Tips
& Suggestions for more successful playback of your burnt CDs
on standard CD stereo equipment.
When
in doubt, use a blank CD-R! Most players are not compatible
with CD-RW's. (The CD-RW's use a different laser technology...which
is why they can be re-written upon.)
First and foremost is media compatibility. Not all
players get along with all brands of CD-R media. You need
to find a combination of recorder, media, and player that get along.
Having skips & jumps during playback? If you're
getting skips and jumps, make sure that you don't have anti-skip
protection enabled. This is usually only available on portable or
car players, and you may not be able to disable it on car players.
Make
sure you treat your blank CD-R's with respect. Scratches
or dust may cause write errors! Handle the discs carefully!
Try
recording at a slower speed! Some media works better at
1x, 2x, or 4x than it does at other speeds. You may find that slowing
down or speeding up the recorder helps. (The suggested burn speed
on the blank CD-R is there for a reason!)
Some
opinions from Internet Citizens: Many people have reported that
Kenwood CD players don't deal with CD-Rs very well, while Alpine
units play nearly everything.
Good
old 80 minute CDR issue! 80 minute CDRs do not have the same
level of compatibility with players as 74 minute CDRs. A TDK
technician said the following on the matter:
"The CD-R 80 is a special product developed
by TDK to meet the application needs of software developers and
music studios. To achieve its 80 minute recording time, track pitch
and scanning velocity specification tolerances had to be minimized,
reducing the margin of error between drive and media. This means
limited compatibility between some CD-Recorders and CD-ROM Readers.
If you intend to use this recording length, please check with your
hardware manufacturer. Use of the CD-R80 is at one's own risk. No
guarantees of performance are made by TDK."
Final word... While there are clearly defined
standards for CD-R media, there are no such standards for CD and CD-ROM
drives -- other than that they be able to read CDs. It is possible
for media to be within allowed tolerances, but be unreadable by a
CD-ROM drive that can handle pressed discs without trouble. All you
can do in this sort of situation is find a better-quality CD or CD-ROM
drive, or switch to a brand of media whose characteristics are on
the other side of the tolerance zone.
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