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[zverinu]

I am mastering finished audio productions to CDR with a pc based recorder. I use Samplitude for this. I used to have an A-Open cd-writer and experienced few problems. However, I recently upgraded to a Sony DVD-writer since I have ventured in video-production as well. Now I seem to have a problem with errors on cd's I write in that drive.

I have a few questions as I am fairly new to this topic:

1) is there good (freeware) software to check the number of errors on written cd's?

2) can writing cd's in a DVD recorder increase the error count?

3) what cd- or dvd-writer could you recommend for this application?

I would be delighted to hear your enlightened opinions on this matter

Kind greetings,

Joachim Brackx

[Thomas W. Bethel]

No freeware program for error checking that I am aware of.

"DVD Writers" should not increase the number of errors

I would suggest you get a Plextor with the included software to check for errors.

What media are you currently using? Some media is better than others and has a lower error count . Suggest doing a search on this site this topic has been covered before.

Best of luck!

[Pingu]

I think all the guys around here use
Plextor Premium.
It comes with its own error checking software i believe.

Cd speed is a free download and is great for error checking.

[zverinu]

thanks for the replies

-I was using Fuji CD-R Pro Audio in both cases, however I am considering switching to taiyo yuden cdr's.

-I have indeed read about the PlexWriter Premium, but it seems to be discontinued, I can't buy it anywhere. As far as I can see Plextor has only one CD-writer left: the PX 230-A at around 30 Euro. It comes without software though. Does anyone use a Plextor DVD-writer for this?

-Thanks for the tip on cd speed, I will try it tomorrow

Kind greetings,

Joachim Brackx

http://www.brackx.info

[Jerry Tubb]

I wasn't impressed with the PX 230, thought it was a dog, too many errors, no Plextools, don't waste your time and money.

IMO the PX 716 DVD-R is the one to get, makes great masters esp with TY media.

Of course the price is more than double the 230, but if you're making masters...

[Ronny]

Phi Lion wrote on Tue, 13 December 2005 09:07

I think all the guys around here use Plextor Premium. It comes with its own error checking software i believe. Cd speed is a free download and is great for error checking.

CD Speed is good for surface scan and DAE checking, checking access times and burst rate, but as far as the BLER goes, I find it to be inaccurate at worst and hard to read at best. I'm talking about the pay version, not the freebie, which I didn't even know the freebie did BLER checking. Must be new on the freebie.

[James Perrett]

zverinu wrote on Tue, 13 December 2005 14:56

thanks for the replies -I was using Fuji CD-R Pro Audio in both cases, however I am considering switching to taiyo yuden cdr's. -I have indeed read about the PlexWriter Premium, but it seems to be discontinued, I can't buy it anywhere. As far as I can see Plextor has only one CD-writer left: the PX 230-A at around 30 Euro. It comes without software though. Does anyone use a Plextor DVD-writer for this?

We've just bought some PC's with Sony DVD writers in my day job at the University here - they certainly seem a little fussier about media than the Plextors but some of the problems may be down to the users burning at the fastest speed possible (we're not talking mastering here).

Fuji media is very variable - sometimes it will be made by T-Y and therefore be very good while other times it isn't great.

A Plextor 716 or 760 DVD writer is probably the best way to go at the moment - the 716 performs very similarly to the Premium for audio work.

Cheers

James.

[Greg Youngman]

Ronny wrote on Tue, 13 December 2005 14:29

Phi Lion wrote on Tue, 13 December 2005 09:07 I think all the guys around here use Plextor Premium. It comes with its own error checking software i believe. Cd speed is a free download and is great for error checking. CD Speed is good for surface scan and DAE checking, checking access times and burst rate, but as far as the BLER goes, I find it to be inaccurate at worst and hard to read at best. I'm talking about the pay version, not the freebie, which I didn't even know the freebie did BLER checking. Must be new on the freebie.

Playing around with CD Speed... I don't understand why the C1 numbers aren't the same with both "Disc Quality" and "Scan Disc" tests on the same CD.  

[Ronny]

C1 count will more often than not, vary slightly each time you run a BLER check on the same cd, even in the same drive.

