As we know, the marketing/research department of Benq decides what media will be "most important" for the success of their products.

Here's an edited list with media considered "unimportant" removed.
Older media types and media with limited write strategy also removed.

Here's the short-list with the goals of T9.
Bear in mind that these are goals, and not necessarily incorporated into T9--but you know they tried.
DVD+R is first, then DVD-R

DVD+R:
CMCMAGE01_4X8X_CMC+R 8x
CMCMAGF01_4X8X_CMC+R 4x
DAXONAZ1_4X_Daxon+R 4x
DAXONAZ2_4X8X12X16X_Daxon+R 8x
MAXELL002_4X8X12X_Maxell+R 8x
MAXELL0030_4X8X12X16X_MAXELL+R 16x
MBIPG101R051_8X12X16X_MBI+R 16X
MCC002_4X8X_MKM+R 4x
MCC003_4X8X12X_MKM+R 8x
MCC004_4X8X12X16X_MKM+R 16x
NANYAFLX_8X12X16X_NanYa+R 16x
PHILIPS081_4X8X12X_Philips +R 8x (081)
PHILIPSC08_4X8X_Philips +R 8x (C08)-CMC
PHILIPSC16_4X8X12X16X_Philips +R 16x-CMC
POSR01_4X8X_POSTECH +R 8X
PRODISCR03_4X8X12X_Prodisc+R 8x
PRODISCR051_8X12X16X_Prodisc+R 16x
RICOHJPNR02_4X8X12X16X_Ricoh+R 8x
RITEKM0201_4X8X_Ritek+R 4x M4
RITEKR0301_4X8X12X_Ritek+R 8x H02
RITEKR0302_4X8X12X_Ritek+R 8x CH1
RITEKR041_8X12X16X_RITEK+R 16X
SONYD1100_4X8X12X16X_Sony+R 8x
TDK0030_4X8X12X16X_TDK+R 16X
YUDEN000T0101_4X8X12X_TY+R 4x
YUDEN000T0200_4X8X12X16X_TY+R 8x
YUDEN000T03_4X8X12X16X_TY+R 16X

DVD-R:
BeAllG40001_8X12X_BeAllDVD-R8x
CMCMAG_AE1_4X8X12X_CMCDVD-R8x
CMCMAG_AM3_4X8X12X16X_CMCDVD-R16x
DAXON008S_4X8X12X16X_DaxonDVD-R8x
FUJIFILM03_4X8X12X_FujiDVD-R8x
GSC003_4X8X_GigastorageDVD-R8xGSC003
INFODISC-R20_8X_NSDDVD-R8x
LEADDATAS03_4X8X_LeaddataDVD-R8X
MBI03RG30_4X8X_MBIDVD-R8x
MCC02RG20_4X8X12X_MKMDVD-R8x
MXLRG03_4X8X12X_MaxellDVD-R8xHC1
MCC02RG20_4X8X12X16X_MKMDVD-R16x
MXLRG04_4X8X12X16X_MaxellDVD-R16x
Plasmon1A_8X_PlasmonDVD-R8x(A1)
POMSI002_4X8X_PlasmonDVD-R8x(002)
ProdiscS04_4X8X12X_ProdiscDVD-R8xS04-AZO
ProdiscF01_4X8X12X_ProdiscDVD-R8xF01-FUJI
RITEKG05_4X8X_RitekDVD-R8x
RITEKG06_4X8X12X_RitekDVD-R8x-Fuji
SONY08D1_4X8X12X16X_SonyDVD-R8x(Daxon)
SONY16D1_8X12X16X_SonyDVD-R16x
TYG02_4X8X12X16X_TYDVD-R8x
TTH01_4X8X_TDKDVD-R8x(New)
TTG02_4X8X_TDKDVD-R8x(Old)
TTH02_4X8X12X16X_TDKDVD-R16x

This is my best shot at a "garbage-free" list for the BenQ 1620 T9.
Is any poor media (For T9) on the list?
Is any newer media that works perfectly with T9 left off the list?

what about verbatim 16x? No good?

