How to Burn CD's Accurately on a PC

Many computer owners burn music CDs to be played in their stereo system or music CD player. This article explains that better results are often obtained by using a slower burn speed when creating the CD.

Things You'll Need

• computer with CD-burning drive

Instructions

1. Every computer user desires to have his computer work as fast as possible. Power and speed are especially important when performing tasks that require a lot of CPU (central processing unit) resources. Such applications include graphic design, photo manipulation, video editing and programs that use intensive mathematical computations. However, there is one operation where "slower is better"--the burning of music CDs (compact disks).

2. The newest CD ROM burning drives and CD blank disk media are pressing beyond the traditional 48x recording speed to speeds of 52x and even 56x. As the speed of burning a CD increases, so does the risk of data error. This becomes most apparent when burning a music CD to be played on a stereo music system, not on a computer. High-speed recording places severe demands on both the CD media and the CD drive. Fast CD drives are susceptible to vibration, because their rotational velocities can exceed 12,000 rpms (revolutions per minute). Compare that to a computer's hard drive. Hard drives only spin at 7,200 rpms, and their media is enclosed in a sealed, dust-free environment. A hard drive's platters are also perfectly balanced. High-speed CD spinning can even cause the disk media to crack or fracture. There really isn't any drawback to burning at a slower speed. The difference in the time it takes to burn a CD at 48x compared to 56x is minimal. It isn't worth the risk of creating a flawed CD.

3. Older music CD players often have difficulty playing CDs that have been burned by a computer. Many will not play them at all. Burning a CD at a lower speed may enable it to be played on more music CD players than those created by high-speed burners. Another reason that some older CD players can't play computer-created CDs lies in the way commercial music CDs are manufactured. Commercial production uses a pressing method, rather than employing a laser to "burn" spots in the media. The process of pressing also allows manufacturers to place more information on a CD or DVD disk than can be achieved by burning. This is one reason why you can't always make a copy of a commercial DVD movie on your computer (another reason is encryption protection).

4. Most CD players, car stereos and video game consoles made within the last few years are capable of playing music CDs that were burned by a computer. Rewritable CDs, though, called CD-RWs, should not be used to record information that is destined to be played on a stereo system. To get the most accurate burning of music CDs produced on your PC, use the best quality blank CD media, set your burning program to burn at the slowest speed, and avoid using CD-RWs. The Windows operating system includes CD burning software, but better control (such as the ability to set burn speed) will be found in third-party programs such as those by the popular company Roxio. These programs also offer additional features, including the ability to "drag and drop" files to be burned.

5. On a final note, remember to "finalize" a burn session, ensuring the necessary data is placed on the CD. Some programs refer to this as "closing" the session. If a session is left open, the burning process will not be completed, and the CD will not work. Be sure to read the software owner's manual for specific step-by-step instructions on using the program to get the best results.