Roxio Easy CD Creator - 5 Quick Start Manual

0 (0)

Roxio Easy CD Creator™ 5

Basic

Quick Start Guide

Copyright

© 1994–2002 Roxio, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written consent of Roxio, Inc., 461 South Milpitas Blvd., Milpitas, CA 95035.

Trademarks

Roxio, the Roxio logo, Easy CD Creator, CD Spin Doctor, Web-CheckUp, DirectCD, Sound Morph, and SoundStream are trademarks of Roxio, Inc., which may be registered in some jurisdictions.

Windows 98, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows Me, and

Windows XP are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the US and other countries, used under license.

ArcSoft and VideoImpression are registered trademarks of ArcSoft, Inc.

MPEG Layer-3 audio compression technology licensed by Fraunhofer IIS and THOMSON multimedia. http://www.iis.fhg.de/amm/.

Primary interface design by XEODesign®, Inc. http://www.xeodesign.com.

Music recognition technology and related data are provided by Gracenote and the

Gracenote CDDB® Music Recognition ServiceSM. Gracenote is the industry standard in music recognition technology and related content delivery. For more information visit www.gracenote.com.

All other company or product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

Changes

The material in this document is for information only and is subject to change without notice. While reasonable efforts have been made in the preparation of this document to assure its accuracy, Roxio, Inc. assumes no liability resulting from errors or omissions in this document, or from the use of the information contained herein.

Roxio reserves the right to make changes in the product design without reservation and without notification to its users.

Disclaimer

IF THIS PRODUCT DIRECTS YOU TO COPY MATERIALS, YOU MUST HAVE PERMISSION FROM THE COPYRIGHT OWNER OF THE MATERIALS TO AVOID VIOLATING THE LAW WHICH COULD RESULT IN DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES.

About OEM Software

What is OEM?

A Roxio OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) product is one that was sold by Roxio to another company for integration or use with their product. If your software product came bundled with another manufacturer’s product it is an OEM product. The software is sometimes modified for the CD-recorder it is bundled with.

How do I obtain technical support for my OEM product?

Roxio does not directly support these products. The Roxio product is part of the OEM’s product offering and therefore supported by them. If you have one of these Roxio OEM products, please contact the OEM for your support options.

You may also wish to visit our website at http://www.roxio.com. At the Roxio site you will find extensive self help material as well as ways to contact us for paid support.

iii

Roxio, Inc., OEM Version End User License Agreement

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY: THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE IS SUBJECT TO THE SOFTWARE LICENSE TERMS OF ROXIO, INC. AND OTHER LICENSORS WHOSE SOFTWARE MAY BE BUNDLED WITH THIS PRODUCT.BY YOUR USE OF THE SOFTWARE INCLUDED WITH THIS PRODUCT YOU AGREE TO THE LICENSE TERMS REQUIRED BY THE LICENSOR OF THAT SOFTWARE, AS SET FORTH BELOW. IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO THE LICENSE TERMS APPLICABLE TO THE SOFTWARE, YOU MAY RETURN THE ENTIRE UNUSED PRODUCT TO THE SOURCE FROM WHICH YOU OBTAINED IT.

Roxio Software License Agreement

(Single User, Non-Networked Applications)

In return for acquiring a license to use the Roxio software, which may include software from third party licensors and patches made available by Roxio ("Software"), and the related documentation, you agree to the following terms and conditions:

1.License. This Agreement grants you ("Licensee") a license to:

a.use the Software on a single computer system, which is not intended for use by more than five (5) users; and

b.make one copy of the Software in machine readable form solely for back-up purposes, provided you reproduce Roxio's copyright proprietary legends. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Software may be used on the home, laptop or other secondary computer of the principal user of the Software, and an additional copy of the Software may be made to support such use. As used in this license, the Software is "in use" when it is either loaded into RAM or installed on a hard disk or other permanent memory device. The Software may be "in use" on only one computer at any given time. (Different license terms and fees are applicable for networked or multiple user applications.) As a specific condition of this license, you agree to use the Software in compliance with all applicable laws, including copyright laws, and that you will not copy, transmit, perform or distribute any audio or other content using the Software without obtaining all necessary licenses or permissions from the owner of the content.

