Disappearance of Kodak and HP Media

[NorEaster]

Hello all,

In pursuit of, in my opinion, the best CD-RWs available, I found out from HP that they won't be manufacturing their CD-RWs anymore, and in trying to obtain Kodak CD-RWs, I learned the same thing. I have a "backorder" in progress at an online store as a last resort to grab Kodak discs though I'm not hopeful. The major office chains appear to only sell the "hi-Val", "Memorex", and similar Ritek media. Why is it so difficult to obtain Mitsui media and where could I go to be guaranteed Taiyo Yuden media, if any such media is still available? With brands like Sony, Imation, and TDK made by both good and bad manufactures I am very frustrated by the market and really don't know where to turn without Kodak and HP. I still cannot believe their discs won't be made anymore.

Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Josh

[Fire_Burner]

It is extremely difficult to find CD-RW's made by companies other than Mitsubishi Chemicals Corp. in Singapore or Taiwan, Infodisc (Ritek) now made right here in Australia, and CMC Magnetics Corp. in Taiwan. You'll find that most brands of CD-RW's (Imation, Kodak, etc.) will be made by one of those companies.

Taiyo Yuden Co. Ltd. Japan make only CD-R's, and currently markets their product in Australia as 80-minute That's CD-Rs. They cost about US$0.60 each, with jewel cases, including tax, which makes them extremely competitive when compared to other brands.

Kodak still markets CD-RW's, but they're made in Taiwan by CMC Magnetics in Taiwan, so I suggest using Mitsubishi Chemicals CD-R, marketted here as Verbatim and Mitsubishi Japan CD-RW.

Hope that helps,

FB.