Verbatim MCC03 +R 8x media, made in taiwan bought at Mediamarkt (germany/swiss) TS-H552B burner with TS04 then TS05 firmware all at 4x Nero/CloneDVD/Pinnacle/Blindwrite/Alcohol tried all Test with CD/DVD speed and KProbe on a SOHD-167T hacked at 16x for DVD+/-R Results: - The white DVDs, shipping in boxed 10 packs: * bad media output with TS04 firmware * bad data at outer edge abouve 3.9Gb data with the TS05 firmware - Silver DVDs, with verbatim logo, shipping in round unboxed 10 packs * TS04 not tried * TS05: great burn with Kprobe below 5 to 20, good outer edge, CD/DVD speed curve smooth at 16x reading Conclusion: Verbatim white media is bad at outer edge giving erronus unreadable data output. This was confirmed on other burners/PCs. Tried 4 packs of 10 DVDs :-(
Does anyone of late know if Ritek G04 have improved there dye for there DVD-R? Since noticed like everyone else there dye went down hill very quickly. I've also noticed the media code change in Prodisc's also. I think some of my prodisc's problems was some of the dye was flawed on all of them that had read errors. It's very frustrating you can get your first copy from DVDshrink and after that read errors on the next copies. I have a total of 7 DVD burners. (2) Toshiba SDR-5112, (2) Liteon LDW-851s, (2) Liteon Sohw-832S, and my newest burner Plextor PX-716A. I just ordered some Hyundai media, Taiyo Yuden, and trying out some more Ritek Super Grade G04. Ritek now says this Super Grade G04 is suppose to be finger print resistant. I just hope they don't have this dye problem like they had in the past. I've been buring with Nero 6.6.0.1 so far it seems very stable.
Media: Memorex 10 pack DVD-r 4.7 GB Merchant: Bestbuy Burning movies shows no problem at all. But when it comes to burning games, it doesnt work at all. Totally sucks butt media. I dont recommend using this at all. So what media should u use? Whatever the first 1 u try that works, stick with it. TO me after trying Ritek Ridata go4, my games run awesome, now i'm sticking with it. But listen now, this media might not work with u.
My .02 about Ritek disks. I have been using them for a couple years now tih no problems but of late I've been having problems with the G04's. I don't get coasters but my PS2 has trouble reading them and I have to boot it like 10x's to get it to run, and this is every time now. Some games are getting buggy also. Running slow and freezing up, then running OK etc... I'm not sure what the deal is but they used to have fully branded disks. With the Ridata logo and 4x branded with the lines to write what's ont he disk in that arrow sort of shape (I hope you guys know what I'm tlakign about here). Those disks seem to have fallen off the planet and I can't find them anywhere. Now all that's available is the disks that are branded in the hub. The ones I'm having trouble with are the ones with the total clear hub. The ones that are "frosted", I guess is how to dicribe them work fine. But I can't seem to get hem anymore. The last 2 orders I've placed I've got the clear hubs and they don't burn at 4x. On the label it says 2x/4x data. So if you want to burn a data disk they will burn at 4x, but if you want to burn a DVD video you can only burn up to 2x's. And I puchased them at different stores as well. So I don't think it's the place you buyt hem from I think it's Ritek. I think the G04 is ont he backburner so to speak and they are more focused ont eh G05 and the dual layer disks and mayeb they are going cheap on the 4x disks. I'm going to try the 8x ones to see how they go. On another note I can't say enough bad things about mertiline. Their customer service is the absolute worst. It takes weeks to get any responce. Then you ahve to wait another week for htem to "look into it" etc... They arbitrarily replace your order with somthing "similar" without consulting you and when the stuff is crap and you wnat your money abck they refuse to pay for the shipping costs etc.. so you have to pay to send crap back to them that you didn't want becasue they ran out and didn't feel it was necesary to ask for your approval to replace an item with something similar. Then another order of mine was lost. Again it took 2 weeks to get a responce. Then it took 3 weeks to "look into it" etc... 2 motnhs ahd passed and I was no clsoer to getting my order than when I palced it. Couldn't get anyone to respond so I cancelled the order and was done with them.
SKY Dvd-R media is terrible. The media reports to be made my OnidTech and is 4X speed. In my Nu-Tech DDw-081 flashed to write Dv-R I get 4 out of 5 bad burns. NERO reports this media at only 2x speed, even though it says 4x on the media itself. This was purchased from. YESBUY.net. YESBUY is a terrible company to deal with as well. They charged me shipping fee, even though theire website clearly states they do not charge shipping. -Stampee
I have been using SKY amd MMORE media for almost a year. I have had no problems with the media or my I/O Magic DVD burner. Nero does indicate a 2X; but I prefer the slow burn. Ofcourse, the price in Germany, converting Dollar to Euro is getting painful. Rich
I forgot to indicate my headache with Pengo DVD-R media. Purchased only a 10 package from the exchange for 15.00 (All headed for the trashcan) Rich
yes i agree i have too used sky media before and they are terrible made so many coasters with them ><
Media: FUJIFILM 25 Pack Merchant: Best Buy Mfg: ProdiscF01 Drive: Sony DVD RW DW-U18A Only a "couple" of good burns out of 20 or so. Switched to TDK's with flawless burns so far. FUJI's headed for the trash! No apparent physical defects on the blanks.
