Cd-r Media help here.

[The Drovers Dog]

Please Note that this isn't a post to encourage the use of making illegal backups, please take it all in the context of a help sheet that will hopefully give some of the Forum users here more insight about working through the mire of the tricks and traps of Cd-r media.

To attempt to clear up some of the problems with Cd-r discs that some of you guys are experiencing, here is a program that will help you to check out the Dye Type or as is often called media or the chemical composition of the blank Cd-r discs. Most of todays manufacturers seem to make the Phthalocyanine media.

Ok, the trick is to find the most efficient one on the market that suits your needs in regard to making Ps2 backups that work 100% on your chipped or flipped Ps2, and even though the Phthalocyanine is now so often used, it doesn't mean to say that 'EVERY' Cd-r disc will work 100%, so you must do some homework and at times'hair tugging' tests to find out what is ok for your own needs.

I have uploaded a file here that will help to identify any blank Cd-R media that you might happen to be using, the program is very simple to use, all you have to do is to insert any blank Cd into your Cd Recorder and then just follow the prompt to check out the Dye or Media composition. Take note and then that way, when you do a backup you will know what manufacturers brand works 100% on your prized Ps2..
...........................................................................
Download smartburn cd-r media checker via this link

http://home.pacific.net.au/~grob2k/smartburn.zip
.......................................................................

Here are a couple of great links that will tell you more about the different Manufacturers/Brand names plus The Dye or Media types, the best advice is to follow all the info that is posted on these pages, that way you will have a better insight about what is good and bad media.
.......................................................

http://www.cdmediaworld.com/hardware/cdrom/cd_factories.shtml

http://www.cdmediaworld.com/hardware/cdrom/cd_quality.shtml#CD-R Test Method

.............................................................................
Prefered Backup Software.
Clone_Cd and Alchohol 120.
.......................................

Examples via Smartburn.

This Disc is designed for CD-RW/COMBO Drive Only.
Disc Type, Material = CD-R, Phthalocyanine
ATIP Lead-in = 97m 32s 19f
Norminal Capacity = 702.83MB (79m 59s 74f)
Disc Manufacturer maybe = Prodisc
SMART-BURN Speed Limit = 24X
...............................................

This Disc is designed for CD-RW/COMBO Drive Only.
Disc Type, Material = CD-R, Phthalocyanine
ATIP Lead-in = 97m 26s 66f
Norminal Capacity = 702.83MB (79m 59s 73f)
Disc Manufacturer maybe = CMC,Imation
SMART-BURN Speed Limit = 24X
...................................................

This Disc is designed for CD-RW/COMBO Drive Only.
Disc Type, Material = CD-R, Phthalocyanine
ATIP Lead-in = 97m 27s 06f
Norminal Capacity = 702.83MB (79m 59s 73f)
Disc Manufacturer maybe = DST
SMART-BURN Speed Limit = 24X
...............................................

This is from an older Cd from Mistubishi as an
example only.
This Disc is designed for CD-RW/COMBO Drive Only.
Disc Type, Material = CD-R, Cyanine
ATIP Lead-in = 97m 34s 20f
Norminal Capacity = 654.49MB (74m 30s 00f)
Disc Manufacturer maybe = Mistubishi
SMART-BURN Speed Limit = 16X
...............................................
There has been some very bad reports about the performance
claims of the Ritek Cd's, so maybe best to avoid them.

This Disc is designed for CD-RW/COMBO Drive Only.
Disc Type, Material = CD-R, Phthalocyanine
ATIP Lead-in = 97m 15s 17f
Norminal Capacity = 702.82MB (79m 59s 70f)
Disc Manufacturer maybe = RiTEK,TG
SMART-BURN Speed Limit = 24X
.................................................

This Disc is designed for CD-RW/COMBO Drive Only.
Disc Type, Material = CD-R, Phthalocyanine
ATIP Lead-in = 97m 26s 07f
Norminal Capacity = 702.83MB (79m 59s 72f)
Disc Manufacturer maybe = Fornet
SMART-BURN Speed Limit = 24X
...............................................
This Disc is designed for CD-RW/COMBO Drive Only.
Disc Type, Material = CD-R, Phthalocyanine
ATIP Lead-in = 97m 22s 67f
Norminal Capacity = 702.83MB (79m 59s 74f)
Disc Manufacturer maybe = Acer Media
SMART-BURN Speed Limit = 24X
...............................................
This Disc is designed for CD-RW/COMBO Drive Only.
Disc Type, Material = CD-R, Phthalocyanine
ATIP Lead-in = 97m 27s 45f
Norminal Capacity = 650.83MB (74m 05s 01f)
Disc Manufacturer maybe = KODAK
SMART-BURN Speed Limit = 24X
...............................................

 

[Han]

I think it only works at lite-on writers, because on my Benq writer it only returns "unknown" to ALL items
(Yes, I inserted an empty CD )

 

[The Drovers Dog]

ok, not a problem i will dig out onother media Id read program asap.