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CD Recording FAQ

Quick Navigation

1. Introduction
2. The CD Recorder
3. Basic notions
4. CD-R media
5. Installing a cd recorder
6. Creating custom Data CDs
7. AudioCD
8. VideoCD
9. CD copying
10. Linux and CD recording
11. Firmware
12. Troubleshooting
Appendix

Contents

1. Introduction (Disclaimer, Copyright Notice)

2. The CD Recorder

2.1. What can I do with a CD Recorder?
2.2. CDR compared to other storage alternatives
2.3. How CD-R (Recordable) works
2.4. How CD-RW (ReWritable) works
2.5. Recording speed
    2.5.1. Speed ratings
    2.5.2. Which speed is better?
2.6. Buffer underrun
    2.6.1. Buffer memory
    2.6.2. BURN Proof - JustLink - Seamless Link
2.7. The interface
    2.7.1. SCSI
    2.7.2. IDE
    2.7.3. USB
    2.7.4. FireWire
    2.7.5. Parallel Port
    2.7.6. PCMCIA
2.8. Internal and external drives
2.9. Stand alone CD Recorders
2.10. Which one to buy?
2.11. System requirements for CD Recording
2.12. The software
    2.12.1. Which cdr program is better?
    2.12.2. Writing your own cdr software
2.13. Using more than one recorders
2.14. Using a recorder as a reader

3. Basic notions

3.1. How data are organized on a CD
3.2. Recording modes
    3.2.1. DAO (Disc At Once)
    3.2.2. TAO (Track At Once)
    3.2.3. SAO (Session At Once)
    3.2.4. PAO (Packet At Once)
    3.2.5. Multisession
    3.2.6. CUE sheet
3.3. Packet writing
    3.3.1. Packet writing on CD-R and CD-RW media
    3.3.2. Packet writing reliability
3.4. Content source
    3.4.1. Recording on the fly
    3.4.2. Recording from an image

4. CD-R media

4.1. Brands and colours
4.2. Media capacity
4.3. Overburning
4.4. Life expectancy
4.5. Speed ratings
4.6. Which brand/colour of media is better?
4.7. CD-RW media
4.8. "Audio Only" media
4.9. Writing/printing/labelling cdr media

5. Installing a cd recorder

5.1. Hardware installation
5.2. Installing the software
5.3. Performing a test recording

6. Creating custom Data CDs

6.1. Choosing the right format
6.2. Multisession writing
6.3. ISO 9660 compliance
6.4. Readability among different operating systems
6.5. Creating a bootable CD
6.6. Using a recorder on a network
6.7. Backing up a hard drive on CDs

7. AudioCD

7.1. The AudioCD format
7.2. Digital Audio Extraction (DAE)
    7.2.1. The source drive
    7.2.2. Selecting the right speed for audio extraction
    7.2.3. The software factor
7.3. Making a perfect AudioCD copy
    7.3.1. What is needed
    7.3.2. The procedure
    7.3.3. An example using EAC
7.4. Writing MP3 files on CD
7.5. Converting vinyl (LPs) to CD
7.6. Comparing a copy to the original
7.7. Making compilation CDs
7.8. Writing live concerts on CD
7.9. Using CD recorder as a tape recorder
7.10. CD-Text
7.11. Mixed Mode
7.12. CD-Extra (Enhanced CD)

8. VideoCD

8.1. The VideoCD format
8.2. The SVCD, XVCD and miniDVD variations
8.3. Quality comparisons
8.4. Making your own VCDs
8.4.1. Preparing the source material
8.4.2. Transfering your material on cd
8.5. Copying VCDs
8.6. Playing back on stand-alone players

9. CD copying

9.1. Copying non-protected CDs
9.2. Copying copy-protected CDs
    9.2.1. The basics
    9.2.2. The hardware
    9.2.3. RAW mode
9.3. Copying Playstation (PSX) CDs
9.4. Copying Karaoke CDs

10. Linux and CD recording

10.1. Linux premilinaries
10.2. Performance issues
10.3. Compiling the kernel for cd recording
10.4. The software

11. Firmware

11.1. What is firmware?
11.2. Should I upgrade my drive's firmware?
11.3. How to upgrade firmware
11.4. Using an alternative firmware

12. Troubleshooting

12.1. Common mistakes
12.2. ASPI
12.3. Preventing buffer underrun
12.4. Interpreting error messages
12.5. Checking data integrity
12.6. Overclocking
12.6.1. Overclocking basics
12.6.2. How overclocking affects cd recording
12.7. Repairing a cd recorder
12.8. Preventive maintenance
12.9. What to do first in case of trouble

Appendix: List of hardware manufacturers

I. CD recorders
II. SCSI controllers
III. CD-R(W) media

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