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Questions:
Q: What
is CD-R or CD-Recordable?
Q: How
much data can be stored on a CD?
Q: How
does a CD-R drive work?
Q: Do
I have to be cautious when handling CD’s before recording?
Q: What
do I use to write on my recorded CD?
Answers:
Q:
What is CD-R or CD-Recordable?
A:
Ideally suited to the multimedia age, CD-R is a high capacity
recording media which meets the storage requirements of video,
audio, and data.
CD-R officially stands for Compact Disc
Recordable, basically a CD upon which recording can be performed.
However, data can be written only once to the disc, and data can
not be erased or rewritten. (Additional writing to the disc is
possible if enough capacity remains.) Almost all other recording
media can be rewritten, so CD-R (once written upon) can be played
back in a music- use CD player or CD-ROM drive. CD-R is said to be
the optimal media due to distribution possibilities, the huge
installed base of CD, its highly durable unalterable data
characteristics, and suitability for archive use.
Q:
How much data can be stored on a CD?
A:
About 650MB of Data can be recorded onto one CDR 650 disc (74
minutes.) This is the equivalent to 450 1.44 MB floppy discs.
Q:
How does a CD-R drive work?
A:
To record on a CD-R, the CD-R drive employs a laser beam with the
same wavelength as that used when reading a CD (780mm), yet at a
much higher strength. And to guide the laser, the CD-R disc
features a spiral groove molded into its surface, unlike a pressed
CD. When recording, the laser focuses on the disc, generating heat
to above 300º on only the affected region. This causes the
organic dye (found in the recording layer) and the substrate of
that small area (0.6 microns wide) to be physically altered. Not
surprisingly, the optical characteristics (refractive index) of
that area are also altered and this is the difference between
"burned" and "not-burned" areas which is
recognized by the CD-R drive.
Q:
Do I have to be cautious when handling CD’s before recording?
A:
Do not touch the recording surface and keep the disc free of dust
and fingerprints. If dirty, clean the surface with canned air. Do
not damage of dirty the substrate side. Cleaning by wiping the
surface is not recommended. If wiping is required use a CD-cleaner
cloth and wipe the disc from the inside to the outside,
perpendicular to the tracks. Do not wipe in a circular motion
around the disc, as this may permanently damage the disc. If a
cleaning liquid is necessary, use the one that is for cleaning
CD’s. Sudden changes in humidity or temperature are not
recommended, as this may cause the disc to warp or water to
condense on the disc.
Q:
What do I use to write on my recorded CD?
A:
Do not write on the disc using a pencil or hard topped pen. If
writing on the disc is required , use a felt tipped pen on the
protective layer surface. Do not attempt to erase anything that
has been written on the disc.
If you will be using any adhesive labels or
stickers, some precautions should be taken: Labels must be
perfectly adhered to the disc surface. Any bubbling or creasing
will imbalance the disc which can cause tracking errors or noisy
spin ups. Never attempt to remove an adhered label. In addition,
as with writing pens, insure your labels adhesive does not contain
any chemical solvents that can become absorbed into the dye later.
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