Anyone hear of any problems with writing info on the topside of a silver/silver with a perm pen like sharpie? ( using no labels )

this doesn't answer your question but when i take a perm marker to a CDR, i just write in the hub so there will be zero chance of problems.

(in reply to acneil)

doh! you beat me to it!

according to Mitsui, Sharpies are BAD news for CDs (all types: CD-Rs CD-RWs, CD-ROMs...ect). Even though they can be non toxic, they are still solvent based, and this will eventually eat into the CD and make it unusable. Though Mitsui was kind enough to let us know that their discs would stand up to this better then anyone else's

(in reply to acneil)

Okay! Hopefully I will have an answer to this question on the way soon!

I am doing my own little sharpie test. I took a 40x Prodisc (silver/silver) CD-R (tru silver diamond for those who care), and ran the sharpie on the lable side along the outer and inner edges of the CD. I am doing the testing using my LiteON 40125S (now a 48125W) and CD Doctor for the software end of it. I burned the CD-R at 4x (which took FOREVER!!!) and took preliminary tests to get an idea of what the CD_R was like BEFORE the sharpie was applied. So far the results show no change, but I would not expect immediate degridation of the CD. I will keep people posted as to how the poor CD fairs, and eventually (when I have some actual results to post) I will put some scans up on my website

(in reply to acneil)

Awesome! Thanks for the effort!

(in reply to acneil)

I think this is more a case of the upper coating layer. It is possible to use a ballpoint[:o)] to mark your disc's if there coated with some coatings (Ceram Guard). However I won't recommend this last thing.

(in reply to acneil)

Well, I promised to report back, and here it is

Well, I've been working with a single unbranded CD-R with thick circular sharpie marks along the inner and outer parts of the CD-R. The postion of the sharpie marks was chosen so that I could easily spot it when I scaned the CD.

I have only been working with the CD-R since March 6th, but since then there has been no degridation, at all. Now I realize that it is really too soon to tell, so I did a little more testing on other CD-Rs.

I have a sort of pack rat like nature when it comes to CD-Rs. I try to keep every CD-R/W I've ever burned, even if they become partially, or completely unreadable... I know it's weird, but it has come in handy over the years on more then 1 occasion

I have been going through, and re-scanning all (yes *ALL*) of my CD-Rs recently, in my efforts to beta-test some new scanning software (k-probe by Karr Wang of LiteON IT), and I have been paying special attention to all the CD-Rs marked with sharpies, especially the REALLY old ones.

So far I have this to say: I can't find any proof that marking a CD-R with sharpies leads to quicker degridation of the media. I have some CD-Rs that were marked with sharpies, and in some cases MUCH WORSE markers, that have survived over 5 years without any problems, and are still in quite good condition (which is really impressive considering what some of them have been through!).

The one thing I should point out, is that all of my older CD-Rs were branded, most of them were Memorex, Maxell, and BASF (if you're curious). So I will continue my testing of the unbranded CD-R, in the hopes of coming to some conclusion of the effects of sharpies on a less protected media surface.

I hope this clears things up a little for people. I know I breathed a major sigh of relief!

(in reply to acneil)

Thanks Dolphinus Rex...

I've checked some of my older, only 3 years, sharpie marked media..ie.Memorex, Mitsui, Sony (TY), and have no problems yet with these either..I've noticed some of my ink on lableled cdr's bled horizontally across the surface but can't see to know if any bled through to any of the data level. I guess not as I can't hear any problems..I haven't done any analytically measured tests..At any rate, I'm still going back and rearchiving(with no sharpie marking) my most valuable "cdr only" music..Mostly live concerts, not readily available.
I feel most of my marked cdrs will last a while, and hopefully the rearchived stuff even longer..till a new thing comes along...

(in reply to acneil)

I noticed a little discolouration on some of the sharpie marked ones from WAYYYYYY back, but like I said, it didn't show up as a problem on the scans.

(in reply to acneil)

Yeah, I have been using only sharpies, and nothing else since my very first burn, and I've never had a problem, I pulled out some of my very first burns, and there are no problems.

(in reply to acneil)

I wonder if the cdr manufacturer say sharpies will cause problems to cover their behind. So if you have problems arise, they can attribute it to the markers..I wonder...

(in reply to acneil)

That's entirely possible, plus CD-Rs have changed a lot over the years, perhaps the really REALLY old unbranded CD-Rs were more susceptible to sharpie problems?? All my older CD-Rs were branded, so I don't know.

(in reply to acneil)

I wonder how the solvents can "eat through" over time. Once the ink has dried (i.e. the solvent has evaporated) there is no solvent left - by definition!

(in reply to acneil)

that true...

actually, I've become MUCH more concerned with the fact that most CD-Rs don't live past 7 years regardless of markings... The average lifespan of a CD-R has been drastically over estimated it appears. I have to look into this further though.

(in reply to acneil)

Well I have a Sharpie that says it's CDR/CDRW safe...so :D

(in reply to acneil)

I have to interject to add the worst possible post here.

What's a Sharpie?

(in reply to acneil)