What is an MID?
An MID or Media Identification Descriptor is an internationally recognised mark of manufacturing brand/factory/stamper for all ‘legal’ DVD recordable media. It is a small several byte code embedded on every DVD-R, +R, -RW/+RW/RAM.
Tools for MID Extraction
There are several tools out there that exist for MID (Media Identification Descriptor) extraction but we will list the two (2) main programs which are widely used by DVD burning enthusiasts.
1. DVD Info Pro (*forums.speedlabs.org/index.php/topic,696.0.html)
2. DVD Identifier (*dvd.identifier.cdfreaks.com)
Our preference resides in DVDInfoPro as it is updated on a very regular basis (sometimes daily!) and we have close connections to the author of the software, Mr. Nic Wilson.
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List of Quality MID’s
When you live in the mission critical environment, as many of us do (stop stressing about your backups Zebby!), you want top quality media. Nothing else will suffice! Here, we will provide a list of Quality MID’s which have been tried and tested as known reliable media.
CMC Magnetics • CMC00RG200 1x –R • CMC MAG. CO. 1x -R • CMC MAG 2x –R • CMC MAG. AF1 4x –R • CMC MAG. AE1 8x -R • CMC MAG.R01 2.4x +R • CMC MAG.F01 4x +R • CMC MAG E01 8x +R • CMC MAG M01 16x +R • CMC MAG.W01 2.4x +RW • CMC MAG.W02 4x +RW Fuji • FUJIFILM03 8x -R Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation • MCC 00RG200 1-2x –R • MCC 01RG20 4x –R • MCC 02RG20 8x –R • MCC 01RW11 2x -RW • MCC 01RW11n9 2x –RW • MCC 01RW4X 4x –RW • MCC 001 2.4x +R • MCC 002 4x +R • MCC 003 8x +R • MCC A01 2.4x +RW Moser Bayer • MBI 2x –R • MBI 01 RG20 4x –R • MBIPG101R03 4x +R Philips • PHILIPS 041 +R 4x • PHILIPS 081 +R 8x • PHILIPSC08 8x +R • PHILIPS.010 2.4x +RW • PHILIPS-041 4x +RW Ricoh • RICOHJPNR00 2.4x +R • RICOHJPNR01 4x +R • RICOHJPNR02 8x +R • RICOHJPNW01 2.4x +R • RICOHJPNW11 4x +RW Taiyo Yuden • TAIYOYUDEN 2x -R • TTG01 4x –R • TYG01 4x –R • TTH01 8x -R • TYG02 8x –R • YUDEN000T01 4x +R • YUDEN000T02 8x +R
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List of Low Quality MID’s
Below is a list of low quality media that one would purchase to save on costs, or to backup non-mission-critical data to. Your mileage may vary!
Generic (Covers unknown media) • AML 4x -R • AML 001 4x +R • AML-002 4x +R • AN30 4x -R • AN31 4x -R • AN32 4x -R • AN35 4x –R • MEDIA ID001 • POMSC001002 4x +R • VDSPMSAB 01 4x –R • VDSPMSAB0 4x -R • VDSPMSAB001 4x +R • VDSPMSAB-001-001 8x +R Giga Storage Corporation • GSC001 1-4x –R • GSC002 4x –R • GSC502-002 4x +R Info Disc • INFODISC-A01 2.4x +RW Info Smart • INFOSMART0 4x –R • INFOSMARTT01. 4x -R LeadData • LEADDATA01 4x –R • LD 1x -R Longten • LONGTEN 001 4x –R • LONGTEN 009 4x -R • LONGTEN 002 4x +R Optodisc • OPTODISCK001 1-4x –R • OPTODISCR004 4x -R • OPTODISC w002 2x -RW • OPTODISCOR4 4x +R • OPTODISCOR8 8x +R • OPTODISCOP1 2.4x +RW Prodisc • PRODISCDVDRW 1x –RW • PRODISCG02 2x –R • PRODISCS03 4x –R • PRODISCS04 8x –R • PRODISC F01 8x -R • PRODISC R01 2.4x +R • PRODISC R02 4x +R • PRODISC R03 8x +R • PRODISC R04 16x +R • PRODISC W01 2.4 +RW • PRODISC W002 4x +RW Princo • PRINCO 1-4x -R Ritek • RITEKG03 1-2x –R • RITEKG04 4x –R • RITEKG05 8x –R • RITEK000V11A 1x -RW • RITEKW01 2x –RW • RITEKW04 4x -RW • RITEK R01 2.4x +R • RITEK R02 4x +R • RITEK-R03-002 8x +R • RITEK 004 4x +RW Sentinel • SENTINELW01 2.4x +RW • SENTINELW02 4x +RW Sky Media • SKYMEDIAR01 2.4x +R Vanguard • VANGUARD 4x –R
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Associated brands of MID
Brands of media are a fickle thing. In once instance, we might bring home some TDK branded media, to find out it is 8x RICOHJPNR02 type fabrication. On other days, we might pick up the exact same package and brand – to find it is TTG02 ! Be warned, media distributors swap media fabrications all the time. This will be updated accordingly.
