Piodata DVD-R

[bensboss8]

Hi all,

I have been using Piodata DVD-Rs for a while (1st 4x then 8x).
I recently bought some more at a local computer fair (from a stall I've bought from before) and they don't seem the same.

The white printable surface is not exactly concentric, the writing around the spindle hole is slightly different but more importantly, Decrypter does not see them as 8x discs. It sees them as 1x, 2x, 4x and the manufacturer ID shows as : CMC MAG. AE1 and they burn at 4x.

My previous tub of Piodata 8x (from the same vendor) showed manufacturer ID: Ritek G05 and burnt at 8x.

Have I been duped and bought 'fake' DVD-rs?
Do fakes exist?
Is Piodata a decent brand? - I've had no problems 'till now.

Sorry it's yet another long post.

TIA
Bensboss8

[Mig$y]

take a look at http://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia.ph...+or+List+Media

[setarip]

Off-brands (actually, almost any brand) can be manufactured by mutliple factories...

[bensboss8]

Mig$y again - hi and thanks for the response.
I checked out the link and it tells me that:

i) 8x Piodata are good discs
ii) They should show a manufacturer id of Ritek or TY

Given that my discs dont appear like this (and won't burn at 8x) and I've had 8x Piodata before that have been great (G05), should I conclude that my new tub are fakes? If this is the case, I'll shove 'em down the throat of the rogue on the stall who sold them to me.
Before I do so I'd like to be sure. Anyone else encountered this oddity?

[setarip]

"should I conclude that my new tub are fakes?"

Re-read my first post to this thread - There's nothing "fake"...

[bensboss8]

Hi,
Sorry setarip - I didn't ignore your first post. It must have appeared as I was typing my last one, so I hadn't seen it.
It seems likely that my second lot of discs were manufactured in a different factory. The spindle tubs and methods of shrink wrapping are not the same.
That said, it doesn't explain why they aren't recognised as 8x discs and don't show manufacturer (and therefore dye type??) id of those shown at videohelp in Mig$y's link.
Could my burner need new firmware (Pioneer DVR 107D - 3 months old)?

[setarip]

Download "DVDIdentifier.exe"

[booom]

Re: Piodata DVD-R

you havent had a bad batch. its just they must have asked CMC to manufacture there product which is why they have had a price drop. www.321burn.com always does RITEK DVDR & I have never had a single one faulty. try them www.321burn.com

[bensboss8]

Done - what a nice little application - thanks.
It reported the following with one of my 'suspect' discs:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unique Disc Identifier : [DVD-R:CMC MAG. AE1]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disc Type : [DVD-R]
Manufacturer ID : [CMC MAG. AE1]
Manufacturer Name : [CMC Magnetics Corp.]
Disc Application Code : [Unrestricted Use : Consumer Purpose]
Recording Speeds : [1x , 2x , 4x] (8x Cannot Be Detected)
Blank Disc Capacity : [2,298,496 Sectors = 4,489.3MB = 4.38GB (4.71GB)]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[DVD Identifier - http://DVD.Identifier.CDfreaks.com]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

I still have a few of my older batch (which Decrypter sees as Ritek and burns at 8x) so I 'Identifiered' one of them, results as below:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Unique Disc Identifier : [DVD-R:RITEKG05]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disc Type : [DVD-R]
Manufacturer ID : [RITEKG05]
Manufacturer Name : [Ritek Co.]
Disc Application Code : [Unrestricted Use : Consumer Purpose]
Recording Speeds : [1x , 2x , 4x] (8x Cannot Be Detected)
Blank Disc Capacity : [2,298,496 Sectors = 4,489.3MB = 4.38GB (4.71GB)]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
[DVD Identifier - http://DVD.Identifier.CDfreaks.com]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Where it says '8x Cannot be detected' does this apply to these discs or is teh app' not capable of detecting 8x compliance on any disc?
Don't know if the results above prove anything but the discs are packaged as (and were sold as) 8x yet I can only burn them at 4x

I would bite the bullet and put up with slower writing for a while if I felt confident that the quality was reliable. I've been bitten by cheap'n'nasty discs before and thought I was buying the good stuff!!

Any advice is welcome.

[setarip]

"what a nice little application - thanks"

My pleasure ;>}


"Don't know if the results above prove anything but the discs are packaged as (and were sold as) 8x yet I can only burn them at 4x"

You're probably better off burning at 4X (15 minutes for a full DVD). MANY posters generate flawed burned DVDs when burning at a higher rate...

[bensboss8]

Thanks all,

I checked Piodata's web site and scanned the compatablility chart - Annoyingly the field for this disc in my writer is blank!!

http://www.e-tronicdepot.com/charts/piodata8x.html

I may try and take them back and get a refund but I think there is little point - they are 8x discs in certain recorders.
They still have a guarantee of grade A quality so I'll probably just use 'em and buy something else next time (maybe from 321burn although I had a play there and the only carriage option is £5.95 to deliver 50 discs - makes them less cheap than they first appear).
Point taken about risking coasters by burning at high speed, though I've never had problems.
Is it still a risk with best qual media like G05?

Many thanks