Recommendations for "archival grade" blank DVDs?

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MX-16_fan
Posts: 331
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:09 pm

Re: Recommendations for "archival grade" blank DVDs?

#11 Post by MX-16_fan »

@scdbackup:

Great to have a major optical media burning software developer here in this discussion. Thanks a lot for posting, and for your assessment.


Greetings, Joe

xali
Posts: 96
Joined: Wed Dec 28, 2016 6:14 am

Re: Recommendations for "archival grade" blank DVDs?

#12 Post by xali »

so, if you really want the data just don't rely only on dvds.

now some tips.
don't use cheap dvds
don't use rewriteable dvds (write once read many)
don't leave the dvd open for additional data, write what you have to and finish it.
better keep the dvd in a proper bag (i am not sure if this is the right word - maybe case) that has no air in it (vacuum)
keep the sun and the heat away
and of course check twice if everything is written properly, also check if it is easily readable in several machines

User avatar
sunrat
Posts: 636
Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2016 9:54 pm

Re: Recommendations for "archival grade" blank DVDs?

#13 Post by sunrat »

Taiyo Yuden/JVC had the best reputation for archival discs. I used them for many years and don't recall any failing.
They stopped production in 2015 but apparently their facilities were taken over and now used to make CMC Pro brand media.
https://www.mediasupply.com/taiyo.html

I still have half a tube of TY DVD blanks but you can't have them. :)

clicktician
Posts: 136
Joined: Sat May 02, 2015 4:35 pm

Re: Recommendations for "archival grade" blank DVDs?

#14 Post by clicktician »

scdbackup wrote: Sun Jul 29, 2018 1:50 pm There is the "M-Disc" technology which exists for DVD-R and BD-R. You need
an M-Disc capable burner drive for these media. Reading is supposed to
work on any DVD drive.
Whether their dye is indeed more durable than normal DVD dye is disputed.
At least they are more expensive than normal media.
Thomas, thanks for the info. I had heard of M-Disc, but I didn't know they were readable on any drive.
Son, someday all this will belong to your ex wife.

scdbackup
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2015 5:59 am

Re: Recommendations for "archival grade" blank DVDs?

#15 Post by scdbackup »

Hi,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-DISC

I never tried them because of the price. My second youngest Blu-ray
burner by LG had the "M-DISC" logo printed on it. It lost its blue ray
capabilities after only 30 months. So my youngest is an ASUS without
M-DISC logo. (The tin boxes look absolutely identical. But firmware
obviously differs a lot.)

I have a 3 year old LG DVD drive for 12.90 EUR with M-DISC logo.
10 M-DISC DVD-R media cost about 25 EUR. So with the decision whether to
use M-DISC for storage, the price for a new burner is not significant.

Have a nice day :)

Thomas

User avatar
MX-16_fan
Posts: 331
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:09 pm

Re: Recommendations for "archival grade" blank DVDs?

#16 Post by MX-16_fan »

@scdbackup:
scdbackup wrote: Tue Jul 31, 2018 12:59 pm (...)
I have a 3 year old LG DVD drive for 12.90 EUR with M-DISC logo.
10 M-DISC DVD-R media cost about 25 EUR. So with the decision whether to
use M-DISC for storage, the price for a new burner is not significant.
(...)
Unless the use case is a notebook, and there's no "M-DISC" compatible DVD burner drive available for it, and/or your notebook's BIOS whitelists only a number of non-M-DISC-compatible DVD burners. Correct?


Greetings, Joe

scdbackup
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2015 5:59 am

Re: Recommendations for "archival grade" blank DVDs?

#17 Post by scdbackup »

Hi,

@MX-16_fan:
Unless the use case is a notebook, and there's no "M-DISC" compatible
DVD burner drive available for it
https://www.lg.com/us/burners-drives/lg ... -dvd-drive
and https://www.lg.com/us/burners-drives/lg-GTC0N are available for
30 EUR and 25 EUR respectively, about the price of 10 M-DISC DVD-R.

If you want M-DISC BD-R: https://www.lg.com/us/burners-drives/lg-BU40N
for about 80 EUR. That's the price of 4 BD-R of 100 GB or 27 BD-R
of 25 GB.
(I would invest 130 EUR in an LG WH16NS40 and a Delock 42484 5.25" USB
box. Slim drives don't have the best reputation.)
and/or your notebook's BIOS whitelists only a number of non-M-DISC-compatible
DVD burners.
Maybe the BIOS can ignore an optical drive at boot time, but i never
saw reports that GNU/Linux would not find properly attached drives.

Have a nice day :)

Thomas

User avatar
MX-16_fan
Posts: 331
Joined: Mon Feb 13, 2017 12:09 pm

Re: Recommendations for "archival grade" blank DVDs?

#18 Post by MX-16_fan »

@scdbackup:
scdbackup wrote: Tue Jul 31, 2018 4:32 pm (...)
https://www.lg.com/us/burners-drives/lg ... -dvd-drive
and https://www.lg.com/us/burners-drives/lg-GTC0N are available for
30 EUR and 25 EUR respectively, about the price of 10 M-DISC DVD-R.

If you want M-DISC BD-R: https://www.lg.com/us/burners-drives/lg-BU40N
for about 80 EUR. That's the price of 4 BD-R of 100 GB or 27 BD-R
of 25 GB.
(I would invest 130 EUR in an LG WH16NS40 and a Delock 42484 5.25" USB
box.
Interesting, thanks. I didn't know you can simply exchange a notebook's optical burner for another one. So there are two standard form factors in S-ATA optical disc drives only?


Greetings, Joe

scdbackup
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Jul 28, 2015 5:59 am

Re: Recommendations for "archival grade" blank DVDs?

#19 Post by scdbackup »

Hi,

@MX-16_fan:
I didn't know you can simply exchange a notebook's optical burner for another one.
Well, there may be installed any obstacle against exchanging a built-in
drive. But at least an external drive attached via USB should work out
of the box. E.g. the GP65NB60 for DVD, and ... google ... BE14NU40 or
BP50NB40 for BD.

So there are two standard form factors in S-ATA optical disc drives only?
Yes. The width and depth is dictated by the medium size. Height is either
full or half of a 5.25 inch slot. There are few manufacturuers of optical
drives. So even Apple buys them somewhere.

But as said, built-in drives could have special plugs and sockets or
the SATA controller's firmware could refuse to work with any drive that
is not authorized by the laptop's maker. (One should not buy such laptops,
of course.)

If the laptop is old, then the DVD drive might be attached via IDE rather
than SATA. In this case you will probably be out of luck with M-DISC
capable replacements.

With USB you only have to fear darn slow USB 1 (around 1 MB/s) and maybe
need a cable adapter if your laptop has exotic USB sockets.

Have a nice day :)

Thomas

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Mauser
Posts: 1350
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2016 7:32 pm

Re: Recommendations for "archival grade" blank DVDs?

#20 Post by Mauser »

The best way to back up data for long storage is to an external book drive if it's a large back up or for smaller back ups use thumb drives. If you want to back up data to DVDs I highly recommend you burn them at the slowest speed for data integrity. Make sure you store the DVDs where they are not going to be moved or exposed to any light, especially Sun light. Good luck which ever way you chose.
I am command line illiterate. :confused: I copy & paste to the terminal. Liars, Wiseguys, Trolls, and those without manners will be added to my ignore list. :mad:

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