How Do You Pick Up The Right CDR?
So you thought picking up some CD-R media on the way home from work was going to be easy. Dreamer! Instead, you're standing in the store, confronted by a dizzying array of choices: discs that are gold, silver, red, blue, or even purple; speed ratings; pricier certified discs and less expensive non certified ones; and brands ranging from household names to house labels. Are any of these differences worth worrying about, or can you just grab the color that suits your fancy and get on with your life? CNET asked the experts--and tested the actual media from four common brands: CompUSA, Imation, Sony, and Yamaha. We found that while CD-R media in general are pretty reliable, there are definite differences in quality and some easy ways to avoid bad experiences.

Media Type

The most obvious differences between CD-Rs, such as color, capacity, and speed, have the least impact on your buying decision. But dig deeper--literally--into the disc, and you'll find the heart of the matter.

Color, size, and speed
Designer colors such as red, blue, purple, and black have become popular recently and are purely cosmetic, having no affect at all on the quality or compatibility of a disc. There's another, more subtle color issue involving the reflective layer of the disc and archival life, but we'll get to that later.

The capacity of a disc is a no-brainer: 80-minute/700MB discs hold more than 74-minute/650MB discs; if you want to write more data or music per disc, get the 80-minute discs. Just be aware that some older drives and CD players may not be able to read 80-minute discs, although this problem is becoming increasingly rare.

The speed rating of a disc--indicating the top speed at which you can reliably write data to it--is also pretty straightforward. The rule of thumb is to use discs that match the top speed of your drive, such as 24X media for a 24X/10X/40X drive or 12X media for a 12X/10X/32X drive. You can always use higher-rated media for a slower-rated drive, but trying to use slower-rated media in a higher-rated drive could lead to problems.

Quality control
The less obvious differences in discs--the materials used and the grade of quality control--are what really make or break them. We'll get to the materials later, but now for the bad news about quality control: There's no accounting for it. According to experts such as Vadim Brenner of Oak Technology, so many different companies manufacture CD-R media in so many different places that it's almost impossible to track or test it all. Media quality varies for other reasons, too; vendors are constantly switching sources, good manufacturers can have bad days, and the quality of basic materials can vary. Other factors, including the quality of the laser, the firmware, and the mechanics of the drive reading and writing to the disc, can also affect the outcome.

The good news is that the overall quality of discs is quite good. Manufacturing CD-R media is a well-developed and understood process; where we once routinely saw 5 or so bad discs on every spindle of 50, we now get some spindles with no faulty platters at all. Of course, we may simply be lucky--it's that much of a crapshoot.

Another way to buy reliable media is to stick with a major company that manufactures its own--such as Fuji, Kodak, Maxell, Mitsui, Taiyo Yuden, TDK, or Verbatim. These companies exercise direct control over the materials and processes that go into making the discs, ensuring a more consistent level of quality. House-brand media, such as CompUSA's, and even some big-name brands buy their discs from a variety of companies, so quality may not be as consistent from batch to batch.

Because media quality can be so unpredictable, it should be only one part of a larger data-safety program. To safeguard vital data, you should also employ your software's Verify function and make two or more copies in case of an emergency.

Cheap or good?
If you're strapped for cash, don't worry. While certified media will buy you some peace of mind, not all data-storage needs justify the media's higher price. If you're producing non archival music CDs, disseminating data for the short haul, or simply making quick one-offs to send to friends, cheapies on a spindle may be more economical, even if you get a few bad discs per batch. Of course, you risk wasting time by writing to the bad discs--but you get what you pay for.

What's CD-R? CD-RW?
CD-R is short for "CD-Recordable". Recordable CDs are WORM (Write Once, Read Multiple) media that work just like standard CDs. The advantage of CD-R over other types of optical media is that you can use the discs with a standard CD player. The disadvantage is that you can't reuse a disc. A related technology called CD-Rewritable (CD-RW) allows you to erase discs and reuse them, but the CD-RW media doesn't work in all players. CD-Rewritable drives are able to write both CD-R and CD-RW discs. All CD recorders can read CDs and CD-ROMs, just like a standard CD-ROM drive.

