This is slightly off topic, but can anyone advise as to which CD re-writer is best for playback quality? I have had countless CD gifts from friends with cheap CDRWs and the CD's never play in any other macine than the original recording one, which defies the whole point. I want to playback in the car CD.
I have heard that 20X10X40 can be ok
what about 40X12X40?
thanks
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They're just being copied incorrectly. The brand of drive used makes no difference to quality - a digital copy is a digital copy.
If they're using easy cd-creator (probably) you need to choose the "disk at once" option for it to work in standard audio cd players.
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The write speed can have affect - but in that the write may crash if good quality software is not used. These better software packages are labelled "burn-proff" or some such.
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The problem with CD-RWs is that unless the player is specifically designed to read them, then you're stuck. The problem lies in the fact that you can't close a CD-RW, hence there is no index track. The player has to physically find each file before it can play it.
As for actual CD-RW drives, check compatibility with the software first. For example, Easy CD Creator doesn't recognise a lot of the more recent high-speed writers. Also, there aren't many CD-R discs that are capable of being written to at much above 16x. Plextor and Yamaha make good drives.
Andy
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My experience (see earlier thread on this) suggests that there are several variables involved here. The CD writer, the type of blank CD-ROM (they vary in the dye type they use - silver, gold, green, blue...) and the playback machine. I suspect that the power of the laser used to both write and then read back the digital pits on the blank plays a part (maybe in car players have been a bit slack in conforming to the official CD Red Book standard) and that car playback machines can be a bit marginal at times. Generally, any CD-R I record that gives problems in car is fine on the various domestic playback machines I posess, which suggests that the problem's not necessarily with my CD Writer (although this may play a part of course).
For what it's worth, I get best results in my Clarion 6 disk changer unit with green and gold dye blanks - silver blanks quite frequently refuse to play completely or are prone to skipping. Trial and error is required here, but my advice is to find a blank that works for your particular combination of burner and playback machine and stick with it.
I note from you question that you "have had countless CD gifts from friends with cheap CDRWs and the CD's never play in any other machine than the original recording one". I'm probably teaching my granny to suck what she shouldn't, but you should bear in mind that your in car player is unlikely to support the CD-RW format as opposed to standard CD-R (CD-RW's can be re-recorded multiple times while CD-R's are 'one shot' recording media). Make sure your friends give you CD-R disks, not CD-RW.
Boost is correct in suggesting that you should ensure that the disk is closed by your burning software as your in car machine is also unlikely to be able to handle multi-session recordings, so the disk at once option is indeed a good idea.
Phil T
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You don't say what make of car Stereo you have ... some makes are better than others in playing back CDR's than others.
The CD player in my Focus plays back everything I can throw at it - both CDR and CDRW, recorded at any speed. Whereas my 8 year old Hifi will only play Gold CDR's recorded at 2X.
For best results, try a range of different colour CDR's, and start initial recording at 2X (or even 1X if you have the time available) and find out what works for you.
Nero is my favourite application, and as mentioned above, always write 'Disk at Once'.
By all means purchase the fastest CD-Writer you can budget for, but don't expect to be able to reliably play back high-speed-recorded CDR's on older equipment.
Steve
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Phil is correct in saying that the problem lies in using CDRW disks rather than CDR's. Only the latest CD players are capable of reading CDRW's, but I have found that CDR's can be played back on any machine.
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I have had Mitsumi, Phillips, Yamaha and TDK cd-writers. The TDK is my newest and supports CD-TEXT and Burn-Proof. I find the burn-proof very good and totally eliminates the chance of a buffer-underrun occuring which is the most common problem of a CD messing up mid burn (specially if you have a slow PC).
Never had a problem playing CDs in the car with any of them - you just need to make sure you finalise the CD when burning it. CD-RWs will not play though.
I have used all kinds of blanks from mega expensive to the super cheap - noticed hardly no difference between them so currently use super cheapies! Sometimes writing at a slower speed can yield better results. Copied discs do skip more than original discs, but this is only when you drive through some of the craters they install on old roads.
HTH,
Mark.
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CDRW is a red herring. CD-RW blanks are so expensive compared to CD-R blanks that you're very unlikely to get a CDRW as a gift.
I would suggest going into a shop and trying out all your CDR copies and finding out for yourself which CD players work. Problems with CDR/W recorders are usually down to the software settings, not the unit itself.
Stevieboy is right about the Focus's CD player - it even plays CDRs so damaged they sound like scratched records on a fancy Hi-Fi.
Rob F
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All double Dutch!
Does all this mean, as I suspect, I can play on my standard CD player ordinary commercial CDs, but not some pirated ones (no objection to piracy, just a question)?
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Tomo Wrote:
>>Does all this mean, as I suspect, I can play on my standard CD player ordinary commercial CDs, but not some pirated ones (no objection to piracy, just a question)?
No, it means that if you have an older CD Player, certain things may need to be done during the preperation process of a copied CD {eg, choose a certain brand of blank CD} to make it play.
Steve
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It's all down to reflectivity:
A normal CD is approx 70 percent reflective, a CDR 40ish and a CDRW can be as low as 15-20 percent reflective.
Few audio CD players will accept CDRWs, even many recent ones though CDRs should not pose significant problems for any CD player of the last few years. Your average CD will simply not be able to read the CDRW due to the lack of laser reflection.
Given CDRs can be purchased in bulk for a matter of pence each, I'd buy yourself a load and burn what you require onto these at a low rate (1x, 2x at most 4x) and that should hopefully clear up the problem. You might want to run a laser cleaner through your car CD player as well.
Hope that helps.
Dan
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thanks Dan, made it all very simple.
Some good advice, thanks all!
martin
p.s basically it seems to get good playback you:
-get a goodish CD record machine
-buy CDR's only (quality ones)
-record um slow
-use more modern CD players which can handle the burnt CDs on playback
straight forward enough!
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