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I just wondered what the secret to creating CDs that are compatable with other CD-ROMs/CD-RWs is. If I create a CD on my CD-RW I want it to be able to be read by as many other CD-ROM/CD-RW devices as possible.

I am guessing that the following will have a bearing on this:

1. CD-RW I use to burn the CD (some produce more compatible CDs than others ??);

2. the quality of media used (though I believe the most important thing is to match the media to the burner);

3. burn speed.


1. Is this true? Or is matching the media to the burner more important (2.)?

3. I thought by burning at a low speed (4x) I would increase compatability - but after burning a CD on my Benq 32x10x40x at this speed a CD-ROM and CD-RW on another PC can't read the CD at all. When I burn at 32x they can read it - but with errors (can't read some files properly).

It is because I am experiencing these problems with my Benq that I am asking this question. And I would be only to happy to ditch it for a better CD-RW if necessary.

holgrave wrote:It is because I am experiencing these problems with my Benq that I am asking this question. And I would be only to happy to ditch it for a better CD-RW if necessary.

Ditching the Benq would be my vote. I have personally found Benq drives to be very poor quality. But since you already own the drive, you should probably try a couple of different high-quality media blanks before giving up. I would suggest 48x Fuji/TY CD-R and 48x Verbatim DataLife Plus super AZO, and maybe 48x TDK/Ritek as well.

cfitz

How do I test compatability?

For example if I burn a CD on my Benq using TDK media. And it reads OK in my Benq. And it reads OK in a LiteOn (for example). This doesn't necessarily mean it will be read in a Plextor, or Yamaha or NEC or etc. etc. or any number of nameless CD-ROM drives - does it.

What determines compatability? Is it how 'clearly' the CD-R defines the 'tracks' on the CD media? Is it the quality of the CD-R drive that is the main thing to consider - or is it matching the right media to the right drive? How do I test for compatability??

If a disk is shown to be error free using Nero's ScanDisk (via CDSpeed) does this have any baring on compatability of the burnt CD?

1 All CD-RW have different burning quality . Benq and Lite-On have not the better writing quality . And I think Benq drives have more limited support for medias than Lite-On drives !

2 Medias quality is important also . With some media you 'll always produce errors ( i think it's the case for Imation media for example ) . Best media i had used : Mitsui , Verbatim , Hi-Space .

3 The part which is written on the media is called dye , dye are adapted to some burning strategies ( short strategy : fast burning , medium strategy , long strategy : slow burning ) . Perhaps your media fit more with short strategy .
To know this your burner can read the media ATIP . Most burning software have some utilities to read the ATIP ( some versions of Nero CD Speed for example ) else some small software fulfills this task .

http://w510.tm.odessa.ua/soft/cdr_atip/

http://www.ln.com.ua/~maverick/f_cdrinfo.htm

dye are Cyanine , Pthalocyanine , Azo .

You already have a burner , try to find the best combination with CD/RW and media . Perhaps you could find useful info on cdfreaks forum . They have a lot of topics about media ( http://club.cdfreaks.com/forumdisplay.p ... forumid=33 ) and they could help you more than i .

I am definately not happy with the Benq. I don't mind ditching it because it was v. cheap ($30) and a replacement would also not be very expensive.

What would people recommend.

I had a Plexwriter about 2 years ago but I got rid of it because it was very noise when reading. Even a replacement they sent was noisy. I decided that it was a design fault at the time - definately the noisiest drives I have ever had. After that I got a Philips. And then the Benq. I suppose PLexwriters now use different technology (motors) to the drives of 2 years ago, so may be they are alright now?

Somebody on another forum who is meant to work for a CD Burning Software company recommended:

NEC
Yamaha
Plextor

And I have read in several other places that Toshiba drives are meant to be the absolute best.

So which are the BETTER drives (obviously people are going to have favourite 'best' drives) to give compatability?

bump