Re: tlug: CD-R reliability

[Nivad <nivad@example.com>]

>Hi,
>I was just wondering if anybody knows about CD-R reliability and how
>robust they are concerning damage from usage and transport.
>The reason I am saking is because I have gotten a large amount of
>CD-Rs from my brother in Germany. He sent me Mpeg files containing
>some of my favorite TV-series, which are not broadcast here in Japan. 
>Now I found that some of the Mpeg files on those CDs seem to
>deteriorate with time. I don`t know if this is caused by usage ( I
>don`t think so because I only watched them 2 or 3 times each) or the
>way are store them. Since my brother sends them by mail he doesn`t use 
>the jewel cases they came with, but uses thin plastic sheets (Is that
>the right word). They are sold by CaseLogik maybe you know them. 
>On some of the CDs there were already errors when reading the Mpegs
>when they arrived here, but some seem to develope more and more errors 
>the older they get. Is that something you have to expect from all
>CD-Rs. Has anybody else experienced such effects. I think the fact
>that Mpegs or the software that plays them are sensitive to such
>errors makes it possible to recognize them better than on data CDs.
>I is disappointing though. Not because I want to see the Mpegs again,
>thats ok, for most of the stuff once is enough, but because I also
>made backups of my research data on CD-R.
>Maybe you have to keep the stuff in the jewel cases.

>From my experience CDR & CDRW both are more easily damaged if not properly
handled.
I use both jewel cases and the case logic (plastic sheets).  So far I have
had few problems with disks, in the future who knows.  I know that if your
data is of critical importance to you, you must make multiple copies of it.
 I keep multiple copies of all my critical data myself, ie financial.  Also
another item to consider is the disk itself.  I have some (low budget)
disks manufactured in Taiwan by the name of Mr. Data.  Very cheap, around
.75 US or 110 yen each.  The problem with these disks is that they are
really only good for making music cds (audio). I made a homebrew Debian 2.0
set on them and found that when in use the drive would usually end up lost
somewhere searching for tracks.  The main reason for this, IMHO, is that
the disks are quite thin.  If you hold one up to a light, it is quite easy
to see through.  Similar to a good pair of sunglasses.  Of my other cdr
media that works well the disks aren't so see-thru.  Anyway, I guess it all
comes back to "you get what you pay for".

Davin S.


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