I want to burn a cd so I can have a copy in my car. I burnt one using Windows Media player and it plays fine on the PC but does nothing on in the car or other cd players at home. What have I done wrong? Is it technical or legal?

You need to use a program called Nero, and you need to burn at the slowest speed. If you want the CD to work well in every CD player. I have also had problems when a burner gets quite old and obviously the laser gets a bit weak. And what happend was our drummer couldn't play my burned CDs in his VW bora, which was the first sign that something was going wrong. I got a new one and everything was fine.

Nero is the best general CD writing progam. You can also use the latest version to write DVDs if you have a DVD burner. It's possible that Windows Media Player might be writing the CD as dos computer files rather than an audio CD. And the disks will be read ok on a PC but not on an audio player.

Originally posted by Furiuos_D
I want to burn a cd so I can have a copy in my car. I burnt one using Windows Media player and it plays fine on the PC but does nothing on in the car or other cd players at home. What have I done wrong? Is it technical or legal?

You sure you converted it to audio and not just copied it still on MP3 format??

I never had a problem before...!!

my car stereo wont play c.d bak ups either so join the club m8 the reason why mine wont play is because i have a multi changer and it will only play originals no matter what format i burn them with latest nero pioneer make make 2 so not a cheap system its something to do with the multi changer hardwhare :(

Originally posted by steevie/d
my car stereo wont play c.d bak ups either so join the club m8 the reason why mine wont play is because i have a multi changer and it will only play originals no matter what format i burn them with latest nero pioneer make make 2 so not a cheap system its something to do with the multi changer hardwhare :(
That shouldn't make any difference. I know loads of people who have multi changers and never put original cds in their cars. Have you tried burning at the slowest speed and using TDK / Mirror / good quality blanks.?

as daft as it is...some players just plainy dont play cdr's ...no matter how slow you copy or good discs you use. its just a bugger! if im buying anything electrical along these lines i take some cdr's dvd'rs etc along with me to make sure before hand.

p.s. i have perfect results on the cheapest discs i can find

Originally posted by Furiuos_D
I want to burn a cd so I can have a copy in my car. I burnt one using Windows Media player and it plays fine on the PC but does nothing on in the car or other cd players at home. What have I done wrong? Is it technical or legal?


This could be caused by Windows XPs DRM (Digital Rights Managment) - which, in answer to your question Is it technical or legal - is both;).


I have over 40 CDs that I have burned from my vinyl collection at speeds varying from 40 - 52 and all play in my olde CD player. However, I am aware of many users having problems with fast burned CDs.


Best thing to try is .......


1] Convert any files to a standard Windows (PCM) WAV format
2] Use Nero to burn a standard CD (not an audio CD)
3] Select the WAVs converted in step 1
4] Click next and make sure allow files to be added at a later date is unticked
5] Select prefered recording speed
6] Click Burn

Originally posted by MTheo
as daft as it is...some players just plainy dont play cdr's ...no matter how slow you copy or good discs you use. its just a bugger!



But, the OP says the burned CDs won't play on a standard CD player, which makes me suspect DRM poo!


Originally posted by MTheo
p.s. i have perfect results on the cheapest discs i can find


Me too;).

Sccsux. How did you burn from vinyl? Did you need a special program? Would like to burn about 50 LP'S!!

some cd players just wont accept cdrs/cdrws

and if they do some are fussy about which type....some wont play cheapy ones.


trial and error im afraid

oh yeah and DO NOT use windows media to burn cds or you will get that digital rights boolacks messing things up :)

To copy old LPs to CD..
I use a program called soundforge which is a music manipulation program. Allowing you to get rid of clicks and optimise to good volume level and get rid of hiss. It takes a long time though to do a good job. 50 LPs would take me a year to do, because you have to read them in in real time then split up the tracks before you even improve the sound. You could do it full time in a couple of weeks. But it just gets so boring if you have lots to do.

It is a great deal easier to get the CD copy of the record. And much quicker.

The mechanics is you have to have a lead which goes from e.g. headphone socket on your hifi amplifier to the line in socket on the soundcard of your computer. Then you set up the computer to record digital sound, then you make the level right and tip toe out of the room and come back in half an hour to stop the programme and top and tail it, save it on the hard disk, etc.. Then do the same fore side B of the record

It's not just burned Cd's. Some of the new copy protected official CD's will not play in certain cars. I have half a dozen that won't play in my car (VW audio) and it's because the CD's don't conform, to the "red book" standard. More info here ...

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/news/s/78/78709_music_fan_fights_vw_in_cd_row.html

Originally posted by oldtimer
Sccsux. How did you burn from vinyl? Did you need a special program? Would like to burn about 50 LP'S!!

you can just use the audio input in the back of your computer and use a program like `cool edit pro' to record whatever is playin thru your computer. but it can be tiresome if it doesnt auto cut the tracks for you.

Originally posted by Cols
It's not just burned Cd's. Some of the new copy protected official CD's will not play in certain cars. I have half a dozen that won't play in my car (VW audio) and it's because the CD's don't conform, to the "red book" standard. More info here ...

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/news/s/78/78709_music_fan_fights_vw_in_cd_row.html

Lord he should be thankful that he can't play Dido and Westlife. I would never admit to liking crap like that doesn't he have any pride? At least you'd say Black Flag and Led Zeppelin, bands for someone who has a bit of pride or edge to their musical taste, rather than infantile lift music which is churned out every week by the corporate music sausage machine.

Originally posted by Cols
It's not just burned Cd's. Some of the new copy protected official CD's will not play in certain cars. I have half a dozen that won't play in my car (VW audio) and it's because the CD's don't conform, to the "red book" standard.

The funny thing is that you can rip the CD on your computer with a certain program, re-burn it to a normal audio CD and then take it back. As the CD isn't a genuine audio compact disc you can get a full refund - citing that your audio equipment won't play it because of the copy prevention techniques used.

The copy protection schemes music companies use doesn't stop the pirates one bit, it just upsets law abiding music CD buyers.

Many thanks to everyone who offered helpful suggestions. I now have the situation under control and sorted. Ta again
Furiuos-D