Frequently Asked Questions About CD-R and CD-RW Discs

Please contact Media Sciences if your questions are not answered on these pages.

Does 1X recording result in better CD-R quality than high speed recording provides?

Some recorders seem to have problems at certain speeds that are not observed at other speeds. Such problems may occur only near the end of a 60 or 70 minute recording. Problems at 1X might only be observed with certain models, and then only for some drives of that model number. Other drives might have problems at the top speed, or at intermediate speeds. For example, an 8X writer might perform properly at 8X and at 2X, but not at 4X or at 1X. A different 12X writer might write properly only at 4X.

Drive operation generates high frequency vibrations that are damped by special mounts. Unfortunately, optimum damping cannot be attained at all vibration frequencies. 1X recording speeds produce lower frequency vibrations that might interfere with low frequency servo loops. Unbalance problems at very high speeds can result in excessive vibration. Also, recording power does not increase linearly with speed, therefore higher speed recording can reduce the total energy required for recording. This may reduce thermal drift in the optical head.

Recording drives should be tested at all recording speeds and at full disc capacity. Problems at one speed point to a flawed writer that should be repaired or replaced. The absence of obvious problems at a different speed does not guarantee that the marginal system will be reliable.