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Q: CD-r playback problems ( Answered 4 out of 5 stars,   0 Comments )
Question  
Subject: CD-r playback problems
Category: Computers
Asked by: rasmich99a-ga
List Price: $2.50
Posted: 15 Apr 2003 21:31 PDT
Expires: 15 May 2003 21:31 PDT
Question ID: 191054
I've been looking for an answer for a while with no luck.  I have a
1999 Dodge Stratus with a standard am/fm/cd stereo.  The stereo works
fine.  I am able to play commercial CDs without a problem.  About 2
years ago I bought a batch of "Office Depot 80min/700MB" blank Cd-r. 
I was able to burn a bunch of CDs using Roxio and had no playback
problems in my car.  A few months ago I bought some more of these Cd-r
blanks (the CD-r had a wider range of speed that you could copy onto
it then the originals but otherwise was the same)  With these new Cd-r
I have been unable to get playback.  I put the CD into the stereo, it
spins, I can hear clicks, then it spits it out.  Sometimes after
30sec- 1min, I'll get about 30sec of play and then the process starts
over again.  I have tried many different brands of CDs, and have been
told by store slaesman that some are "gold", some "blue", etc.  All
with no luck.  All the Cds work fine in my roommates Ford.  All work
fine in my home stereo.  All work fine on the computer.  I have tried
different programs to copy the Cd.  I have tried different speeds of
the CD burner.  Do you have any idea of what the problem is?  I am on
the verge of buying a new stereo for the car.  Any help so that I can
copy music files and play them in my 1999 Dodge would be appreciated. 
Thank you.
Answer  
Subject: Re: CD-r playback problems
Answered By: denco-ga on 15 Apr 2003 22:42 PDT
Rated:4 out of 5 stars
 
Howdy rasmich99a!

The Raymond Mills & Associates' Toggle News Letter web site
points out the most probable problem.  Even though it is a
CD-R in a computer, it is still the same problem as yours.
http://www.toggle.org/html/0007artb.htm

"Our son made a CD-ROM disc from his computer ... When we put
it in the drive ... the system doesn't recognize there is a
disc in the drive. When we put it in our new computer ... it
works just fine. ... Commercial CDs work just fine."

The Toggle News Letter answer was:

"It may seem like CDs and CD drives are all alike but they
are not.  Commercial CDs have a metallic reflective layer
that is placed directly against the clear base of the disc."
...
"CD-R discs, on the other hand, require an extra layer of
light-sensitive dye to record the data."
...
"The long and the short of it is that some CD drives--and
especially older ones--may not be good at reading CD-R or
CD-RW discs while they may do a perfectly fine job of
reading commercial CDs."

The Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ indicates what to check:
http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_cdfaq4.html#CDFAQ_038

It includes dirty lens and problems with extended length discs.

They also have general preventive maintenance tips.
http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_cdfaq4.html#CDFAQ_027

Even though some sites warn against using CD laser lens
cleaners, this TNT Audio write-up likes them.
http://www.tnt-audio.com/clinica/cd-lense.html

You can get CD lens cleaners at places like Crutchfield.
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-XQl6n24u5v3/cgi-bin/ProdGroup.asp?g=101200

Your car's CD player probably just need some maintenance,
and it might be as simple as cleaning the lense.  If your
radio/CD player is a real good one, I would take your car
to an automobile audio shop and have them do some proper
maintenance (cleaning and alignment) on it.  If not, then
I would try the CD lens cleaner, and see if that clears the
problem up.  If that doesn't work, then you have an excuse
to get a new radio/CD player for your Stratus.


Search strategy:

"commercial CDs work"
://www.google.com/search?q=%22commercial+CDs+work%22

cd player maintenance
://www.google.com/search?q=cd+player+maintenance

If you need any clarification, feel free to ask.

Looking Forward, denco-ga

Request for Answer Clarification by rasmich99a-ga on 16 Apr 2003 05:02 PDT
Thanks for the prompt response.  My questions is, if maintenance was
the problem, why would the original batch of Cd-r continue to work
with no problems, but the newer Cd-r not work.

