CD Terminology

Below, you'll find the most common terminology that relates to CD duplication. Even if you are new to duplication, the terms below may help you learn more.

BLER

Block Error Rate. This is the raw digital error rate before any type of error correction.

CD

This the Compact Disc, a digital medium that's formed of a 12cm polycarbonate substrate, a reflective metalized layer, and a protective lacquer coating.

CD-R

Compact Disc-Recordable. The term CD-R is used to describe the technology of recordable CD along with the equipment, software, and media that are used to make the recordable disks.

Data layer

With CD-R media, this is the organic dye that is sandwiched between the polycarbonate substrate and the metalized reflective layer of the media. CD-R disks don't have any data on them at all until the are recorded.

Injection Molding

This is a manufacturing method where the molten material is forced into a mold, normally under high pressure, then cooled so that the material will take on the shape of a mirror image in the mold.

Media or blanks

CD-R media are the disks that are used to record digital information using a special recorder and premastering software with a computer. These discs are made of a polycarbonate substrate, a layer of organic dye, a metalized reflective layer, and a coating of lacquer for protection.

Organic dye

The data layer of CD-R media is made from a dye that is melted during the process of recording. Where the dye is melted, becomes opaque or refractive, scattering the reading laser so that it isn't reflected back into the reading sensors.

Reflective layer

This is the metal later that sits on top of the dye that reflects the laser beam back to the reading assembly. This is normally 24k gold in CD-R disks, although it can be silver as well.

CD Burner Buying Tips By Mohammad Yousef  

It’s not a bad idea to do some homework before deciding to buy a piece of hardware or software. And it’s no exception when it comes to choosing the right CD burner. I myself went seeking information about CD burners few weeks ago. Luckily, the cached web pages were still on my drive. So I thought someone might be interested in reading different guides from a variety of sources. Here they are:

How to Buy a CD-RW (PC World)

This is a comprehensive four-part guide provided by PC World. It’s divided into “Introduction”, “The Big Picture”, “The Specs Explained”, and “CD-RW Shopping Tips”. Make sure you read through the whole guide by clicking the “Next” link found on each page (except for the last page of course). PC World also has guides for buying other types of hardware. 

Tips on buying a CD-R / CD-RW drive (computerhope.com)If you’re looking for a brief guide that’ll only give you some idea about CD-R and CD-RW drives, point your browser to this link. CD-R FAQIn this website, there are so many FAQs about CD burners, that you must find an answer to (almost) any question whether it’s about CD burning hardware or software.

Beware of Defective CDs By Mohammad Yousef 
Did you know that your high-speed CD-ROM or CD-RW drive can shatter your CDs into slivers? Yes, it is true. So if you hear a bang or vibrating noise from your drive, it might be splintering your CD. But should you be worried? Well… not really. Your CD is likely to be shattered only if it’s severely defected. In addition, the possibility of a disc getting shattered in a 48X or 52X drive is only 0.01 to 0.02 percent (1 to 2 of every 10,000). If you’re wondering what can cause a CD to explode in the drive, the reason is simple: in new 52X drives, a CD spins at over 10,000 rounds per minute! Other reasons include brittleness -caused by frequent use- or the unevenness of a CD –caused by a faulty label. As I’ve already mentioned, ending up with a shattered CD is a very rare thing but checking a CD before inserting it in the drive –I’m sure- won’t do you any harm.

CD Music Ripper Software