Best CD-R Media? Answers possible?

Jase: Oh, sorry, I had not seen your mention of SKC. Prodisc Cyanine discs are not as widely available as the Phthalo ones, but are still in volume production and available for VERY cheap prices.

Everyone: I was talking to a dealer at a CD-R shop (You know, the kind of shop that only sells CDR/W/DVD-R/RW/+R/+RW media and writers)and he was saying that those discs with Digital Storage Technology ATIPs that were Phtalo discs but with Cyanine ATIPs (That gave me problems earlier) were actually made by a taiwanese manufacturer called Vanguard and not DST themselves, using DST stampers. Then I took a look at a disc really made by DST and it looks totally different, serial number-scheme and everything else.


Edit: By the way, I got some new Mitsui's. Made in Taiwan, same ATIP, with the oldest box but with a 24x logo on the corner. Really weird.

 

Interesting about DST. I have some similar ones and they are *definitely* manufactured by DST though. They are branded with DST's own-brand (D-Vision), were sold as being manufactured by DST with the logo on the website and the company selling them also did some 24x DST media which is just the same except where the 16x, bad-ATIP media said "SG-80" on the inner rim these 24x media say "UG-80".

I have had Vanguard before though, on some "Waitec" discs. Very poor quality. Have lasted well but even my TEAC 8x wasn't able to write to them all that well, which is a sure sign something is up!!

 

Jase: My Vanguards with DST ATIP have DM-**** (Random number) on the center ring. Odd thing on them is that the dye looks inconsistent (different color "splotches" all around), as does the top cover (on different places) which doesn't happen with the DST by DST discs I got, which are just like those 24x you have. Plus, the center ring looks kind of different on those, the place between the inner ring and the media is shinier on the DST 24x ones and the media looks really well done and resistant. Surely a keeper.

 

Yeah, I've just had a look at my Vanguards and they have a DM-*** on them as well....

Seems that Vanguard are a company to avoid. It's impacting on DST's reputation though, like you I have found their media to be well-made and burns well. So it's a pity that other companies are using their stamping facilities.

My Cyberdrive 32x rates them at 28x, my Artec 20x thinks they're 20x compatible, and none of my writers have made a bad go of them, although some have defaulted to a slower speed as they are slightly obscure. But I agree that they are fine media for the (very low) price they're available at, and I'd recommend them without hesitation.

One thing I'd just like to point out is that with my list above, where I say decent I mean good, not average, above average but just not quite as good as the best. I don't know how exactly you can define a disc as average -- it's either good or bad Just to clarify hehe

 

This is the ATIP on my Mitsuis:

ATIP: 97m 27s 55f
Disc Manufacturer: Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc.
Reflective layer: Dye (Short strategy; e.g. Phthalocyanine)
Media type: CD-Recordable
Recording Speeds: min. unknown - max. unknown
nominal Capacity: 650.85MB (74m 05s 10f / LBA: 333235)

They are lighter than Ricohs and Kodaks but darker than 4M, they're exactly the same color as my Prodiscs.

 

At this moment i only use TDK made by Ritek or TY, but last week i buy a few mitsui media with this ATAPI info:

ATIP: 97m 27s 56f
Disc Manufacturer: Mitsui Toatsu Chemicals, Inc.
Reflective layer: Dye (Short strategy; e.g. Phthalocyanine)
Media type: CD-Recordable
Recording Speeds: min. unknown - max. unknown
nominal Capacity: 702.83MB (79m 59s 74f / LBA: 359849)

Is this Mitsui media better than the TDK media made by TY and Ritek to burn audio cds, since what i really want is a media with a best durability and quality possible.

Regards
MacPhisto

 

Mitsui is among the best media you can buy with regards longevity and audio reproduction. You've made a good purchase there

 

*up* (this stuff was asked recently)