The file test and scan disk verifies the data by block structure. As long as everything is read it will show 0 errors. You could have thousands of C2's and still get a perfect data scan as long as there are no CU's. I was just running a null test on a clients pressed cd with my PMCD copy and decided to check it in CD Speed after running a BLER check in Plex Tools Pro. C1's = 1236, avg per sec was 1.0 and max 14 per sec, in PTP, CD Speed file test and surface scan all green 0 errors. I tried to do a BLER check and it said Error failed to initialize the disk. I tried it on all the CAV speeds and same error, it wouldn't go into the C checks. Nope, I'm not happy with CD Speed, it's a waste of money if you have Plex Tools as far as I'm concerned.  

[zverinu]

Thank you so much everyone for your helpful answers.

It looks like I'm going to shop for a Plextor

Kind greetings from Belgium!

Joachim Brackx

http://www.brackx.info

[James Perrett]

Ronny wrote on Thu, 15 December 2005 00:04

I was just running a null test on a clients pressed cd with my PMCD copy and decided to check it in CD Speed after running a BLER check in Plex Tools Pro. C1's = 1236, avg per sec was 1.0 and max 14 per sec, in PTP, CD Speed file test and surface scan all green 0 errors. I tried to do a BLER check and it said Error failed to initialize the disk. I tried it on all the CAV speeds and same error, it wouldn't go into the C checks. Nope, I'm not happy with CD Speed, it's a waste of money if you have Plex Tools as far as I'm concerned.

Ronny - as you've just found out, CD Speed doesn't work with Plextor drives. That doesn't mean that it won't work for some other makes of drive but Plextools is the software to use with Plextor drives.

Cheers

James.

[Ronny]

jamesp wrote on Thu, 15 December 2005 09:11

Ronny wrote on Thu, 15 December 2005 00:04 I was just running a null test on a clients pressed cd with my PMCD copy and decided to check it in CD Speed after running a BLER check in Plex Tools Pro. C1's = 1236, avg per sec was 1.0 and max 14 per sec, in PTP, CD Speed file test and surface scan all green 0 errors. I tried to do a BLER check and it said Error failed to initialize the disk. I tried it on all the CAV speeds and same error, it wouldn't go into the C checks. Nope, I'm not happy with CD Speed, it's a waste of money if you have Plex Tools as far as I'm concerned.   Ronny - as you've just found out, CD Speed doesn't work with Plextor drives. That doesn't mean that it won't work for some other makes of drive but Plextools is the software to use with Plextor drives. Cheers James.

Yes, but I've used CD Speed with non-Plextor drives and when I do get a read for BLER, it doesn't coincide with Plex Tools BLER results, except where there are very extreme amount of C2's over a short timespan. It also doesn't give the amount of CU's or I can't find where to view them. The only thing that I can't get to work when running CD Speed from a Plextor is the BLER check, all the other tests work fine. I'm not that computer savvy, so maybe it's pilot error or something that I'm not doing right, or don't have set correctly, but some of you fellows with CD Speed and Plex Tools, should check them against each other and notify the group if you are getting discrepancies between the two C checks.  

[Peter Andersson]

[

zverinu wrote on Thu, 15 December 2005 12:46

It looks like I'm going to shop for a Plextor http://www.brackx.info

Hi Joachim,

I got my Premium yesterday from this place in Sweden: http://www.microshop.se/default.asp.

They seem to have some left in stock and the price is great, 42 EUR + VAT (25%). Dunno if they are willing to ship outside Sweden, but it might be worth a shot. Their e-mail adress is order@microshop.se and their phone number is +46 (0)771-22 20 00.

[James Perrett]

Ronny wrote on Thu, 15 December 2005 19:58

The only thing that I can't get to work when running CD Speed from a Plextor is the BLER check, all the other tests work fine. I'm not that computer savvy, so maybe it's pilot error or something that I'm not doing right, or don't have set correctly, but some of you fellows with CD Speed and Plex Tools, should check them against each other and notify the group if you are getting discrepancies between the two C checks.

It isn't pilot error Ronny - it is a deliberate omission.

Cheers

James.