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I'm so confused with all the crappy media flying around today, the fact we cannot rely on "made in Japan" anymore, and different manufactures for same brand. Let's set up a scenario for you experienced member. Let's say somebody ask you to buy a media (1 of each, CD-R, DVD-R, and DVD+R) at your local bestbuy that you would burn you own data to. Which one would you buy? The main common contenders are Verbatim, Fuji, Memorex, TDK, and Sony (those are probably the ones that exist in all Bestbuys).

For CD-R, it used to be easy when we have TY Fujis. Now, everything is made in Taiwan. Verbatim is CMC crap. I don't know about the other brands since I used to use Fuji TY exclusively.

For DVD media, 1 thing I noticed from reading this forum is to find Verbatim CMC (by the font type on the open-lock sign). Is that the common consensus? Sometimes I find Made in Japan Sonys. Are they good? For DL media, I only trust Verbatim (whichever x) since the others tend to be Ritek.

I wish we could go back in the "old" days where picking a good media is as easy as finding a "made in Japan" Fuji.

So, which one you guys would pick? No online stores please, just bestbuy.

I've been fairly happy with Verbatim media, even the stuff that's made by CMC. I haven't bought TDK media in ages and they don't send it to me anymore so I really can't comment on that. Same goes for Fuji. Memorex.. that's a crap shoot. I've gotten some decent results with the discs with Verbatim MID's.. but the stuff with CMC MID's has been less than impressive. I can't remember if Best Buy carries it (CompUSA does) but I've been fairly impressed with Sony's 16x media.

TDK is a crapshoot as well, can be made by MBI, Prodisc and others.

i'd say go with Verbatim, safest bet. sometimes very good, sometimes not so good, depends on what manufacturer you get and your drive. but overall best choice in a B&M shop.

I still find the occasional spindle of Fuji CD-R marked "Made in Japan" at Best Buy, and so far they have all been TY.

Verbatium's all the way! 16x DVD+Rs tend to be very good.

I just picked up some of the Maxell 16x DVD+R stuff that was on sale...and it's CMC

The Memorex 16x DVD+R's can be good. I've seen both CMC (bad) and RICHOJPN (good); can't tell by the packaging, though...

The TDK 8x DVD+R's I've gotten from Circut City have been very good, and very consistent across different burners. I'm just not paitent enough to wait for 8x media anymore...

Sony 8x DVD+R Made in Japan (if you can find them) should still be TY. BB has the Sony 100 pack on sale this wek.

at the bby store i work at we do not stock any tdk media at all period

we only carry the fuji's made in japan cd-rs

other then that i like verbatim dvd-r

i don't ever buy/use dvd+r

jjones wrote:Sony 8x DVD+R Made in Japan (if you can find them) should still be TY. BB has the Sony 100 pack on sale this wek.

Not always. I bought 2 cakeboxes of the Sony MIJ, and it has Sony code, not TY. I checked today at my local BB, all the 100packs they have are Made in Taiwan.

hoxlund wrote:we only carry the fuji's made in japan cd-rs

My local BB has all Fujis in the "new" packaging (the gray covers, not blue), and they are all Made in Taiwan.

So, the consensus is pretty much stick with Verbatim for DVD media. How about CD-Rs? Last time I checked (a while back) all CD-Rs are pretty much crappy CMC now (even verbatim ones). I have not seen Verbatim Datalife plus for quite some time.

pika2000 wrote:

jjones wrote:Sony 8x DVD+R Made in Japan (if you can find them) should still be TY. BB has the Sony 100 pack on sale this wek.

Not always. I bought 2 cakeboxes of the Sony MIJ, and it has Sony code, not TY. I checked today at my local BB, all the 100packs they have are Made in Taiwan.

Sony 8x MIJ DVD-Rs have always been manufactured by Sony. In the past their 8x MIJ DVD+R were made by TY. Is Sony manufacturing their own DVD+Rs now as well?

hoxlund wrote:other then that i like verbatim dvd-r

i don't ever buy/use dvd+r

Really? All of my drives save the new 18x Samsung give much better results with the Verbatium DVD+R's...I've always considered their DVD-R's to be in the "crappy/cheap" media catagory...again, until the new Samsung. But in light of the problems I'm have with that drive/media combo...

Yeah, I tend to prefer DVD-R in general but I find the Verbatim DVD+R seems much better on my 716 than Verbatim DVD-R. I should try with some of the more recent burners I've picked up.

I think Verbatim DVD+R (especially.. gasp I cannot believe I am saying this.. if you find CMC-made media) is about the best easy to find and cheapish media at this point in time.

I ONLY BURN ON DVD-R

only because all my drives play it back

xbox, ps2, all my customers' dvd players (movies, xbox)

I used to only use DVD-R media, but ever since I pair'd my Pioneer DVR-111 with my AcroCircle 16x DVD+Rs, I've been burning more and more DVD+R media for personal use

Justin42 wrote:Yeah, I tend to prefer DVD-R in general but I find the Verbatim DVD+R seems much better on my 716 than Verbatim DVD-R.

Then I'm glad I made the joice by picking up the Verbatim 16x DVD+R instead of the DVD-R. Not to mention that with bit-setting, compatibility isn't much of an issue.

jjones wrote:Sony 8x MIJ DVD-Rs have always been manufactured by Sony. In the past their 8x MIJ DVD+R were made by TY. Is Sony manufacturing their own DVD+Rs now as well?

Sorry, you were right. I was confused between +R and -R. What I meant was -R MIJ sony has Sony code.

I tend to like -R than +R. It seems that on some of my optical drives, -R is recognized quicker and read at faster speed.