Various +R Media in BenQ 1620pro

[a cat]

Intro to the thread: What I will be presenting here are DQ scans of various +R burns on various media I have available that I have done with a BenQ DW1620 pro (f/w B7T9). These are actual 'real world' burns & not special 'test' burns; so actual lengths will vary. Burns mostly done with the mentioned BenQ; CD-DVDspeed scans done with Samsung TS-H552B (f/w TS10). I do things this way to try to help with extending the lifetime of the BenQ burner as I'm hoping to achieve at least 3years/1000+ burns with this drive. Each media type/brand will be presented as a separate post in the thread. & where I have them; I may also post comparative scans of the same Media burnt with one or more of the following drives: Samsung TS-H552B BenQ DW800A (rebadged/rebranded as Khypermedia) (in Win98 system) Optorite DD0203 (rebadged as Digital Research) (orig in Win98 system, no longer in use because of *major* problems with DVD+RW burning). For SirQUK & MI5: I decided to do things this way rather than scattering several new threads into this forum. IF at any time you feel a post in this thread might fit better in another thread; feel free to 'move' it there. For what it's worth, you have my 'permission' in advance!

[a cat]

& first off, the one SirQUK has been awaiting since I promised it. ;-} This particular batch is the "VideoGard" supposedly 'scratch resistant' media. I purchased a 10pk paying slightly more than I normally would because it came in the 'slim' type soft DVD cases I usually like. Comments: Right Off, I was HIGHLY disappointed in this batch; it is EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to even get the media out of the slim case the first time w/o damaging it! (tip: to make the cases easier to use in the future; after I get the disk out, I cut off 3 of the 6 larger fingers that hold the disk in place. Makes it much easier to insert & remove a disk). Next, the disks are silver colored on the label side with branding & writing area denoted by a slight variance of the silver. This takes fingerprints OVERLY EASILY (I'd swear ya wave your hand over one & it gets prints) & said fingerprints are HARD to remove!!! You normally WILL get prints on this taking the disk out of the case too! So far I've been able to keep my fingers off the read/burn side (barely), so can't say if that shares the same propensity or not. I'll present 4 scans, 2 here; all scanning done with Samsung TS-H552B: BenQ DW1620pro 8x burn; BenQ DW1620pro 12x burn; In next message (I hit a 3 attachment per message here) limitation : Samsung TS-H552B 8x burn; BenQ DW800A (in Win 98 system) 8x burn *my* overall comment: I'll stay with the 4x +R media in Verbatim brand myself

[a cat]

The extra scans for the previous message:

[a cat]

Maxell 8x +R w/ disk ID MAXELL_002: In the thread linked below, I show scans for burns to this media done at 8x With the Samsung TS-H552B (absolutely atrocious); & the BenQ DW800A. http://www.cdr-zone.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=458&start=15 Here, I'm adding scans of burns done with the BenQ DW1620pro @ 12x & 8x. comment: personally I prefer this media over the Verbatim MCC_003; slightly higher PIF's, but smoother PIE graph. But I don't have the handling problems with the disks (& it's cheaper too).

[a cat]

Sony 4x +R w/ Disk ID RICOHJPN_R01: Burns with BenQ DW6120pro @ 8x & 4x. This one seems to prefer 4x burning in this drive. Tho I get roughly equivalent burns with this media in my BenQ DW800A (note: the 800A is in a Win98 system that Nero6.x is not stable on; so Nero 5.5.10.x is used there. For some reason even tho Nero allows burn settings slower than 8x, the burns actually run at 8x for 4x media no matter what speed I 'set' in Nero!) Don't have any scans of the burns done with the 800A handy, but sometime will rescan & add one for comparison.

