[78-L] CD-RW ADVENTURES

[JD]

As this is a continuing thread I thought I'd add my tuppence fwiw.
To date I've burned well over 1150 CDRs for myself with no apparent failures. Three of these are  COMP USA 80 minute  CDRWs  recorded in February 2002 from a multi Lp set.  I've just checked these and they play perfectly. When I bought my first CD recorder many years ago I was a complete novice with respect to CDR recording despite a professional background in music, audio and recording. I read many of the cautions about labels and pens on the web and have done my best to observe them even tough I can't recall ever reading anything on the subject on the web that seemed absolutely authorative. But, as they seemed to make sense I wasn't about to take chances.  I have very rarely ever used CD labels but have always used EXPO VIS-A-VIS  water-based pens (available at Staples). Their only drawback is that the   water-based ink  doesn't always "take" well on  some CDR surfaces. I never use permanent marker pens and have cautioned many friends to avoid their use. Usually this falls on deaf ears and they continue on as usual. I also stay with "name brand" media having been burned once on a repeat purchase of no-name CDR media from a presumably reliable vendor. The first batch was perfect, the second 100 percent useless.  I still have a large batch of  blank Memorex CDRs which I'm using and are at least seven years old and they are perfect. Other than the aforementioned I've never had a problem with the well-known brands. 

The only CDR failures I've ever experienced are from a (presumably) reliable and seemingly well established and well-intentioned source that specializes in restoring old radio shows and recordings. I haven't been able to determine whether their labels are printed on the nedia or are the traditional stick-ons that they print  themselves. A very large precentage of these CDRs have become unplayable in my various players or developed severe distortion. I can only assume that the labeling is at fault. 
Despite the various and seemingly eternal prophets of doom when it comes to new technology I have to assume that properly cared for  CD, CDR, DVD and DVDr media will last as long or longer than any other media assuming non-defective media or recording equipment.  

I've had one DVD failure, a pre-recorded movie ("The Philadelphia Experiment") purchased from a super market rack for $1.97 in 2005. (Who could resist this bargain!!) It was fine when new but was not recognized by any of several players when I tried to play it recently. I have a few super-market DVDs and so far that seems to be the only dud. (caveat emptor!) Stay tuned....
Jack Daney