Which DVD MEDIA Do You Use?

[ChristopherP]

Interesting - i have always heard that -r's are the best out there, again with compatibilty with home DVD players.

After doing some research...

FAQ'S ABOUT DVD MEDIA

What's better, DVD-R or DVD+R?

There is no correct answer here as both formats are extremely compatible and have many similarities. Although DVD-R has been around longer and is "statistically" sold around the world more then (DVD+R), that doesn't make it better. Both are compatible with the majority of the standalone players on the market and although the compatibility between the two formats (in terms of percentages) favors DVD-R, the difference is so infinitecimal, it has no bearing.

My disks seem to burn fine but in some instances I notice pixelation or freezing/studdering issues towards the end of the movies. What is causing this?

In almost all cases, the cause for this is inferior media. The true test of media is what it can do from the 4GB mark on up. Being able to consistently burn 4.3+ GB's of data or more on a particular type of media is what seperates the pretenders in media from the contenders.

My blank DVD-R/RW/+R/RW says I can burn 4.7 GB's of data. But I have heard that you can only burn up to 4.38 GB's of data. Which one of these facts is true?

Actually, both of the facts are true. The confusion comes because the "real" world and the "computer" world have different mathematical computations. It can get confusing, and for the most part, what you really need to know is when you see the 4.7 on your DVD MEDIA, it is referring to 4.7 billion bytes. Which equates to approximately 4.37 GB's. To simplify, you will need to keep your project to 4.37 GB's or less.

Well Well Well. So DVD-R IS better than DVD+R... Thats what i have always thought, and is now backed up by the site...What about media?

I will give two strong examples. It was assumed for a long time that companies like Verbatim make some of the best media in the world. If you spend extra money for name brand "VERBATIM" disks...you were getting what you paid for, right? Wrong! Recently, Verbatim has been known to have allowed the production of countless inferior Verbatim disks from a variety of different production plants and manufacturers. CMC is the company primarily responsible for producing the MAJORITY OF Verbatim's crappy media, but other companies have been known to produce faulty, error-plagued Verbatim disks as well. A Verbatim search on this forum will give you more information.

The point though is that you must first understand that the MAJORITY OF THE TIMES you are purchasing "name brand" media, the name on the top side of the disk, is not the name of the company that actually manufactured the disks. You also have to understand the DVD Production process a little. You can't just assume things. You can't just say for example, that because TDK is making excellent disks now that they will always continue to make excellent quality disks. Most of these DVD manufacturers have a wide erray of production plants around the WORLD. Companies like Verbatim have at least 7 different manufacturer's of their media! They also have manufacturing plants in different States as well as different countries!

For one reason or another, not only can one "brand" of disks be better manufactured then another..such as TAIYO YUDEN Verbatim disks being higher quality then say CMC...but in addition, the quality of the disks that come from a plant in Singapore, may be superior in quality to a plant in North Carolina. Quality control can also be more leniant at one plant then it is at another. It can also certainly be more stringent for a company like Taiyo Yuden, then it is for a company like CMC. For this reasons as well as many others, you can't just ASSUME because a disk is more expensive, it is absolutely better.

The reverse can also be said. Just because a disk is inexpensive, does not make it cheap or of inferior quality. As a matter of fact, there are NUMEROUS unbranded "generic" media being sold at many online sites which is superior in quality to alot of more expensive "NAME BRAND" disks such as Verbatim, Memorex, Fuji, etc.

Just to name some of the highest quality disks I know the majority of people have had the most success with success with are as follows:
Ritek, (mainly G03 & G04), Ricoh, Lead Data/ Primarily sold under the name ACCU, DUPEZ, AND PIODATA. Prime disks - Manufacutred by Gigastorage. Samsung BeALL DVD-R (Not +R) Optodisks - The highest quality appears to be the Gold-Topped 4x disks from the majority of the people who have used them. This is a list of the most compatibile and highest quality inexpensive media which can in many cases be far superior in both quality AND compatibility to more expensive name brands. Which certainly is better for all of us.

I ALWAYS use the Ritek Ridisc DVD-r's using the GO4 dye, they are mucho compatible with standalone DVD players, the first pack of DVD's i purchased were some "Mirror Platinum" ones or something like that from OCUK with the burner, they were useless really. DVD player didn't like them

The GO4 dye in Ritek DVD's is the most compatible dye in the world, so stick to that stuff if you can.