Clarification of Answer by denco-ga on 16 Apr 2003 12:23 PDT
Good question rasmich99a and my apologies for not getting that
the original CD-Rs still worked on your car's deck.

One of the links (The Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ) I provided
with my answer also has a section titled "Problems with extended
length discs" at:
http://www.repairfaq.org/REPAIR/F_cdfaq6.html#CDFAQ_015

"The specifications for the length of an audio CD is just
over 74 minutes.  I have seen them as long as 78 or 80 minutes
which means that some of the basic CD specifications have been
compromised - either the track pitch has been reduced or the
track extends closer to the outside edge of the disc - or both."
...
"The disc may be rejected resulting in the display showing 'disc'
or 'error' as though damaged, improperly inserted, or missing.  In
this case, the CD player's microbrain simply thinks anything with
a total playing time exceeding 74 minutes and 15 seconds is invalid."

So, maybe as you got more experienced with burning your own CD-Rs
you might have "crossed the line" of the 74 minute "limit" that
your CD deck might have in place.  To test this theory, check out
some of the working CD-Rs that you have and see if they have less
than 74 minutes of material on them.  The link above has more on
the possible problems that can happen with extended length discs,
so you might want to read that reference in detail.

As the new CD-Rs work on other CD players, etc. I am positive
that it is an issue with your car's radio/CD deck and (hopefully)
just a maintenance (dirt, alignment, tracking, etc.) issue that
can be cleared up relatively easily, or the extended length disc
problem, which might mean you can get away with "just" reburning
your CD-Rs with less material.

Hope this clarifies things and gets things running OK for you!

If I can be any further help, please ask!

Looking Forward, denco-ga

Request for Answer Clarification by rasmich99a-ga on 17 Apr 2003 12:37 PDT
Tried a CD cleaner- no luck
The CD lengths are much shorter than 74 min- again no luck.
Have you heard anything about specific types of CD-r or a database of
what each brand is actually (as in film on the CD_r, backing color,
etc.)

Clarification of Answer by denco-ga on 17 Apr 2003 14:35 PDT
Howdy rasmich99a!

Even though the "gold/gold" CD-Rs are supposed to be better,
at least from a "shelf life" factor, and slower recording
speeds are recommended to improve "readability", we still
can't escape that your new CD-Rs seemed to be OK in every
way except when it comes to your car's CD player.

The PC Buyers Guide.com website has a CD-R Reliability Report.
http://pcbuyersguide.com/hardware/storage/CD-R_reliability_reports.html

"Notably, few CD-R users speak highly of "blue dye" discs. In PC
Buyer's Guide's own tests, in fact, blue discs (e.g., BASF brand
with silver disc label, etc.) consistently caused more trouble
than any other type. In general, we've found that discs with dark
dye performed worse than those with lighter dyes."
...
"... we have had good results from silver/silver unbranded discs
(based on "advanced phthalocyanine dye", according to the Media
section of the CD-R FAQ) and find them an economical and -- so
far -- reliable solution."

The above page also has some links at the bottom to some other
information, including details concerning "gold/gold" CD-Rs.

Andy McFadden's CD-R Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) states:
http://pcline.epfl.ch/zuzu/cdr_faq.htm#7

"Some audio CD players (like the ones you'd find in a car stereo)
have worked successfully with one brand of gold media but not another.
Some players fail completely with green, some fail completely with gold."

A few more things you can try:
- see if a different brand of CD-R burned on another computer works
- test "audio" (74 minute instead of 80 minute) CD-Rs
- test silver and gold CD-Rs

So even though a different type of CD-R might work for you,
you would still be stuck with the possible inability to use a
friend's CD-Rs.

If playing CD-Rs in your Stratus is important to you, as
it appears it is, it would probably be easier just to go
out and buy a new CD deck.  There is still the route of
getting your current one serviced, but that might be money
that would be wasted.  At least you can re-use the CD lens
cleaner.

Search strategy

"gold/gold" CD-R
://www.google.com/search?q=%22gold%2Fgold%22+CD-R

Sorry there doesn't appear to be an easy answer and thanks
for the 4 star rating!  Appreciate it!

Looking Forward, denco-ga
rasmich99a-ga rated this answer:4 out of 5 stars

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