Review on ✨ Verbatim DVD+R DL 8.5GB 8X with Branded Surface - Pack of 50 Discs in Spindle Packaging by Terrance Castle

It's 2020 and it's clear that blank DVDs aren't as popular as they used to be. It's definitely the demise of the recordable media era. But some of us, like me, still burn a lot of optical discs, including a lot of DVD+R DL discs. For almost two decades, Verbatim has been the benchmark. Often imitated, seldom equaled and certainly never surpassed. The Verbatim DVD+R DL was and still is the most expensive product, but you always get what you pay for. Flawless burn, excellent compatibility and excellent shelf life. Everything changed with the last batch I just bought. There is no doubt - all these disks are empty. Manufactured in the United Arab Emirates, as are the countless Verbatim DVD+R DLs I've used in the past. Recorded with the same software, on the same hardware, at the same speed as always. I scanned a back with Opti Drive Control with my iHAS 124B and it was horrible. Errors began to skyrocket as data neared the edge. This is what you usually see on cheap Chinese discs and not on Verbatim. And I don't think these discs are fake; They have the same fit and finish I've been familiar with for years. I tried 8x and 4x, I tried turning on and off "hypertuning" (sometimes it makes a difference) but it was useless. This party is a turkey. I have a Chinese made Optical Quantum Spindle here, basically the cheapest DVD+R DL you can buy. The complete opposite of Verbatims. They scan miles better. Certainly not as good as my previous Verbatim DL discs, but a lot better than that pathetic lot. This spindle is back. Keep buying these discs and don't let my bad experience ruin your confidence in this great product for nearly two decades. But make sure you scan your burns so you don't get caught off guard. Of course it is no longer 2004 and we can no longer take high quality optical media for granted.