Media Codes on Blank DVDs

[panopticon_i]

I'm posting this here, but if the mods disapprove, I'll delete it.

I was looking at DVDRHelp.com's listings of the media codes for various brands of DVD+Rs, and saw that many of them are the same -- e.g., RICOHJPNR01.

My DVD console is a Sony S330, and apparently only takes TDK, Memorex, and HP DVDs.

Do all other brands with the same media code mean that they are essentially the same disc from the same factory, just re-branded?

Pan

[SynAck]

There's only a handful of companies that actually make the media. Most companies just go to the OEMs and get media made to their spec and then throw their labels on it. The case is the same for most other things as well
such as floppies, CDRs, etc.

[panopticon_i]

Yes I know. Thanks for your reply.

My Sony only accepts the 3 major brands I listed. I tested out some Fujifilm DVD+Rs -- they have the same media code as the 3 brands, and thus presumably would be the same disc. However, the Fuji did not work, and several at DVDRHelp have noted this.

The question still remains: does the media code indicate that discs are identical? Or is it something else?

[SynAck]

CDR/W and DVDR/W drives use the media codes to identify the characteristics of the particular media that is in the drive. The firmware in the drive then uses built in sets of settings on how to handle that particular media (i.e. what speed to record at, intensity, etc). So, technically, if the media code is has a particular CMC code on it, the disc is the same whether it's got a Maxell or Memorex stamp on it.