OPTICAL DRIVES (CD-R/RW)
A site devoted to CD-Rs and DVD-Rs with good
information on disk quality -- http://www.cdmediaworld.com/hardware/cdrom/cd_quality.shtml
CD-R/RW burner reviews at CNET: http://reviews.cnet.com/4502-3201_7-0.html.
If you're buying a CD-R/RW, make sure your
CD burning software supports the particular
model you have in mind. For example, for
Easy CD Creator software, go to the Recorder
Support Database. It won't really matter if you get software
with the new drive, unless you want to use
another program though.
http://rpp.roxio.com/drives/?page=supported_drives
I use "Nero - Burning ROM" on one
computer and Roxio "Easy CD Creator"
on another. Both have worked fine for me.
I located useful reviews for these two (never
mind the "Mac" domain name -- there's
information on the Windows versions too)
and there's more reviews at Goggle.
http://homepage.mac.com/techedgeezine/best_cd_software_1.htm
http://www.google.com/search?q=CD+best+review+burning+software
Has your CD-RW drive stopped recording. There's
a good chance that too much dust has accumulated
on the lazer lens. If you're mechanically
inclined, you can clean the lens. Yahama
once provided illustrated instructions.
http://www.geocities.com/liru67/clean/clean_your_cdr_w__part_1.html
CD-R quality and life
How long do CDs last? Cheap ones may not
last even a year. Better ones will last from
3 to 10 years or more. The best will last
100 years or more if they're carefully stored
(cool, dry and dark). If you want them to
last, get the premium line, for example,
"Datalife Plus" by Verbatim. [details]
General CD-R information
Do you have more questions about CD-R capacity,
lifetime, drives, brands, etc.? Find out
all you ever wanted to know about CD-Rs,
but were afraid to ask, in the "CD-Recordable FAQ". TIP: The pages there are long. You can use them
easier by clicking a topic, reading what
you want, and then using your "Back"
button to return to the Table of Contents. [more]
Answers to questions that members have had
I use Sharpie-Fine Point permanent markers by Sanford to write on
my CDs. They're not a recommended marker, but they're the only ones that that
I can readily find. Many people use them
and Sanford states that they're OK too, even
though they don't officially "recommended"
them. Whatever you do, don't use a pencil or ball-point
pen.
MP3-CDs are not "Audio-CDs". Most
software for burning CDs can make either
Audio-CDs or MP3-CDs from *.mp3 files. Audio-CDs
are similar to music CDs that you buy at
retail stores. MP3-CDs are more like Data-CDs.
MP3-CDs contain about 10 times as much music
as one CD, but ordinary CD players, which work only with commercial
CDs, cannot play them. Confused? Jump to
this old newsletter for more on *.mp3 CDs.
"Multisession" or "No Multisession"?
If you want to squeeze as much data as possible
onto to a CD blank choose the "No Multisession"
mode. Otherwise you lose 23MB of space (which
is only about 3.5%) as explained in the paragraph
below. But, if you do not choose "Multisession",
and subsequently record another
session anyway,
Windows will not show the first
data that
you recorded. It is possible
to "convince"
windows to show it, but it's
awkward to do
so. [Here's how you do it using
Nero. Right-click
the CD drive letter in Windows
Explorer >
select Properties > Volumes
tab > double-click
the session you want to "mount"
> click OK. Then refresh the
view -- View
> Refresh -- in Windows Explorer]
The PCA (Power Calibration Area), PMA (Program
Memory Area), TOC (Table of Contents), lead-in,
and lead-out areas don't count against the
time rating on single-session CDs. You really
do get all the storage that the disc is rated
for. On a multisession disc, you lose about
23MB of space when the first session is closed,
and about 14MB for each subsequent session.
A common mistake when writing multisession
CDs is to overestimate the amount of space
that will be available for future sessions,
so be sure to take this into account. --
adapted from CD-Recordable FAQ
DVD burners
I've never used one, or even seen one in
action. But here's a report, dated 10/27/2003
from Tom's Hardware, on 11 DVD burners. http://www6.tomshardware.com/storage/20031027/index.html
HARD DRIVES
You can find good general information on
hard drives at these links:
http://www.pcguide.com/ref/hdd/index.htm
http://www.infinisource.com/features/faster-harddrive.html
http://www.karbosguide.com/
I've had good luck with Western Digital,
Seagate and Maxtor hard drives, but your
mileage may vary.
See Rob Williams' guide to upgrading your hard drive.
Read about my experience with an external hard drive. [more]
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