[meesha]

Does anyone have any good results from using any of the cd/dvd cleaners/repairers out there. I've heard that some repair systems do more harm than good. I have a few cds that are skipping like crazy.
Thanks very m..m..mmmmm..mmm..mm..m..mmuuuu...u.u.u.u....u.ccc c..c..ch

 

[Snake]

I used those things before, some work well. The one that worked the best for big problems was actually a 'polish' - a very fine abrasive which polished the plastic.

So now I use the best kept secret in CD's to do the same...toothpaste.

Yes, toothpaste.

Colgate is a extra fine abrasive, while Arm & Hammer is a medium grade (don't use it except in extreme desperation!). Polish center to edge, never circular, with a damp super soft cloth. Wash clean and dry. Start very very light pressure, rinse, check, repeat as necessary.

Only Colgate works - Crest is chemically based with no abrasive components (this is beginning to sound like another "tweak" thread!)

Otherwise, best alternate way? Burn a copy - if the drive in the computer can read it better (see if you can write a HD file to buffer the reads) you'll have a perfect copy.

 

[Xanadu777]

Here is a thread on this subject, Brasso seems to be the thing!

 

[davei]

This one works better:

http://www4.head-fi.org/forums/showt...threadid=56427

 

[meesha]

Bought the brasso today.
Didn't fix the problem on the cds I tried, but at least it didn't make it worse.
Maybe the scratches are too deep. On a side note, I tried the stuff on a dvd that was skipping. it wasn't really a scratch but rather a strange scuffing that was preventing it from being read. But it seemed to help the problem on the dvd. I am assuming now brasso is not really for scratches but rather light marks or dirt. But You might be happy to know that it worked on a dvd as well a cd.

 

[ooheadsoo]

Snake's toothpaste solution should do the trick if the damage is light. Don't forget the skip doctors if you get really desperate. Alternatively, you can bring your cds to your local electronics boutique or maybe even gamestop and get them to wet sand it down for you. They charge $1-2. The skip doctor gear ratio is REALLY low, so you'll be cranking for a long while.

 

[davei]

Guys, don't bother with Brasso or toothpaste or whatever - see the link above, that plastic cleaner is cheap, idiot proof (dab a bit and rub with a clean cloth) and works ten times better.

 

[Cyberius]

I use SkipDoctor.

When you mess up a $18 CD so bad that you can't even make a backup copy, it makes the difference between not being able to make a clean rip with exactaudiocopy, and making one.

 

[BANGPOD]

I agree with Cyberius.

I use CDdoctor (one of the -doctor lines, there are so many out now), and it makes CD's that are virtually unreadable (scratched, divetted, water damaged, heat damaged, you name it) turn into readable (in some cases) or good enough quality to be burned (and thus saved) CD's. It really works and I have one in my closet, so I can vouch for every inch of it.

It is truly a life saver, I don't know how many CD's I would have to buy again if it wasn't for that great CD cleaner.

BANGPOD