[Slowhand] Re: CD-R Media

[Luke Pacholski]

DeltaNick, re:

> Where on earth have you been? You contradict yourself. I really have NO idea
> what you're talking about, since your remarks aren't simply untrue, they are
> ridiculous.

No, I don't actually. See below.

> 1. There are greenies and blueies, and probably a few others. As I wrote,
> TDKs have a blue coloration. I have received them in trades. I am holding
> one in my hand as I type. I've seen the green ones as well, and have
> received some of these too. You contradict yourself, when you write that
> there are no colors besides gold and silver, then your included
> www.cdrfaq.org article discusses blue and green discs. Duh!!!

You're confusing the reflective layer with the dye. A disc with a gold 
reflective layer will either look gold (very light green dye) or green 
(green/blue dye) on the recording side. A disc with a silver reflective 
layer will either look very light green, green/blue, or dark blue on the 
recording side. It looks like there are "silver/silver" discs with 
absolutely no color on the recording side, but I've never seen them 
myself.

> 2. I am holding, in my hand, a box that says "Kodak CD-R Ultima Silver +
> Gold." It furthermore states, "Silver + Gold. Lasts Up to 6 Times Longer
> Than Silver-Only Discs!" I don't know if these claims are true, but this is
> what is written on the box. The "Silver + Gold" discs are light gold in
> color, nearly silver. Gold discs are a deeper, unmistakably gold color.
> There are also silver discs that are simply silver in color.

I've never seen "Silver + Gold" discs, so unless there's some type of 
marketing ploy going on (see below), I stand corrected.

I've had discs that looked gold, but in fact were just silver with a gold 
colored finish on top.

> A few years ago, the silver and gold discs seemed to be harder to come by,
> and the blueies and greenies seemed to dominate. Nowadays, I think many of
> the greenies and blueies, except for TDK, have disappeared.

*All* discs have either been silver or gold, and still are. Only the dyes 
have changed (most discs used to use cyanine; today most use 
phthalocyanine).

> Of course, I've been discussing recording side only, and NOT the
> non-recording side.

There's a distinction to be made between the reflective layer (gold or 
silver alloy) and the color of the recording side (due to the metal and 
dye used). Telling someone you have a "green" disc doesn't say much at 
all, since depending on the dye and the light you are under, it might have 
a silver or gold reflective layer.

Luke