What brands of media are original DVD's in? They seem to be very durable! I handle my DVD's very carefully, so it's no wonder they work; but the ones in rental stores endure some pretty serious abuses and they still work. Also, are they produced using a different burner than the commercial ones we have? One more question regarding to media. When should I backup the CD-R's I burnt in the late 90's? To rephrase, what are the life times of CD-R and DVD recordables? Do they last forever or should I back them up periodically. I don't want to lose files or pictures I created because the media has expired. Thanks.
Generally speaking, commercial discs are pressed, not burned. Here is a good article on DVD Rot. http://www.manifest-tech.com/media_dvd/dvd_compatibility.htm Longivity of burned DVD discs depends upon the dye used, the quality of the materials and the manufacturing process, and what you do to care for the media. You will find that people here at AD greatly prefer Ritek G04 brand due to their quality and reliability. You have to go online to buy them. Concerning CD-R/RW media, there is an AD discussion forum dedicated to that topic. Reading the threads should be quite informative.