2.Restrictions. You may not distribute copies of the Software to others or electronically transfer the Software from one computer to another over a network. You are not authorized to use any licensed codecs in the Software or the Software itself in real time broadcasting (terrestrial, satellite, cable or other media) or broadcasting via the Internet or other networks such as, but not limited to, intranets, etc. or in pay-audio or audio-on-demand applications. An independent license for any such use is required. For details on MP3 licensing, please visit http://www.mp3licensing.com. You may not post or otherwise make available the Software, or any portion thereof, in any form, on the Internet. You may not use the Software in a computer service business, including in time sharing applications. The Software contains trade secrets and, in order to protect them, you may not decompile, reverse engineer, disassemble, or otherwise reduce the Software to a human-perceivable form. Content providers are using the digital rights management technology (“DRM”) contained in this Software to protect the integrity of their content (“Secure Content”) so that their intellectual property, including copyright, in such content is not misappropriated.

Owners of such Secure Content (“Secure Content Owners”) may, from time to time, request Roxio or its suppliers to provide security related updates to the DRM components of the Software (“Security Updates”) that may affect your ability to copy, display and/or play Secure Content through the Software or other applications that utilize the Software. You therefore agree that, if you elect to download a license from the Internet which enables your use of Secure Content, Roxio or its suppliers may, in conjunction with such license, also download onto your computer such Security Updates that a Secure Content Owner has requested that Roxio or its suppliers distribute. Roxio and its suppliers will not retrieve any personally identifiable information, or any other information, from your computer by downloading such Security Updates. YOU MAY NOT MODIFY, ADAPT, TRANSLATE, RENT, LEASE, LOAN, RESELL FOR PROFIT, DISTRIBUTE, NETWORK OR CREATE DERIVATIVE WORKS BASED UPON THE SOFTWARE OR ANY PART THEREOF.

3.Ownership of Software. As Licensee, you own the media upon which the software is recorded or fixed, but Roxio and its licensors retain title and ownership of the Software recorded on the original media and all subsequent copies of the Software, regardless of the form or media in which or on which the original and other copies may exist. This license is not a sale of the Software or any copy.

4.Confidentiality. You agree to maintain the Software in confidence and that you will not disclose the Software to any third party without the express written consent of Roxio. You further agree to take all reasonable precautions to preclude access of unauthorized persons to the Software.

5.Term. This license is effective until January 1, 2045, unless terminated earlier. You may terminate the license at any time by destroying the Software (including the related documentation) together with all copies or modifications in any form. Roxio will have the right to terminate our license immediately if you fail to comply with any term or condition of this Agreement. Upon any termination, including termination by you, you must destroy the Software (including the related documentation), together with all copies or modifications in any form.

6.Special Terms Applicable to Databases. Where a database is included with the Software, you acknowledge that it is licensed only in connection with the use of the Software to perform disc creation, and that the database and all data derived therefrom must be maintained in confidence in accordance with the provisions of Section 4. This license does not grant you any rights to distribute or disclose such database or data.

7.Limited Warranty. Roxio and its Licensors warrants only that the Software will perform substantially in accordance with the accompanying written documentation for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of your purchase receipt. ROXIO AND ITS LICENSORS DO NOT AND CANNOT WARRANT THE RESULTS YOU MAY OBTAIN BY USING THE SOFTWARE OR DOCUMENTATION. THE FOREGOING STATES THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDIES ROXIO AND ITS LICENSORS WILL PROVIDE FOR BREACbH OF WARRANTY. EXCEPT FOR THE FOREGOING LIMITED WARRANTY, ROXIO AND ITS LICENSORS MAKE NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED, AS TO NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD

PARTY RIGHTS, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Some states do not allow the exclusion of implied warranties or limitations on how long an implied warranty may last, so the above limitations may not apply to you. This warranty gives you specific legal rights and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state.

The entire liability of Roxio and its Licensors, and your exclusive remedy for a breach of this warranty, shall be: (a) the replacement of any Software not meeting the above limited warranty which is returned by you; or (b) if Roxio or its distributor is unable to deliver replacement Software you may terminate this Agreement by returning the Software and your money will be refunded. If you have purchased this Software bundled with a computer hardware product, you must return the Software to the computer hardware manufacturer.

8.Limitation of Liability. IN NO EVENT WILL ROXIO OR ITS LICENSORS BE LIABLE TO YOU FOR ANY INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES, INCLUDING ANY LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS, OR LOSS OF DATA, EVEN IF ROXIO OR A LICENSOR HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, OR FOR ANY CLAIM BY ANY OTHER PARTY. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of special, incidental, or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you.

