Which brand is most reliable for cd-r discs?

Hi, I know this opens a bucket of worms, and I know that in part it
depends on which burner you are using and which software you are
burning with. And that it depends more on the manufacturer of the discs
as opposed to the brand name.

But I have heard that there are SOME disc brands which generally do
have higher quality discs than the others. So that is what I am
wondering: here at the end of 2004 who is the most reliable marketer of
cd-r blank media?

I did some research and spent the extra money for Verbatim DataLife
Plus discs, because I read they have an extra layer of coating or
something that makes them last longer. Any feedback on these?

I have heard that Sony are good IF you burn at only 24x speed. However
I just bought a stack of Sony discs and about 1/2 way through the stack
I encountered some with the label on them being totally un-dried, so
that when you touched the label, it smeared. Very strange.

I've also heard that TDK is generally good, but then some say they are
not.

Also: what is the best software to use to determine error rates on
discs?

But what good is this testing if you're already bought a 50 or 100
stack? Can you take the discs back and exchange them for another brand
if you find they have high error rates?

"A. Nonimus" writes:
But I have heard that there are SOME disc brands which generally do
have higher quality discs than the others. So that is what I am
wondering: here at the end of 2004 who is the most reliable marketer of
cd-r blank media?

The archivist community seems to favor Mitsui Archive Gold, which is
about $1.60 a disc from the manufacturer:

http://store.mam-a-store.com/standar...hive-gold.html

You can pay a bit less if you shop around, but not that much less.
It's similar to the Kodak Ultima Gold that was discontinued a few
years ago. I haven't tried the Mitsuis but I have a small stash of
the Kodaks. I do occasionally get failed burns with them. I suppose
that successful burns, once made, are supposed to be more reliable
than those made with other types of media.

Also, you should use 74 minute discs, not 80 minute, since the wider
track pitch of 74 minute discs means more reliability.

The other thing is that CD-R media formulation changed in the past few
years to support high-speed burners. The most reliable burns are when
you use 8x or 12x media and burn at 4x. But you can't buy 8x or 12x
media any more. You can only buy 48x and faster.

On 08 Dec 2004 14:50:37 -0800, Paul Rubin
wrote:

"A. Nonimus" writes:
But I have heard that there are SOME disc brands which generally do
have higher quality discs than the others. So that is what I am
wondering: here at the end of 2004 who is the most reliable marketer of
cd-r blank media?

The archivist community seems to favor Mitsui Archive Gold, which is
about $1.60 a disc from the manufacturer:

http://store.mam-a-store.com/standar...hive-gold.html
...

Thanks for the info.

I am looking to "archive" music cd's, that is I want to play them in a
cd or dvd player. Will these work in most cd players or are they
really only for data?

How are Verbatim DataLife Plus discs?

And do any chain stores sell these Mitsui discs?