[a cat]

Fuji 4x +R w/ disk ID RICOHJPN_R01: & now da "ringer"; the kind of burn scans I *luv* ta see. Scan of what currently I think has been the best media in my house so far (as to most 'consistant'). This stuff is what *I* compare all others to. My BenQ DW800A likes it (& burns it at 8x like it does all 4x stuff). & here is what the BenQ DW6120pro does with it @ 8x! note: this one was a 'short' burn; but longer burns have shown bascially the same pattern. No rises towards end & etc. Hadn't thought to save the graph for other burns, but will do so for the next I do to this media with this drive. Also: for the heck of it, I dug out a disk of this media burnt with my BenQ DW800A (@ 8x of course, since that's all his drive will do to 4x media) & scanned it in the Samsung to present here in comparison. Notice that the burn was done almost a year ago. I think it's 'aged' well. ;-} Warning: DON'T "get in my way" if I hear abouts any sales locally on more of this media; you WILL gets 'trampled' with no qualms on my part!!! *grin*

[a cat]

OK, next item is: Verbatim 4x +R MCC_002 media I have this in 2 versions: the "Movie Reel" blanks, which I've gotten both in 25 piece spindles & in 10pks those neat clear hard plastic DVD Jewel cases (next to the slim cases, I like these best); & some I got in 10 & 15 pks in standard black DVD cases with an image of a strip of film on the label side of the disk. 3 burns done with BenQ DW1620 pro & scanned with Samsung TS-H552B: 1. = 4x burn in BenQ 1620 to Movie Reel type blank 2. = 8x burn in BenQ 1620 to Movie Reel type blank 3. = 8x burn in BenQ 1620 to the 'film strip' type blank. (note: even cleaner yet, maybe the stuff packaged this way is a bit higher grade??) Comment: not being "speed freak"; *I* like this media better than the Verbatim 8x stuff myself; lot 'cleaner' looking scan graphs. Esp when this 4x media is burnt at 8x.

[a cat]

Verbatim 4x +R MCC_002 media: Sacns done with Samsung TS-H552B: 1. bit of a 'short' burn done with Samsung TS-H552B (4x) Prob the best media I've found for this drive 2. burnt with BenQ DW800A in Win98 system (note: 8x burn, all 4x media in this drive & setup burns at 8x no matter what I set the speed at). 3. even a disk burnt in my old Optorite DD0203! One of the few media types that the Optorite burnt w/o a lot trouble & gave halfway decent results with. This 4x Verbatim media appears to be good no matter what burner used; in some ways prob better media than my 'favored' Fuji stuff. Just I have a personal distaste for Verbatim media due to bad experiences with MCC CD-r's; AND locally it's always more expensive

[a cat]

Verbatim 4x +R MCC_002 media: Just "for the heck of it": this is what the BenQ DW1620pro thought of the 8x Burn to this media done by the BenQ DW800A! Same disk as scanned with the Samsung TS-H552B ;-} comment: because of the fact that this media does do well in both the Samsung & the older BenQ DW800A; I'm reserving the last 28 disks I have of it (& any more I can find on clearance locally) for use with those 2 burners. Esp as the BenQ DW6120pro does better with my Fuji-Yuden T02's (which I have a decent stock of currently) & these 2 don't do that well with that media

[a cat]

Maxell 4x +R RICOHJPN_R01 media: purchased in 25 piece spindles now for some more 'pedestrian' stuff. Burns with BenQ DW1620pro; scanned with Samsung TS-H552B. 1. 4x Burn with BenQ DW1620pro 2. 8x Burn with BenQ DW1620pro 3. another 8x burn with BenQ DW1620pro; this one is to show that some of this 'branded' stuff can have quite a variation in disk quality in the same package!

[a cat]

Imation 4x +R RICOHJPN_R01 media Purchased in 10pk Jewel cased. Actually an 'accidental' purchase; went intending to get some +RW's that were on sale & half asleep grabbed this instead. When I got home I checked it & found it had Ricoh disk id so kept it. Usually don't try much Imation, because in the past almost all I've run across whether spindle or Jewel Case packed has had CMC disk id's. Didn't keep a scan of 8x burn with BenQ DW1620pro; cause it was BAD, reburnt with another disk @ 4x & it was fine. It appears that this one like the Sony of the same Disk ID prefers 4x burning. 1. 4x Burn with BenQ DW1620pro; one of the better burns I got at this speed with this burner. 2. also 4x burn with BenQ DW1620pro; one of the poorer burns at this speed with this burner. 3. for comparison a 4x burn with Samsung TS-H552B, the good one of the bunch; a couple of others I did with this drive showed occasional odd PIF 'spikes' up to 7 or 8. Comment: @ 4x in the BenQ DW1620pro this branded version of the RICOHJPN_R01 is a bit more consistant than th Maxell branded version. In the Samsung it's prone to those odd PIF spikes mentioned. = = = = = comments: In this disk ID, I consider the Fuji branded stuff "Primo"; & the Sony versions for me have been poorer but very consistent (CD-DVDspeed DQ scores high 80's to low 90's with the BenQ DW1620pro, similar with my BenQ DW800A). Other brandings of media with this disk ID seem a lot more variable in quality, esp the Maxell & Memorex stuff (don't have any of the latter left to try with the BenQ DW1620pro, burns done with the Older BenQ DW800A & the Optorite DD0203 were to put it mildly, 'wildly variable' with Memorex blanks of this ID!)