9.Export. You acknowledge that the laws and regulations of the United States and other countries may restrict the export and re-export of the Software. You agree that you will not export or re-export the Software or documentation in any form in violation of applicable United States and foreign law.

10.Indemnity. You agree that Roxio shall have no liability whatsoever for any use you make of the Software. You shall indemnify and hold harmless Roxio from any third party claims, damages, liabilities, costs and fees (including reasonable attorney fees) arising from your use of the Software as well as from your failure to comply with any term of this Agreement.

11.Government Restricted Rights. The Software is subject to restricted rights as follows. If the Software is acquired under the terms of a GSA contract: use, reproduction or disclosure is subject to the restrictions set forth in the applicable ADP Schedule contract. If the Software is acquired under the terms of a DoD or civilian agency contract, use, duplication or disclosure by the Government is subject to the restrictions of this Agreement in accordance with 48 C.F.R. 12.212 of the Federal Acquisition Regulations and its successors and 49 C.F.R. 227.7202-1 of the DoD FAR Supplement and its successors

12.General. You acknowledge that you have read this Agreement, understand it, and that by using the Software you agree to be bound by its terms and conditions. You further agree that it is the complete and exclusive statement of the agreement between Roxio and you, and supersedes any proposal or prior agreement, oral or written, and any other communication between Roxio and you relating to the subject matter of this Agreement. No additional or any different terms will be enforceable against Roxio unless Roxio gives its express consent, including an express waiver of the terms of this Agreement, in writing signed by an officer of Roxio. You assume full responsibility for the use of the Software and agree to use

the Software legally and responsibly. This Agreement shall be governed by California law, except as to copyright matters, which are covered by Federal law. This Agreement is deemed entered into at Milpitas, California by both parties. Should any provision of this Agreement be declared unenforceable in any jurisdiction, then such provision shall be deemed severable from this Agreement and shall not affect the remainder hereof. All rights in the Software not specifically granted in this Agreement are reserved by Roxio.

Should you have any questions concerning this Agreement, you may contact Roxio by writing to:

Roxio, Inc.

Legal Department

461 South Milpitas Boulevard

Milpitas, California 95035.

vii

1 Introduction

Included with Easy CD Creator 2

System Requirements 2

Uninstalling Easy CD Creator 3

Installing Easy CD Creator 3

Starting Easy CD Creator 4

Using Project Selector 4

What Types of Blank Discs Should I Use? 5

When to Use CD-R Discs 5

When to Use CD-RW Discs 6

How Much Data Can I Fit on a Disc? 7

Supported Formats 7

File System Options 8

2 Making Music CDs Using Easy CD Creator

Making a Music CD 11

Making Music CDs with a CD-Recorder Only 13 Making a Compilation Music CD 13

Tips for Making a Music CD 15

Working with Tracks in the Music CD Project 16 Previewing a Track 16

Converting a Track to a WAV or WMA File 17 Merging (Composite) Tracks 18

Splitting Composite Tracks 18

Editing the CD Title and Artist Name 18 Editing Track Titles 18

Changing the Order of Your Tracks 19 Removing a Track from the Music CD Project 19

Playing a Track 19

viii

Contents

Viewing the Status Bar 21

Viewing the CD Info Bar 22

Saving and Opening a CD Project 23

Accessing the Online Music Database on the Internet 24 Advanced Music CD Topics 25

Writing a UPC 25

Entering ISRC Information 25

3 Making Data CDs Using Easy CD Creator

Making a Data CD 27

Working with Files and Folders in the Data CD Project 28 Creating a New Folder 28

Removing Files and Folders 28

Renaming Files and Folders 29 Finding Files 29

Viewing the Status Bar 30

Viewing the CD Info Bar 31

Saving and Opening a CD Project 32 Erasing a CD 32

Validating a CD Project 33 Advanced Data CD Topics 33

Making a Multisession CD 33 Manually Importing a Session 34 Making a Bootable CD 35

4 Making Data DVDs Using Easy CD Creator

Making a Data DVD 39

Working with Files and Folders in the Data DVD Project 40 Creating a New Folder 40

