Tech: cd failure

Subject: Tech: cd failure
From: Rumncoke
Date: 06 Dec 14 - 01:35 PM

I just tried to play my copy of Andrew Whale's In a luthier's garden, and it will not - it isn't the player, that is playing other cds perfectly.

I used to copy the kids floppy disc games, because they were liable to fail, but I didn't think that cds would fail ...

I feel really bereft - and a great desire to copy all the cds I value.

Subject: RE: Tech: cd failure
From: GUEST,#
Date: 06 Dec 14 - 01:39 PM

Try a light rinse in warm soapy water. Wash it from the center to the edge with a very soft cloth. Dry. Try again.

Subject: RE: Tech: cd failure
From: Jack Campin
Date: 06 Dec 14 - 01:51 PM

Try to make a copy with a computer. That usually works - the computer doesn't have to decode the CD in real time, so it can do more complicated error correction. I normally use iTunes, but there are better programs as well. You just need to find where the error correction settings are.

Subject: RE: Tech: cd failure
From: GUEST,Mr Red
Date: 06 Dec 14 - 02:15 PM

If it isn't scratches or dirt on the surface then you have to consider the very real possibility of end of life.
When CD's were the latest thing they worked for as long as 5 years and keeled over - Sony & Philips investigated and found the ink used to print the pretties was acidic (or caustic) and the varnish/layer protecting the aluminium was porous.
They sorted that out until CD-R became a commodity priced disposable. When all the clever Chinese (et al) cut so many corners and didn't know the problem. Neither did the public until - 5 years down the line - bits fell off.

So how long have you had the CD?

Is it a home-burned jobbie?

And who actually made the CD? - the hardware not the copyrighted stuff.

Copying on a PC will sort of work, but the best is to Rip (in Windows Media Player eg) each track and retrieve as much as you can. Then put the MP3 (WMP can be made to SaveAs MP3). Then put the tracks in your smart phone etc.

Subject: RE: Tech: cd failure
From: Rumncoke
Date: 06 Dec 14 - 04:06 PM

The cd has no scratches, and is not dirty - I did try going through each track on the player - I just got an eerie few bars of track 10 - the day thou gavest lord is ended - which was rather spooky.

I will set up the old computer and try to play it with that - the new pc with Windows 8.1 has no media stuff on it - which is one of the worst decisions that Microsoft have made for a while.

Also - who thought that tiny keyboards made of black plastic with grey printing was the way to go? I am trying to reinstate the old one which is PS2 and the curved type with the triangular split in the middle so my wrists don't have to twist round so much. This one is slightly curved but has no wrist support so my hands ache.

Subject: RE: Tech: cd failure
From: Thompson
Date: 06 Dec 14 - 06:38 PM

+1 on making a copy. I've often rescued music from apparently unplayable CDs by doing this. Ignore the fact that it won't play; try to import it into iTunes or equivalent and you may find that the electronic version will play all right.

Subject: RE: Tech: cd failure
From: Thompson
Date: 06 Dec 14 - 06:43 PM

Oh, and until you get your old keyboard working, a wrist rest may help; a rolled-up T-shirt works fine. One thought, PS2 to USB converters can be troublesome and you might be better off just to buy a new split keyboard.

Subject: RE: Tech: cd failure
From: Gurney
Date: 06 Dec 14 - 07:12 PM

I bought a batch of CD-Rs that turned out to be garbage. About half of them have a life of about four replays after being recorded on. The discs were burned copies of LPs.

Fortunately, I took the precaution of keeping copies of the digitised LPs on a hard-drive, but Nothing Is Forever! And particularly CD-Rs, it seems. Also, some of the CD-Rs will play perfectly on one player, but not on another!

I'm not alone. I bought a semi-pro produced CD, and the whole silver surface lifted off, leaving a clear plastic disc.
It showed bubbling, first.

Subject: RE: Tech: cd failure
From: GUEST,Bob Schwarer
Date: 06 Dec 14 - 07:30 PM

I have CDs that play fine on the computer, but will play a bit in my truck and then stall. These are home brew or ripped CDs. Store bought have been stored in a hot truck for years and play fine.

Subject: RE: Tech: cd failure
From: GUEST,Guest, Steve
Date: 07 Dec 14 - 03:36 AM

You can download Media player for Win 8.1 for free. It wasn't Microsoft's decision to leave it off, it was the result of an EU ruling.
And when you try ripping, don't rip to MP 3 , you can set it to rip to WAV or some other lossless format, which won't lose quality.
Steve

Subject: RE: Tech: cd failure
From: GUEST,punkfolkrocker
Date: 07 Dec 14 - 06:02 AM

Highly regarded amongst online music communities, and supported by much advice and tutorials,
is a free ripping software Exact Audio Copy

"Exact Audio Copy is a so called audio grabber for audio CDs using standard CD and DVD-ROM drives.
The main differences between EAC and most other audio grabbers are :

It is free (for non-commercial purposes)
It works with a technology, which reads audio CDs almost perfectly.
If there are any errors that can't be corrected,
it will tell you on which time position the (possible) distortion occurred,
so you could easily control it with e.g. the media player

With other audio grabbers you usually need to listen to every grabbed wave because they only do jitter correction. Scratched CDs read on CD-ROM drives often produce distortions.
But listening to every extracted audio track is a waste of time.
Exact Audio Copy conquer these problems by making use of several technologies like multi-reading
with verify and AccurateRip."