[a cat]

Imation 4x +R RICOHJPN_R01 media This is one of the 4x Samsung burns with the spike mentioned in the previous. Would be good but the 'spike' bothers me; esp as it happened on more than one burn & does show again in a later rescan of the disk.

[SirQUK]

Some nice posts there A cat. For the most part they are very decent indeed. back to the scratchproof - do they really pick up fingerprints that easily?? - a shame if they do as it is bound to have an impact on the DQ scan but it seems all discs where readable. MCC002 and MCC003 seem decent enough but their is a slight variance in spindled media to be expected although the Moviw reel discs seem very good ( packaged well i would say ). The RICOHJPN_R01 discs are the usual good quality and are probarly pound for pound the best value disc around at the moment. As for the Maxell - you seem to have had worsde luck than i had a while back as i had 10 pieces in jewel cases to test with and they all burnt very consistently ( again not spindles which we know can have a few bad ones in them ). Normally a decent CMC id disc should be of good quality as long as u dont buy a cheap rebrand - I have tried Infiniti, Ricoh and HP branded CMC discs with very acceptable results but they are the MCCs little brother so to speak. Cheers for the scans and keep up the good work

[a cat]

back to the scratchproof - do they really pick up fingerprints that easily?? So far i've been able ta keep me 'paws' off the read side of the disks, so no poblems with reads/scans from that cause. But just getting the disks out of the cases do get the label side covered with prints, that as mentioned ARE hard to get removed (disk cleaning fluid a must to get it done). IF the read side be the same (*I* sure ain't gonna 'test' this), then kids getting ahold of the disks, or dropping one in a position where you would have to handle the read side, could be deadly! Tho if the 'scratchproofing works as it's supposed to, carefull washing might ressurect such mishandles ok. - - - - - re the Verbatim 4x "movie reel" blanks: yeah, these are consistently good, even from spindle. But the newer 'film strip' style (which I've only seen packaged in cases), have been a bit better yet! I got a deal on a 15pk of these & have only burnt 3 so far, all primo burns - this is the 4x stuff the Samsung plain 'luvs' for burns. ;-) & I'm beginning to notice the case packed vs spindle packed situation; which is a shame as generally the spindled stuff is much cheaper. CMC I now stay off of if I can recognize it ahead of time; only the TDK 8x of this ID has been at all decent for me in my burners. One reason I deliberately don't pick up Memorex, Philips, & Imation spindles in +R's anymore is that they have all been CMC when I've tried them. Believe it or not, I haven't run across any 'ritek' id'd blanks at all so far, so can't say anything re that one. But, I've mostly stayed off 'obvious' generics too. One definately 'bad' report re Ricoh id'd stuff tho; some Office Depot branded +RW's I tried carried Ricoh id's. Lots of burn drops trying to do them past the 4 gig mark! Got that branding tagged as a generic in my listings now, & will avoid it also. = = = = = = = I'm getting a distinct impression that actual disk makers 'sort' their output via quality checks, & then price the blanks to resellers/branders in 'grades' based on the results of that checking. @ the relatively low prices for even some of the top quality stuff, I don't think disk makers can really afford to flat 'junk' much of their production. Even wondering if some of those Yuden 'fakes' you tested might actually be Yuden "Rejects" sold 'cheap' to resellers! My current thought is that not only a decent Disk ID is needed for quality blanks, but also a decent 'branding' of the disk with that ID.

[SirQUK]

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