Well I picked up some packs of Kodak media online from bestbuy.ca to see if they've improved at all from shipping the crap they were about a year ago. No such luck, and the usual mismatched packaging as well, what a joke this garbage is.

At least this time one of the packs was 8x media in 4x packaging (got 4x media in 8x packaging before) but the media was fake code TYG02 media, and the +R media was junky AML 001 discs. Luckily Best Buy shipped both of the packs smashed all to hell (in one pack the spindle was actually broken in half) and the other had the side smashed out and the top was cracked in half. Needless to say I will be returning them for a refund, as they can't exchange them since they were a boxing day web-only blowout deal and they no longer even list the DVD-R product on their website now.

Avoid this junk--Kodak licensed "KMP Media" is complete crap and things have not changed since they came to market from the looks of things. I have emailed Kodak about these types of problems in the past and they didn't seem to care much at all that KMP Media is ruining the good media reputation Kodak once had. Even Memorex is a far better choice for those who dislike Memorex. Memorex has improved a lot over the years and Kodak has gone straight down the tubes.

Sir,
Replying to the Kodak lame media, the writer is obviously living in another world, and whose buying prowess is questionable, and or subject to the chinese Kodak licensed manufacture's product from Hong Kong who have a very small offering and are not the same quality as the main Kodak product range not produced in the far east and who do not offer 4xor8x.

I am using Kodak's media not made in china, and Kodak offer the world's largest brand range, and they are the best I have used, especially their new 16x patented archival technology both normal and printable, especially for CDR photography reproduction with their 200 year guarantee they will not fade or degenerate as others. A lot of money has been invested over two years of research so I am informed, and have compatability to all the latest 16x drives which certain other media does not have.
Their Blu-ray and dual layer printables are superb, as the latter is hard to manufacture, and the former lives up to the Philip's specifications, as the number of alternative inferior offerings tried, have informed me.
I buy my Kodak from European held stock, and imported by selected importers and my supplier has informed me of increased sales and excellent quality reports, and he has not been subject to the verbal garbage of the writer who appears to have some other agenda for the published article, as logic dictates Kodak one of the top ten brand names in the world would not knowingly offer what is implied.
Borgy

What the hell are you talking about??
Kodak is not making any recordable media for more than 5 years.
Rights to use the Kodak brand name for optical recordable media are now owned by KMP Media and they are selling cheap and overpriced B-grade stuff made by MBI and also Umedisc Hong Kong (and its chinese subsidiaries Jilin Quingda and Henan Kerry).
KMP Media is totally unrelated to Kodak and Kodak branded media are absolutely uncomparable to legit Kodak made media (in Ireland, Mexico or USA) in terms of quality.

KMP Media also used Optodisc MIDs (16x) and more recently Prodisc R05/F02 (16x).

As for quality, I can assure you, they absolutely suck (the Prodiscs at least). The earlier Optodisc batches were a lot better though. All made in Taiwan for what it's worth.

I'm staying away from Kodak products now, there are other B-grade manufacturers that produce better media than the recent KMP crap. I'm just happy I stocked up on MCC and Sony blanks, makes up for the bad burns that are a regular occurrence with Kodak media.

It is strange that certain people with their own anti-Kodak agenda without the full knowledge of Kodak's current products which includes the new manufacturing process being used and not made in the far east.
While some of their original far east made products made, may of been not as good, and those currently made by UME disc who only make 3 qualities and no 16x for Kodak, cannot compare with the new 6 excellent Kodak patented new archival qualities with their excellent patented metalurgical dye protection, and now includes the new white ink surface archivable printable varieties, also used in the normal printables as well which I have tried and give the best uniform printing of any I have used, especially when using the CDR's for photographic purposes.
Huge quantities are being sold in Europe, with excellent repeat business, as I am in touch with two large importers in the UK and Germany who confirm what is taking place, inspite of the disparaging remarks made by certian individuals.
Quality will always win out, and those anti-Kodak individuals can fool themselves. That is their choice, however not the general public's one.
Borgy

