Music CD's not playing

[Mark Hancock]

I've been trying to catalogue my music CD collection with iTunes and have found that some CD's don't play on my laptop. I've also checked them in different software (media player, flv player) and they don't play. Some that won't play I've checked in other devices and they work okay. I've even tried them in my old laptop and they appear to work fine there. Anyone any ideas?

Mark

 

[CHJ]

Might be that they are copy protected and your new machine has later versions of copy protection blocking installed.

 

[RogerS]

Nothing at all to do with copy protection. Sounds like the CD player in your computer is duff. I'm assuming that you're talking about the new one that you bought, Mark?

 

[henton49er]

Mark,

I had a similar issue to this recently.

I was given 4 CDs for Christmas and three of them played on my laptop and one wouldn't (Windows 7 Home Premium and Media Player).

On researching the problem I found that CD's made by Warner Bros and their subsidiary record labels have an odd form of copy protection which does not play on a very limited number of CD reader/writers (mine is a TSST Corp CDDVDW TS-L633C which is known to be one of the types which gives this problem). Apparently there is no available workaround - fortunately I also have a portable DVD/CD reader and was able to copy the CDs onto my laptop from which they play quite happily. You can use Control Panel- Device Manager to see what your DVD/CD is - if it the same as mine (or similar) then I guess you have the same problem.

Hope this helps.

Mike

 

[doorframe]

Hi Mark.

A disc that plays on one player wont always play on another. Doesn't mean anything is wrong, just some odd compatibility issues. Same for DVD's. For example, I have many brand new CD's that wont play on my car player or my laptop. I simply clone them (using some software I wont name here) onto a CDR and then they'll play on anything. I don't think there's anything illegal in that as I own the original and the back up is for my own personal use. I do this to all my CD's, not just the 'odd' ones. The plus-side is that if I scratch the back up I just make another one as the original is virtually untouched.

Roy.

 

[RogerS]

The compatibility issues are down to cheaply made Chiwanese tat aka CD players. Made down to a price...the lowest. Tight engineering tolerances out of the window which explains why some CDs will play in some drives but not others. A real PITA. "Who cares about quality as long as it's cheap", seems to be the mantra of the masses. [/rant]

 

[doorframe]

Ranting Roger.....

That's often, but not always the case. I got rid of a Sony DVD player a while back because it was so picky about what it would or wouldn't play. Replaced it with a cheapy that far less fussy (Just like ME!!...as Rico would say)

 

[Mark Hancock]

Thanks for all the replies.

This has been doing my head in all afternoon, trying to find solutions with troubleshooters, forums, web etc.

Roger,
that was my initial thought, a duff drive on the new computer. But it's always the same CD's (about 20 of them now) so it seems unlikely or a very strange occurrance.

Mike
that is kind of reasuring to know even if it is still frustrating. I checked mine and the drive is a Slimtype DVD A DS8A5SH on Windows 7 Home Premium, I'll see what I can find out about it.. I'll have to see if I can use an old laptop and then copy the files to the new one.

Roy
I'd be interested in knowing more about cloning though it does sound like burning a CD?

Cheers
Mark

 

[doorframe]

Mark.... you have PM.

 

[Mark Hancock]

Mark.... you have PM.

Thanks Roy

 

[Lons]

Both Roy and Roger are right.

Hardware produced down to a price level and with resulting reliability problems though generally it is still the cheaper brands that will play the widest range of disks. (They have to considering the volume of fake disks around).

In theory all original ("pressed") disks should be playable everywhere but attempts by the producers, especially Sony, to reduce illegal duplication has caused major compatibility problems between the copy protection they add and the players. As said, some of the best brands can be the most picky and it's no surprise that Sony is one of those.
The fact that genuine customers were inconvenienced matters not one jot of course but it's understandable. Waste of time of course as the hackers had cracked the protection as soon as it appeared and anyone with even limited knowledge or the willingness to search the web can quickly learn to copy almost anything now where 10 years ago you needed to know your way around a system and be prepared to spend hours doing it.

I'm not sure about the law on copying your own original disks but I certainly do it especially for my car and see nothing wrong with that. CDRs can vary in quality and I've found the most reliable by far are those with "Ritek" dye.

 

[Blister]

Mark

I just looked up CD in the dictionary :lol:

Apparently some time back in history people had silver disc's with music on

I vaguely remember them :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Mark Hancock]

Mark

I just looked up CD in the dictionary :lol:

Apparently some time back in history people had silver disc's with music on

I vaguely remember them :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

I'm always behind the times :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[chunkolini]

I have had similar problems and as said just using legal copying software make a copy and they generally work.
Seems odd but never mind.
I keep copies at work and never take the originals into work.

 

[Harbo]

I have lots of black thingies too, though my CD collection is stored in a memory stick for playing in my car.

Rod

 

[Mark Hancock]

I have had similar problems and as said just using legal copying software make a copy and they generally work.
Seems odd but never mind.

I've tried that. The problem is that the CD's don't play at all or very badly with a lot of noise so when I copy them I get the same with the copy. I'm planning to try the copying on another laptop so by passing the drive with the problem.

 

[henton49er]

I'm planning to try the copying on another laptop so by passing the drive with the problem.

Mark,

As I noted above, I think this will give you the answer you are looking for. Otherwise suspect faulty CDs (which is quite rare, given the number produced).

Mike

 

[CHJ]

I've tried that. The problem is that the CD's don't play at all or very badly with a lot of noise so when I copy them I get the same with the copy. I'm planning to try the copying on another laptop so by passing the drive with the problem.

Mark, IF it is the Discs copy protection not working with the drive firmware then no program can retrieve the disc content on that drive.
You will need as you say to copy them on a machine with a drive that either ignores the copy protection (best option and most likely to be a cheap generic drive) or reads it OK, but even in the latter instance it will then depend upon your burning software and how it handles the CP glitches built into the recording.

It's no good using burning software that creates a disc image as that will be exactly the same as the original, you need to use burning software that filters out or repairs the CP mask. Some current software packages will burn to mp3 which you can then transfer but of course the new track/disk may not be recognised by on-line cataloguing, in fact that may be the case with any disc you manage to burn that has changed the disc headers. Fine for scratch prevention in car or office but more than likely useless for on-line cataloguing.

As has been mentioned before the various hurdles developed and implemented by those with a commercial influence in disc and/or hardware production have done nothing to provide customer satisfaction, just been plain obtrusive to the home user who wants to move the content around ever changing consumer media and none of it stops those that wish to pirate the product on a large scale.

 

[Benchwayze]

Thanks for all the replies.

This has been doing my head in all afternoon, trying to find solutions with troubleshooters, forums, web etc.

Mark,

You really mustn't let these things get to you! It's only life. 8)

John :lol:

 

[RogerS]

Thanks for all the replies.

This has been doing my head in all afternoon, trying to find solutions with troubleshooters, forums, web etc.

Mark,

You really mustn't let these things get to you! It's only life. 8)

John :lol:

Pick up record sleeve. Remove record. Place on turntable. Start motor. Lower pickup arm. Much simpler :wink: