I have a few questions about copied DVDs: Are copied DVDs more prone and succeptible to scratches than originals? How long do copied DVDs last? Are there certain blank DVD brands that scratch less easily? Can anyone recommend a brand of DVD drive that is better at reading scratched DVD? I find that my Dell DVD drive is too sensitive to scratches. Thanks, Aaron
copied dvd's do indeed scratch very easily. far too easily in fact, i keep mine in big case wallets, the kind with a soft backing to the sleeves. you can buy blank dvds that are supposedly a lot more tough. here's an example - http://svp.co.uk/products-solo.php?pid=223 though TDK are not what i'd call decent discs at all, but there's some info all the same
You may want to get a new drive as scratches are a fact of life. The factory DVDs with the movies scratch easily as well as most recordable discs. TDK advertises the more scratch resistant discs, but even they're not impervious to damage. When encased in steel a laser can't read the data recorded to the dye layer of a disc. Only so much can be done within current technology and cost restraints. As for the Dell burner, what company manufactured it? Your recording software or DVDInfoPro should list the manufacturer. I've got a couple of drives, Plex and HP, that read severely scratched discs as long as they're not deep scratches and the discs are clean and shiny. A disc resurfacing tool can be used for scratched discs as well. I've got Skip Dr that's saved a bunch of discs for me.