Quotes thanks to 'Defense' from VideoHelp.com

Hope that helps.

 

[Quadophile]

Smart is when you believe half of what you hear,
Brriliant is when you know which half to believe.

 

[ChristopherP]

i are both then

No seriously though, through what i've read and also from experience, it seems DVD-r's are more compatible with DVD players (though figures are negligable and both have nearly the same rates) and also the Ritek GO-4 dye (the deep purple one) is better than anything else i have used, movies don't jump towards the end of t he disc and all DVD players like them just fine.

The author of this review knows what he is talking about - i mean surely he can't have made all of that up, and people have backed what he said up so it all seems very reliable, and it is proved by what i have read and heard elsewhere.

Chris.

 

[Quadophile]

Chris,

If you were stupid you would not be here

Yes, there is a lot discussed on the issue of media all over the net. Different folks have different experience as well. I also came across people bashing genuinely good products on other forums where I have been. Some blame the media for coasters that they generate when the fact is that their own systems are not configured properly. Such cases can be seen everywhere.

You also know that piracy is rampant out there so are fake disks, the fake ones are so good looking that many cannot even differenciate between a genuine and fake. Before DVD became popular it was the CDR era and the story has remianed the same. Many folks assume that what happend during the time of CDR media is repeated again with DVD's and tend to write about it with information stored in the back of thier minds which necessarily may or may not apply in case of the DVD media.

Anyway we just have to do our best and not get fooled out there in the circus.

The best advise I can give you is to stick to whatever works best for you based on your own experience and that is what we all should be doing actually. The trust that we have in each other makes the difference and that is what makes us share our experience.

If I told you something you would probably believe me, but coming from a stranger, you would think twice and vice versa. That is probably the only reason we gather at the forums and look out for like minded folks.

So at the end of the day the quote in my last post really makes sense does it not?

 

[floppybootstomp]

The GO4 dye in Ritek DVD's is the most compatible dye in the world, so stick to that stuff if you can.

As I mentioned earlier in this thread, that has always been my experience, the GO4 Ritek discs have been the most error free for me.

I've also come to trust Verbatim although after reading the above quote I can see that it's really pot luck as to whether you get a good batch or not (much like hard disks really, but that's a different subject).

As also mentioned previously I have had trouble with some brands, noticeably Datawrite Reds and Infiniti Whites.

I have just purchased a drum of 100 Verbatim 700Mb CD-R's from Office World for £14.99, I hope they're OK.

When next it comes to buying DVD-R media I will be trying some +R discs, just out of interest. But as Chris said, all the information I've gathered so far points to -R discs being the most compatible with stand alone DVD players.

 

[ChristopherP]

guess so

 

[Reefsmoka]

I recently got a new home DVD player and for some silly reason it wont play purple bottom DVD's but will play blue, silver or w/e other colours ive tried :/ . My old one was only a cheap one at about £40 over a year ago (which was extremely cheap then) and it played anything i threw at it, DivX, VCD, SVCD, MP3, CD-Rs, DVD-rs, multi region. This new one plays virtually everything aswell, except purple bottom DVD-Rs :/.

 

[ChristopherP]

Just because it's purple, it dosen't mean it is G0-4 btw - the mirror ones i had were purple, but not G0-4 and my DVD player hated them!!

 

[Quadophile]

The compatibility issue was a concern a a couple of years earlier since the Plus format was new and not many players were able to play them. The articles discussing the compatibility issue were also from back then, you will not find such articles written in the last few weeks or maybe months as both (+) and (-) formats are not very much established in the market. The new breed of players are multi-format players and they usually play everything thrown at them. Still some are finicky and would not play odd disks. Thos who have very old DVD players which are still in service ought to use (-) media as they sure whould not recognise the (+) format.

I have 4 DVD players at home and all have their own idiosyncrasies.

I have a CD player from Philips from early 90's and it plays CD-R's very well, not many from that era are able to play CD-R's as they did not even exist (correct me if my memory is failing me).

 

[floppybootstomp]

Right. OK quad, my stand alone DVD player is a Toshiba SD220E, two years old, do you think that will handle (+) disks?

It would be nice to know before I buy any

 

[Quadophile]

Right. OK quad, my stand alone DVD player is a Toshiba SD220E, two years old, do you think that will handle (+) disks?

