Laser Rot and warped CD-Rs

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   Although this topic has nothing to do with versions of songs or top 40 music at all, I am wondering if anyone else has experienced the dreaded "laser rot."  This is an annoying static-like noise that plagues older CDs, and sometimes it is so bad that the CD player cannot even read the disc.

Although I haven't read any official literature on this topic, I would have to guess that it's from corrosion on the metal part of the disc, perhaps from moisture attacking the metal layer over time.

Thankfully, I have not yet found any of my personal CDs with this syndrome; however, I have run across old discs at various radio stations I worked at (discs manufactured before 1990) that have "laser rot."

Is there anyone with similar experiences or further knowledge of what causes this?  I thought CDs were supposed to last a lifetime!  (Ha! Yeah, right.)

One more thing... I have run into a similar issue with older CD-Rs.  I have some that I burned back in 1997, and the discs have "bowed" in the middle, giving it a slight warp.  (In other words, if you set the disc label side down on a flat surface, the center doesn't even come close to touching the surface.)  When I play back the outside tracks from these discs, I get the same sound as a cd with "laser rot."  Has anyone run into this problem?

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
aaronk Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 16 January 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 85	Post Options Post Reply Quote aaronk Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: Laser Rot and warped CD-Rs Posted: 03 August 2005 at 7:36pm
	Although this topic has nothing to do with versions of songs or top 40 music at all, I am wondering if anyone else has experienced the dreaded "laser rot." This is an annoying static-like noise that plagues older CDs, and sometimes it is so bad that the CD player cannot even read the disc. Although I haven't read any official literature on this topic, I would have to guess that it's from corrosion on the metal part of the disc, perhaps from moisture attacking the metal layer over time. Thankfully, I have not yet found any of my personal CDs with this syndrome; however, I have run across old discs at various radio stations I worked at (discs manufactured before 1990) that have "laser rot." Is there anyone with similar experiences or further knowledge of what causes this? I thought CDs were supposed to last a lifetime! (Ha! Yeah, right.) One more thing... I have run into a similar issue with older CD-Rs. I have some that I burned back in 1997, and the discs have "bowed" in the middle, giving it a slight warp. (In other words, if you set the disc label side down on a flat surface, the center doesn't even come close to touching the surface.) When I play back the outside tracks from these discs, I get the same sound as a cd with "laser rot." Has anyone run into this problem?

Brian W. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 13 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote Brian W. Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 03 August 2005 at 7:49pm
	I can't recall encountering this on any factory-pressed CDs, though my DVD of Hitchock's "Vertigo" will not even boot up on any player, and it used to play fine. Not a scratch on it, either. I have had CD-Rs go bad on me, all Memorex. Some I burned just about three years ago will no longer play. But I have other Memorex CD-Rs older than that that play fine.

edtop40 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 29 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote edtop40 Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 August 2005 at 10:39am
	do you ever get cdr's that have really loud pops on them........i've got some cdrw that get static but i just thought they were getting worn out..........ii have old cdrs that i made on my old philips cdr that pop a lot...
	edtop40

aaronk Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Admin Group Joined: 16 January 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 85	Post Options Post Reply Quote aaronk Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 August 2005 at 10:55am
	I don't have any CD-Rs that have consistant "pops" throughout; however, it doesn't surprise me that you've discovered this. CDs aren't as long-lasting as once thought. Also, I looked up the phenomenon called "laser rot" online (also called "cd rot" and "cd deterioration), and there is such a problem. Here's a summary: CDs that were not manufactured very well (mainly reported on discs manufactured in the early to mid 80s) have a problem where the laquer coating over the information layer does not seal the aluminum in very well. The laquer "seal" could also be damaged from scratching the top surface or bending the disc. When this happens, air and moisture comes in contact with the aluminum information layer and actually corrodes it, just like rust can corrode iron. Sometimes you can see the damage, and sometimes you can only hear it.

Brian W. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 13 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote Brian W. Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 August 2005 at 3:01pm
	Ed, if there's anything on those old "popping" CDRs that are valuable, I would suggest copying them to new CDRs as soon as possible... sounds like they are starting to go bad...

budaniel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 12 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote budaniel Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 August 2005 at 6:43am
	also, make sure never to use any of those adhesive label making kits. I learned the hard way that they throw your CD off balance and make them unplayable—I recorded all my vinyl onto hundreds of CDs, and then went back to play them and found none of them would play for more than 5 minutes. As ugly as it is, all my remade CDRs are now simply labeled by hand with Sharpies.

Brian W. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 13 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote Brian W. Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 05 August 2005 at 4:17pm
	I wouldn't label them with Sharpies, either, unless they're specifically made for labeling CDs. I hear they can eventually cause the aluminum layer to deteriorate.

budaniel Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 12 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 0	Post Options Post Reply Quote budaniel Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 August 2005 at 8:40am
	aarrgghh! Brian, do you know of any safe method of labeling them? I see a lot of re-burning in my future...

Brian W. Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 13 October 2004 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 1	Post Options Post Reply Quote Brian W. Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 August 2005 at 12:56pm
	Well, they do make pens that say they're safe for labeling CDs. I don't know...

JMD1961 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Music Fan Joined: 29 March 2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 2	Post Options Post Reply Quote JMD1961 Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 August 2005 at 5:14am
	How about the new "printable" CDs that you can label with a inkjet printer? Any word on problems with those? And on the popping thing... I once made my own Van Halen compilation, but for some reason, every time I burned it, a loud pop was created between the tracks "I'll Wait" and "Panama". (It wouldn't be there when I played the line-up back on my computer.) Finally, I reversed the order of the two tracks, and the pop disappeared. Anyone know why this one happened?