when do you usually realize you have a bad burn, i.e., is it during "verify" process of dvd decrypter,nero testing process,playback in stand-alone player or PC? i have burn't hundreds of disc's on various media the last several years (mostly Ritek and Verbatim inkjet's)and have yet to encounter a major problem (I doubt I've been that lucky), Although I must add I usually file the disc's away before viewing, maybe if I actually watched some of the older media I may notice some problems, The only problem I have with some older disc's are the ones I used labels on (major mistake...)
My description of a coaster is either a failure during the burn or it wouldn't playback on any of my players - very few and far between. So basically it's worthless to me. I rarely do the verification piece w/ a program like decrypter or nero - just rely on playback. I have some Ritek several years old that still play good so you may just be lucky.
Well I wasn't so lucky as you two, but hey thats how I learned. I must say I haven't had many coasters in the last couple of years, but in the beginning I had a few, and it was because I was hard headed, and then I found this sight with all the wonderful people and expert opinions which helped me through most of my issues. I still do get the occasional coaster, but it is more from testing different methods and trying different things. I do all that to hopefully get a little more knowledge and be able to help more people here. So I guess you could say I bite the bullet on some blank DVD media for AD and it's members!! LOL I would classify a DVD a coaster as a disk that will no longer play. Thats all there is to it really, but I would suggest you take some of those older disks you burned and play a few you may be surprised to find you have a coaster or two, but thats not a problem they work well as coasters I have one under my beer right now and it's an old Memorex (don't ask) LOL
@bbmayo lol - I didn't start out well in the coaster department - well maybe if you look at it as 'more is better' My choice of media was Princo at 1st and too many other to name - then I progressed to Ritek then Taiyo and Verb - now there I got lucky
@free-coh Yes labels can be a major mistake but I also have to add - never write on media with permanent markers or paint pens because in a DJ friends words "ticking time bombs" they might take a year but they will likely become coasters. alot has been documented about the solvent in the pens eventually eating through to the data surface but I have no idea how this affects dvd media but I assume it would wreck part of the movie/data.(if not all) many dvd/cd markers are for sale now. someone recommended if your data is critical don't write on the disc at all.
DVDs cannot be affected by solvents in markers because the data area is sandwiched between two layers of optical grade polycarbonate. The problem is with CD-Rs because the data layer sits under coatings of ink and lacquer which rest on a thin deposit of silver alloy. The solvents can eat through the ink and lacquer and reach the silver alloy on a CD-R.
Sometimes you know you have a coaster when the program comes up with an error message and can't finish the burn. Sometimes you get a surprise coaster. The other day I did a movie- all the programs said they were successful with no errors. The data on the disc was verified. I clicked through the chapters to make sure they were all there and even watched the last chapter completely. The other night when I finally put it into my DVD player it played to chapter 25 1/2 and froze. It would not recognize any of the chapters from there to 28. When I put it back in my computer it also would no longer recognize those chapters. It turned out to have been a defective blank in a pile of what had been really good blanks. So I guess the only way you can be absolutely sure is watch the entire disc.
I've made my share of coasters but I put them back in the PC and used better blanks and now they work fine they would not play on anything but the Ole PC made a new copy that works, I thought it would not be able to do that.
I failed to mention I have also sealed countless disc's with acrylic gloss spray, would like to hear some opinion's on that practice...
All I use are inkjet printables and have often thought of trying the acrylic spray. I think it sounds like a good idea as long as you don't get any overspray on the readable surface of the disc.
@JoeRyan thankyou for that info learn something new everyday I assumed dvd-r+r were the same as cd-r and I assumed wrong. good clarification cheers
I'll make one more comment I just read an article about cdr and dvdr life expectancy they might not last as long as hoped (we all have heard that) this person recommended re-burning to new media within five years ... to keep the data fresh. just an observation and potential advice.
