Where can I get DVD+-R reference media?

CD, DVD and (Ultra HD) Blu-ray Writers
#1

Hi:

Does anyone know of standard reference data DVD ±R media I can get for diagnostic purposes? I’ve poked around and there doesn’t seem to be anything like this around. This would serve the same purpose as a reference audio CD, or a test pattern for printers and copiers. Or the old Dumont TV test pattern…

At the moment, the best I’ve been able to come up with is running Plextools write transfer test to create a base fullly-loaded DVD. Then I can use that to compare various media I’ve got laying around here, and maybe to identify problems between burners. But I’d rather have a standard DVD against which to measure everything, rather than this sort of ad hoc comparison, which isn’t repeatable.

Thanks in advance for any help you might provide.

– Roy Zider

#2

There are two calibration DVDs that come to mind – they come on pressed discs, but I can’t see why you couldn’t burn them off to DVD+ and DVD- to create calibration discs for testing purposes.

Avia

There seems to be an older version of Avia around… if you can find that, it seems better than the newer one.

and

Digital Video Essentials

Seemingly the better of the two.

You will find test patterns on both like the old Dumont TV one you mention…

#3

Dalen:

Thank you for the pointer to the two DVD HD video test and calibration DVDs. I can see that my post was a bit misleading.

What I was interested in was simply a standard reference disc media for DVD quality checking, not for the full video experience. I’m working through issues with several DVD writers using data DVDs and want to eliminate one variable: the DVD media/disc itself. That way I can identify tracking and sensing errors or differences among the DVD±R/RW readers/writers themselves. The disc would have reference tracks with standard pits and lands, with some variablity designed to test the reader.

From the lack of responses to the original post, I’m assuming that this sort of media is not in wide circulation, if it even exists at all.

– Roy Zider

#4

Hello Roy,

unfortunately there is no such thing as a

“standard reference data DVD ±R media”

at least not afaik. there has been a so called std DVD-ROM from TOSHIBA some years ago.

Basicly it depends what you are planing to do with such media.
Maybe you can give some more detailed informations for your intentions.

On the other hand the services of the company “AudioDev” (-> www.audiodev.com) may come handy for your proposes.

patrick.

#5

Hello Roy,

unfortunately there is no such thing as a

“standard reference data DVD ±R media”

at least not afaik. there has been a so called std DVD-ROM from TOSHIBA some years ago.

Basicly it depends what you are planing to do with such media.
Maybe you can give some more detailed informations for your intentions.

On the other hand the services of the company “AudioDev” (-> www.audiodev.com) may come handy for your proposes.

patrick.

#6

Thanks, patrick. See earlier message for rationale for use.

#7

Ideally, Verbatim and Yuden media are considered to be the lowest error rate media available - I think they would qualify as reference media to compare all others against.

I suggest you visit the Media Testing forum.

http://club.cdfreaks.com/f96/

#8

I remember reading many years ago, that some lab testing either CD-R or DVD-R drives used for their reference media a special archival-grade 24k gold media with a special dye that had an annular structure as opposed to a linear molecular structure. Apparently they got the best range of results from these discs. If you look hard enough, you might find DVD+Rs with these attributes.

#9

Thanks – I’ve since gotten Taiyo Yuden media and will be using that for a while. Don’t know about 24K gold media, tho – may have to wait on that one. But blank media don’t solve the read calibration problems that would be identified with a reference DVD.