Removing Files and Folders 41

Renaming Files and Folders 41 Finding Files 41

Viewing the Status Bar 42

Viewing the CD Info Bar 43

Saving and Opening a DVD Project 44

Contents

Erasing a DVD 44

Validating a DVD Project 45

5 Making Data Discs Using DirectCD

Getting Started with DirectCD 46 Understanding CD-R and CD-RW Technology 47

About CD-ReWritable Technology 47 About UDF v.1.5 48

Uses for DirectCD 48 Starting DirectCD 49

Understanding the DirectCD Main Window 50 Changing DirectCD’s Options 52

Copying Files to a CD 54

Copying Files to a CD-R Disc for the First Time 55 Copying Files to a CD-RW Disc for the First Time 56 Copying Files to a DVD-Recordable Disc for the First

Time 58

Copying Methods 59 Ejecting a CD 60

Ejecting a CD-R Disc 60

Comparing the CD-R Eject Options 62 Ejecting a CD-RW or DVD-Recordable Disc 63

Reading CDs 63

Reading CD-R Discs 63

Reading CD-RW Discs 64 Reading DVD-Recordable Discs 64

Adding and Erasing Files 65

Adding More Files to an Easy CD Creator CD-R Disc 65 Adding More Files to All Other CDs 65

Erasing a CD 66

Deleting Individual Files 67 Checking CDs for Problems 67

Starting ScanDisc 68

Understanding the ScanDisc Process 68 Recovering Files 70

Recovering Lost Files 71

Contents

Repairing CDs 72

Recovering Damaged Files 73

6 Making Enhanced CDs

Making an Enhanced CD 74

7 Making Mixed-Mode CDs

Making a Mixed-Mode CD 76

8 Copying Discs Using Disc Copier

What Kinds of Discs Can I Copy? 79 Copying a Disc 80

Using the Same Drive as the Source and Destination Drive 81

Copying the Source Disc to the Hard Drive First 81 Disc Information Properties 82

Disc Drive Properties 82

9 Troubleshooting Easy CD Creator

Frequently Asked Questions 84

Problems Reading Recordable CDs 85

Running the System Tests 85

Troubleshooting Buffer Underruns 86

Preventing Buffer Underruns 87

Troubleshooting DirectCD 88

Explorer Cannot See Files Copied to the CD 88

Fixing an Unreadable CD 89

Power Management 89

Getting Help 89

Online Help 89

Easy CD Creator Online Support 89

Index

Introduction

In This Chapter
Included with Easy CD Creator		2
	System Requirements	2
Uninstalling Easy CD Creator		3
Installing Easy CD Creator		3
Starting Easy CD Creator		4
What Types of Blank Discs Should I Use?		5
How Much Data Can I Fit on a Disc?		7
	Supported Formats	7
	File System Options	8

Use Easy CD Creator 5 5.2 Basic to make your own CDs and DVDs. In just a couple of mouse clicks, you can make music CDs that can be played on your home or car stereo CD player, or make data CDs and DVDs for storing computer data such as the files and folders on your hard disk.

Here are some of things you can do with Easy CD Creator 5 Basic:

■Make high-quality music CDs from any source including other music CDs and audio files (WAV, MP3, or WMA).

■Archive and store your computer data on a data CD or DVD.

Introduction

■Make backup copies of your favorite music CD, data CD, or data DVD.

Included with Easy CD Creator

Easy CD Creator includes all of the following applications:

■Easy CD Creator: Make music CDs from other CDs, MP3, and more. Make data CDs and DVDs for sharing and archiving data in the most compatible format.

■DirectCD: Make data discs that allow you to write directly to a CD-Recordable, CD-ReWritable, or DVD-Recordable disc just like you would write files to a floppy disk or removable drive.

■Disc Copier: Make backup copies of your music and data discs.

System Requirements

Here are the minimum system requirements for Easy CD Creator:

■IBM PC or compatible 200 MHz or faster

■Windows 98/NT4/2000/Me/XP

■32 MB RAM (64 MB RAM recommended)

■50 MB free hard disk space

■CD-Recordable, CD-ReWritable, or DVD-Recordable drive

■CD-ROM drive that supports digital audio extraction (for making a music CD from other music CDs)

■Blank CD-R, CD-RW, or DVD-Recordable discs

■800 x 600 display, 256 colors minimum, 16-bit color recommended

■Windows-compatible sound card (16-bit or better)

■Internet access to take advantage of Internet features

Introduction

Uninstalling Easy CD Creator

Roxio recommends that you uninstall any older versions or evaluation versions of Easy CD Creator prior to installing new versions.

