Hello,
In order to burn a CD (aka copy files to cd) you need two things:
1) Hardware (a cdr or cdr/cdrw drive -- I'll get into the differences
later)
2) Software (cd mastering or copying software)
3) Media (blank cds to record onto)
For the hardware half of your requirements, I suggest looking at the
advertisements for Best Buy, Circuit City, or CompUSA in your Sunday
circular. They always have sales each week for cdr & cdr/cdrw burners.
These burners or drives are actual cd-drives that you have to have
installed in your computer. If you're uncomfortable with installing
your own hardware, all three of the stores above offer services for
computer hardware upgrades. You may notice that I said cdr or
cdr/cdrw, the difference being a Compact Disc Recordable and a Compact
Disc Re-Writable drive. Cdr drives allow you to write on cdr media
ONCE meaning you can put as much as you want on that one cd up to
~650mb (or roughly 465 floppy disks). Once the disc is written you
cannot erase or change anything that is on the cd, much like the
normal cds you already have with your programs or music on it. Cdrw's
on the otherhand are read-many/write-many meaning you can erase and
use the disc over and over. You need special cdrw media, and it's a
little bit more expensive than cdr media, but not by much. In fact
blank media is very cheap right now, last week I picked up 100 blank
cdr's for $30. This almost makes it a moot point on whether or not you
want to use cdrw's because cdr's are so cheap. When I mention cdrw
drives I say cdr/cdrw drives because all cdrw drives can also write
single-write cdr's (using cdr media of course). This is also an almost
moot choice because you're hardpressed to find a cdr only drive now,
most are cdr/cdrw.
The next thing you'll need is software. Most cdr drives are already
bundled with all the software and drivers you'll need to get your
drive up and running but just in case, let me recommend Roxio Easy CD
Creator (link below). It's bundled with most drives today because it's
one of the easiest to use cd authoring programs for music and data.
Learning to use these programs is 1, 2, 3, as most of these programs
have the same step-by-step wizards that I'm sure you're already
familiar with using Microsoft Word or Excel. The steps include, choose
which files you want to copy to cd, insert a blank cd, and then hit
burn. Making music cd's is just as easy, it's quite simple to make
your own mix cd compilations.
The last thing you'll need is blank media. As I said there are two
types, cdr and cdrw, and cdrw media will not work in cdr only drives,
but both will work in cdr/cdrw drives. They are cheap if you buy in
bulk, and often come in spindles without jewel cases. Empty jewel
cases can be bought separately for a couple more dollars if you're
interested in keeping them in hard cases.
I myself have burned over 1,000 discs, the empty spindle cases
reminding me of backed up files, mix cds and other various junk stored
over an array of plastic and foil. I hope my little guide was helpful
for you, and if you have any questions, just ask.
Search Strategy:
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Additional Links:
Roxio Easy CD Creator:
http://www.roxio.com/en/products/ecdc/index.jhtml
Thank you for the opportunity to answer your question, if you require
more information, please clarify the question, or if you find this
answer satisfactory, please feel free to rate it. Thank you!
skermit-ga |