Sending my best regards to you and your colleagues at KMP.
What "patented metalurgical dye protection" are you talking about? Kodak aka KMP is only selling and rebranding media now, they does not have any R&D department and therefore no special technologies. KMP is nothing but a common trade company.
New Kodak media are obviously a B-grade MBIL made media which are sold under tens others brands too.
Certainly, this is a big improvement over past Kodak's media (VANGUARD,VDSPMSAB001 ) :
http://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia?dv...+or+List+Media


PS: if you are indeed working at KMP (and I think you are), maybe you could provide some samples for cdfreaks' reviewers to prove your claims about high archival quality, etc. Reviewer Jan70 would be a good choice of reviewer:
http://club.cdfreaks.com/f33/cdfreak...review-203688/

I have nothing to do with KMP or MBI.
If you do not know of Kodak's new patented metalurgical process which is on sale internationally in six varieties, only under the Kodak brand, and continue in all replies to refer to MBI's B grade, when there are no official world media grades, and the grades are only marketing ploys, and when MBI are the world's leading manufacturer, and produce for the majority of the brand names, certianly 80% of what is sold in Europe, then with your limited knowledge, I shall let you in your own good time, try and catch up with what is really going on. I do not have time to educate people with confirmed predudices born out of lack of knowledge.
Borgy

Are you sure?
http://www.photo-i.co.uk/BB/viewtopi...a688514f374afa

Sir,
I live in Europe where to the best of my knowledge, neither KMP or MBI have permanent offices. However I have been dealing internationally for nearly 15 years with media, and I am very well connected to obtain all the latest information, which of course I dissimilate, and ask for further clarification if I am not sure what I am being informed.
However what is being offered by Kodak's new patented protection is fact, as I have received some CDR's 52x and DVDR's 16x tested in extremes of heat and humidity, plus also in direct sunlight for many hours. My evaluation
appears to verify the new metalurgical protection of the latest pthalocyanine dye developed in Europe appears superior, however only time will tell, how much better it is relative to the silver protection of the dye, as silver degrades over time as silver has inferior electrical and audio tolerances than the new protective dye development so I am informed.
Borgy

Could we please keep to the topic of discussing Kodak media without questioning each other's motives, intelligence or character? Thanks.

Were they a "gold", or "normal" Kodak media? What are the ATIP & MID codes of those Kodaks? Will be the new batches of Kodaks made only by MBI? Do you know why KMP switched from Umedisc to MBIL?

Ciba IRGAPHOR Ultragreen MX?

Sir,
When insinuations are made, one has to reply, even to people with delicate sensibilties and incorrect information.
Borgy

Fair enough, now let's move on and keep the thread on-topic

i got some mbi made kodak stuff and its been spot on

I hear that Kodak will have a new media at the German Photokino exhibition in September.
This one can be used to print on an inkjet duplicator, and also on an Everest thermal duplicator. The ink quality will be improved with an edge to hole coverage, which will improve the tonal qualities.
Borgy

Only speaking from experience Borgy, and as this is a public forum, everyone has their right to say their piece.

And from experience, aside from the Optodisc MIDs that were available in the Asian market (let's not assume that the whole world resides in Europe and not all members are Europeans), everything else that's Kodak-branded (KMP Media to be precise) has performed poorly compared to other similarly-priced blank media.

I'll keep my opinion on Kodak negative until I get a hold of that "well-made" media you're saying. And I've only been referring to Made in Taiwan blanks specifically, as indicated in my posts. Not Made in China or wherever the media you're using/buying/selling/manufacturing/distributing comes from.

And yeah, there are obvious prejudices, as well as bias, towards the subject. Let's keep things objective.

