[Dixielandjazz] Recording CDs

[Phil O'Rourke]

Mike asked


> How many on the list have actually had a CD, homeburnt or otherwise,
deteriorate?  I, to date, have not had one deteriorate,
>

Like Mike, I haven't had any failures. I have just played a CD I burned last
century and it was fine. I have burned well over 800 seperate CDs, some with
multiple copies.

Little things that I do:

Record at no faster than 4X.

NEVER NEVER NEVER touch the playing surface of the CD with your paws. Hands
have a small layer of sweat; this will stick to the surface of the CD and
cause the ray that generates the signal from the CD to refract (bend) and
not give back the correct signal.

Again NEVER etc lift the CD from the case by spreading your hand so you
grasp the outside edges and then pull. ALWAYS press the centre release to
allow the CD to fall free. If the brand of CDs you buy does not have this,
changes brands or buy separate CD cases. Save the ones that do not allow
this for when you are making CDs for other people; you have the master copy,
look after it.
This is because each time you lift the CD by its edges the thing flexes,
this eventually causes noticable fatigue and the signal mark on the CD is
not clear to the reading ray.

Never leave the CDs lying around to collect dust. Put them in a case (or in
an emergency between the pages of a book.

Contrary to the bull excrement that was bandied about when CDs first came
out, they are destructable. The most stable media is flat discs, just keep
them clean and don't allow mould to grow in the grooves.

Phil O'Rourke
Tenor Washboard
Australia