cd-rw's (1 Viewer)

[ralph_barr]

upgrade to a new computer this week. this is the first computer with a cd burner in it. can anyone tell me why the cd's I burn will not play in my car unit and what do I do to fix this problem? thanks in advance

 

[Kevin C Brown]

You can do some searching here, but these are the usual suspects:

1) You are using crap CD-R's. I say, you have to use a name brand like TDK, Maxell, Sony, or Fuji. (Or, the best is suppoosed to be Taiyo Yuden, or something.) I have never had a problem with any of these brands. I personally also tried Memorex, and had nothing *but* problems with them. My sister also had problems with Memorex.

1a) Even if you're using a good brand, try a different brand. Some drives like some brands more than others.

2) Simple fact: older CD players simply might not play *any* CD-R.

3) CD-R's are more compatible with players than CD-RW's.

4) Try slowing down the write speed in your burner. For example, my burner can burn at 48x, but I have it slowed down to 8x. That also helps with compatibility.

See if any of those help.

 

[PaulT]

5) if you are using CD-RW (rather than CD-R), then make sure you have finalised (or closed) the disc in the recording software.

 

[Philip Hamm]

Kevin, read the title of the thread .....

ralph, ignore Kevin's post till he revises it.

Very few CD players can play CD-RWs. Almost all CD players can play CD-Rs.

If the "car unit" is not a modern unit that can play MP3 CDs and such, I'd say the chances are about 1 in 100 that it can play CD-RWs.

 

[Leo Kerr]

also, when in doubt, write CD-DA discs, not collections of MP3 files.

And as an aside, the expense and bother of a CD-RW makes them, to me, a non-starter. I do use DVD-RWs as intermediate check-discs, but when I finish a DVD project, it gets written out to DVD-R.

Leo

 

[Philip Hamm]

What's the "bother"?

 

[Will_B]

Maybe you are accidentally making data CDs rather than music CDs. It is a choice in whatever burning program you are using.

 

[Kevin C Brown]

Ooops. :b

I read the question *in* the thread, but not the title. Well, #3 is still appropriate.

 

[Leo Kerr]

I suppose 'bother' could need to be justified...

When we first met the CD-RW, they were expensive, dead-dog slow, needed to be 'formatted' first at 1/2 the write speed, and were wildly incompatible with most players.

By the time any of those problems may have been fixed or not (I really quit paying attention,) the single-use CR-Rs were being commonly sold for

 

[Philip Hamm]

I personally find the concept of throwaway CDs environmentally repulsive and just wasteful. I have a bunch of CD-RWs I've been using for all kinds of stuff for years, I don't find them to bea bother I find them to be great! And have you heard recently that the longevity of CD-Rs has come into quesiton (I know I've had a few kick out on me), while -RWs are found to be MUCH more long lasting.

 

[DaveF]

Do you have any links or references on this? I've been listening to the occaisional report on CD longevity, but what I've read is far from authoritative.

 

[Anthony Hom]

I have experience of burning CD-Rs and CD-RWs to play on other players. Unless your CD player (car or not) says it is CD-R or CD-RW compatible, there is no guarantee it will play (although some will). I agree with the others here. Burn at the slowest speed and your results may improve. Also make sure the CD-RW is burned in one session, do not do multi-session and if it is, erase it and try again.