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Have CDR blanks really changed at all? Do write speed ratings mean anything?

K

Kwad Guy

Diamond Member
It seems to me that the CDR industry has basically settled on one or two
dye compositions, and that those compositions haven't changed in the
past couple of years. So the CDR blanks that were rated for 8x a
couple of years ago appear to be basically the same as those that
are rated at 48x now.

True? Or are there actually subtle differences in the dye compositions
that differentiate the different discs.

I can say that I have yet to find any blank rated at, say, 8x or higher,
that won't burn at 24x or 32x or (in most cases) 40x or 48x...

'Course, just because they burn and SEEM OK doesn't mean they actually
are working OK...

Kwad
 
^bump^

I'm wondering the same thing. I just finished my stack of 16x CDs, now I have 32x CDs and a 40x drive. I'll see how fast we can go....
 
It's exactly the same as punching holes in old 800k disks to make then 1.44MB, sure you can do it but overtime they fail much more often.

Thorin
 
Every CD-R has a dye inside, that changes when exposed to the writing laser.
When that dye changes, if changes the reflection properties of that spot, and it can therefore create something that looks like pits and grooves just like on stamped CDs.

Now, the dye has a certain time it needs to be exposed to the laser. The faster it reacts, the faster the laser can swoosh over it, and the faster you have the burned CD in your hands.
So, yes, those dies have been manufactured to react faster.
 
Why would it fail sooner if you write faster? It seems that if a CD is written properly to start with, the speed at which it was written has nothing to do with when the dyes degrade 100 years from now and the CD is no longer readable. On the other hand, if some dyes change color faster they can be written at a faster speed. Which brings us back to the question: is there really any difference between 8X and 32X blanks?

Personally I think its like Duff, Duff Light and Duff Dry!
 
Yes there is a difference. Although the CDs may physically be able to be written to faster then they are rated the quality of the burn will be lower and the CD will fail earlier (or perhaps fail to work initially). Because the dye hasn't been bleeched correctly (the laser bleeches pits into the dye). As RSMemphis said the dyes may react to shorter exposure to the laser (faster burning) but the quality/result of that reaction isn't controlled or predictable if the CD is burnt above spec. Just like a 800KB disk is able to hold 1.44MB of data if you punch a hole in the corner and format it for 1.44MB but the media isn't meant for that data density and fails earlier.

Thorin
 
I've been wondering this for a while, but ive been too lazy to look it up. 😱

From experience it seems like the brand you buy makes the only difference, but the explanations posted here make a lot of sense..
But seeing as i've only got a 12X burner its all a bit academic for me...
 
There is essentially no price difference in CDRs rated at 40x vs those rated at 8x so why not buy the 40X or 48X rated CDs no matter what burner you have. And not worry about the ifs and hows.

Thorin
 
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