To uninstall Easy CD Creator, use the use the Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box in the Windows Control Panel.

To access the Add/Remove Programs Properties dialog box:

■On the Windows taskbar, click Start, point to Settings, click

Control Panel, and then double-click Add/Remove Programs.

Installing Easy CD Creator

To install Easy CD Creator:

1Insert the Roxio Easy CD Creator 5 Basic CD into your CD-Recorder or CD-ROM drive.

Note: In this guide, the term CD-Recorder refers to both CD-Recordable and CD-ReWritable drives.

If Autorun is enabled on your system, the Roxio Installation window appears automatically and you can skip Steps 2 and 3.

2From the Start menu, select Run.

3Type d:\setup (substitute the appropriate letter of your CD-Recorder or CD-ROM drive for d.)

4Follow the installation instructions that appear on the screen.

Introduction

Starting Easy CD Creator

The easiest way to start Easy CD Creator is from Easy CD Creator Project Selector. Project Selector makes it easy to select the right application for the type of disc you want to make. You can access Project Selector by doing any of the following:

■Insert a blank disc into your CD-Recorder or DVD-Recordable drive.

■On the Windows taskbar, click Start, point to Programs, point to Roxio Easy CD Creator 5, and select Project Selector.

■Double-click the Project Selector icon on the Windows desktop.

■Double-click the Project Selector icon on the Windows taskbar.

Using Project Selector

To use Project Selector:

1Roll your pointer over the Project Selector buttons on the left of the window. The applications are grouped by project type.

As your pointer rolls over each button, a submenu appears on the right with a description of the application.

2To open the application you want to use, click its button in the submenu.

Note: If an option is grayed-out, it is unavailable in the version of Easy CD Creator 5 you currently have installed. Please upgrade to Easy CD Creator 5 Platinum to install the additional options.

Introduction

What Types of Blank Discs Should I Use?

There are two types of blank CDs (recordable media) that are used for making your own CDs:

■CD-R discs (CD-Recordable)

■CD-RW discs (CD-ReWritable)

You can obtain blank CD-R or CD-RW discs where you purchased your CD-Recorder or at local computer retailers.

When to Use CD-R Discs

Virtually all CD-ROM and CD-Recorder drives can read CD-R discs. CD-R discs are excellent for permanent data storage and should be used when you do not need to erase the data. They are less expensive per CD than CD-RW discs. Here are some ideas for using CD-R discs:

■When you want to make a music CD that you can play on your home or car stereo CD player.

■When you want to copy a music CD for your own personal use.

■When you want to permanently save large project files.

■When you want to permanently archive or store files, such as your home records, photos, or videos.

Introduction

When to Use CD-RW Discs

CD-RW discs can only be used in CD-ReWritable drives and MultiRead CD-ROM drives. You cannot play a music CD made on a CDRW disc in most home or car stereo CD players. Here are some ideas for using CD-RW discs:

■When you need to write, erase, rewrite, and update all your large files on CD.

■When you want to make a practice CD or test the contents of a CD before making a permanent one.

WARNING: Only drives bearing the logo "Compact Disc ReWritable High Speed" can write or erase High-Speed CD-RW discs.

Attempted writes to High Speed CD-RW discs using CD-RW drives NOT bearing the logo "Compact Disc Rewritable High Speed" may result in data loss.

High Speed CD-RW discs may be recognized by the same "Compact Disc ReWritable High Speed" logo on the disc label or packaging material, or by the fact that it lists recording speeds of "4X to 10X," or, "Up to 10X."

Introduction

How Much Data Can I Fit on a Disc?

The actual capacity of blank discs can vary slightly. For example, some 74-minute CDs may hold up to two minutes more than their stated capacity. Easy CD Creator lets you record as much data or music as the disc can hold. Here are the typical capacities of currently available media:

■Blank CD-R discs: Available in two capacities: 650 MB (74-minute) and 700 MB (80-minute).

■Blank CD-RW discs: Available in a 650 MB (74-minute) capacity.

■Blank mini CD-R discs: Available in a 180 MB (21-minute) capacity.