Verbatim DVD+R 16X media code is MCC004. It's on the list.

My Infome R20 +R is very good. Infomedia is the media spin-off from Infodisc. You have a Infodisc R20 -R and I don't know if it is the same just mis-filed. If not, Infome R20 +R should be considered for inclusion. thanks.

This is great info that you can get hold on such a list of intended compatible media.

It would be interesting to see the entire list of what they themselves had in mind.

I would consider the following media I have had good experience with :
- Ricohjpn R01 +R 4X overspeedable to 8X
- MCC 01RG20 -R 4X not overspeedable but giving good results
- Ritek G04 -R 4X only writable at 4X but giving great results.

Could you therefore give separately what YOU have removed ?

Or do you mean they overlooked them completely when developping the drive or the firmware because they are "older media types" ?

Dupsonic DVD-R 4x's with the Media ID code: VANGUARD should be on that list. I can't burn a coaster with these to save my life. Of course there is no overburning for them to 8x but who cares when I can roll a perfect DVD out every single time like magic? I've ordered some of the 8x Dupsonic DVD-R's and should have them early next week so I should be able to see how they do and what media code they are.

Vanguard should not be on any recommended list because it's crap media and just because you don't get a coaster doesn't mean it's good media.
8x Dupsonic is known to be fake TYG02.

Well, we did purchase a 16x drive. . .and the list is for discs that match the intent of the writer drive.

Here's the explanation for the removal of most older media types.
Ricohjpn R01 is a fine example of a "cheapened" media. They certainly cannot afford to make the previous quality level at the ever lower prices of 4x media. The new 4x discs from Ricoh retain the entertainment value, but are not as good for data file backup in the last 100 megabytes (of totally corrupted files). Even though it's now a less consistent product, it's still higher quality than average.

There is no possible reason for Ricoh to concentrate on the R01 media when the good quality R02 is often only four cents more per disc. Most customers will spend the extra $4 per 100 pk to save 6-10 hours of write time.

Yeah, for four bucks or less, you could put in an extra work day, or an extra night's sleep, or an entire spring cleaning; and, while it's probably not enough spare time to find a boyfriend, if you have secured one already, then I have a great idea on what to do with that 6-10 spare hours. . . And folks, we did purchase a 16x drive--with it comes the intent of using high speed media.

I don't know what happened to Infodisc +R (also infomedia) as it is very well supported. It should be on the list alongside its rebadged cousin. Perhaps it was simply marked for no future development at this time. Maybe it lost a popularity poll somewhere?

Daxon AZ1 is on the list because it is BenQ's own brand and of highest priority for support. AZ2 is on the list for the same reason and because the new T9 firmware decreased PI errors by 78% and enabled acceptable quality video playback as predicted.

MCC 01RG20 is an older media that puts the newer firmware into a sort of "Limp Home" mode. Write quality is not disputed, but support certainly is.

Ritek G04 is a good media, still deserving praise. But the slow, older type is not consistent with the intent of the writer drive. Choosing slow media will waste about a week of your life over the span of a few hundred discs, and the purpose of a fast writer is to stop this.

I suppose that an "Avoid" list would be even more entertaining than this "preferred" list. It didn't make sense at the time because real-life is so much different than marketing. So, I don't think that I could create an "Avoid" list with acceptable accuracy.

Anyway, do you see anything on the list that should not be (as tested with T9)?

@danielwritesback

Thanks for the considerations on boyfriends and spring cleaning. They certainly are to take into account when choosing media

I was a bit confused on the title of your post and in fact woul like to know, if you have insights on what Benq's Marketing thought through a list of media that THEY have established before you started worrying about up-to-date people should use.

My question therefore was what did THEY have on the list that you removed ? This would be informative.