Are they identical to normal CDs?
The CDs you buy in a store are pressed from a mold. CD-Rs are burned with a laser. They may look different (often green, gold, or blue instead of silver), they're less tolerant of extreme temperatures and sunlight, and they're more susceptible to physical damage. Whether CD-Rs or pressed CDs last longer is difficult to answer. While they're not physically identical, they work just the same. Some CD players and CD-ROM drives aren't as good at reading CD-R and CD-RW discs as they are at reading pressed CDs, but by and large they work just fine. By the way, you can't record on pressed discs, so you might as well throw out all those AOL CD-ROMs you've been accumulating. Buying a bunch of old CDs in the hopes of writing new stuff onto them is a bad idea. You have to buy blank CD-R or CD-RW media.

Can I create new audio and data CDs?

Yes. You can create CD-ROMs from data on your hard drive, and you can create new audio CDs from anything you can record into a WAV or AIFF sound file. With an audio-only CD-Recorder, which hooks up to your stereo system instead of your computer, you can record directly from CD, cassette, DAT, or whatever. The CD-ROMs you produce will play in ordinary CD-ROM drives, and the audio CDs you create will work in your home or car CD player. Writing to CD-Rs and CD-RWs requires a special drive. You can't write CDs with an ordinary CD-ROM drive. One of the more popular things to do with a CD recorder is make copies of old cassettes and LPs.

Can I use it to copy my CDs?

Yes, both audio and data CDs can be duplicated. You can even create audio CDs that are compilations of other audio CDs (perhaps a personal "best of" disc). Bear in mind that most CDs are protected by copyright laws.

How much can they hold?
About 74 minutes of audio, or about 650MB of data.

Some CD-R blanks can hold 80 minutes of audio, or about 700MB of data.

Can I just copy files onto a CD-R like I would to a floppy?
Yes and no. The process can be a bit more involved than that, and requires special software that (usually) comes bundled with the drive. With "packet writing" software, and a recorder that supports it, you can treat a CD-R or CD-RW disc like a floppy. Generally speaking, you can only write to each part of the disc once, so deleting files doesn't gain any space. There are other limitations as well. With more traditional software -- necessary if you want the broadest possible compatibility -- you usually end up writing everything to the disc all at once. When you're doing the writing you can't interrupt the drive, and you can't reclaim the space you've used. If you want to write your files in smaller bunches, you lose a fair bit of space every time you stop and start again.

What can you tell me about DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, etc?
Nothing. This FAQ is about CD-R and CD-RW, and only crosses over into DVD when the two technologies rub up against each other.

Can I copy DVDs with a CD recorder?
Not directly. CD and DVD are very different formats, so you can't write DVDs with your CD recorder. You may be able to convert the contents into a lower-quality format though. Be wary of scams. There are devices now that can record both DVD-R and CD-R. Those are usually advertised as "DVD recorders", not "CD recorders".

What's the cheapest recorder and best place to buy media?
I don't know. I don't track prices. There are web sites dedicated to finding the lowest prices, and you can do a little research with a web browser .

Can I get step-by-step installation and use instructions?
Yes, from the manual that comes with your recorder and software. There's no information of this type in the FAQ because there are far too many permutations of hardware and software, and the instructions would have to be updated with every new release of the software.

Can I download MP3s from the Internet and make an audio CD?
Yup. You can download MP3s, write them to a CD, and play it in anything that handles audio CDs. In fact, many of the popular CD recording programs will decode the MP3s for you. It's also possible to take songs from a CD and convert them to MP3s for use in an MP3 player.

What are the differences
between CDR colors & types? ?

