Computer Info – June 4, 2003

 

This Week’s Meeting

            Program will be about writing CDs and DVDs.  We will be using Easy CD & DVD Creator 6 to demonstrate.

            The next meeting will be June 18th – and John Watkins should be here to host the meeting..

 

Deleting Files from a CD-R

               Even though non-rewritable discs (CD-R) are not technically erasable or rewritable, you can delete or overwrite files from these types of discs just as you would with a floppy disk or hard disk.  Deleted or overwritten files will still be on the disc after it is deleted, but will be removed from the file system and not visible.  Because of this, the amount of space the deleted files originally used will not be available as free space.

 

CD-RW

               Easy CD Creator 6 does not use DirectCD for the rewritable CDs (CD-RW) -- instead they use a technology called Drag-to-Disc.  Drag-to-Disc is backwards and forwards compatible with Roxio DirectCD (version 3.01 and later).  This means:

                               Drag-to-Disc can read and record to any disc created with DirectCD

                               DirectCD can read and record to any disc created with Drag-to-Disc. 

 
DVD-R

A few things that we have learned about writing DVDs --------

 

               We purchased the latest version of Roxio’s Easy CD & DVD Creator 6 and found we had the same problem that we had in version 5.  When we wrote data to the DVD in multi sessions, we were only able to view the first one.  After using their e-mail tech support and not getting any satisfaction, we called their tech support on the phone.  They determined that we were using the software correctly and gave us a few suggestions that might work.

 

Check for an upgrade to the firmware of our DVD writer.

Check for an upgrade to their software.

Try using a different brand of DVD-R.

 

We started with the first choice and visited the web page of the manufacturer of our DVD writer to look for any upgrades to the firmware.  We found one.  Downloaded it – followed the instructions of how to install it – this is a little different that installing a software driver – this had to be placed on a floppy disc – this will actually make changes to the built-in information that is stored in the BIOS of the DVD writer.  These type of changes are not reversible.  But, the good news was that it worked!

               What we have learned is that the technology of reading and writing DVD’s is still changing – and older drives can not read a DVD that has been written in multi-sessions.


 
Writing CDs

Audio CDs (also known as Music CDs)

               To write an audio CD, you must have a supply of songs stored on your computer as WAV files or MP3 files.  Other types are possible, but these are the most popular.  How you get them to your computer varies according to where you are getting them from and what software you are using. 

               If you have a music CD and have Roxio Easy CD Creator 5, you can create your MP3 files from there.  If you have your music CD in your CD drive – open Easy CD Creator and choose to make an audio CD.  In the top part of the screen, you will have to let Roxio know where the audio CD is.  When it has found it, it will list the tracks that are on the CD – but it will call them Track 1, Track 2, etc.  If you right click on name (Track 1) you will be allow to rename it.  There is also a spot for typing in the artists name and the name of the album.  After you have renamed it, you can click on the CONVERT button above and save it to your hard drive as an MP3.

               When you are ready to write an audio CD, locate your songs in the top half of the Easy CD Creator screen and drag them to the bottom half.  Press the RECORD button when you have them all listed.

 

Data CDs

               To write a Data CD using Easy CD Creator, you must locate your files in the top half of the screen and drag them to the bottom of the screen.  You can create folders to place them in or just drag folders down.  Press the RECORD button when you are ready.

               The best thing about writing data CDs – is that you can continuously add more data to the disk or replace the data on it with an updated file.  THE BIGGEST SECRET TO THIS – IS TO BE SURE THAT YOUR PREVIOUS FILES ARE LISTED BEFORE YOU DRAG ANY NEW ONES DOWN.  Look under the menus for a choice called IMPORT SESSIONS.  Import the latest session that you had created and the files that are on the CD will be listed in the bottom portion of the screen.  Then drag and new files down.

MP3 CDs

               The programs are now allowing you to create MP3 CDs.  This is a CD that contains only MP3 files (songs) and it creates a special playlist for you.  A playlist is the order that the songs will play.  If your DVD player supports playing MP3s, then you can use it there.