Blogcritics: Comments on CDs and DVDs Very Mortal

Comment by Jeff Anderson

Tue, 2 Aug 2005 09:04:31 EDT

A great place to look for DVD related products and information. For all your dvd needs.

Comment by Eric Olsen

Sun, 19 Sep 2004 11:40:43 EDT

thanks Tom, excellent info and suggestion

Comment by Tom

Sun, 19 Sep 2004 02:54:05 EDT

Tiffany, the clear material is polycarbonate, chosen probably because it's relatively strong, cheap, and light. The reflective layer is usually aluminum, but can be other metals like gold, too - it just needs to be reflective, so you'll see black discs being used as well (found especially in gaming devices.) You may want to refer to the "freaks" over at CD Freaks for more info. Someone in the forums there will probably know a lot more about this subject than you're likely to find actually documented in layman's terms on the internet. Good luck!

Comment by tifany

Sat, 18 Sep 2004 21:49:13 EDT

can you tell me why these materials were chosen when first making dvds? i am doing a project for school about dvds and i would like to know so can you tell me i mean if you know -thanks-

Comment by Eric Olsen

Fri, 7 May 2004 11:51:32 EDT

Great points all - thanks!

Comment by Tom Johnson

Fri, 7 May 2004 11:30:43 EDT

I've got a few CDs that wound up with holes in them because they unfortunately fell, were scraped, etc., and those have problems - but the problems are all due to those holes through the top layer. I would urge anyone who uses those Case Logic notebook cases to be VERY careful - most of the CDs that I've had that had problems were stored in those cases. The problem with them is that while they protect the back side of the disc (non-label side) they don't protect the most fragile part, the layer under the label. The sleeves, as well as other CDs that face them on the opposite page rub against the thin coating over the aluminum reflective layer and slowly wear it away. Believe me - I have seen this on multiple discs, and I was able to confirm this several times. Those notebooks with sleeves are bad news for CDs. Had they a hard-cover that prevented flexing and crushing, they probably would have been fine. I lost some good discs that way.

Comment by Phillip Winn

Fri, 7 May 2004 11:22:52 EDT

Tom: While poor treatment can clearly lead to problems, I don't think it will lead to the pinhole problems described. That seems simply to be a manufacturing defect, and I've got friends who treat their CDs very well indeed who have had one or two go south over time. What we need are laser-readers for vinyl, so that the vinyl never wears down!

Comment by Mark Saleski

Fri, 7 May 2004 11:14:51 EDT

i have one CD that has become unplayable. my copy of Marc Ribot's "Rootless Cosmopolitans" has more than just pinholes in it...the manufacturing process must have been bad because the hole are pretty big, like a couple of millimeters or so.

Comment by Tom Johnson

Fri, 7 May 2004 11:11:32 EDT

I've got CDs that are 17 years old and show absolutely no signs of this "rot" that he describes. I take great care of my discs, too, so I think that's the deciding factor. If you treat them like coasters, that's exactly what they will be one day. Treat them like you would vinyl and they'll last you forever. I never once believe the "indestructible" claims everyone else cites - we all know from the Titanic tragedy what happens when you boast how "indestructible" something is, don't we?

Comment by jadester

Fri, 7 May 2004 11:01:49 EDT

Also, adverse changes in temperature in the area where you store CDs can cause them to deterioate, i believe.