Exactly, that's my point too.
I was not telling that Kodaks are the worst media around. But (at least here in Slovakia) you can get much better media for the same price (Pleomaxes, Verbatims, Philips media with Infomedia MID, etc...).

It appears that you are suggesting that MBI are willing to commit commercial suicide by producing inferior qualties for Kodak. The brands Philips and Verbatim are made on the same production lines, plus other leading brands, and MBI bought the research and department department
of Philips, and are hardly like to offer two qualities to leading brands as they live on repeat business.
Fortunately as I have been informed, there is no better media available in Slovakia than Kodak's recent developments. Find an importer and try some. They cost more (and are not compared with the normal Kodak CDR's and DVDR's) but as I mentioned, you get what you pay for.
I have no comment on what Kodak is available (maybe from Ume disc in Hong Kong) in Slovakia if any, and what you tried, but it was not the current Kodak ones which are not of far east manufacture, and offer distinct advantages, however maybe not to everyone's taste.
Borgy

I was in the U.S. in July and I saw some Kodak Gold CD-Rs in Kinkos. However, at $4 a pop, I decided to skip it and go for some Taiyo Yudens instead from Wal-Mart. The CDs were made in the United States.
That said, I am somewhat curious.
Has anyone used those CDs? If so, any thoughts?

No, I am not suggesting that. But there are certainly some "high quality" MBIL made media (Ricoh, Imation, Verbatim, etc) and some lower grades (Intenso, Extreme, Omega ) on the market. Almost every single manufacturer does have at least 2 quality grades (even TY does) of media.
Really? What is your source?
I have tried both MBI and Umedisc made Kodak media (distributed by two independent channels in Slovakia, BTW) and while they are not the worst available media here, for their price I can easily get much better media - Verbatims, Panasonics, Ricohs, Pleomaxes, etc.
And the prize of gold Kodaks is simply insane.
I am not biased against Kodak nor MBI - I love MBI made Pleomaxes and older Kodaks (made by Kodak itself) were probably the greatest CD-R media ever made.
Maybe you should really provide some media to cdfreaks' reviewers for independent tests. This would be great.

The patented gold Kodak cost more, but are of archival quality,
and are not to b ecompared with oprdinary CDR's/DVDR's.
If one has important media or precious memory photographs to consign to media that will not tarnish and degrade (as they use a silver base) as others, I am informed price within reason does not enter the equation and are selling well, especially the ones with a thermal coating for specific duplicators.
If wedding photos are put on the new gold Kodak CDR's relative to the cost of the wedding, who is going to be concerned at the cost,
which is very small compared with the total wedding cost. At least the photos will always be there when required to download in perfect condition. Ume disc quality as I mentioned are not the same,
and are produced primarily for a well known supermarket group who are more interested in cost than quality in my opinion.
Borgy

What is the patent number?
Is there any difference between "standard" MBI's (http://www.moserbaer.com/products_gold.asp) and Kodak's gold media?
Were older Kodak's gold DVDs, made by MAM-E/MAM-A and MPO made with those Kodak's patented technologies?

My source was a private conversation with one of the worlds leading media experts with over 20 years accumulated knowledge in both manufcaturing and marketing, at the Cebit fair this year in Hanover.
Have you wondered why T.Y now has two grades. I hear they are loosing sales to other brands, as the CDR technology is over 20 years old, and have decided to increase the speed
of their production lines to that of other manufacturers to reduce costs. The slower speed of course enables one to examine for more flaws, hence the higher TY cost, and many people are happy with other brands at lower costs, as drive quality has also evolved.
Therefore if you cannot beat them, join them.
Borgy

Borgy, may I post your last 3 PMs here? They contain answers to some of my questions which were asked here.
What is the name of your source? Is he really familiar with situation on Slovakian media market?

The person who informed me has no specific market in mind, and certinaly not yours, as I presume markets are similar in drive use availability, but may differ in their media choice if income per capita is taken into consideration, such as the media quality supplied to Africa.
Borgy