I was about 5 minutes too late, so I have started a new thread.
I make the assumption this is allowed..my apologies to the moderators if not..
Dessayfan said:
OK - I've been using Vivid CD Enhancer from Walker Audio for a month now, and have found it to be absolutely wonderful. BUT
I wonder if any of you have used it - and what your reaction is to what it does to CDs and DVDs.
I have never used the product, so cannot state one way or another..however...
The ability of the laser mechanism to track and read the information on a CD is absolutely determined by the optical integrity of the medium...
That medium is defined by several entities.
1. The boundary between the air, and the poly.
2. The poly itself.
3. The reflection coefficient of the data structure.
4. The molecular adhesion of the data layer to the poly.
A CD cleaner primarily affects 1, the boundary..a secondary effect will be on 2, I'll discuss that later.
The gross reflection coefficient of the boundary will be determined by it's dielectric constant, and by the contamination of the surface by things which change that coefficient, prematurely reflect the laser, or diffuse the laser by any means.
Dirt and contamination will diffuse the laser.
A scratch will do the same. ANY contact with that surface will scratch it..wiping with a cloth will..a finger, a shirt...anything.
One method to remove a scratch is to remove the material to a depth below that of the scratch...that is the method used when sanding wood, or polishing a metal sample for metallurgical examination of grain structure.
To do so effectively, you start with a large grit abrasive to remove the bulk of the material around the scratch...Then you go with smaller grit to get rid of the scratches you put in getting below the initial one..then smaller, and smaller...eventually you will reduce the scratches to a size which is not discernable using the optical mechanism (laser for the CD, metallurgical scope for the other)..at that point, the surface is called "polished", and shiny..
The other method, is to fill in the scratch with a material that has the same dielectric coefficient as the base. This method also requires that the material in solution form, be capable of wetting the surface of the scratch at or near the molecular level...this calls for a very agressive wetting agent.
If the vivid solution contains both of these items, then it will indeed be very good for the intended use.
It must also be capable of NOT outgassing in the long term, any volatiles which are capable of either attacking the data side through it's coating, or the poly side by diffusion.
Diffusion, I have experienced, by way of those flexible round cd cases. As it turns out, the plasticizer that is used to provide flexibility for the hinge of the case, is capable of outgassing, and causes the poly side of my cd's to fog over the long term. A good solution would also be capable of, either by design, or accident, to inhibit this diffusion of outgassing products. (BTW, that was the discussion of the #2 from above).
I now use those flexible cases only for interim transport, not for archival purposes.
I also use only acid free paper for the inside of case labels, and I do not use those sticky labels on the cd...although I do so because I think that is better, not because I have been bitten by those items.
Cheers, John