As for your last question, Ricoh R02 doesn't work consistently for many people including me and some others have said in this forum that R00 is better than R01 which is better than R02. Speed taken aside, a perfect 8X burn on a R01 is preferable to a lot of skyhigh spikes at the end of R02's at 16X. It's just a joke testing them for 12X or 16X in Qscan. OTH I have some serious doubts on Ricoh's DL media as they are produced by Ritek and we know how Ritek DL perform.

BTW, no DL and RW on your list ?

This said, I agree with you on what the future is like and managed to pile up some stocks of TY G02, TY T02 and some MCC 004 and am burning my last Ritek G04 and Ricoh R01. Just curious to know what people at Benq had in mind.

Okay, here ya go. *many disclaimers as to accuracy*

DVD+R considered somewhat UNimportant to the future of the 1620:
(This particular listing is to be considered a work of fiction because lack of importance to marketing does not directly relate to physical firmware)
4MSYSPI08_4M+R8X
AML0010_UMEdisc +R 4x
AML00200_Umedisc+R8X
B EALL000P8000_BeALL+R 8X
CMCMAGR0100_CMC+R 2.4X
DDDessauV30_DDD+R 8X
DDT01001_DDT +R 4X
DT-D0202_EDD+R 4x
DT-D0300400_EDD+R 8X
EMDP0000_E-top +R 8x
GSC502002"_GigaStorage+R 4x Pony
GSC503H0100_Gigastorage+R8X
INFODISCR102_Infodisc+R 4x
INFODISCR2000_Infodisc+R 8X
INFOMER2000_Infomedia+R 8X
INFOMER30_Infomedia+R 16x
IS01001_InfoSmart +R 4x
ISSM001_Info source+R 8x
ISSM002_Infosource+R 16x
LDA02_LeadData+R 4x
LDS0300_LD+R 8X
LONGTEN00200_DISC+R 8X
LONGTEN0021_Longten +R 4X
LONGTEN0060_Disc+R 16x
MAMM02_MAME +R 8x
MBIPG101R0300_MBI +R 4X
MBIPG101R0401_MBI+R 8X
MCC00100_MCC+R 2.4X
MJC003_MJC +R 8X
MPOMEDIA040_MPO+R 4x
MPOMEDIA08000_MPO+R 8X
MUST002_Must+R4x
MUST00201_Must+R8X
NANYAALX_NanYa+R 16x
NANYACHX00_NANYA+R8X (CHX)
NANYACLX00_NANYA+R8X (CLX)
NANYARJB_NanYA+R 4x RJB
NSDR40_NSD +R 16X
OPTODISCOR40_OPTODISC+R 4x
OPTODISCOR8"_OPTOdisc +R 8X
OPTODISCR160_Optodisc+R 16X
PLASMON1C0100_Plasmon+R 8X
POMSC001002_3A +R 4X
PRODISCR0101_Prodisc+R 2.4X
RICOHJPNR0000_RICOH+R 2.4X
SKYMEDIAR0300_SKYmedia+R8X
SONYD0100_SONY+R 4X
TDK00100_TDK+R 4x
TDK00200_TDK+R 8X
ULTRAN202_UL-Tran+R 8X
VANGUARD00100_Vanguard+R8X
VDSPMSAB0011_DigitalStorage +R 8x
VDSPMSAB0021_DDT +R 8X
VIVA00200_VIVA+R 8X
WFKA11111_WEALTHFAIR +R 4X
WFKA1121100_Wealth Fair+R8X
WINGSHIN00149_WingShing+R8X
YiJhan002_YiJhan+R 4x
YiJhan004_YiJhan+R 16X

DVD-R considered somewhat UNimportant to the future of the 1620:
(This particular listing is to be considered a work of fiction because lack of importance to marketing does not directly relate to physical firmware)
1FUJIFILM_Fujifilm DVD-R 1x/2x
4MSYS202C1_4M_SDR39302 4x
AML_UmeDisc DVD-R 4x
CMCMAG_CMC DVD-R 2X
DDT01_DDT DVD-R 4x
Dvsn A001_DST DVD-R 4x
Dvsn-80_DigitalStorage DVD-R 8x
EDM01_E-TOP DVD-R 8x
FORNEX101_Fornex DVD-R 4x
GSC001_GST DVD-R 4x (GSC001-type)
GSC002_GST DVD-R 4x (GSC002-type)
GSC004_Gigastorage DVD-R 8x GSC004-type
INFODK-R01_Infodisc DVD-R 2x
INFODK-R01_NSD DVD-R 2x
INFOMEDIAR20_Infomedia DVD-R 8x
ISSM 01_Info Source DVD-R 4x
LEADDATA01"_LeadData DVD-R 4x GQ-R4X"
LONGTEN 001_Longten DVD-R 4x 001-type
LONGTEN 009_Longten DVD-R 4x 009-type
LONGTEN003_Longten DVD-R 8X
MAM4XG02_MAM-E DVD-R 4x (02)
MBI 01RG20_MBI DVD-R 4x
MCC 01RG20_MKM DVD-R 4x
MCC00RG200_MKM DVD-R2X
MJCME_MJC Memory DVD-R 8x
MUST 001_Must DVD-R 4x
MUST003_Must DVD-R 8x
MXL RG01_Maxell DVD-R 2x
NAN_NANYA DVD-R 8x
NANYA-JC001_NanYa DVD-R 4x
ONIDTECH_UL Tran DVD-R 4x
OPTODISCF016_OPTODISC DVD-R 16X
OPTODISCR004_OPTODISC DVD-R 4x
OPTODISCR008_OPTOdisc DVD-R 8x
POSG06_Postech DVD-R 8x
PRINCO_Princo DVD-R 1X
PRINCO8X02_Princo DVD-R 8x
PRODISCG02_Prodisc DVD-R 2X
ProdiscS03_Prodisc DVD-R 4x
RITEKG03_Ritek DVD-R2X
SKC Co.""Ltd_SKC DVD-R 4x
SKCM801_SKC DVD-R 8X
TAIYOYUDEN_TY DVD-R2X
TAROKO-MX4_TAROKO DVD-R 4x
TDKG02000000_TDK DVD-R 2x (G02-type)
ULTRAN102_Ul-Tran DVD-R 8x
UME01_UmeDisc DVD-R 8x
VANGUARD_Vanguard DVD-R 4x type B
VDSPMSAB01_Interaxia DVD-R 4x
WFIA40001_WealthFair DVD-R 4X
WINGSHING04_WINGSHING DVD-R 4x
WINGSHING08_Wingshing DVD-R 8X
Yi Jhan 001_YiJhan DVD-R 4x
YiJhan003_YiJhan DVD-R 8X

Please do not take this particular listing in accordance with the operation or use of a BenQ 1620. It is not to be considered entirely accurate as there was no accurate listing to start with (none of this list is related to a firmware).

And here's a "Really Bad Stuff" listing. This is not addressed by P9, but could have been "fixed" with S9 and T9:

4MSYS202C1-4M_SDR39302 4x
4MSYSPI08-4M+R8X
DDT01001-DDT +R 4X
DDT01-DDT DVD-R 4x
DT-D0202-EDD+R 4x
Dvsn A001-DST DVD-R 4x
Dvsn-80-DigitalStorage DVD-R 8x
EDM01-E-TOP DVD-R 8x
EMDP0000-E-top +R 8x
FORNEX101-Fornex DVD-R 4x
GSC001-GST DVD-R 4x (GSC001-type)
GSC002-GST DVD-R 4x (GSC002-type)
GSC004-Gigastorage DVD-R 8x GSC004-type
GSC502002"-GigaStorage+R 4x Pony"
IS01001-InfoSmart +R 4x
LDA02-LeadData+R 4x
LEADDATA01"-LeadData DVD-R 4x GQ-R4X"
LONGTEN0021-Longten +R 4X
LONGTEN003-Longten DVD-R 8X
LONGTEN0060-Disc+R 16x
MAM4XG02-MAM-E DVD-R 4x
MBI 01RG20-MBI DVD-R 4x
MJCME-MJC Memory DVD-R 8x
MPOMEDIA040-MPO+R 4x
MUST002-Must+R4x
MUST003-Must DVD-R 8x
NAN-NANYA DVD-R 8x
NANYA-JC001-NanYa DVD-R 4x
NANYARJB-NanYA+R 4x RJB
NSDR40-NSD +R 16X
ONIDTECH-UL Tran DVD-R 4x
POMSC001002-3A +R 4X
POSG06-Postech DVD-R 8x
SKCM801-SKC DVD-R 8X
TAROKO-MX4-TAROKO DVD-R 4x
ULTRAN102-Ul-Tran DVD-R 8x
UME01-UmeDisc DVD-R 8x
VDSPMSAB0011-DigitalStorage +R 8x
VDSPMSAB0021-DDT +R 8X
WFIA40001-WealthFair DVD-R 4X
WFKA11111-WEALTHFAIR +R 4X
WFKA1121100-Wealth Fair+R8X
WINGSHING08-Wingshing DVD-R 8X
Yi Jhan 001-YiJhan DVD-R 4x
YiJhan002-YiJhan+R 4x
YiJhan003-YiJhan DVD-R 8X
YiJhan004-YiJhan+R 16X

You know, it takes a lot longer to say what "not to do" than the other way around.
Okay, so don't put YiJhan into your dvd writer and don't put beans in your nose and . . .ad absurdum.

So, to be sure I understand what this boils down to, is that media that burns well today may not burn as well with future firmware because of undefined technical, economic, social, political reasons (such as the media maker didn't pay enough in kickbacks to Benq)?

Not kickbacks.
CMC and Daxon complete lineups are on the high priority list for two reasons. Firstly, there are liability concerns for a manufacturer of a backup drive that also provides media. T9 addressed Daxon Az2's playback and CMC's general data integrity issues. Secondly, they are business partners of HP, BenQ, and Philips.

Others are on the high priority list because they are popular items in stores.

Somewhere in the world, MBI, Nanya, Plasmon, and Postech are the cat's meow in DVD media. This might make no sense to Circuit City customers, but a popular electronics store "somewhere" carries these side-by-side with BenQ products, so they must be well supported or it's RMA-festival time.

There are incredible numbers of variables that go into media selection for a drive manufacturer, thus turning most listings into an invalid mess. BenQ addresses the issue by publishing a listing of media that has overspeed. This list does not match the list of "important" medias from their own marketing department. That's nuts! I think a different approach is needed.

Anyway, that's why I generated the short list at the very top of this thread--BenQ's most supported medias for now and for later.

I would like to improve it by decreasing the list to remove media that performs poorly with T9. A few newer media types could also be added.

Seems like a downside to covering up for media defects is that while it may work fine on your system, it may be more problematic to access your data/video on a non-Benq system.

0

There is no covering up for media defects with business partner media combined with the new firmware. Writing actually was improved with CMC and Daxon.

If you are experiencing that particular issue, you need to RMA your drive because its focus has been knocked out of spec.

Now BenQ drives DO cover that up. With their variable focus technology, slightly out-of spec units are supposed to correct themselves. However there is no error message if the correction is not successful. Out of focus is a common chronic problem with all optical drives. This common damage usually happens when the drive is (roughly) shipped halfway across the earth. If you suspect it (such as non-standard writes), RMA the drive right away.

Thank you danielwritesback for the information.
I like your explanation on why the maketing departmement at Benq wishes the drive to support crappy media.
Likewise i appreciated your warning that this may not be the case in real life.

I was merely basing my observation on your previous statement: "T9 addressed Daxon Az2's playback and CMC's general data integrity issues. Secondly, they are business partners of HP, BenQ, and Philips."

