CDs gone brown

Posted by: Derek Wright on 10 January 2002

Several of my mid 1980s CDs are going brown - some are giving playback errors.

There was reports of one of the pressing plants having problems and replacing the faulty CDs but I do not have any details of who and where.

Can any one tell me the name and address of where I can get replacements from.

Has anyone else had brown CDs

Posted on: 10 January 2002 by P

I had this problem too - it generally affects CDs manufactured between 1988 and 1993.

Call the PDO Helpline on 0800 387063 and they will do their best to replace the offending articles FOC inc P&P!

HTH

Posted on: 10 January 2002 by Derek Wright

I have spoken with the PDO helpline and just have to post off the faulty CDS,
useful information at
www.hyperion-records.co.uk/bronzed.asp
It also interesting to look at
www.classical.net/music/guide/bronzedcds.html

So many thanks for the lead
Derek

Posted on: 10 January 2002 by P

Not too sure if that's the right word but the more you look the more you find.

CDs have a limited lifespan of 100 years IIRC.

Makes you wonder about your "investment" does it not?

Anyone know how long a vinyl record was designed to last?

Posted on: 10 January 2002 by Martin M

quote:
CDs have a limited lifespan of 100 years IIRC.

250 years for some CD-Rs. Either way, probably longer than the master tape they are made from.

Posted on: 10 January 2002 by P

That's not what I've read recently but then again I don't doubt that I may have been subjected to a bit of scaremongering on behalf of the author.

There's still the issue of encoded copyright protection to contend with though.

Anyone else notice the degradation in recent CD recording quality on certain big shifting CDs or is it just me?

REMs last effort springs immediately to mind here.

Posted on: 10 January 2002 by Andrew L. Weekes

This topic appeared in the Hi-Fi press some years ago.

The reflective CD substrate is normally aluminium, but to increase manufacturing capability some Video disc manufacturing plants produced CD's.

These discs use silver as the reflective medium, which has a tendency to oxidise.

The primary problem, IIRC, was a gas (sulphur compound?) given off by the paper / card used in packaging, I believe it affected card-enveloped CD's at first. The cure, I believe, was a different protective lacquer coating to these CD's.

Andy.

Posted on: 14 January 2002 by Bosh

Anyone have a contact for Dureco. I have a rusty Leslie West CD thats unplayable and have contacted Roadrunner who say they no have longer have release right.

Tried the Net without success

Posted on: 14 January 2002 by Derek Wright

Does the CD label indicate what country the CD was made in - if it was the UK - give the PDO Helpline a call

Posted on: 14 January 2002 by Bosh

Tried PDO they are only interested if it says "Made in UK by PDO". It just says "Dureco" and the release no.

Dureco apparently press in Holland and France but I cant read any of the sites Google hits!!

Posted on: 14 January 2002 by Martin Payne

quote:
Originally posted by Bosh:
Dureco apparently press in Holland and France but I cant read any of the sites Google hits!!

Bosh,

have you tried Alta Vista language translations?

cheers, Martin