Verbatim DVD-R 4.7GB 16X UltraLife Gold Archival Grade - Branded Surface and Hard Coat - 5pk Jewel Case

Good value and the quality is very good.

I like to burn all my pictures to a DVD yearly and find these to be a good quality so far. I’m sure only time will tell

I bought this about a year ago. In the last 12 months, I probably experienced 1 to 2 failed disc out of 30 (Intel MAC failed to burn). I just started archiving a large batch of files, after 4 consecutive good burns, I suddenly come across 7 discs that won't burn. I try on two different computers with identical problem. The failure rate is just too high.NOTE: It turns out the problem was an OS issue. The disc now burns fine, so I changed my rating from 1 star back to 5.

I converted some camcorder tapes to DVD format and then made copies onto these DVDs. No problems writing to any of these and reviewing them showed the copies were perfect. Unfortunately I will not know for ten or fifteen years if they are truly archival. but so far so good. I did make multiple copies to increase the odds of having readable media in he future.

When the internet goes down, you better have your 50-to-100-year archival Verbatim DVDs loaded with all your reference data, critical PC software/updates/drivers, and precious financial data and family moments (really - we all know that "clouds" eventually blow away, including storage clouds...). Writable CDs store their data on the TOP surface where it can be scratched-off or dissolved by permanent marker pens (so use only water-based CD pens on your optical disks). I have lost data on some writable CDs less than 5 years old. DVDs are better - writable DVDs store their data sandwiched between plastic layers (some scratch-resistant poly-carb like blu-ray) where it is safer, but even so, the "dye" can age over time. Verbatim makes the best dye on the market, and these archival disks add a thin layer of gold to ensure readability even after the dye wears out. Are these worth $300 for 50? I don't think so. But when Amazon sells them at $75 for 50, OH YEAH! You won't find a better deal anywhere else. One final tip... using a Plextor optical burner and Plextools software, I did tests on many writable disks and found the best "archival" burning speeds to be at 1/2 to 2/3 the rated disk speed. If that remains true, then these 8x DVDs should be burned at 4x-to-6x (not 8x). Too fast and the burned "pits" don't reach full depth and they "smear." Too slow and they "overburn." The 2/3 speed burn seems to yield the best pit depth, distinct pit spacing, and "excellent" readability for long term stability, and it only adds a extra minute or so to the burn time. If it is worth saving, then save it well. Auto-detect burn speeds (typically maximum) will work fine and be usable, but if you want longest archival storage, I recommend 2/3 the maximum rated disk speed (so a 52x CD should burn at about 32x for best quality).

We're using these now to provide all our clients with their income tax information, updated each year, and packaged with their copies of their tax returns. We like the idea that it is a form of storage that is both reliable, portable and affordable. Previously, we were using standard CDs purchased from Costco for about 1/3 the price, but which, we were told, would eventually corrupt the data. So, we advised our clients to transfer the information to a magnetic form of media for long term storage. Now, we don't have to do that with these archival DVDs.

I don't burn a lot of DVD's, so when I do it's something special like a DVD-Audio image, BD-Audio image, or perhaps a rare VHS tape not commercially available on DVD. In any case, the quality needs to be high and the durability long. An internet search will reveal Verbatim, Taiyo Yuden, and some Sony discs to be the best. Less expensive blanks are reported to have a higher failure rate on burning as well as issues with longevity of the dye. Note that these are also DVD-R as opposed to DVD+R. DVD-R is more compatible and the only format carrying the familiar DVD-Video logo. I also like that these come with a full size jewel case so that the spine is legible on a rack in the movie/music library.On the topic of burning, I've noticed a trend of love/hate amongst blank media reviews. I think failure rates can be reduced dramatically if steps are taken before burning to ensure correct operation.-Update the drivers for your media drive via the drive manufacturer website or the computer manufacturer website-Don't run a lot of other programs while burning, or ideally don't use the computer at all...really it's only a few minutes.-Burn at the proper speed. For these discs it's 8x. Many burning programs default to maximum speed or adjust automatically. Instead choose the speed recommended by the disc and/or check forums for user experiences.

They were shipped in an unpadded brown envelope and one of the cases and the DVD were damaged!You would think they would have treated these delicate DVDs with more care.