Media: FUJIFILM 100 Packs Merchant: Best Buy Mfg: RICOHJPN (Ricoh +R 4X), YUDEN (Taiyo Yuden +R 8X) Drive: Memorex Dual Format Great Buy. I've used the Ricoh +R media for a couple of years with no coasters due to media quality. Fuji is one of the brands that sell this excellent +R media. I have two containers, one 4X Ricoh and one 8X TY. TY is another excellent manufacturer. These manufacturers also produce media for TDK, Verbatim and other top brands. Good stuff. I got these at 40 cents per disc on sale (including tax and shipping). [bold]This is bad because I can't get more at this price for now.[/bold]
I'm having the exact same problem with my Ridata DVD-R's. My burner recognizes them as 4X, but whenever I tried to burn DVD video at 4X I'd keep getting "focus or tracking error" and a coaster. I tried all sorts of fixes, software updates, ASPI update, etc. and still the same result. Then I looked carefully at the label on the cakebox. I saw that it says in big letters "4X DVD-R" and in really fine print "General, version 2.0, 2x/4x for data". Well, it seems pretty deceptive to me. I just tried a different media and was able to burn at 4X w/o a problem. I'm peeved because I bought 100 of these from meritline!
Yes, these are FUJIFILM discs with a clear hub. Printed on the discs is "Up To 8X Write Speed." Also, states "Made in Tiawan." I see many warnings poste to be wary of Tiawam products! Yes, they are DVD -R's. I don't know how one tells where the mfg origin without unwrapping the package ... guess one could take them home and unwrap and if not satisfactory, march back to the return counter! No ... have not updated firmware. I suppose I could try that. Burner is a Sony OEM product and not supported by Customer Service at Sony through any downloads. John
The first thing one should do when they have a problem with recordable media is to make sure the optical head is clean and then make sure the firmware is up to date. If the factory support doesn't help, there are a number of websites that have extensive lists of firmware updates. I've googled and found them before. Frosted with clear hubs. That's a vague description. Download a copy of DVD Identifier from the net. It's free and will identify the manufacturer of a disc. You put the recordable disc in the burner, not a ROM, and run DVD Identifier to read the manufacturer code from the disc. Simple. Just add the brand, R or RW, and - or + and we have a good idea of what particular media is being talked about. Brands don't normally list the manufacturer of their media on the packaging. The only way to check it out is to take it home and use DVD Identifier or a similar app. Most of the recordable media we get is from Taiwan. Many of the name brands sell media manufactured there. However, much of the poor quality, no name items also come from there. So, Taiwan is shipping some of the best and worst. Like most news, you hear the worst part most often. The best course is to avoid unknown brands. At least with an established brand, you have a company to contact and many guarantee their products. Deal with vendors with a good record and guarantee policy. Meritline, and Newegg are a couple of good net sites. I've bought from BestBuy.com and others with good results as well. @joedrumma What did Meritline's customer service have to say? They're usually pretty good about keeping the customers happy. A friend of mine had a minor problem once and they replaced his order and shipped free.
The branded Ridata Ritek disks (and they are G04's) with the clear hub are not true 4x disks and that's why you are getting errors. THey are only 4x when burning data disks. It actually says it ont he label aroudn the case they come in (if your dealer sends them that way). It says big and bold print 4x, but then right under it in smaller print it says 2x/4x for data. Th G04's are no longer true 4x disks. I think since the G05 and dual layered disks have come out the G04's are a lower priotirty and as a result this is what we got. Early inthis thread I used the DVD identifier for the 3 different type sof G04's that were being sold and posted the results.
Brobear - I only just figured out the problem this weekend. I'll call meritline on Monday and discuss with them. I've had the dics for several months, so I'm not sure what they'll say. I still have an unopened spindle of 50 that I'd like to return if possible. I'll post the outcome.
64026402- do you or anyone of our great Afterdawn.com friends have any experience with Prodisc with the NEC -Nd 3500A I also have a Nec 2500 & Both have stock firmware 1.06 for the 2500A and 2.16 for the 3500A - I have tried various brands & speeds of media but would eventually like to standardize on one brand - from a mfr. that doe'snt change their outsource/ mfr or quality with each spindle! peace frog blue sunday- happy holidays & thank you 64026402
john- On fuji dvd's you can look on the spindle label in the very fine print under the upc barcode- it will say made in japan or made in taiwan - made in japan better- additionaly you can often look @ the spindles plastic base if it is a greyish white color the disc inside are almost always made in japan - they also are often more exspensive and in smaller spindles! Fuji dvdr media in spindles with black bases are almost always taiwan made! But this is not absolute because I bought 2 spindles of 8 X fuji dvd-r nedia @ bestbuy recently - packaging says made in japan and they have the black bases! so look close & caveat emptor My friend- peace happy holidays
4X -R offering by Ritek is the G04. Recently the dye used for the G04 was changed. Some question as to whether the new dye is as good. G04 media will record at 2X and 4X. The write speed is not controlled by data or video, but by the apps and hardware. That would be like saying the 8X media isn't true 8X because it can burn at 4X. Most recordable media can be used at speeds lower than their maximum. Fuji 8X +R (TY) made in Japan. Fuji 4X +R (Ricoh) made in Taiwan. Both very good media. I just bought 2 100 count spindles, 1 of each (both black plastic spindles).
I'm telling you it says right on the label right under in huge leters 4x, version 2.0-2x/4x for data. Why woudl it make that distiction otherwise? I've tried to burn them with Alcohol, Nero and DVD Decrypter and they don't burn at 4x for DVD-video.
