I will be certain to take your concerns with Verbatim media into consideration. I have experienced very few problems with it in BOTH -R and +R versions AND by many of their ACTUAL manufacturers, so far. I don't use it exclusively or in large quantities, however. I buy quality media in bulk quantities from reliable sources, for most of my projects. I use primarily what has worked well for me in the past and pay close attention to the drive manufacturer's recommendations and the ACTUAL manufacturer of the media.

Can you identify the manufacturer's code of the suspect discs? It would be helpful to know exactly which manufacturer of "Verbatim" discs you actually had trouble with. Were they purchased in bulk or retail? Were they purchased from a reliable source? (Yes, I have stated and experienced that Verbatim media is made by several manufacturers for Verbatim and SOLD under the Verbatim brand name, just to clarify the issue!)

I would also caution you regarding "Staples" media. I have encountered "Staples" branded media from a few different manufacturers. The ones I presently have are DVD-R and appear to be made by CMC Magnetics and are identified as "CMC MAG AE1". I have had good results with these. These are identified as the SAME manufacturer as some of the Verbatim discs that I had on hand. I had some that were of a different manufacturer and did encounter some compatibility issues, although they were few. I don't remember the manufacturer and since my girlfriend decided to clean up one of my work areas, I can't just put my hand on the paper I wrote it down on. I'm sure it's still here somewhere, but I would have to think like her to figure out where she would have put it. I just can't seem to get inside an alien mind, so it will be discovered by accident when it's usefullness has expired.

Any store brand media and some "Name Brands" are subject to variabilities such as manufacturers and quality. I would test the media before purchasing large quantities. Low quality or incompatible media is no bargain at any price. There are many forums concerning media as well as sites claiming to be the absolute authority on the subject. I visit a few from time to time, but have found the following one helpful on occasion. http://www.videohelp.com/dvdmedia . They deal mostly with DVD Video player compatibility AND DVD writers with various media. I will NOT vouch for their accuracy or integrity, but sometimes the user comments are entertaining. I have provided the link here to illustrate my point AND so that you might begin some research into the various brands and types of media. If you look into Verbatim DVD media, you will notice that they also list Verbatim media from MANY different manufacturers AND that people have had varying degrees of success with the various manufacturers and NOT necessarily just with "Verbatim" Media in general.

Now just add to this information that there are varying levels of quality within brands. Some discs are dumped as seconds and are usually found at bargain prices. Just because a disc is made by a particular manufacturer does not mean or ensure it's quality is good. There are also counterfeit discs on the market so be careful of where you buy them.

So you thought you were using "Verbatim" discs and then went to Staples and got something different under the "Staples" brand name? Maybe not, you have to actually check the discs to find out!

Doing a good "Slow Burn" is one of my many attributes! It does seem to be the ONLY "good" choice when you are referring to Discs!