BACKGROUND

CDRs are not CD-ROMs, but once recorded can generally be played the same way, even though a few machines may not play a particular CDR type, depending on the dye type generally speaking and the laser characteristics of the CD-ROM player. CDRs have a laser-absorbing dye on the bottom recording side, that lets a pulsating laser beam burn little bubbles into the tracks to encode the data or audio. Later, CD-ROM players can scan the surface and read these little bubbles and convert them into either sound or data as needed. CD-ROMs like you get in a music or software store have an aluminum top reflector layer, and a clear plastic on the bottom into which little tiny depressions called "pits" are pressed down by a physical stamping process at the factory. Then another layer of plastic is laid down over the pits so they don't fill with dirt and oils and so on. When a CD-ROM player scans a disc, it reads the bubbles on a CDR or the pits on a CD-ROM the same way. Then your software converts those scanned dots and dashed into information or music and so on.

BLUE DYED CDRS --The First Types of CDRs

This product is the most popular CDR product in the world, and because of the large production volume, is the least expensive.

When CDRs were invented by Taiyo Yuden in Japan in the 1980s, they used a very dark blue version of a dye called cyanine on the bottoms, and a solid gold metal reflector on tops. They were very expensive, around $50 /disc. Many people called these CDRs "Gold/Green" because the dark blue looked dark green against the gold metal. But it was in fact a dark blue cyanine. This dark blue dye was very sensitive to UV light and heat, degrading over time if left laying around in a car or face up on an office desk, especially near a window where sunlight could reach it. Gradually over several years, both Taiyo Yuden and others developed a lighter blue cyanine dye that was less degradable, but there were still problems with stability.

Most companies do not any longer manufacture the old degradable gold/green (or even the silver/dark-blue) using the older dark blue form of cyanine. They are using the light blue cyanine, almost always with a silver reflector on top. Sometimes they use gold, which is less sensitive to solvents, oils and adhesives than silver is. If a strong concentration of reactive petro chemical in ink or label glues or whatever comes into contact with the actual silver metal, it can oxidize and the CDR would become unusable. This rarely happens. That is why almost all CDRs now use silver reflectors. Silver is actually a better reflector than gold by about 4%. Silver reflectors costs only about 1% of the cost of the gold reflectors, due to the price of the metals themselves, so CDRs are around 25-cents less expensive than gold discs are.

The Silver/Light-Blue CDRs you see in the market are descendants of this chain of evolving CDR products. They are the oldest and the least expensive because they are produced in the largest quantities. Most CDRs in the market today are "Silver/Blue". They are generally compatible with most burners and players and widely accepted by the consumer.

LIGHT GREEN DYED CDRS -- The "Improved" CDRs also called "Silver/Silver" or "Gold/Gold"

This product is the CDR type favored by most IT professionals, software and music production companies, due to its enhanced CD-ROM player compatibility and longer lasting, more stable dye formula. These discs are produced in slightly lower volume and generally cost a few more cents per disc than the more common "silver/blue" cyanine dye discs above.

Several years ago, another Japanese company, Mitsui, created a new color of CDR dye, and licensed it to many companies including Kodak, and others. They at first used a gold reflector over this new dye, and later a silver reflector. Our "Improved Silver CDR" is about 2-3 years old. Most people called it "Silver/Silver" when it was introduced because of it's dramatically more transparent dye when compared with the previous Silver/Blue. It uses phthalocyanine (very slightly greenish, almost colorless) dye on the bottom. This is the dye patented by Mitsui. Mitsui was "improving" the popular cyanine light blue dye. It was not compatible with some of the newer higher speed CDR burners at the time and degraded after many days of strong UV exposure in testing. This new improved dye has proven itself to be the most stable (unaffected by heat and UV light and longer lasting, compared with cyanine light blue dye, with was patented several years before by Taiyo Yuden). The improved silver phthalocyanine dye silver CDRs are produced in vast quantities today and the economics of scale yield a very good price on them, and the older cyanine CDRs with their light blue cyanine dye are even more available and slightly less expensive. This light greenish dye is also the most compatible with the greatest number of CDR burners and then once recorded the greatest number of CD-ROM players.

These newer Improved Silver CDRs are becoming the newer standard in the market. Many if not most small music studios, artists, and small software companies and businesses are already using this product due to its more stable, longer lasting, more compatible feature set, combined with it's relatively low price. Of course larger companies and record labels don't use CDRs, instead they use pressed CD-ROMs to save money and time.