Supported Formats

Easy CD Creator supports the creation of the following CD-R/RW formats which are used to make data and audio CDs:

■CD-ROM Data CDs: This is the standard for recording data CDs.

■CD-ROM XA Data CDs: XA stands for Extended Architecture. CD-ROM XA is based on CD-ROM but adds better audio and video capabilities so CD-ROMs can more easily be used for multimedia applications.

■CD-DA Audio CDs: Compact Disc-Digital Audio. This is the original compact disc standard and is used to record music CDs.

Introduction

File System Options

Easy CD Creator allows you to select different file system options depending on how you plan to use your disc. They include:

■ISO9660: An international standard that specifies how data is physically recorded onto the CD (sector-by-sector) into a directory tree (up to eight levels of directories). CD-ROMs made according to the ISO 9660 Level 1 specifications can be read on multiple operating systems such as Macintosh, DOS, Windows 3.x, Windows 95/98, and Windows NT.

■Joliet: A standard developed by Microsoft for Windows 95 that allows CDs to be recorded using long filenames. Joliet allows you to use file names up to 64 characters in length, including spaces, and also allows you to use Unicode characters for better international support. Joliet records the associated DOS standard filename (8 + 3 characters) for each file so that the CD can be read on DOS systems or earlier versions of Windows.

■UDF: Universal Disk Format (UDF) is a standard developed by Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA). The file system was first supported by Microsoft in Windows 98. Select UDF if you want a file system for use with recordable optical disc technologies, such as DVD. This is especially useful when burning very large files (greater than 1 GB). The UDF file system allows greater flexibility than the Joliet or ISO 9660 file system.

Making Music CDs Using

Easy CD Creator

In This Chapter
Making a Music CD	11
Making Music CDs with a CD-Recorder Only	13
Making a Compilation Music CD	13
Tips for Making a Music CD	15
Working with Tracks in the Music CD Project	16
Playing a Track	19
Viewing the Status Bar	21
Viewing the CD Info Bar	22
Saving and Opening a CD Project	23
Accessing the Online Music Database on the Internet	24
Advanced Music CD Topics	25

A music CD is a compact disc (CD) used for playing back music on your home or car stereo CD player. With Easy CD Creator, you can make your own music CD by recording tracks from other music CDs, and from audio files (for example, WAV, MP3, or WMA files) stored on your hard disk.

Making Music CDs Using Easy CD Creator

Here are just some of the things you should know about a music CD:

■Unlike a data CD, a music CD is used for playing back music and not for data storage.

■In addition to your home or car stereo CD player, a music CD can also be played on just about every computer that has a CD-ROM or CD-Recorder, using a program such as the Windows CD Player.

■With Easy CD Creator, you can make a music CD that can typically hold up to 74 or 80 minutes of music and up to 99 tracks.

■With Easy CD Creator, you can make your own compilation music CD that contains tracks from other music CDs and audio files.

Note: Some audio CD players may not support recordable media. Please check with the manufacturer of your audio CD player to ensure compatibility.

Roxio Easy CD Creator - 5 Quick Start Manual

Making Music CDs Using Easy CD Creator

Making a Music CD

To make a music CD:

1Start a new music CD project. From the Easy CD Creator Project Selector window, click Make a Music CD, then click Music CD Project. An untitled music CD project appears.

Source Window

Music CD Project

2Insert a blank CD into your CD-Recorder (the destination drive).

3Add the music tracks you want to record to the music CD project (if you are recording audio files only, skip to Step 4):

Note: You can add any combination of music tracks, WAV, MP3, or WMA files to a music CD project. Up to 99 tracks and files, or up to 650 MB (74-minute CD) or 700 MB (80-minute CD) of tracks and files can be added to a music CD project.

aInsert the music CD into your CD-ROM drive (the source drive) and allow the CD to spin up.

Making Music CDs Using Easy CD Creator

bIn the Select Source Files drop-down list box, select the CD-ROM drive containing the music CD; a list of the tracks on the CD appears in the Source window.

Note: If information about the music CD is found locally on your hard disk, the CD title, artist name, and the name of each track are displayed in the Source window. If this information does not appear, and you have access to the Internet, click Name to download the information from the online music database.

cSelect the track (hold down the Ctrl or Shift key to select multiple tracks) in the Source window, and then click Add. The track is added to the music CD project.

