What Are The Best Blank DVDs?
A look at the different forms of storage media
With the various options that are available for data backup, you might be wondering which way is the safest in terms of storage options. With the advent of cloud storage, this has eased things slightly. However, there’s still a need to have an offline method to retrieve your data in the event that you didn’t have internet access.
To this end, DVD’s are the still the best and most cost effective way to back up and access your data. Whilst hard drives can hold a much larger volume of data, over time they can break down due to them being mechanical devices, whereas DVD’s are optical media. In terms of storage duration, DVD’s are estimated to retain their structural integrity and therefore retain their data for 100 years after they are opened. In comparison, hard drives do not offer anywhere near this amount of time
What are the best blank DVD's?
So now that we’ve clarified what the best form of storage option is, we now have to answer the question of what the best blank DVD’s are for your needs. There are numerous brands, and also numerous price points for discs.
However, from my own personal experience, purchasing the cheaper brands resulted in a large number of wasted discs, otherwise known as coasters. The best blank DVD’s that I have came across and that I have used personally for five years now is the Verbatim DVD-R discs. However, these are not the usual ones, but rather the ones with the AZO dye in them. This is a special kind of dye that prevents damage to the disc when the data is being burned to it.
In comparison, other brands don’t contain this dye, or their own proprietary version. For years I bought Memorex brand discs which were great and I had no coasters. However they now contain an inferior dye. Likewise, other brands also contain an inferior dye that is used in the same brands of discs. There is also the problem that whilst you may be buying ‘Sony’ blank DVD’s, there’s a strong chance (depending on the country of origin) that they are produced in the same factory as Ritek and Memorex dics. Ordinarily, you wouldn’t’ think that there would be much crossover between them. However, these will all come off of the same printing press, with the same inferior dye but with a different brand name on them.
Should you buy DVD-R or DVD+R?
Historically, DVD-R discs performed much better than DVD+R discs on external DVD players and recorders, but both performed fine when being recorded onto with the DVD burner in your computer. It is still the case that DVD-R’s have a much higher compatibility rate when compared to DVD+R. That isn’t to say that you shouldn’t buy DVD+R, but since DVD-R are much cheaper and more reliable it’s a no brainer which one you should buy.
Be wary of discount store blank DVD’s.
This isn’t a way of me to discredit discount stores (far from it). However, when you’re using media from discount stores it is usually (from my own testing) low quality dye and pressing methods that have been used. They are normally not subject to more stringent quality control processes that the more expensive brands are. Due to this, it’s really a false economy since you’re initially saving money, but with the high number of coasters you’re having to buy more discs for your needs so it’s actually costing you more money in the long term.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this short up discussing what the best blank DVD’s are. I’ve included a link below for Amazon which has the best blank DVD’s as voted for by consumers which is the best possible price I have found online.
