TDK, Imation and Verbatim are in the process of requesting that Japanese authorities take action to stem the tide of imported black DVD writable media that contains pirated M-Codes. M-Codes are the identification that is encoded into writable optical media that tells the writer how to configure itself for use with the black disc.

The majority of the discs that are using M-Codes that don’t belong to them appear to be coming from a variety of second tier sources. The M-Codes are the property of the company that owns them and it is only supposed to be used on blank media that it has been tested and assigned to. While some companies license the use of their M-Code, this is only to be done under the watchful eye of the M-Code owner.

The need for higher quality media that meets a higher standard is necessary with the high speed optical writers and often times many discs that are produced using pirated M-Codes are of a lesser quality, which can present problems for the end user. Media from second tier sources is often times much cheaper because these vendors are not paying the proper royalties to the correct parties. Oftentimes media with pirated M-Codes is sold in countries that do not have laws that govern M-Code piracy.

When it comes to optical media, you get what you pay for. The track record on low priced budget media normally comes from second tier sources who are selling B and C grade media that is not made the highest standard. For the best performance and the fewest problems, it is best to purchase branded media from a trusted source.

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