CDR Media Questions

aybesea · Nov 13, 2003

I'm hoping to gather the collected wisdom that is present on this forum to help me with a CDR media issue.

About 2 years ago, I purchased 500 pieces of 16X Silver/LtBlue 80 min media. It was branded as "That's Write" and had a bright green silkscreen. Although labeled 16X, it burned perfectly at the 32X speed, and that was the max listed in the ATIP. It was the most reliable media I have ever used and I didn't make a single coaster.

Last week, I ran out. So I went to my local store and purchased some 48X Silver/Silver 80 min media from Khypermedia. It refuses to burn and verify on my Cendyne. I tried another of the "free after rebate brands (don't remember which)" that was also Silver/Silver 80 min 48X. Same story... no reliable burns.

My writer is a 3 month old Cendyne 52/24/52 burner (I use it to save wear and tear on my DRU-500A). I would think it should be compatible with newer media. I've tried using the Sony as well, and while it does verify on these Silver/Silvers at 24X, they still don't play well in my car MP3 player.

So here's the question... is Silver/Silver an inferior dye compared to Silver/LtBlue? Or have I just been buying crap media (free after rebate stuff)? And if so, what is a good brand that should cause me no problems? Maybe Ritek or Taiyo Yuden? Or, if Silver/LtBlue is superior, is there a better brand that I should look for?

Any info is most appreciated!

LTR12101B · Nov 13, 2003

KypherMedia doesnt seem to be well liked- I think it gor a bit of a roasting at a rival CDR forum.

Silver/Silver - is a silver reflector with a CLEAR dye
http://www.cdmediaworld.com/hardware/cdrom/cd_dye.shtml

It's not inherently bad - but as you just said - free after rebate media.

One Bizarre result... I have a really fussy Audio player - I've had trouble getting burns it likes - and not expecting much, I pulled out a tub of "got to use up soon" Fornet silver/silver - now I KNOW that media is really, totally crap, I know for starters that it's unsafe to take it past 60 min (this was a short burn).
Burned at 2x (it's old) and the player loved it!

Take the speed down, if your drive doesn't like the media, performance may improve all the way down to about 8 / 12 / 16x

Duracell · Nov 13, 2003

I you could get Taiyo Yuden, go for them!

i can't get TY anymore, i have 27 pieces TDK Reflex Ultra (long strategy, Azo) 24x leftover that's all; another advisable fabricator is Intenso (short strategy, Phthalocyanine), best media i can get currently;

if Intenso (try to burn in 16x) won't work, then it seems you need media in "long strategy" for your car stereo; i don't think you will get "long strategy" CD-R anymore;

Greetings from
Duracell

serjer · Nov 13, 2003

y not look 4 black cds?i'm currently using black cds & find it better than silver & normal stuff

dx · Nov 14, 2003

aybesea you are in North America correct?!

Try Fuji media that is made in Japan (but not Taiwan=Ritek). The Made in Japan are Taiyo Yuden... a media that I have never had a problem with.

Best Buy still has Made in Japan Fuji's. I picked them up for 6 cents a CDR not too long ago (bulk pack of 100).

VIPER_1069 · Nov 14, 2003

hmmmmmmm i used to use THATS RIGHT media a year or so back and were pretty good ones

i recently discovered that the 200 datawrites i bought are actually SONY CORP

ATIP: 97m 24s 16f
Disc Manufacturer: Sony Corp.
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)

and ive not had a bad one outta bout 120 so far

scarecrow · Nov 14, 2003

Best quality media I can find now is Teac, which are stamped Mitsui SG. Expensive though at 0.65 $ apiece (jewelcase included)

aybesea · Nov 14, 2003

Thanks for the replies guys. I found some Imation 48X Silver/Silver CDRs that are working for me. I also found Taiyo Yuden Silver/Silver CDRs for $27/100 at DV Century... seems like a great price. So I'll be buying some of those.

Be warned about those Khypermedia discs. I managed to get a few of them to burn by lowering my burn speed to 16X, but it's still not consistent. They are real garbage.

@dx - you made a comment about avoiding the Ritek made Fuji's... are the Ritek's error prone? I've never used their CDRs, but their DVD-R's are pretty good.

Thanks!

serjer · Nov 14, 2003

btw any idea on those 48 imation silver/silver?who makes them ?cmc ?

LTR12101B · Nov 14, 2003

Imation ARE generally said to be CMC, and CMC are generally said to be CRAP!

Perhaps, more accurately, CMC are extremely variable, their best are ok and their worst are total junk.

Ritek have got to be the most rehabilitated CD manufacturer on the planet - THEIR media was once a laughing stock, and now it seems their CD media is competent, and their DVD media ok for more drives than not - Though if you had a choice of finding TY or Ritek in the pack (Fuji) - TY is by far the better name.