Below is a list of high quality media that one would purchase to ensure mission critical data integrity.
Arita • +R/RW (all) Datasafe • +R/RW (all) Fujifilm • +R/RW (all) Hewlett Packard • +R/RW (all) Imation • +R/RW (all) Intenso • -R 8x KHypermedia • -R (all) • +RW (all) Memorex • -R 4x (may contain PRODISCS03) • -R 8x • +R 4x • +R 8x (may contain PRODISCR03) • +R 16x • +RW 2.4x (may contain INFODISCA01) • +RW 4x Philips • +R 2.4x (may contain RITEK R01) • +R 4x/8x • +RW 2.4x (may contain INFODISCA01) • +RW 4x Platinum • +R 8x Plextor • -R (all) • +R (all) Ricoh • +R/RW (all) Sentinel • +R (all) Sony • +R/RW (all) Taiyo Yuden • -R (all) • +R (all) TDK • -R 4x/8x (all) • +R/RW (all) TEAC • +R 4x Teon • -R (all) • +R (all) That’s • -R 8x • +R 8x That’s Write • +R (all) Value Disc • +R 4x Verbatim • -R/RW (all) • +R/RW (all)
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Summary of the differences between +R and –R media
There are three competing DVD Recording standards.
DVD-R/DVD-RW and DVD+R/DVD+RW have similar features and are compatible with many standalone DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs while DVD-RAM has less DVD Player and DVD-ROM compatibility but better recording features.
DVD-R and DVD-RW
DVD-R was the first DVD recording format released that was compatible with standalone DVD Players. DVD-R is a non-rewriteable format and it is compatible with about 93% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs. DVD-RW is a rewriteable format and it is compatible with about 80% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs. DVD-R and DVD-RW supports single side 4.37 computer GB* DVDs (called DVD-5) and double sided 8.75 computer GB* DVDs (called DVD-10).
These formats are supported by DVDForum.
DVD+R and DVD+RW
DVD+R is a non-rewritable format and it is compatible with about 89% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs. DVD+RW is a rewritable format and is compatible with about 79% of all DVD Players and most DVD-ROMs. DVD+R and DVD+RW supports single side 4.37 computer GB* DVDs (called DVD-5) and double side 8.75 computer GB* DVDs (called DVD-10). These formats are supported by the DVD+RW Alliance. Perhaps the most controversial feature of DVD+R is bit setting, allowing a DVD+R to be written with a lead in book type field of DVD-ROM, making set tops and stand alone hardware recognise the media as a pressed or original disc.
DVD+R DL
DVD+R DL or called DVD+R9 is a Dual Layer writeable DVD+R. The dual layered discs can hold 7.95 computer GB* (called DVD-9) and dual layered double sides 15.9* computer GB (called dvd-18).
DVD-RAM
DVD-RAM has the best recording features but it is not compatible with most DVD-ROM drives and DVD-Video players. Think more of it as a removable hard disk. DVD-RAM is usually used in some DVD Recorders. This format is supported by DVDForum.
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Final Word
Please consult the MID thread on Speedlabs in order to better educate yourself with an even wider range of media types. Although some unknown brands are listed here, please take it with a grain of salt that they will indeed have the matching MID listed within.
MID Thread
*forums.speedlabs.org/index.php/topic,357.0
N|KoN.
*www.atomicmpc.com.au/forums.asp?s=2&c=9&t=8812
...optical media nd samsung is really a bad choice!!
sum ppl r too happy with their samsung products...
spilled tea on top of it..!!!! 