It would be nice to know before I buy any

Here is the real world Compatibility list of media for Toshiba 220E

1 Arita 4xDVD-R (RITEKG04....) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 BeAll 1xDVD-R (BeAll G00001) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 BeAll 4xDVD+R (BeAll000P40) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 BenQ 2xDVD-R (SONY........) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 BestMedia Platinum 2.4xDVD+R (RICOHJPNR00) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Bridata 2xDVD-R (PRODISCG02..) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Bulkpaq 2xDVD-R (TDKG02000000) comments, 0 plays 1 dont play.
1 Bulkpaq Orange 4xDVD-R (PRINCO......) comments, 0 plays 1 dont play.
1 Bulkpaq Orange 8xDVD-R (TYG02.......) comments, 0 plays 1 dont play.
2 Choice 2xDVD-R (GSC001......) comments, 2 plays 0 dont play.
1 Datawrite Classic Grey 8xDVD-R (FUJIFILM03..) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
2 Datawrite Classic Yellow 4xDVD-R (PRINCO......) comments, 2 plays 0 dont play.
1 Discrite 2xDVD-R (TDKG02000000) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Epublic 4xDVD-R (GSC001......) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Fujifilm 4xDVD+RW (RICOHJPNW11) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Infiniti 2xDVD-R (SONY........) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Intenso 2xDVD-RW (OPTODISCK001) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Intenso 4xDVD-R (OPTODISCR004) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Intenso 4xDVD+R (DDDessauV20) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Maxell 2.4xDVD+R (RICOHJPNR00) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Maxell 4xDVD+R (RICOHJPNR01) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Memorex 2xDVD-R (CMC MAG.....) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Memorex 4xDVD+R (RICOHJPNR01) comments, 0 plays 1 dont play.
1 Memorex 4xDVD-R (CMC MAG. AF1) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Packard Bell 2.4xDVD+RW (OPTODISCOP1) comments, 0 plays 1 dont play.
1 Philips 4xDVD+R (RICOHJPNR01) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Precisa 4xDVD-R (LONGTEN 001.) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Princo 1xDVD-R (PRINCO......) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
2 Ritek 4xDVD-R (RITEKG04....) comments, 1 plays 1 dont play.
1 Sentinel 4xDVD-R (OPTODISCK001) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Sentinel 4xDVD+R (MPOMEDIA040) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Sky 4xDVD-R (VDSPMSAB 01.) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 TDK 2.4xDVD+RW (MCC.....A01) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Tevion 4xDVD+R (RITEK...R02) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Tevion 4xDVD+R (RICOHJPNR01) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Tevion 4xDVD+R (CMC MAG.F01) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 That's Write 1xDVD-R (Lead Data) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Vanguard 4xDVD-R (VANGUARD....) comments, 0 plays 1 dont play.
1 Verbatim DataLife(Plus) 4xDVD+R (MCC.....002) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.
1 Zero Defex 4xDVD-R (RITEKG04....) comments, 1 plays 0 dont play.

That will keep you busy

 

[floppybootstomp]

Good grief

Interesting. I note that all the discs with Ritek G04 purple dye played, except it's own brand, where one did and one didn't. Odd.

Thanks for the list

 

[ChristopherP]

Maybe one got scratched or something, either way the G-04's are the best.

 

[psd99]

Smart is when you believe half of what you hear,
Briliant is when you know which half to believe.

lovely lovely............

well put

 

[psd99]

im going to go for:

http://www.cd-rmedia.co.uk/cgi-bin2/details.pl?id=cdrdvd4x

check out the price when you are a member and its free to be a member!
i reckon that is good value for money!

ive used crdmedia for most of my cdrs ive ever burnt and now its time to test the companys dvdr's!

i think it works out £6.25 for a 25 spindle pack, 8X DVD -R! but only when ur a member and i think they charge £2 for delivery next day too!

so thats £8.25 alltogether! i rekon no branded dvd's could beat that price!
happy shopping.

 

[ChristopherP]

It's probably worth paying the little extra and getting the G0-4 dye ones, as you may (though probs not) find these arent so compatible...

 

[psd99]

It's probably worth paying the little extra and getting the G0-4 dye ones, as you may (though probs not) find these arent so compatible...

what r these in english?!!!

http link them for me please.................
thanks!

 

[floppybootstomp]

Out Of Stock

4 speed

Another 4 speed

8 speed G05 dye

 

[ChristopherP]

I use the third ones down, Ritek Ridisks

 

[psd99]

v v good prices on al the disks thanks. b4 xmas arrives ill decide on one out of the four and back up my files and restore harmony!