Anyone got any experience with store bought discs?

[Chad_Bronson]

Hi all, before I start, I don't want to try and vindicate store brand media such as Tesco, ASDA et al just wondered what the overall consensus was on this type of media. Although they will never be as superior as Verbatim or Taiyo Yuden, how are they for longitivity and reliablity?

Tesco CD-R are IMO the best brand I've used for CD burning, as well as AOne. No problems with either of these brands.

Although I don't trust store bought DVD-R media as far as I can throw them (Far more unreliable than CD-R, IMO, in particular under CMC MAG and Ritek :eek: ) Arachne pointed out that the latest Morrisons DVD+R are under the MBI code, which might be pretty good. I believe Memorex is also under the MBI code?

[chef]

Memorex is everything from everywhere, crap bundled as I say.

[Chad_Bronson]

@Chef, agreed, but I’ve had pretty good experience with Memorex, they were the only brand I ever bought under the MBI code, which as we now has produced some solid stuff. Though that being said, I wouldn’t buy Memorex, not just because of the lukewarm reception of them, but if they are prone to producing dodgy batches then their not worth the effort. Though the offer is tempting…

I think my results for discs performance were shoddy because a lot of my discs produced by CMC under the Datawrite Titanium, Bulkpaq, ASDA, were nearly all rendered garbage because I was using an old Pioneer burner where the laser might be going or have gone on it. Since transferring to a Phillips brand and then later a BenQ, I’ve had nothing but excellent results on this type of media.

Lesson learned? Most brand of CD-R discs are okay for short term, but for the love of God KEEP CMC DISCS AWAY FROM A PIONEER! :Z Though that being said, to vindicate myself, I might buy some more of these brands, only in small packs to see how they handle my new burner

[Arachne]

I got some Tesco DVD-RWs (inherited from my buddy upstairs who thought he was burning to -Rs ) - I believe those are CMC, though. Not sure if I still have the discs to check.

I’ll have a sneaky look at the discs in Morrison’s (or Asda, depends where I go) on Monday - might even buy a pack or two if there’s no COO stated, or if I can’t tell from the cakebox design. All in the name of science, of course.

Our Morrison’s stocks TDK and Memorex, along with their own branded stuff. Our Asda’s stocks Verbies and - I think - Maxell, along with their own stuff.

I swear disc brands should be forced to state the COO. Would at least help to easily identify the MBIL stuff.

Re: Memorex - the only bad experience I’ve had with them, apart from not knowing whose discs you’re gonna get, is the lower quality compared to the same MIDs under brands like TDK and HP etc. Stuff like earlier failure.

[Chad_Bronson]

In respect to some older members (Like yourself, Arachne ) I haven’t being around on Club MyCE long enough to know in detail about cake boxes, but I can tell the difference between a Jaffa Cake and a Battenburg!

On a serious note though, the experience I have got from Club MyCE about disc burning speeds, brands, dyes, etc is head spinning, but very fulfilling. I think since I burned my CMC discs on the Pioneer burner I unfairly called them Godawful discs, like RiDisc, etc. But I think these discs would have been okay, had I not burned them on the Pioneer burner. Since moving up to a BenQ burner or even the trusted Phillips, I have had consistently excellent performance on CMC MAG discs.

However, I’m not lured by CMC MAG anymore, and I made it a rule of thumb for everyday discs the RitekF1 is a far more stable dye. Gee, you think for me bloating threads trying to plug the Ritek dye I actually work for Ritek, hahaha!

The second lesson I learned is for DL media, the only reliable (and one to make it after the layer break) Verbatim, nothing else. And for me using -RW under any brand is something I personally avoid - Issues with writing over them, etc.

[Arachne]

In respect to some older members (Like yourself, Arachne ) I haven’t being around on Club MyCE long enough to know in detail about cake boxes, but I can tell the difference between a Jaffa Cake and a Battenburg!

Oi, less of the “older”, if you don’t mind. Or I’ll pelt you with Jaffa cakes and Battenburgs.

On a serious note though, the experience I have got from Club MyCE about disc burning speeds, brands, dyes, etc is head spinning, but very fulfilling. I think since I burned my CMC discs on the Pioneer burner I unfairly called them Godawful discs, like RiDisc, etc. But I think these discs would have been okay, had I not burned them on the Pioneer burner. Since moving up to a BenQ burner or even the trusted Phillips, I have had consistently excellent performance on CMC MAG discs.

Yeah, if you have the time to really look around in here, the info is awesome. You can become addicted pretty quickly.

Glad your CMC experience is a bit better now, even if you’re not completely “lured”. ** smug mode **

However, I’m not lured by CMC MAG anymore, and I made it a rule of thumb for everyday discs the RitekF1 is a far more stable dye. Gee, you think for me bloating threads trying to plug the Ritek dye I actually work for Ritek, hahaha!

Busted.

