I still use a CD burner fairly regularly. I have an ASUS model right now, it was pretty cheap. Needed to replace whatever I had previously as it was an IDE drive and the motherboard that I have does not have any IDE connections. Basically, whether I use burning software or just Windows Media Player, these CDs do not appear to work in most players that I tried. I tried reducing the burn speed but that didn't work....in higher quality players, they skip, in lower quality players they just read disc error. I thought that maybe it was due to low quality blank CDs, but these CDs seem to burn just fine on another computer (just a cheap Best Buy desktop HP that is about a year old). Should I try a different brand burner? Maybe this ASUS was too cheap? They all seem to be about $15-$20.
Probably a bad drive. I have used tons of free burning software over the years but the one that consistently works the best is burnaware. Can try that if you haven't already. I don't know if you can buy just CD burners these days but good DVD burners can be found for $20-$30 or so
Mind you that I haven't have to burn a CD almost forever and now a day I don't even have a computer with a DVD burner anymore... but I remember back then when I had to burn a disc I usually half the speed of the rated disc... so if the CD is set for 32X I usually burn it at 16X... music I remember burning it at 4X so it is more compatible with older cd player. On DVDs, I would burn on 8X and usually have no issue at all. So maybe try burn it at a slower speed. As for different brand burner, I say they're all the same really.
Regular use maybe be too much for the typical burner these days. Maybe it just doesn't like that brand of disc, or particular batch of discs. I've had luck with LG's. I agree with f14dude - the burners all seems to be made cheaply now.
What software do you use? Have you tried CD-R disks instead? Have you tried to burn some movie (to fill the whole disk) and then to watch it in another PC, or player which understands MP4 formats?
I had many cd-rw/dvd-rw burners over the year and lots of failed burns is usual signs of it dying. My favorite it when the drive is constantly open and closing when the system is powered I also agree the cheaply made these days, I even find bluray burners which support all that costing 40$ to be crazy cheap, you get what you pay for ?
I first thought it was the actual discs, but they work fine in other devices. I have a feeling that most CDs are manufactured, then purchased and then stamped with a name brand. Can't be too much money in keeping a blank CD manufacturing plant open in this day and age. I will try another burning program and then go to an LG unit. I had an LG previously. I can't remember why I purchased an IDE drive back then......SATA was long since available.
Wow. This bring memories about CD/DVD 'branding'. I think I used to use a website which listed the actual manufacturer of different CD brands. And there were only a few that were considered good. Kind of like with PSUs manufacturers and brands nowadays. IIRC, one of the best manufacturers for quality blank CDs were Ricoh.
