I am ready to order huge quantities of Taiyo Yuden CDRs and DVDRs, but there is one thing I want to ask first. Does the plain white printable surface version offer more protection than the regular silver laquer? I do not plan to print on any of them, I will just write the titles on top with a Sharpie marker. If the printable ones add an extra layer/ coat of protection, then it would be worth it to pay the extra money for those.

Here are the ones I am asking about specifically:
Silver Laquer CDR - Taiyo Yuden ($24/100 discs)
White Printable CDR - Taiyo Yuden ($30/100 discs)

Thanks!

You might be able to find some information on the TY web site about their particular coatings. Most large companies have web pages devoted to their products these days. In general, I doubt there is any consistency as to whether clear or pigmented coatings give better scratch protection. Many different materials can be used to make paints and varnishes.

Since the dye is on the other side of the reflective layer, the top coating material probably isn't terribly relevant for protection against light either. If there is any effective difference, it should be in favor of the one passing the least light.

I don't know about TY, but I have problems with Verbatim DataLifePluses with printable surfaces. They gain errors much faster than their non-printable equivalents from the same period.

I'd be careful.

Generally you're going to be safer marking on DVD media simply because the write layer is sandwiched between two plastic "discs" that make up the whole disc. With CDR media the writable layer is exposed and marking and or scratching the top of a CDR will damage the written data if you're not careful.

No, the dye layer and reflective surface are not exposed in cd-r. It's just that the plastic layer on the top surface of cds is much thinner than the bottom layer. That means that scratches and (maybe) ink solvents can petetrate and damage the data layer fairly easily.

DVD is safer because the plastic layers are equally thick on both sides. This does make DVDs easier to damage on the bottom surface though.

For CDRs it depends a lot on the brand as to how durable the top layer really is. Verbatim Datalife used to be really, really, really bad. I could soak a CDR in water and then rub the data layer off with my fingers.

DataLife - yes, they weren't great (except 32x kind, TY made). But DataLifePlus were Verbatim's primary product. Printable version weren't that durable or that well protected, it seems.

from my experience, the only consistently good cdr i have used is taiyo yuden silver printable surface discs. they play in almost any player, resiste scratches for the most part, and seem to last a while.

almost every other cd ive gotten in a store though sucks. a few exceptions of course.

edit: just to save confusion, its not really silver, more flat grey. i imagine the white ones are the same thing.