CD and DVD compatibility issues

From CD to DVD – and the gaps between. “Recently I purchased a 6 Disc DVD Player and this is where my trouble began. Obviously as an avid self-recording musician, I burn most of what I record to CD using my PC, with the intention of being able to listen to it where I want, when I want. I have some older CD players that have no problem with CD-R’s, however my new DVD player (while it will play regular CD’s) refuses to play any type of recordable CD. Looking over the detailed documentation for the player, it explicitly states that it does not support CD-R’s, CD-RW’s, et al. (unbeknownst to me when I purchased the player).”Hence my question: How does a manufacturer’s CD differ from one that I burn, and why can’t amateur musicians, like myself, produce a CD with the same characteristics as those from any major manufacturer, so as to not have to worry about whether your format will be supported by the platform that potential listeners might have?” OK, there are two issues to address in this Tech Tip. The first concerns the compatibility of DVD players to handle CD-R’s burned from a computer…There appear to be three kinds of DVD players, currently:§Those that can play CD-R’s.§Those that can’t.§Those that damage the discs.Kind #2 is the most common. Kind #3 comes with a warning in the manual that tells you not to play CD-R discs (you do read the manuals, right?). It is possible that some players in category #2 are actually in #3 and just aren’t labeled as such.The only discs that a DVD player is guaranteed to read are specific types of DVD discs (and you wouldn’t believe how many different DVD formats there really are out there that your machine may not read). Support for CD-ROM, CD-R, and CD-RW may be included, but is by no means guaranteed.CD-R was designed to be read by an infrared 780nm laser. DVD uses a visible red 635nm or 650nm laser, which aren’t reflected sufficiently by the organic dye polymers used in CD-R media. Some DVD players come with two lasers so that they can read CD-R. CD-RW discs have a different formulation, and may work even on players that can’t handle CD-R media. Some DVD-ROM drives may be unable to read multisession discs. In general, though, DVD-ROM drives are able to read CD-R media. If the box doesn’t say that something is supported, assume that the feature isn’t. Look for the MultiRead or MultiPlay logos, which indicate that the DVD player can read CD-R and CD-RW.Issue #2 concerns the difference between manufactured CDs and CD-R’s burned by a personal computer:The CDs you buy in a store are pressed from a mold. CD-R’s are burned with a laser. CD-R’s 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-R’s 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.It’s a good idea to use the disc in the manner it is recommended, however. For instance, if you buy blank CD-R media that’s labeled as ‘Gold Archival Grade’ (or similar description), don’t try to burn it as an audio CD that you intend someone to play repeatedly…these types are best used for data backup, and will eventually succumb to wear and tear from consumer grade CD players; oftentimes very quickly. Use those types for backups that are stored in a nice, safe place to be pulled out in an emergency. Also, there is no advantage to using expensive “audio CD-R’s”. There is no difference in quality between consumer audio blanks and standard blanks from a given manufacturer. But bear in mind that if you have a consumer audio CD recorder, you simply have no other choice but to use these “audio CD-R’s”. There is no way to “convert” a standard blank into a consumer audio blank.Furthermore, there is no “best” media for all recorders. You can’t tell how well a disc will work just by looking at it; the only way to know is to put it in *your* recorder, write a disc, then put it in *your* reader and try it. Statements to the effect that “dark green” is better than “light green” are baseless. Some discs are more translucent than others, but that doesn’t matter: they only have to reflect light in the 780nm wavelength, not the entire visible spectrum. And it may be a good idea to start by selecting media that is certified for your recorder’s desired write speed. This is particularly important for CD-RW discs, which won’t be written faster than the disc is rated for, regardless of the top speed of the drive. Using 8x-certified CD-R media when recording at 8x isn’t a bad idea, but doesn’t seem to be essential.The Orange Book standard was written based on the original “green” cyanine discs from Taiyo Yuden. Cyanine dye is more forgiving of marginal read/write power variations than “gold” phthalocyanine dye, making them easier to read on some drives. On the other hand, phthalocyanine is less sensitive to sunlight and UV radiation, suggesting that they would last longer under adverse conditions. Manufacturers of phthalocyanine-based media claim it has a longer life span and will work better in higher speed recording than cyanine discs. Different test labs will tell you different things.Trying samples of blanks is the best indicator of what will work for you before you make a major purchase. Remember to try them in your reader as well as your writer; they may not be so useful if you can’t read them in your normal CD-ROM drive.And a final note on CD maintenance: Never blow off dust using pressurized cans of clean air. The propellant can locally chill the disc. Micro-cracks are then visible after the frost evaporates. System compressed air can contain water or debris, and usually is electrically charged. This charge will be transferred to the CD-R disc where it then captures more dust. Loose debris should always be removed using a clean, lint-free dry wiper and gentle radial strokes. Never use circular strokes that can accidentally create a microscratch along the track. Use only minimal pressure. Avoid abrasive agents or solvents that can damage the disc.

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