Why mess with a CD-R recorder?

[83758]

Well with the SCMS technology on CD recorders (or 'stand alone burners' if you want to call them that), why would someone want to buy one of those machines?

What's the advantage?

[Grant]

There are people who don't want to, or can't be bothered with using a computer, or can't get access to a pro burner without SCMS.

I was criticized for this very reply several months ago but I stand by it.

[Tony Caldwell]

I have a Philips stand alone burner, and I love it.

I use it a lot to record my LPs and tapes to CDRW. Then I copy the cdrw to the hard drive of my computer and edit with Cool Edit Pro. I also am using it to transfer my fairly large collection of concert "audience recordings" to CDR, using the same process as with LPs.

My computer is not in the same room as my stereo, so I would be S.O.L. without my Philips unit. Maybe someday I will be able to have a PC next to my stereo (with a great soundcard installed), but right now I don't.

I will admit that I have not used my stand alone unit to copy a CD since I bought my Plextor burner for my computer and started using EAC.

The guys on this forum were very helpful when I was trying to figure out what to purchace for PC burning.


Tony

[reidc]

Originally posted by Tony Caldwell

I use it a lot to record my LPs and tapes to CDRW. Then I copy the cdrw to the hard drive of my computer and edit with Cool Edit Pro. I also am using it to transfer my fairly large collection of concert "audience recordings" to CDR, using the same process as with LPs.

Tony

I do not have a stand-alone CD-R Recorder- but want to get one for sorta the same reasoning.

When I record from my LP's into my PC through my soundcard- I get this real annoying low-level hum. I brought it up here before, and I have changed cabling, turntables, soundcards to no avail.

I also feel the level output is extremely low compared to the output from VHS-HiFi tape into PC.

I want the ability to record to a CDRW right from my stereo, and then dump the files into my PC without going through my soundcard. Will it fix the level output- I dunno! Will it get rid of the hum- I dunno.

A new toy to play with- you betcha!

Do they all have the ability to burn to CDRW?

Thanks
Chris

[JonUrban]

I have both, and like both. The conveniece of going to the "stereo", playing an LP and burning it right to CD without getting the PC involved is great. You can use it to make compilations or full LP copies.

Once it is burned, THEN you can cart it over to the PC and do what you want with it. The SCMS is really a non-entity, unless you want to make copies of copies on the stand-alone burner. And that only pertains to copies of CDs. I don't think LP copies are covered. You can analog copy anything.

In fact, I have made some great CDs this way from Laserdiscs! Sure beats draggin the LD player up to the PC!!!

:-jon

[Grant]

I've got the issue licked. My computer is intergrated with the stereo system.:)

[hfloyd5]

I have a Philips dual deck unit, and I use it primarily to copy old LP's for friends. My stereo and computer are also in different rooms and there would be the additional cost of a good sound card and software to process analog to digital with the computer.

I really bought the deck for my kids to make copies of friend's CD's. However, I do occasionally use it as a CD player since it is the only one connected to my stereo.

The computer is better for Digital to Digital recording because you can use regular CDR's, while the stand alone deck requires more expensive Digital Audio CDR's.

[BeatleFred]

You CAN make copies of a copy with pro models like the HHB CDR830 and Marantz CDR500. That why I just bought an HHB CDR 830 the other day. If I want to send a disc of my song favorites to several friends of mine, I dont want to go thru the process of recording every song on the whole disc every time for each friend I want to send a disc to. I simply want to make ONE recording on a disc and then run multiple copies off it (Similar to a dual cassette deck for dubbing) . These two standalone models will let you do that and there are probably some other Pro standalones that do as well. For info on these models, type in their model name & number in a Search engine box such as www.google.com

[RetroSmith]

What no one has mentioned is that stand alone burners are WAY more expensive than integrated burners, and I find that every couple of years I buy a new burner for my pc and get 4X the burning speed. They are chep enuff to do that, AND the old burner can replace a slower Cd read only drive, giving you double duty and serving as a backup. My friend who bought a stand alone box paid 600$ for a 4X burner and now hes mortified that a 40X burner is available for 150$ , while hes stuck at 4X!!!!

Thats certainly a good reason, in my book, to stick to integrated Pc burners, you simply get more value for your money. I wouldnd buy a stand alone under any circumstances. But thats me, I guess.

[Grant]

I wouldn't buy one either, Mikey! I'm still using a three and a half year-old PC burner and it's still going strong! I use the hell out of it!

I just bought a top of the line Plextor burner for my wife's PC and it only cost $175 at Best Buy. THAT's a bargian!

To be fair, they DO sell standalone burners for under $200 these days, but I wouldn't trust them.

[RetroSmith]

Originally posted by Grant
!

To be fair, they DO sell standalone burners for under $200 these days, but I wouldn't trust them. [/B]


I bet thats a 4X burner, tho, 8 at best.

I heard that IMPULSE is coming out with a Firewire 50X Burner. Holy Mackerall!!

[Tullman]

Originally posted by Grant
There are people who don't want to, or can't be bothered with using a computer, or can't get access to a pro burner without SCMS.

I was criticized for this very reply several months ago but I stand by it.

My problem is I don't know squat about the computer. A stand alone cdr is like a cassette recorder to me. Like others have stated it is covenient to record lps which I do quite a bit of.

[Grant]

Tell you what, Tullman, when I started with computers, my goal was to do music on them. It was my way of learning. I think one of the biggest errors people make when trying to learn a computer is to try to learn the OS. I say, no. Apply your learning to something specific, like music. You will learn the computer along the way. With a PC, you will have to learn.

I can also use the computer like a cassette recorder.