Note: Tracks from multiple CDs can be added to the music CD project by repeating Steps a–c (this is especially useful when you want to make a compilation music CD). During the actual record process you are prompted to insert the appropriate music CD for the track being recorded.

4Add the audio files you want to record to the music CD project:

a In the Select Source Files drop-down list box, select the folder where your files are located; a list of all audio files in the folder appears in the Source window.

b Select the file (hold down the Ctrl or Shift key to select multiple files) in the Source window, and then click Add. The file is added to the music CD project.

5Click Record. The Record CD Setup dialog box appears.

6Click Start Recording.

Making Music CDs Using Easy CD Creator

Making Music CDs with a CD-Recorder Only

Making a music CD from other music CDs is typically done using both a CD-ROM drive (capable of digital audio extraction) and a CD-Recorder. If you have a CD-Recorder only, and you want to record tracks from other music CDs, you can do one of the following:

■Save tracks on music CDs to hard disk first: This method requires you to convert each track on the music CD you want to record to an audio file (WAV, MP3, or WMA) on your hard disk. Once saved to your hard disk, you can add the audio file to your music CD project and record it just like you would a normal music CD. See Converting a Track to a WAV or WMA File on page 17.

Note: Users that have both a CD-ROM and CD-Recorder also commonly use this method.

■Swap CDs in and out of your CD-Recorder: This method requires you to add tracks to your music CD project and record the tracks just like you would a normal music CD. You will be required to insert and reinsert the music CDs that contain the tracks you want to record. See Making a Music CD on page 11.

Making a Compilation Music CD

A compilation music CD is a music CD made from a variety of music sources including other music CDs and audio files (WAV, MP3, or WMA). Making a compilation music CD is the same as making a music CD in Easy CD Creator. Here are some helpful tips on making a compilation music CD:

■Retrieve CD title, artist and track names, and track lengths from the Internet: If you are recording tracks from music CDs, you can automatically retrieve information about a commercially produced music CD, including the CD title, artist, and track names from the online music database on the Internet. See Accessing the Online Music Database on the Internet on page 24. This information helps Easy CD Creator identify CDs.

Making Music CDs Using Easy CD Creator

Note: If you do not have Internet access, manually name each music CD you are recording from with a CD title, artist name, and track names. See Editing the CD Title and Artist Name and Editing Track Titles on page 18.

■Label your music CD project with CD title and artist name:

Before recording your CD, you may want to label the CD by providing a new CD title and artist name in your music CD project. See Editing the CD Title and Artist Name on page 18.

■Inserting and reinserting music CDs: If you are recording tracks from music CDs, during the actual record process, you will be prompted to insert the appropriate music CD for the track being recorded. If you have several tracks from different CDs, be prepared to remove and insert CDs into your source drive when prompted. An alternative method for recording tracks from music CDs is to save the tracks to hard disk first, as described below.

■Save tracks on music CDs to hard disk first: This method requires you to convert each track on the music CD you want to record to an audio file (WAV or WMA) on your hard disk. Once saved to your hard disk, you can add the audio file to your music CD project and record it just like you would a normal music CD. See Converting a Track to a WAV or WMA File on page 17, and Making a Music CD on page 11.

Making Music CDs Using Easy CD Creator

Tips for Making a Music CD

Here are a few tips for making music CDs:

■Copy an entire music CD with Disc Copier: To make a backup copy of an entire music CD from start to finish, use Disc Copier. See Chapter 8, Copying Discs Using Disc Copier.

■Convert a track to WAV or WMA format: To save a track on an existing music CD to your hard disk drive, convert the track to a WAV or WMA audio format. Once saved to your hard disk, you can add the audio file to your music CD project and record it just like you would a normal music CD. See Converting a Track to a WAV or WMA File on page 17.

■Retrieve the CD title, artist name, and track titles from the Internet: To retrieve the CD title, artist name, and track titles for a commercially produced music CD, use the online music database available with Easy CD Creator. See Accessing the Online Music Database on the Internet on page 24.

■Label your music CD project with CD title and artist name:

Before recording your CD, you may want to label the CD by typing a new CD title and artist name for your music CD project. Once the CD is recorded, you cannot change the title and name.

■Record in Disc-at-Once (DAO) mode to eliminate the twosecond gap between tracks: To prevent a two-second gap from occurring between the music tracks, record your music CD using the Disc-at-Once option. When making the CD, select Disc-at-Once from the Record CD Setup dialog box.