COLORLESS DYE CDRS -- The newest CDR Product

TruSilver is a very new product (from Spring 2000) with an absolutely colorless laser-absorbing dye on the bottom and a silver reflector.

The colorless dyed TruSilver products are very new, produced in much smaller quantities by the factories, and are therefore more expensive in the market. The TruSilver CDRs offer only one advantage, that they look almost exactly like a CD-ROM.As a consequence of the dye not being colored to absorb a particular CDR burners laser light, a few types of CDR writers may not be able to write onto the new TruSilver CDRs. That's why we sell Sampler Paks.

CONCLUSION

All of our discs are certified for 1-12x writing speed in computer burners, and are of top "Grade A" quality, with very very low error rates and an even, consistent, reliable construction of the finest materials. Even though their quality is top grade, the individual features of each disc type will vary, so we make the following recommendations:

Our excellent quality TruSilver CDR is "more attractive" because it closely resembles CD-ROM discs, it is just a bit less compatible with certain CD-ROM players and a few CDR burners at present, while being also a bit more expensive. We recommend buying a sampler pak first to test the discs with various players and burners for your own purposes, then buying the larger quantities.

Our Improved Silver CDR is very inexpensive, and the most compatible with both writers and players. It is recommended for high-tech professionals, musicians and software developers who are using computer drive CDR burners.

Our Popular Silver/Blue CDR is the least expensive, and only just slightly less compatible than our Improved Silver, and only a bit more sensitive to strong heat or sunlight exposure. Under normal conditions for most uses, this disc will provide everyday CDR users reliable and dependable service. We believe it is the best "general purpose" CDR value in the market today.

Our Digital Audio CDR is highly dependable disc with the embedded SCMS codes to make it compatible for all brands of stand alone home consumer-use CD recorders. The discs have proven themselves very reliable and have been a favorite for home musicians and small studios who use the stand alone CD recorders to backup their CD-ROM collections, or to distribute their presentations and personal performances.

For the absolute best in Gold Digital Audio CDR media, for the highest fidelity, and longest storage archival purposes, we recommend the Kodak Digital Audio Gold CDR. These discs are also for the stand alone home consumer use CD recorders, not for computer CD burners. While it costs about twice as much as our own bulk digital audio CDR, it represents the finest combination of features for the most demanding home recording uses. The gold metal reflector is impervious to degredation due to solvents, inks or label adhesives. The dye layer is highly responsive to all CD recorder laser frequencies, and almost 100% resistant to degradation due to environmental ambient heat and light during use and storage. The Kodak "Infoguard" overcoating further helps protect the disc's sensitive surfaces against scrapes and scratches. These Kodak discs are especially recommended for use in automobile dash CD players, portable players and similar tough environmental uses.

All of our CDR discs are compliant with the official industry "Orange Book" standards for CDR discs, meeting or exceeding these compatibility standards.

Because each type of CDR brings its own advantages and disadvantages as to price and compatibility, the consumer needs to test a CDR type for compatibility with his/her own hardware and software. That's why we sell Sampler PAks with free shipping. If you have not used a particular type of CDR before, we suggest you buy one of our Sampler CDR Paks to determine compatibility with your CD players and recorders.

Can I use it to copy my CDs?

How much can they hold? About 74 minutes of audio, or about 650MB of data.

What can you tell me about DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, etc? Nothing. This FAQ is about CD-R and CD-RW, and only crosses over into DVD when the two technologies rub up against each other.

What's the cheapest recorder and best place to buy media? I don't know. I don't track prices. There are web sites dedicated to finding the lowest prices, and you can do a little research with a web browser .

What are the differences between CDR colors & types? ?

How much can they hold?
About 74 minutes of audio, or about 650MB of data.

What can you tell me about DVD, DVD-R, DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, etc?
Nothing. This FAQ is about CD-R and CD-RW, and only crosses over into DVD when the two technologies rub up against each other.

What's the cheapest recorder and best place to buy media?
I don't know. I don't track prices. There are web sites dedicated to finding the lowest prices, and you can do a little research with a web browser .

What are the differences
between CDR colors & types? ?