Re: CD burning
- From: "Jim" <null@xxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 08:33:54 -0800
Thought of even one more good reason to get a third-party solution (sorry,
haven't used the built-in features for so long, the limitations are coming
to mind only slowly :)
Suppose you have a bunch of mp3 files that you'd like to turn into a CD for
use in the car. You car's CD player is usually supports a limited # of
options: CD-Audio (all do), CD-R (most do), CD-RW (a few do), or mp3
(somewhat rare, usually requires aftermarket replacement).
So you use the XP built-in burning feature and burn your mp3's to CD.
Unfortunately, it will only create a DATA CD, which means the files remain
mp3. This may be fine if you intend to use the CD only for archiving, or
perhaps an mp3 compatible CD player. But using Nero, you can opt to create
an Audio-CD, which will automatically convert the mp3 files to Audio-CD
format, compatible w/ your car's CD player!
You can also create mixed mode (data and audio-cd) CDs with these third
party applications, which is ideal for computers, where you might want to
include, say, a video version of a hit song, lyrics, etc. Again, none of
this is going to be possible w/ XP's basic burning feature.
I even go a step further. I take all my music CDs and use Nero to COPY the
CD to CD-R. Nero looks up the artist, song title, etc., and (optionally)
adds that information as CD Text. If you're using mp3 files, Nero will use
the ID3 tags for that same information. I now burn the new CD. When I
place that CD-R in my car's CD player, the artist, song, and title show on
the player's digital display! Most off the shelf music CDs do not provide
this information in order to make them as compatible as possible w/ the
oldest of CD players. Nero allows me to convert my music CDs into a much
more useful format that's compatible w/ my player.
Granted, you may find some workarounds, for example, Windows Media Player
may be able to convert mp3 to Audio-CD format for you, not sure, don't use
it much for burning, but it wouldn't surprise me if it did. But you asked
specifically about Windows Explorer and CD burning.
None of this stuff is part of WinXP's built-in CD burning feature, it's
simple drag and drop file, then create a data CD (as far as I've been able
to determine).
Jim
"Jim" <null@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:GNFif.46179$qw.9117@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Btw, one other nice thing about third-party solutions is, most provide
> virtual CD support. Although this isn't related to CD burning
specifically,
> it does illustrate the tremendous *value* associated w/ these products
over
> the basic capabilities of XP. Being able to image a CD to an ISO file and
> mount it on one of these virtual CD drives can be enormously advantageous.
> Response time is instantaneous, and you can typically have as many virtual
> CD drives as drive letters available. Gamers will even make images of
their
> CDs, burn them to DVD (again, something XP can't do), then when they want
to
> play, insert the ONE DVD (vs. multiple CDs) in the DVD drive, mount the
> images across two or three virtual CDs, and begin playing (although I've
not
> done it myself, I imagine you could even automate this mounting process w/
> an autorun file on the DVD). They have the convenience of using one DVD
vs.
> multiple CDs, all the advantages of CD support (often required by the
> licensing), and MUCH faster drive response.
>
> Jim
>
>
> "Jim" <null@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:QvFif.46176$qw.4491@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >
> > "Leslie Isaacs" <leslie.isaacs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> > news:um4xTXB9FHA.744@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > Hello All
> > >
> > > I currently have Windows 2K but am contemplating moving to XP. One
> reason
> > > is
> > > that I think (!) I have heard that with Windows XP it is much easier
to
> > > burn
> > > CDs/DVDs - that it's as easy as using windows explorer to copy files
to
> a
> > > floppy disk: is that correct? Is there really no need to use any other
> > > software (like Nero, etc.)?
> > >
> >
> > Yes, WinXP makes basic burning of files to CD (no, DVD is not supported)
> > easy. It's similar to working w/ floppies in Windows Explorer in the
> sense
> > you can drag and drop files to the CD drive window. You drag and drop
all
> > the files you intend to burn, then use an option that tells WinXP to
burn
> > them to CD.
> >
> > Like most WinXP "features", it's kind of a gimmick. These features are
> > often so limited, that 99% of serious users replace them will
> full-featured
> > products sooner or later. Whether it's WinXP features like CD burning,
> > backup, defregging, whatever, each has such serious enough limitations
> that
> > few will tolerate it for very long. Yet, there will those few who are
> happy
> > with "good enough".
> >
> > Specifically addressing the built-in CD burning, it's based on Roxio's
CD
> > burning engine. Although others have claimed otherwise, I've never
> > personally been able to get multiple sessions on a single CD. When XP
> burns
> > a blanks CD, it opens the session, burns the files, closes the session,
> AND
> > unfortunately, closes the CD. IOW, if I add 3 files to a CD and burn it,
> > that's it, I can't add more files later to that same CD, the CD is
closed
> to
> > any new sessions. Mighty inefficient and costly, if you ask me. Again,
> > others have claimed multi-session support, but I've never been able to
do
> > it. But frankly, there are so many other limitations, the point is
moot.
> >
> > XP can't burn ISOs (or any other image format). It can't burn DVDs. It
> > can't support packet writing, which ironically, is probably closer to
> > working with a floppy (packet writing allows you to add and delete files
> in
> > realtime). It's been so long since I used XP CD burning, I'm not even
> sure
> > you can use CD-RW (vs. CD-R), not that it would matter since you can
reuse
> > it unless you can find something else to erase it. You can't create
> > bootable CDs. You can't use any non-standard CD formats (e.g., ISO
specs,
> > naming characteristics, etc.).
> >
> > As you can see, yes, you can do some basic CD burning, but there are a
LOT
> > of other things that a full-featured product like Nero, Roxio, etc., can
> do.
> > And a lot of these products can be had dirt cheap, I just picked up Nero
7
> > from Fry's/Outpost for FREE (after rebates) on black friday (11/25/05).
> So
> > why limit your options employing only the XP built-in features?!
> >
> > As long as you can live w/ burning files w/ drag and drop and single
> > sessions, the built-in support will suffice. But honestly, most ppl
will
> > find this VERY limiting and will quickly look elsewhere. For a quick
and
> > dirty CD of files, even I will resort to the built-in support
occasionally
> > because it's so easy. But that's about it, otherwise I live and die w/
> > Nero.
> >
> > HTH
> >
> > Jim
> >
> >
> > > Thanks for any info/advice.
> > > Les
> > >
> > >
> > > ----------------------------------------
> > > I am using the free version of SPAMfighter for private users.
> > > It has removed 11 spam emails to date.
> > > Paying users do not have this message in their emails.
> > > Try www.SPAMfighter.com for free now!
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>
.
- References:
- CD burning
- From: Leslie Isaacs
- Re: CD burning
- From: Jim
- Re: CD burning
- From: Jim
- CD burning
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