[Ham-Computers] RE: CD and DVD Drive Issues

[Hsu, Aaron (NBC Universal)]

>>> KI6X wrote:
Confused on why the CD would not be read on the DVD writer.  It should read all CDs (and write them too).  Sounds like the CD is not readable on various readers but only on the one that wrote it (used to be common in the old days).  Dan, KI6X
 
 
>>> My reply:
Still common today.  Media compatibility issues are still quite common, esp since most CD/DVD-R media is pretty poorly manufactured (due to cost cutting).  If you go to http://www.videohelp.com, you find a link on the left to "DVD Media".  Here you can search a database of user-submitted data on drive and media compatibility.  This site is DVD specific, but the same problem exists with CD-R media as well.
 
In general, I find that media manufactured by Taiyo-Yuden (TY) has the greatest compatibility across drives, but TY media is not easy to find and a bit more expensive.  MCC (Mitsubishi Chemicals Corp.) and Mitsui are two other "better" manufacturers.  Unfortunately though, most discs you find on store-shelves are made by Ritek or CMC Magnetics - the two largest "manufacturers".  They manufacture in bulk and sell to the "name brands" who put their names on the media (such as Memorex, Imation, Philips, HP, LG, etc).  It's up to the name brand vendor to pick out what "quality" media (it's graded from AA to D, I believe) to use and most chose a middle quality as a compromise between quality and price.  "House" branded media (Staples, Best Buy, Office Depot, etc) are usually lower grade media.  The lower grade the media, the more likely a drive is to not be able to "track" the spiral and create a good burn.  The lower quality the burn, the lower the chances of "read" drive compatibility.
 
Much of this has been discussed ad-infiniteum in various CD-R forums and lists - I'm just regurgitating some info I've learned over the years.  The only recommendation is to find some media that works well for you and buy as much of it as possible at one time - as media is purchased by "name brands" in batches, that stack of discs you have that work today won't be the same stack of media available on the shelf next week/month/year and you'll need to test again.  For example, the stack of "FujiFilm" branded DVD's I purchased 3 years ago was manufactured by TY and works GREAT with my drive(s).  However, a recent stack of "FujiFilm" media I purchased is manufactured by Ritek and burn quality has varied from decent to "barely works" - and all have been from the same 100-disc spindle.
 
Anyways, YMMV.
 
73,
 
  - Aaron, NN6O
 
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