CD-R media question: are data and audio blank CDs different?

[karlrschneider]

And how, if so...I'm new to CD burning...

[RoyGBiv]

1. Yes and no ...

I'm not knowledgeable enough of all the details to give an in-depth description, but there are subtle differences. If you're using a PC CD-writer, those differences don't really mean much except that the audio discs are generally more expensive because there's a tax on them, imposed by the music industry, but in certain commercial audio CD-writers, you can only use the audio discs.

Basically, if you're using a CD-writer in a PC, get whatever you want to get. Different qualities exist, so if you're using the discs for important data, get a good brand like Imation, Kodak, Phillips, TDK, etc.

[alfredo]

2. I was told it is better to burn audio

CD's at a slower speed. That might be an old wives tale, or is outdated because of the advances in the technology.

[RoyGBiv]

3. I've heard the same thing ...

I didn't believe it because the explanation sounded bogus, but I've tested it, and it seems true. I burned an audio CD at 52X, and the CD player in my truck wouldn't read it. It played fine in my CD player in my computer though. I burned another at a slower speed, and the player in the truck read it fine.

The explanation I was given had something to do with the read speed of common audio players not being able to match the write speed of modern CD burners, so if you burn a CD at 52X when the read can only read at 8X, you have problems. The reason that sounds bogus to me is I don't see why the data on the disc itself should be affected after the writing has taken place, but perhaps there are intricacies to the technology I don't understand. I'm currently struggling trying to learn the in's and out's of burning my own DVDs that a standard player can read consistently, so obviously I don't know much.

[alfredo]

4. It could be a hold over from magnetic tapes which worked best if

recorded at a slower speed. The reason i was given was that there were more errors at higher speeds.

[hobbit709]

5. No real difference

except the audio CD's have that burnt into their wobble track so that audio-only burners will burn only them. Some audio players will not read some computer made audio Cd's. The way to get around that is to burn the audio Cd using Track-at-once and Close session after burning. If you do that, a regular CD will play on any audio Cd player.