have been buying as T-Y. It's a corporate finger-pointing game to decide who gets the naming rights for the disks, but they are still coming from the same sources, and have the same quelity standards, right?

The JVC/TY JV started in Oct 2008 and the interview was in Jul 2011.


As far as source and quality? With TY's "significant reduction in production and workforce," I'm beginning to wonder. One would think joining with JVC should have caused an INCREASE in production and workforce... or did TY see the writing on the wall, so to speak?


It's a very intriguing question inquiring minds might want answered!?

 

[gastrof]

My stomach hurts.

 

[Church AV Guy]

Now, mine does too.

 

[dare2be]

All I have ever used is Verbatim AZO. (whistles nervously)

 

[Super Eye]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dare2be /forum/post/21971920


All I have ever used is Verbatim AZO. (whistles nervously)

Works for me. So far (nervously knocking on wood)

 

[jjeff]

I use both AZO Verbs and Ty shinny tops. For day to day use I really prefer the matte top of the Verbs compared to the finger print magnet tops of the Tys. I know one can get flat top Tys that wouldn't show finger prints but they are out of my price point(something like $35/100 for the white printable Tys).

After several good tips on the Verbs I have a nice supply on hand.

 

[Rammitinski]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dare2be /forum/post/21971920


All I have ever used is Verbatim AZO. (whistles nervously)

If I could find 8x in bulk, I'd still be using them , too.

 

[dare2be]

 http://www.supermediastore.com/produ...m_source=marah


This is where I purchased my last set. When ordering 4 or more, the shipping was free. Certainly not "bulk" price, but still a reasonable ($32 per 100) price.

 

[CitiBear]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dare2be /forum/post/21974851

http://www.supermediastore.com/produ...m_source=marah


This is where I purchased my last set. When ordering 4 or more, the shipping was free. Certainly not "bulk" price, but still a reasonable ($32 per 100) price.

^this^ is where I get my Verbatim DataLife Plus AZO 8x. Very few problems with these, except one time when I received a bizarre pak of 50 and not a single one was accepted by any hardware I tried (PCs and recorders).


Re the JVC/TY debacle: yes, our collective "stomach hurts." I developed an ulcer the minute I heard JVC was going anywhere near TY (in my experience, JVC=Death, to anything they get involved in: they're the anti-matter Panasonic).


But the worries expressed that JVC will take over mfr of the 8x media using its worldwide crap affiliates may be premature. 8x media is a very small niche market, no longer affected by bargain hunters, it would not make economic sense for JVC to disrupt the existing TY production and "outsource" it. The increasing incidence of faulty or defective TY 8x is more likely due to the "reduction in workforce" and/or increasingly lax quality control imposed by JVC accountants (I don't think the "value line" is gonna be around much longer: why bother, when they can just fold them back into regular distribution now that benchmarks have been dropped?) At this point, I think TY 8x will remain "genuine" TY except with a much higher percentage of bad discs per package. The JVC/TY in jeopardy seems to be the 16x, which I expect will have an ID code of CMCMAG3 any day now.

 

[Church AV Guy]

Is the aftermath of the Tsunami, a year later, still having an effect on the manufacture of optical disks in Japan?

 

[Kelson]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Church AV Guy /forum/post/21975811


Is the aftermath of the Tsunami, a year later, still having an effect on the manufacture of optical disks in Japan?

That is certainly the case for hard disks. Their price doesn't seem to be budging. The disks I follow are still selling at a 50% premium over pre-flood prices.

 

[dare2be]

Yep, I've been following WD Elements in the 1.5-3.0 TB range. None have gone back down to reasonable prices yet.

 

[CitiBear]

I forgot about the Japanese tsunami: that could well have affected some aspects of TY production. Although I seem to remember some discussion of it here on AVS at the time, and someone posting a TY press release stating TY was not directly affected.


The hard drive shortage and price increases were caused by another flood, in Thailand. Factories were feverishly being rebuilt and relocated, and in the past week or two, I've noticed prices have finally begun dropping down again for commodity HDDs at places like Staples and Best Buy. Perhaps the drives Kelson is tracking are more high-end, and still in short supply pending rebuilt production facilities. The Thailand flood also had a tremendous effect on digital photography: other than the top Nikon D4 and Canon 1DS, all DSLRs are made in Thailand. Nikon was devastated by shortages of the D700 & D7000, and had to postpone the launch of its highly-anticipated 36MP D800 for nearly a year. It sold out immediately, and is on backorder well into the next decade pending the return of volume production.

 

[Kelson]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dare2be /forum/post/21976282


Yep, I've been following WD Elements in the 1.5-3.0 TB range. None have gone back down to reasonable prices yet.

Yeah, it's killing me. I need another pair of 2TB drives for my media PC enclosure.


Not high end, bear. Just Seagate 5900 rpm SATA-III AV drives. They used to be $80, they haven't budged for months.

 

[Super Eye]

The tsunami in Japan affected Sony plants manufacturing professional tape and disc products. I remember for a while some folks in the production community were going nuts. I think all the Sony plants manufacturing pro tape and disc products are back on line full-force and the shortage of Sony pro tape and disc products is over.


Oh and long live JVC!!!

 

[Mike99]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Kelson /forum/post/21976482


Yeah, it's killing me. I need another pair of 2TB drives for my media PC enclosure.


Not high end, bear. Just Seagate 5900 rpm SATA-III AV drives. They used to be $80, they haven't budged for months.

Micro Center has the Seagate Green, which is 5900rpm, 1.5TB for $84.99 in store only price. I was thinking about getting one.

 

[plplplpl]

Finally caved and just bought a 2 TB drive for $109 (at a place they don't sell old eggs)

.


What I really wanted, though, was a 3 TB for almost the same price like I got just in time last fall.