The second lesson I learned is for DL media, the only reliable (and one to make it after the layer break) Verbatim, nothing else. And for me using -RW under any brand is something I personally avoid - Issues with writing over them, etc.

Agreed, and agreed. Only time I’ll ever pick up -RWs is if they’re on a seriously low deal. And even then for non-critical TV recordings only. +RW for me as a rule, and the DL thing’s a no-brainer IMO

[chef]

You can try with memowrecks of course, but its always a hit and miss gamble and not for proper data storage too.

[Arachne]

[QUOTE=chef;2595541]You can try with memowrecks of course, but its always a hit and miss gamble and not for proper data storage too. ;)[/QUOTE]

I’d agree with that, after what I’ve experienced with early failure. Of course, my experience is only with DVD R media.

[Chad_Bronson]

@Arachne LMAO! I mean’t those with more wisdom!

Interesting you mention about Memorex DVD-R media, whilst unjustifable since even Verbatim’s are cheaper than Memorex on Amazon (EH!? ) but the dye used to produce Memorex DVD-R is an MBI code. Not sure if they get the lowest of the low, the crappest of the crap MBI code, but that MID code (MBI UB40… No wait, that’s a band…) is from what I hear pretty stable.

Lesser so for Memorex Ritek and CMC MAG, however. I think the only time I would buy Memorex again if I was guarenteed that batch had an MBI code inside or if it was seriously low priced. My experience with Memorex has been pretty good - But as they are mixed bag (One spindle might be good, the next utter garbage) My oldest CD-R from 2004 is a Memorex, under CMC. That is the best disc I ever burned, IMO, and still works today

[pepst]

Is there a big price difference between Tesco/Memorex/Maxell/Aone and Verbatim DVDR media where you live?

[Chad_Bronson]

The price difference is not usually mega, but in shops the price gap is wide. For example, shops can charge £30-£40 for a pack of 100 Verbatim, but online it can be got for about £17 (eg Amazon). In comparision, Memorex at stores go for about £20-£30. - The great British rip off.

[Arachne]

^ Agree with Chad re: prices.

Hey Pepst - next time I go to Asda, I’ll compare their Verbie prices to their Maxell/own brand. I go armed with a notebook and pen anyways (how sad is that?!).

Back to Memorex - the ones I used that didn’t last long, compared to other brands, were CMC-made (CMC MAG. AM3). Not sure I’ve used any of the MBIL-made Memorexes.

[Chad_Bronson]

Arachne, you know that smug mode you had about CMC disc? Consider that smug, wiped!

Just out of curiousity, why is it the Maxell / Verbatim / Own brand concoction of discs on the shelves? I just would have thought there would be more variety, or other brands

Yeah, I’ve yet to see a Memorex CMC disc - All of the Memorex I’ve had are produced by MBI. So on the off chance someone did get Memorex, is it fair to say if it’s under the MBI code (Ritek, :rollseyes: and CMC :Z ) We are safe?

[Wombler]

[QUOTE=Chad_Bronson;2595591]Yeah, I’ve yet to see a Memorex CMC disc - All of the Memorex I’ve had are produced by MBI. So on the off chance someone did get Memorex, is it fair to say if it’s under the MBI code (Ritek, :rollseyes: and CMC :Z ) We are safe?[/QUOTE]

That’s always the difficulty as in most instances you usually can’t tell the dye type from looking at the packaging (Verbatims are the exception to that though).

Even if you buy some and find out what dye type they’re currently using you’ve no guarantee that the next lot you buy will be the same so it can end up a bit of a lottery at times.

TBH when you can buy top quality discs cheaper online I never see the point in buying lesser discs locally for a dearer price, unless you absolutely need them right away. Even then I’d buy Verbatim locally and take the price hit.

[B]Wombler[/B]

[Chad_Bronson]

You’re absolutely right, the frequent deals on Verbatim, with free delivery, on Amazon means that you can get 100 pack for less than £20. Once all of my Maxell discs have dried up, I’ll consider getting some of them.

[Arachne]

Arachne, you know that smug mode you had about CMC disc? Consider that smug, wiped!

No.

Reason for that is: with Memorex, the lower quality CMC didn’t surprise me.

Just out of curiousity, why is it the Maxell / Verbatim / Own brand concoction of discs on the shelves? I just would have thought there would be more variety, or other brands

LOL, I dunno. Maybe my local Asda don’t sell enough media in general, to warrant buying in more than 3 or so brands.

TBH, I’m pleasantly surprised they even have Verbies. I believe it’s only the CDRs though, thinking back to when I last looked.

Didn’t quote the rest as Wombler gave a good answer.

As for the Amazon Verbies. You can’t sniff at 100 for less than 20 squid. You’d be barmy not to.

[olyteddy]

[QUOTE=Arachne;2595588]…I go armed with a notebook and pen anyways (how sad is that?!). …

[/QUOTE]