burning a master cd for replication - need advice

[bonedog]

The last posts on a similar topic where quite stale - so I started a new thread.

I am getting ready to burn a master cd for sending to a replicator. My previous projects where home duped so I am new to the particulars of this. I am a bit nervous about submitting a master with errors that I can't detect at home.

I have Waveburner (included with Logic Studio) which will burn to red book spec. Jam no longer seems to be made and I'm not sure about using Toast. I do have an older version of Peak as well (4)

At least one website advises against using the burner in a laptop. I don't know if this should really be a concern (Macbook Pro 2.33 ghz) with
HL-DT-ST DVDRW GWA4080MA burner.
I may try burning from a buddy's Mac Pro tower if I can make that work for me.

I also considered setting up an external burner - but another website strogly advised against doing that !

I have some Maxell pro blanks and some MAM blanks on order.
I know to do disc at once - not track at once.

any and all tips would be appreciated. thanks, - noam

[kassonica]

Toast is fine.

Lappy CD burner are in general fine (Mac)

Burn at a slower speed, 8X is good or even 4X

USE GOOD QUALITY DISKS

Do all these things and you shouldn't have a problem.

[daniel.sneed]

I've burned master CDs with Toast to an external FW burner (La Cie) without a glitch.

If you're superstitious, or just as picky as I am :
- make a safety copy of your master files on another drive, then defrag the source drive prior burning.
- burn to reduced speed (16x seems ok)
- send your master CD to the factory with a second safety one along.

[Gravity Jim]

Also, the current and previous versions of Toast contain all the functionality of Jam in an easier-to-access interface.

Like Daniel, I don't understand why anybody would have a problem with an external burner... I use both my Mac's built in and my aging LaCie external all the time.

[daniel.sneed]

When we're at it :
My mastered tracks have no blank space (both, start and end)
I always set first track to 2 sec blank in Toast. That's a friend of mine tip, don't know really the truth about that.
All other tracks are set from 0 to anything.
I often set them to 7 sec blank (which is really quite long !).

[Gravity Jim]

I always set first track to 2 sec blank in Toast. That's a friend of mine tip, don't know really the truth about that.

That's Red Book standard for the first pause. If you set it to something else Toast (or Jam) will prompt you to fix it before burning the disc.

[daniel.sneed]

Thanks for this info Jim.
Another bad point for iTunes' burner !

[bonedog]

thanks all -- I will probably try a few different burns via different hardware
and test playback on a bunch of players. I'll let you know how it goes.

Wish waveburner had verification / error check. I may also try a burn off XO Wave which supposedly does have error checking.

[Radiogal]

Hmm.. Don´t wanna be a party pooper but how about ISRC codes, UPC/EAN codes and such. For a mastering production CD this is needed to be burned and coded with the CD information.
JAM and Waveburner (Logic) can handle these things on the MAC. For the PC platform Steinbergs Wavelab studio 6 will do it for a low price besides being a great edit and convertion program.
Cheers!

[bonedog]

Thanks RG for pointing out the importance of ISRC codes. I will be applying to the RIAA to be a registrant - though I am not completely sure how this process works I am hoping to be able to include these on the master.

re. the UPC/EAN codes - I was going to get a UPC code from my replicator / manufacturer - and have it printed on the packaging.
Do you think it is critical to get a code to include before burning the master ?

[Radiogal]

Hi Bonedog.
Yes, the UPC/EAN should be programmed on the CD together with the ISRC codings. Getting a UPC/EAN is not a big deal. You just need to know the number for the production item.

[bonedog]

I have been burning trial masters to test on various players. Using Waveburner and burning to both the internal and and external Plextor over USB.

So far the discs play well on every player - cars, portables, DVD players etc. - except one older toshiba DVD player - that will play store bought music CD's but will not play these.

I am wondering if anything I do regarding setting up and burning the master
could make this playable in this machine - and others that might have similar issues.
Perhaps after glass master replication this won't be an issue - but I'm not counting on that.
What I'm doing :
I burn as 'session' with over run protection turned off
I have ISRC codes entered and CD text entered - but no UPC code yet
I have default 2 sec.pauses before tracks
I tried two different setting for CDDA frame offsets at
a. b.
start 1st track 15 25
start points 15 25
end points 15 10
index points 0 25

thanks again - noam