CD Questions

  • Thread starter Thread starter Michael Jones
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Michael Jones

Michael Jones

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What is meant by a "Redbook Quality" CD?
Can I burn one on my consumer grade PC?
Where do you get blanks?
How do they differ from CDR or CDRw?
 
In a nutshell, Red Book is a standard for audio CDs for compatability. If you have a CD burner in your computer, you can make audio CDs that are Red Book. The blanks are CD-Rs and can be purchased just about anywhere nowadays and are cheaper than cassettes. CD-RWs are re-writable (you can erase whatever's written on them and write on them again) The downside of this is most, not all, but most CD players can't read them but with CD-Rs being so cheap you can make quik mixes on them and if they're not up to snuff just toss 'em or use them as coasters so you don't get those nasty water rings on the coffee table (I'm paying about 25 cents per CD-R).
:D
 
OK, so Red Book is not really anything special, just a normal Cd-R?
Thanks for your help.
 
Michael - Red book is the standard for audio cd format (as Track Rat said). It is not the CD-R itself, but rather how the data is configured on the CD-R so that it will play in audio CD players.

Essentally anytime you burn an audio CD you are burning it to red book standard - which defines what information can be included (e.g., track start, pause, etc.) and how the information is placed on the CD.

It may not be anything special, but imagine if you could only play Steely Dan CD's on CD Players mfg. by JVC or Sony. But Doobie Bros. CD's could only be played on Kenwood CD Players. That's where you'd be without a standard.

Course, then again, the standard could have been developed by Microsoft, in which case CD's wouldn't play on anything. :)
 
Will,

Thanks for the good reference on CDR above. I found it very usefull and I also checked out a pricewatch service for the CDR wich was listed on the website and it looked like much better prices than I have seen locally at Best Buy and Circiut City etc.

From what I gathered CDRW drives can write to CDR and CDRW formats depending on wich discs you use.

CDR is better for music as it is more compatible with most audio CD players while CDRW may be more economical for computer data backup as you can re-write over it.

Can someone out there verify this for me please as I am planning on getting a CDR or CDRW for my birthday in a week or so and I want it for both music recording and computer backup uses.

Scooter B
 
IMO, use CD-R media only. CD-RW media might be ok if it's some type of continually updating/backup database application or something. But for audio data, CD-R is ideal.

I don't like the idea of being able to erase backups.

So, pro's / cons.

CD-RW Media

Pro's

- Rewritable

Con's

- Erasable
- More expensive
- Take half an hour to format before you can use them

CD-R Media

- Non Erasable
- Dirt Cheap
- Ready to go out of the box


---

Wait a sec, I notice you say your thinking of buying a 'cd-r or cd-rw'

Every current CD burner on the market is CD-RW. You will have a tough time finding a new burner that isn't capable of using rewritable media.

While I'm editing.

Some burners to check out while your out shopping:

Plextor
Yamaha
TDK
Sony
LG electronics

Some to avoid:

Anything prefixed with 'cyber'
Smart and Friendly
Acer
Richo
 
Thanks Emeric,

What about software?

I was planning on getting the TDK b/c I heard the software was good (as far as no coasters/reliability) and the price had dropped to $99 after rebates but alas now I cant find them anywhere.

I have seen some Yamaha with Nero - good or bad for audio (as far as Nero)?

I have to stay in the $100 range for my birthday present.

Thanks
 
Nero is decent enough. I found the interface a bit weird, but outside that it's functional enough. It's better than EZ-CD.

There are lots of freeware burning app's out there as well, I wouldn't worry to much about what software comes with the burner. EZ-CD is the most popular one bundled with burners, as well as NTI (NTK? can't remember).
 
An audio CD-R is written in Orange book and Orange book II with software that makes it mimmick the Red book standard of a commercial CD. It is not Red book, hence some of the playability problems on older players, dvd players, etc.
 
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