Anyone know who makes good blank CDRs nowadays?

July 19, 2004 4:01 AM

VCD headaches. I used to be able to burn VCDs (or super VCDs) that would play on multiple DVD players until recently. Its not the drive as I've tried two different ones. I'm suspecting the media. Anyone know who makes good blank CDRs nowadays? Or if there's a brand that is DVD player friendly?

I've tried burning at lower speeds too. Same results. I'm really thinking its the media, but I'm out of the loop on who makes quality blanks nowadays.

posted by skallas to Computers & Internet (9 answers total)

I use Memorex or Sony and have zero problems with them. Just bought a 100-pack of Memorex at the local consumption behemoth for less than $20!

For some reason, though, even though these discs are rated capable of burning at 52x, and my new combo drive is rated same, my burning programs will only burn @ 48x. Not that that matters. Burning ~800 MB in 2.5 minutes is sweet.

Side question for you skallas: do you think burning at a lower speed noticeably affects the quality of your S/VCDs? I was always told to burn at no more than 8x and preferably 4x for best results. I've never had any problem burning at higher speeds, though, aside from the rare dud, which I blamed on media rather than speed.
posted by WolfDaddy at 4:46 AM on July 19, 2004

Clueless question: I've just gotten a DVD burner and I've been burning onto DVD+Rs. They will play on my computer but not my TV-DVD player combo. Should I be trying CDrs instead? If you can burn a movie onto a CDr, why do they have DVDrs?
posted by CunningLinguist at 5:04 AM on July 19, 2004

I've gotten a bad batch before, but it's my own fault: it was a 100 pack at CompUSA that was just 100 CD-Rs shrinkwrapped together. No label, no nothing. I was just burning audio CDs and probably threw out 20.
posted by yerfatma at 5:06 AM on July 19, 2004

CL, DVD-R is supported by more DVD players than DVD+R. You might try that. CD-Rs are usually 700 megs. DVDs are 4.7 gigs. Burning full movies onto CD-R means two CDs and low quality, whereas you can usually fit a full store-bought DVD onto a DVD[+/-]R. (Movies you buy on DVD are dual layer or double-sided or something, so they fit even more than 4.7 gigs).
posted by yerfatma at 5:09 AM on July 19, 2004

If all the duds are from the same batch of cd's it's possible. But quality of the media with cds doesn't seem to matter that much. I've probably made 100 vcds and svcds and I've had exactly two duds, and my cds tend to be the the cheapo spindles from Best Buy.

Every brand is likely buying their cds from the same couple of manufacturers, so what you're paying for with a name brand is quality control that will reject the questionable batches rather than slapping a label on and selling them anyway. So generic discs are PROBABLY fine, but any established name will definitely work. If cost isn't really a concern, I like Fuji followed by Memorex.

(note: don't ever buy generic DVDrs. You'll probably be sorry.)
posted by Mayor Curley at 5:18 AM on July 19, 2004

(Tx much, yfm.)
posted by CunningLinguist at 6:12 AM on July 19, 2004

Keep in mind that not all DVD players are created equal when it comes to burned media. videohelp.com has an app that will help list compatibility.

Also, you'll find that CD Freaks has a forum which addresses CD and DVD media issues.
posted by SteveInMaine at 7:39 AM on July 19, 2004

And more importantly, remember that the brand of the disc has *nothing whatever* to do with who manufactured it. Brand names will sell discs from more than one manufacturing plant, and different brands may sell the same ones, as well.

Linux people can get cdrecord (I think it is) to identify the disc manufacturer, and I think the newer Roxio software will display it, too.
posted by baylink at 8:22 AM on July 19, 2004

If it does not say "MADE IN JAPAN" dont buy it...

for Optical Media that is
posted by Dreamghost at 9:47 PM on July 19, 2004