Help!!!
I have a problem with audio CD-Rs not getting played back on certain devices. This is a problem because for the first time I had a customer call and complain that they can’t get my CDs to play.
I’m burning audio CD-Rs from a external Mad Dog 7×1 using Nero Express on XP. Once the customer complaint came in I took a CD and played it back without problems on an office boombox, office computer, car stereo, home computer…and then it wouldn’t read on my home CD player. Yikes!!!
What am I doing wrong? I couldn’t find any configuration settings in Nero that would account for older CD players. Are CD-Rs not the correct media?
Help!!! If the issue is too much for posting, phone calls appreciated.
Players
OK, so some players deviate from the standard and use a wavelength too high to read the blue-tinted CDRs. There are a few solutions:
1. Use CR-RW media. This allows it to play in combo DVD/CD players that are older. CDRWs use a lighter-tinted rewriteable ink. The downside? They have a shelf life of about 5 years instead of 10, and they actually play in very few older devices (things older than 10 years, for instance.)
2. Make sure you “finalize” the CD when you burn it. Some older CD players verify that the CD is finalized before they will read it. Older CD players in car stereo systems are notorious for this (older as in 6+ years old).
3. Use higher-quality media. The big spools of quarter-a-pop burnables are notorious for low quality and poor shelf life. “Archival Quality” CDs are available online, and have a 50-year shelf-life (according to their manufacturers) and tend to have very few compatability problems.
Good luck!
—
Matthew P. Barnson
Not Working
Matt,
I followed all your directions, and the finalized CD-RWs aren’t playing in certain CD players (tape/CD combo) that had been playing the CD-R media. This is not making my day!
Finalizing
Did you just try finalizing on your old CDR media? Or try using archival CDRs? Or try using finalized archival CDRs?
Might get lucky with one of those combos. Sorry you have to shotgun this.
—
Matthew P. Barnson
Resolution
In case any of you were wondering, I never figured out the problem. I had to go to the original recording studio and have them burn a new master and ship that direct to my customer.
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