All I was saying is that if their priority is to use FW to compensate for 'playback and data integrity issues' rather than see the media itself improved, then that media will have problems in drives manufactured by companies without that priority.

I also got the impression, from the way you phrased things along with peoples' (still limited) experiences with the T9, that media that used to work well but was "no longer important" would start working less well.

Nevertheless, it is good info to have. Thanks.

What about Sony DVD*R both + and - at 4X.....anyone use these before?

4X +R Sony is normally RicohJPNR01 here, which are excellent. No idea about the -R though.

Personally, I have about 98 discs of Ricohjpnr01's left (Ridata), so I wouldn't want to see support fall out of future firmware. Burning of these is currently excellent.

At the rate I burn, I'm still going to be using these discs in 2006. Mainly because for most my backups now I want DL.

To Sumrtym,
I think you need to download DVDshrink and DVDdecryptor.
This is free, point-n-shoot software for making backups.
DVDshrink will read and size and then send to DVDdecryptor for an excellent job of burning your 98 discs. When burned at the rated speed, those Ricoh discs will do well.

Should you get peaks at the end of scans with that media, you can set the size in DVDshrink from DVD5 to Custom size 4397.

With that free software, you can also customize the compression ratios to "smash" everything but the main movie, thus giving optimal quality to the main movie. It also has a useful "smooth" filter to avoid jerky motion on action movies. If you don't care much for "extras" then the reauthor mode (click reauthor, drag main movie from right to left) is an easy way to get just the main movie and this reduces compression.

You'll love the quality and the 10:1 ratio savings in cash.

To free4all,
Once a disc has been formulated and released under a certain media code, then the disc cannot be changed. Write strategies are coded into writer drives, and these must match the media. Changing the media after release makes for very poorly performing discs. Suddenly, customers=0

Even minor re-formulations cause customer frustration (Ricoh's end of disc corruption). There was a two digit extension code developed to allow disc manufacturers to improve their product. Unfortunatly, it was not implemented correctly in most DVD writers, thus causing any new media to be recognized as invalid. Oh well.

In fact, if you suddenly set up a factory and went into production of discs, you would have zero customers unless you "recycled" an existing media code.

Discs are analogue storage of digital media because there is no definitive on/off. A given media code inside a drive causes an attempt at a "mirror image" of the errors usually found on that specific media. Ideally, this would make errors=0; however, only a few commercial writers have full error cancellation (a rather dumb attempt on flexible plastic media anyway.). As you can tell, it is very important that their be no variances in disc production, else errors may be added instead of subtracted.

Yes it's true that some media as started working "less well". . .because of pricing concerns of disc manufacturers who are forced to reformulate their discs for lower prices just to stay in business. However, the firmware write strategies cannot be changed until the old stock is used up. Ouch!
Thus the "preferred" list at the top of the post indicates media selections that should avoid that trouble for the next 6 months or longer. Indeed, that defines the very purpose of that "preferred" list.

Personally, for the coming year, I will try to avoid purchasing 4x medias despite the ever-dropping prices. For 2006, I will be avoiding 8x medias when they become similar in price to 16x or the new constant-rate discs. This personal preference is caused by necessary manufacturer quality cut-backs on phase-out media. From a manufacturer's point of view, it is very expensive to make millions of little plastic circles in exactly the same way--and then the selling price drops. . .keeping disc manufacturers always backed into a corner by the strong sword of marketing.
This is why I write that we can avoid some quality problems by avoiding the attractive sales of quality-reduced phase-out medias.
In clear terms, older media types ain't what they used to be.

Now, if you want to go "conspiracy hunting" then here it is: Notice the Sony entries on the "preferred" list at the very top of this thread. Sony purchases Ricoh, Optodisc, Daxon, and others. Given the many complex factors, one could not come to a conclusion (no proof). But there is some suggestion that Sony is being gently "herded" towards Daxon medias. Anyway, if you're "fishing," there is where the "bobber" goes under (much less effort on supporting those other medias). It makes me curious.