Is it true that a CD and DVDs most sensitive layer is...

[K.I.L.E.R]

The top layer with all the writing on it?

I've read this in a magazine and wander if it's true.

I tend to put my CD's front-to-front so I avoid damaging them.

Should I put them back-to-back?

Terminology:
Back side of CD/DVD: clear layer without writing or logos and stuff on it.

Front side of CD/DVD: Layer with all the writing and logos on it.

 

[AlphaWolf]

The top layer with all the writing on it?

I've read this in a magazine and wander if it's true.

I tend to put my CD's front-to-front so I avoid damaging them.

Should I put them back-to-back?

Terminology:
Back side of CD/DVD: clear layer without writing or logos and stuff on it.

Front side of CD/DVD: Layer with all the writing and logos on it.

Whenever I have had a cd damaged such that it wouldn't play it has always been scratched on the the back side.

 

[Bouncing Zabaglione Bros.]

CD's/DVD's are a reflective or light/dark layer (data) sandwiched between two plastic layers (protection). Dual layer DVDs also have a second data layer over the first made of a translucent material (the laser can read it, and then focus through it to read the second layer).

So it's damage on the clear back plastic where the laser shines through that is going to cause you problems.

Unless your talking about the few DVD's they don't make anymore that have data layers on the front and back ie, like two DVD's glued back to back where you have to turn them over halfway through (or have a player with lasers top and bottom). IIRC, they made some of these in the early days when they didn't have enough factory capacity to make proper dual layer discs, but no one liked having to turn the disc over half way through the movie.

 

[Colourless]

I've killed a few cds by scratching the top side. That silver relective stuff just flaked off once a tiny bit came up.

 

[PC-Engine]

The laser reads from the underside (non-labled) so if the underside is scratched, dirty (finger prints) etc., it will have a hard time reading the data and might not be able to at all. However the actual data (aluminum layer) is physically undamaged. The plastic on the underside is thicker so it protects the aluminum data layer better. The topside (labled) has a thin plastic layer so even minor scratches can potentially physically damage the aluminum data layer. Either way, whether your data layer is physically damaged or not, if you can't retrieve the data then you're SOL.

 

[Blade]

Maybe you should try not to stack discs..

I know it's popular to, but I've always thought it was retarded.

 

[Sxotty]

The top side, or writeable side is very very fragile on some cdr's, however I have found on dvd-r's they have the data surface sandwiched between 2 layers of plastic so it is much tougher.

 

[PC-Engine]

The top side, or writeable side is very very fragile on some cdr's, however I have found on dvd-r's they have the data surface sandwiched between 2 layers of plastic so it is much tougher.

Yes DVDs are tough but when they get scratched they're more difficult to read than scratched CDs.

 

[Nappe1]

Unless your talking about the few DVD's they don't make anymore that have data layers on the front and back ie, like two DVD's glued back to back where you have to turn them over halfway through (or have a player with lasers top and bottom). IIRC, they made some of these in the early days when they didn't have enough factory capacity to make proper dual layer discs, but no one liked having to turn the disc over half way through the movie.

In fact, the full DVD capacity is reached by using Dual Layer AND dual sided disc. this is the only way reach the magical 17.1 Gigabytes as it was advertized on early days. (4.7 GB per layer and basically 4 layers.) Still, even today, there isn't writable DVDs that could actually use all that capacity. (which is a shame.... only thing needed would be two sided dual layer -R or +R blanks. After that, you could burn stuff on that in "two pass" )

 

[1000101]

CD's are essentially stamped on transparent plastic discs. If you scrape off the logo on the top of the disc you will render it unplayable. This is typically true of blank media on both the CD and DVD side of things.

If you don't believe me you can allways flake off the logo of your favorite movie/CD and see for yourself.

The only thing I've actually seen sandwiched between 2 plastic sheets are the dual sided DVD's of old.

 

[pcchen]

DVD-R and DVD-RW disks also generally have two plastic disks and the data layer in the middle.