At 2/20/00 06:51 PM -0800, Roxanne Pierce wrote:

>Question 1: Is there any quality difference between the shiny-on-both-sides
>CD and the gold CD with one writeable surface?

I've used a lot of both and can't tell any difference.  I have found more
differences in the colors of the disks (Green is my favorite 'cause
informally I have found it can be read by more older CD players.

>Question 2: It looks like the CD with the writeable side cannot have a label
>used on it -- the side with the writeable surface is not completely flat,
>and since it has writing on it already, all that would show through a label.
>Am I right that this type is only designed for writing on, not putting a
>label on?

Depends on what type of label you use.  I use both the clear (won't work on
the printed type) and solid paper type (covers up the printing on the
CD).  Mine didn't have a surface so "un-flat" that it wouldn't work with
the paper labels.  Usually I put a background picture on the paper CD
labels for a better appearance (not so white!).

And to Roberto's question about the differences between the audio and data
CD's.  The price is the biggest difference. The audio CD's *are* made to
specifically work with *audio* CD recorders.  They have special coding on
the CD to allow the audio CD recorder to use the blank media. This is to
satisfy the RIAA (stands for Recording Industry Association of
America).  Their assumption is that you are going to record copywrited
music. So to compensate the music recording industry for lost revenue, they
get a portion of the selling price of the blank audio CD.  They will work
in a computer CD-R.  I use my computer CD-R to make CD copies of my
daughter's recitals and performances (she is a clarinetist) on plain old
data CD's and they work fine.  I have found that the older audio CD players
almost always work with the "green" CD's.  The green many times will not
record as fast and also I've heard that they don't last as long as the
newer, gold, or blue/silver ones.

This is my personal experience.

Doug

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