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difference between "data" and "audio" cd-r discs

Discussion in 'CD-R(W) Media' started by timcupery, Aug 22, 2003.

  1. timcupery

    timcupery Member

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    I searched all over the site on this one, but didn't find this specific question addressed. I see some cd-r discs sold as "data" discs, and others for "audio". In my experience, data cd-r discs usually play fine when burned in audio cd format.

    I've seen reference to those categories in these forums, but haven't seen an explanation of what the difference is. I assume that it has something to do with Red Book and/or Orange Book conventions. Any enlightenment that can be provided on this issue is appreciated. Thanks.
     
  2. kidmd

    kidmd Guest

    Audio cd's have an identification marker that is embedded onto the disk that can be recognised by consumer cd recorders. These recorders will not make a copy of copy. This applies only to "stereo equipment" cd recorders, not to computer cd burners, which by and large treat audio and data cds the same.
     
  3. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    "Data" CDRs can be burned as whatevee you want be it Data, Audio, VCD, SVCD, blah blah blah. "Audio" CDRs on the otherhand can only be burned as Audio. Perhaps there is a quality improvement when compared to "Data"-Audio cds but i dont know.
     
  4. kidmd

    kidmd Guest

    Praetor I am not sure what equipment you are using , but I have no problem burning data or video onto "Audio" CDRs.
     
  5. timcupery

    timcupery Member

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    I'd cast my experience in with kidmd - the only difference I've been able to discern with cd-r discs whose packages are labeled "data" is just that - the label. I need to check more carefully on the orange book vs. red book convention - there may be something there. But I've always been able to burn any data discs (mp3 files mostly) onto "audio" cd-r discs, no problem.
     
  6. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    Well I'm using an ASUS522452A 1.35 burner. The experience goes the same for other burners I've used. Of course I dont use "audio" media much, so far only TDK and I think it was Kodak... could have been Sony.... but those were audio only.
     
  7. mhoope02

    mhoope02 Member

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    You only need buy "Consumer Audio" CDR's if you plan to use them in Standalone CD Recorders (Philips 779 etc,...). You are just wasting your money otherwise. Often the discs good quality, but only rated at 4x or 8x speed, so Error rates balloon above that.

    Basically Consumer Audio CDR's are more expensive, because the RIAA takes a tax on each one, as you are going to be doing "mechanical copying" - i.e. Making up your own compilations from what you already have.
     
  8. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    So that's the official term! .... 'consumer audio cdrs' :)
     
  9. davyj

    davyj Member

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    Yes, and if you try and burn a 'data' CD in a consumer hi-fi unit it says 'PROFESSIONAL?' on the LCD display.
     
  10. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    lol thats too funny hehe :-D
     
  11. Discmania

    Discmania Active member

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    If you use your PC for CD burning there is NO difference between audio and data CD's for burning anything i.e music, video or data - except of course the price!. Audio CD's are manufactured for certain standalone CD recorders that require that format for copying music. It's a rip-off in actual fact.
     
  12. DogBomb

    DogBomb Regular member

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    Just to reiterate what others have been saying, there is no quality difference between audio-CDRs and data-CDRs; however, if you have a standalone CD player/recorder, you may need to buy audio-CDRs because it checks for some coding on the CDR. (There's a way to trick it using a data CDR anyway.) The audio-CDR label is just more expensive because of the royalties being paid to the RIAA.
     
  13. magnetic

    magnetic Regular member

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    The Audio cd's are supposed to have a different geometry to the track to reduce audio errors

    Data cd's should be fine for anything you are doing on the PC
     
  14. Discmania

    Discmania Active member

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    ....and pigs have a different geometry so they can fly.
     
  15. magnetic

    magnetic Regular member

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    emm, pigs can't fly...

    If I get a chance tonite I'll try and unearth my orange book or the cd-r 'bible' to clarify my comment.

    If you think about it, the geometry of the Stamper (that's the bit put in the moulding machine with which the clear blank disk with the track is made from) is different between the 74 minute, 80 min and now these 90 min disks, this means the geometry of the track between the 74, 80 and 90 min cd's are different.
    Obviously more track length is added to the same diameter cd reducing the track pitch, affecting the area for the recording dye.
    What I'm on about is that some of the audio cd-r had a more stable track geometry to reduce the errors associated with Audio reproduction

    I use data cdr for my audio backups

     
  16. Mr_Mister

    Mr_Mister Guest

    How does the size thing work?
    Example: if I have a CD-R that says it's 80 minutes/700 MB and the average audio quality is like around 10MB/minute, where does the extra 100MB come from? Shouldn't it be 80 minutes/800 MB?
     
  17. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    Awwww crap i new i should have linked that post hehe.... up in Audio, Tigre (i think) have an explaination of that... it has something to do with the fact that audio cds are measured based on 44.1Khz, 16-bit and something about sector sizes and it comes out to 800+ MB per audio cd.... in any case, you cant really compare audio and data simply because they use a different storing process.
     
  18. vurbal

    vurbal Administrator Staff Member

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    Praetor - Was this what you meant?
    http://forums.afterdawn.com/thread_view.cfm/7976
     
  19. Praetor

    Praetor Moderator Staff Member

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    That's what PMs are for... thread hijacking is mean :p
     
  20. vurbal

    vurbal Administrator Staff Member

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    Nah, I thought it would explain the question about how an audio CD stores 800MB on a 700MB blank. Besides it got hijacked several posts back. I just came along for the ride. ;)
     

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