What are the best blank DVDs?

markta

markta

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Hi all,

Some of you may have read on another thread that yesterday I bought a 750GB Seagate FreeAgent external hard drive to back up my photographic work.

I'd also like to have a further back up in the way of DVD copies, but not sure which are the most reliable brand/models.

Please post your recommendations.

Cheers :thumbs:

PS. Blu ray is completely out of the question as don't have a compatible recorder.
 
Personally have used Taiyo Yuden for a few years now and they are very reliable and feel good quality.
 
i use ri/disc purple there really good, i may have a external DVD recorder/burner with built in fan it's a pioneer recorder coming up for sale as well, this is that good that backed up movies can be played on a X Box not many recorders will do that.

Regards Mark.
 
Thanks so far for recommendations, much appreciated :thumbs:

Any others? I've heard that the non-branded DVDs aren't much cop for longevity, as the metal used within the disc can burn out very quickly, so I guess this is my main concern...

Cheers :clap::clap::clap:
 
markta said:
Thanks so far for recommendations, much appreciated :thumbs:

Any others? I've heard that the non-branded DVDs aren't much cop for longevity, as the metal used within the disc can burn out very quickly, so I guess this is my main concern...

Cheers :clap::clap::clap:
Click to expand...

It isn't the metal, it's the dyes. Basically, when you "burn" a disk the laser changes colour of a dye in the layers which makes the whole binary thing happen.

If you buy pressed DVD's / CDs then the binary bit is in the metal and lasts much (much, much) longer. Should still get 10 year + on a burned copy though (store them in a dark place as light does degrade the dye :thumbs:)
 
totalfusion said:
It isn't the metal, it's the dyes. Basically, when you "burn" a disk the laser changes colour of a dye in the layers which makes the whole binary thing happen.

If you buy pressed DVD's / CDs then the binary bit is in the metal and lasts much (much, much) longer. Should still get 10 year + on a burned copy though (store them in a dark place as light does degrade the dye :thumbs:)
Click to expand...

Brilliant, thanks mate :thumbs:

Reading your reply rings a bell with an article I read but forgot its contents.

Cheers!
 
the ri/disc i use have a deep purple colour even when they have been burned, they get some abuse of the kids and they ain't failing yet, just a good rub with a microfiber and there as good as new,

i do think it's the burner that makes a good DVD. a mate of mine bought a really cheap one from a computor fair, it worked every now and then, he through away more discs because of failures. If your in the market for a burner get the best you can, the one i have was made by a mate of mine, it's way over the top for what i need:woot: but it does the job.

Regards mark
 
verbatims are very good, been using them for ages and never had a bad one. Some are over 4 years old and still work.
 
markta said:
Brilliant, thanks mate :thumbs:

Reading your reply rings a bell with an article I read but forgot its contents.

Cheers!
Click to expand...

No probs. Only tip is steer clear of the cheapest of the cheap!

Haven't seen with DVDs yet, but I have had CDs where there is no coating on the back - so any scratches result in the metal being scraped off, along with the precious data :'(

SVC seem to be very good though, long standing trusty retailer - but if you want cheap don't forget to search, search search :woot:
 
My advice would be to buy another hard disc and back up onto that - quicker, higher volume and probably more reliable than DVDs in the long run. I've read many stories on pro forums of DVDs failing after a few years.
 
antc said:
verbatims are very good, been using them for ages and never had a bad one. Some are over 4 years old and still work.
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Second this. Worked in Soho for seven years in the media industry and Verbatims were pretty much the main brand used for proofs etc. They also do a nice selection of directly printable ones without logos for that perfect finish!
 
Check the country of origin on the side of the pack of verbatim discs, they are sourced from Japan, Taiwan and India. The Japanese ones are reputed to be Taiyo Yuden but..........
 
I use the unbranded ones - I make 2 copies, and store them in a metal box in my garage, where they're kept cool and dry . . . I also make a fresh copy of every disk after 5 years or so - can't be too careful . . .
 
I use Verbatim blanks for CD and DVD burning. I tend to do 2 copies and check them every so often (but rarely!). After 5 years, they're all still readable (random files get checked so it's possible there are some dead images on them but I doubt it).
 
I use DVD-R's for backup, I'm currently using Tuffdiscs and have been for about a year. Never had a single problem with them. I think that a lot of the stories about DVD's failing after a few years are more to do with the use they get (are they used over and over? how are they stored? are they handled carefully?), IMO if they are handled carefully, stored correctly and aren't being read over and over then they should be fine. Mine always have been, I've used them for years to backup and still have backups from over five years ago that are fine. Not had one that failed through age. You just have to make sure you use a reliable disc.
 
Not had any problems with Imation. Started using them when I just had CDs. Kept with them when I moved to DVD+R. Not the easiest to find but I have just ordered 100 of them from Play.com.

Andrew
 
Taiyo Yuden all the way, unbranded ones are the best as they're straight from the factory. If you get Taiyo Yuden verbaitum or another make they have to go to another factory to be branded and have another process carried out on them
 
DVD-RAM was actually the first recordable DVD format to hit the consumer market. The reason Macs had them first was that Apple was a v. early adopter of the technology. I don't think DVD-RAMs have required a cartridge for a long time. It's still a viable, if somewhat obscure format, and I bought one of the recent Sony dual-layer burners not so much for the double-layer capabilities but because the newest models will also play the DVD-RAM discs.
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chris

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antc said:
verbatims are very good, been using them for ages and never had a bad one. Some are over 4 years old and still work.
Click to expand...

I always use verbatims for anything important - but be careful that you are buying real ones, if you use ebay
 
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