First of all: The CD/DVD/BD database is for free and useable without any registration. Therefore, any visitor can participate – but for the same reason there is no warranty for the correctness of the provided data!
In the newsgroup de.comp.hardware.laufwerke.brenner people regularly asked, if a specific recordable CD or DVD is useable with a specific recorder without problems. This database an attempt to acquire this information and provide some help. You can also have a look in case of problems to see, if other people had the same experiences with a specific combination or if you should better check your hardware.
The application is quite easy to use: Recordable CDs/DVDs/BDs are entered with all important data and can then be rated in combination with specific recorders.
Please do only add new entries, if you can determine the manufacturer in the ATIP (or ADIP) (Exception: DVD-RAM, Blueray Disc)! Before adding a new entry, please check, if the recordable CD/DVD/BD really does not exists, or if it was just not tested with your recorder yet.
First you should check, if the recordable CD/DVD/BD, for which you want to add data, already exists in the database - if neccessary, change the choices in the overview and take care, not to select a specific recorder. If the recordable CD/DVD/BD still does not show up or with a different manufacturer, you have to add the recordable CD/DVD/BD with the link "Add new entry".
If the recordable CD/DVD/BD is already in the database, you can add your own rating with the link "Rating" in the table. When adding new recordable CDs/DVDs/BDs, this page will be opened automatically.
The rating should contain at least one recorder. The list of recorders is limited to those models, which are applicable for the specific recordable CD/DVD/BD.
For every rating you can (and should) provide a test diagram as PNG, JPG or GIF. This may be a graph from Nero CD/DVD-Speed, which is generated in the transfer tests or the results of the PlexTools. For details about more detailed tests with PIE/PIF values, have a look at Enabling PIE/PIF test in CD/DVD-Speed.
When using Nero CD/DVD-Speed, save the results as HTML page - the test diagram will then be saved as PNG with the specified name together with the HTML file. After saving your rating you can delete the PNG and HTML file on your PC.
The diagram will only be stored, if it has the extensions ".png", ".jpg" or ".gif" (lower case!). An existing diagram will be replaced automatically! If you just want to delete the diagram of an existing rating without uploading a new one, just check the box "Delete existing test diagram" and then save the rating.
Just send an e-mail. The list can be extended at any time. I just do not provide this possibility to the "public" for a number of reasons.
Important: Additionally to the exact title i also need the information about the possible formats and recording speeds of CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, DVD-RAM and Blueray Discs (BD-R, BD-RE).
In this case there is either an error in the database (no all formats were entered for the recorder) or you entered the wrong media type (e.g. DVD-R and not DVD+R) - not all recorders are able to use all kind of media!
JavaScript is only being used to provide some "comfort" - e.g. the automatic update in the overview when changing the selection criteria. It is not mandatory - the pages are useable without JavaScript as well.
For any recordable CD/DVD/BD there may be one or more ratings - e.g. the suitability for several recorders. Any rating is entered between "No problems (++)" and "Not usable (–)" together with the used recorder and a comment.
The ATIP - "Absolute Time In Pregroove" - contains informations about the recordable CD/DVD/BD, the manufacturer, capacity, recommended laser power to write and the writing speed. Recorders use this information to choose the maximum write speed and the writing strategy. Since this is also done by using stored lists in the firmware, it may help to update the recorder firmware, if newer recordable CDs/DVDs/BDs can not be used without problems.
In a database, which provides information about the compatibility of recordable CDs/DVDs/BDs with specific recorders, the manufacturer, which is specified in the ATIP is mandatory - because many suppliers of recordable CDs/DVDs/BDs do not produce the stuff themself but get it from difference sources and just add their own labels. Therefore, a name as "Platinum DVD-R 4x" is not sufficient in the most cases - this may be a good recordable CD/DVD/BD or just crap.
If you use the cdrtools, you can use the command line option "-atip" of cdrecord or cdrecord-prodvd. The you will get the following output for a CD-R:
ATIP info from disk:
Indicated writing power: 4
Is not unrestricted
Is not erasable
Disk sub type: Medium Type A, low Beta category (A-) (2)
ATIP start of lead in: -12508 (97:15/17)
ATIP start of lead out: 359848 (79:59/73)
Disk type: Short strategy type (Phthalocyanine or similar)
Manuf. index: 22
Manufacturer: Ritek Co.
You can easy see, that the "real" manufacturer is Ritek. This CD-R is sold by Philips, by the way.
For DVDs the manufacturer is often just a code, e.h. the following DVD-R from Verbatim:
Manufacturer: 'MCC 01RG20 '
If you don't use the cdrtools, you can also use the tool "DVD Identifier" under Windows, which you can get for free at http://dvd.identifier.cdfreaks.com/. The manufacturer will be displayed in the same way as in cdrecord-prodvd.
InstantInfo (http://www.cdr-info.de/) is a web site, which provides EAN/UPC codes for recordable CDs/DVDs and pictures of the packaging.