■Preview a track: To hear a track as it will be recorded to your CD, preview the track before recording it to CD. This is especially useful if you want to preview any effects applied to a track. See Previewing a Track on page 16.

■Save your music CD project: You can save your music CD project to record a CD at a later time. When saving a music CD project, you are saving a file that contains only the instructions that specify which tracks and files to include in the music CD project. See Saving and Opening a CD Project on page 23.

Making Music CDs Using Easy CD Creator

Working with Tracks in the Music CD Project

Once you have added one or more tracks to your music CD project, you have the following options:

■Previewing a Track

■Converting a Track to a WAV or WMA File

■Merging (Composite) Tracks

■Splitting Composite Tracks

■Editing the CD Title and Artist Name

■Editing Track Titles

■Changing the Order of Your Tracks

■Removing a Track from the Music CD Project

Previewing a Track

Previewing a track allows you to hear a track as it will be recorded to your CD. This is especially useful if you want to preview any effects applied to a track.

Note: A sound card and speakers are required if you want to preview the tracks.

To preview tracks:

1In the music CD project, select one or more tracks.

2Click Preview. The Easy CD Creator Media Player appears and begins playing the selected tracks.

Making Music CDs Using Easy CD Creator

Converting a Track to a WAV or WMA File

Easy CD Creator allows you to save tracks on an existing music CD to your hard disk drive. You can name the tracks you save, select the format (WAV or WMA), and select the format quality (for example, CD Quality).

To convert a track from an existing music CD:

1Start a new music CD project. From the File menu, point to

New CD Project, then select Music CD Project.

2Insert the music CD that contains the music track you want to convert into your CD-ROM drive (the source drive) and allow the CD to spin-up.

3In the Select Source Files drop-down list box, select the CD-ROM drive containing the music CD; a list of the tracks on the CD appears in the Source window.

4In the Source window, select the track you want to convert.

5Click Convert. The Convert Audio Track(s) dialog box appears.

6In the Save In drop-down list box, select a location for the file.

7In the File Name text box, type a name for the file.

8In the Save as Type drop-down list box, select the format type:

■WAV

■WMA

9In the Format drop-down list box, select the format quality you want for the file and click Save. The available options vary depending on your system. In general, higher quality settings result in larger file sizes.

Making Music CDs Using Easy CD Creator

Note: Click Options / Hide Options on the Convert Audio Track(s) dialog box, to show or hide the options.

Merging (Composite) Tracks

A composite track is a single track that is made up of two or more separate tracks.

To make a composite track:

1Select two or more tracks you want to merge.

2From the Track menu, select Merge Tracks.

The tracks appear as a single track in the music CD project.

Splitting Composite Tracks

A composite track is a single track that is made up of two or more separate tracks.

To separate a composite track:

1Select the composite track you want to separate.

2From the Track menu, select Split Tracks. The composite track appears as multiple tracks in the music CD project.

Editing the CD Title and Artist Name

To uniquely identify the music CD you are making, you can type a CD title and artist name for the CD:

■Click the New CD Title text box or Artist Name text box and type a new name.

Editing Track Titles

You can rename each track in the music CD project:

1Right-click the track name you want to edit in the music CD project.

2Select Rename.

3Type a new name for the track.

Making Music CDs Using Easy CD Creator

Changing the Order of Your Tracks

The order of the tracks as they appear in the music CD project is the order they are recorded to CD.

To change the order of the tracks:

■Select the track you want to change the order of and drag it to the new position.

Removing a Track from the Music CD Project

Removing a track from the music CD project does not remove the original track on the music CD, or the WAV, MP3, or WMA file on your hard disk.

To remove a track from the music CD project:

1Select the track in the music CD project.

2Click Remove.

Playing a Track

The media player included with Easy CD Creator allows you to play one or more music tracks or audio files.

Note: A sound card and speakers are required if you want to play the tracks or audio files. To play a music track on CD, the sound card must be connected to the source CD-Recorder or CD-ROM drive with an audio cable.

To play a music track on a CD:

1Insert the music CD into your CD-ROM drive (the source drive) and allow the CD to spin up.

2In the Select Source Files drop-down list box, select the CD-ROM drive containing the music CD; a list of the tracks on the CD appears in the Source window.

+ 78 hidden pages