Audio CDR Compatability

[agedhorse]

Ok... rant ahead:

 

The state of the audio CDR industry is an absolute disgrace. There is an unbelievable percentage of incopmpatability in the product produced by most burners.

 

I have about a dozen pro type CD players out on a large install (many systems) and this is the first year that I have seen such a large amount of incompatable media. Media that will play on one deck will not play on another and the other way around.

 

Seems there are many dyes, coatings, processes, burning depths, finalization processes etc. Nothing seems to adhere to the red book standard.

 

I am really frustrated.

[Audiopyle Sound]

I'm curious what CD players you are using. Is it a single consistent brand or a variety of makes?

 

When they first introduced the players that would read CDR media, I found they could be finicky, and I would open every pack of media before I purchased it to check for a bright silvery dye. I found that the darker colored dyes would usually result in the most read errors, regardless of the product expense.

 

Things have improved in respect to the players ability to read. The only common problem I see now is people attempting to use CDRW media in a player that isn't compatible.

[Dark Ice]

Howcome they cant make one standalone CD player read these things correctly yet nearly every computer CD drive reads them perfectly?

Solution: get a computer

 

Steve.

[agedhorse]

Various manufacturers and models, including Teac/Tascam, Marantz, Newmark and others.

 

The compatability issue prevents the CD from being universal playback media like the cassette was. A fatal flaw IMO.

[twostone]

I don't think a computer will fit in my PA rack. I know they make rackable computers but I sure can't afford one. Andy I have the same trouble with my CD players and agree with you they need to make CD players like the old cassette format. It's even worse on DVD formats.

[J.]

I haven't noticed any compatibility problems to tell the truth, and my CDs usually get played in a variety of players. I stay away from generic CDs and buy brand names like Maxell and TDK. I also agree with Audiopyle Sound - I don't know what's behind it, but the cheap CDRs seem to have a really dark blue/green dye color, whereas the newer good CDRs have such a light dye that it almost looks like a glass mastered CD.

 

What program are you using to burn your CDRs?

[Steve_B]

I have found that the problems seem to occur in proportion to the price of the CD player. I have most problems with a fairly expensive Sony machine whereas all the cheap portable CD/radio/cassette players that we have around the house seem to play anything.

 

Steve.

[Dark Ice]

Originally posted by twostone I don't think a computer will fit in my PA rack.

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=9793516716&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X292ZXJ2aWV3&product_uid=83837

n/m

I also agree about the cheaper units being more tolerant toward cheap media.

 

Steve.

[agedhorse]

I had one act re-burn on media I provided... the TOC was recognized much faster on the one deck that would originally finally read the disk but no improvement on the other one. I am gon to try burning one at the shop on whatever I use (I don't do it very often so I don';t even remember what I use) to see if that helps.

 

Jeez I'm frusterated... and I've got a bunch of these systems out there. So far there's only been a couple of problems and I've been able to work around them but far more hassle than ANYTHING else in the systems. No other failures yet, but there's 3 more weeks to go.

[J.]

For what it's worth I use Nero 5.5 (I believe Nero is the best consumer grade CD burning program) and high quality media and have never had a problem. The sony decks I used when I was a radio DJ never had a problem reading burnt discs, nor has anything else I've used them in (my car deck, cheap boomboxes, etc). The only problems I've ever had were with really, really old CD players (I'm talking over 10 years old) that wouldn't play anything on CDR regardless of what it was.