Issue No.
10 Spring 2001
Sony Media Solutions Company
ER
MSC TRAINING CENT
CD-R and CD-RW
The dynamic digital duo
CD-Recordable (CD-R) and CD-ReWritable (CD-
WELCOME RW) are two of the hottest recording technologies
In This Issue: By John Matarazzo on the market. Tough, durable and digital, these
CD-R and
National Training Manager, incredible discs enable end-users to back up PCs,
CD-RW the Media Solutions Company
transport large files and distribute data. They’re
Dynamic As the market for CD-R and CD-RW optical media
Digital Duo ideal ways to prototype CD-ROMs. To record CDs
explodes, consumers, professionals and busi- of favorite music. And to archive data. No wonder
Record nesses are faced with more choices, more CD-R/RW burners are such hot-selling peripherals
Responsibly
possibilities and more products than ever. Unfortu- — and are being built into so many new PCs. No
Background: nately, the opportunities for confusion have also wonder CD-R Audio recording is becoming a
Sony, Phillips grown. That’s why Sony Media Solutions is de-
and the popular part of home music systems.
Compact Disc
voting another TechPort to this important category.
CDQ-74CN
Back in 1998 we released a TechPort
regarding the superb performance of CD-RW650
Sony’s cyanine CD-R recording layer. This
time we’ll address the natural questions
that have arisen in this diversifying market:
1. What’s the difference between CD-R
and CD-RW?
2. What distinguishes general purpose
CD-R and CD-RW from CD-R Audio
and CD-RW Audio?
The basics
3. Which drives, recorders and players are CD-R can be recorded only once. And CD-R discs
compatible with which media? can be read on millions and millions of
CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives. In addition, CD-R
The answers will help Sony distributors, discs recorded with CD-format audio can be
retailers, professional users, enterprise users played back on an even larger population of
and consumers to make the right choices — home, car and portable CD players! This makes
and get the full benefit of Sony’s expanding CD-R irresistible for millions of customers. Equally
CD-R/RW universe! impressive, Sony CD-RW media can be recorded
and re-recorded up to 1,000 times. Reading is
limited to CD-R/RW burners and those CD-ROM
and DVD-ROM drives specifically designated as
“Multi-Read.”
Continued on next page.
To enable
recording, CD-R and CD-RW
CD-R discs discs both use laser playback, where the
alternation between bright and dark reflected light
must be equates to a digital 1. However, in order to record,
CD-R and CD-RW establish the course of the spiral
visibly darker
track with a pre-molded groove. And both CD-R and
than CDs. CD-RW employ a recording layer, activated by
laser, to capture signals on the disc.
CRX-145SXS The principle of CD-R
CD-R and CD-RW are very different in the way they
Protective Layer record signals. CD-R accomplishes recording by
Reflective Layer burning permanent dark spots in the recording
Recording Layer layer. When the laser hits the substrate side of the
Molded Pits
Substrate disc, its light is focused into the groove. The record-
ing layer’s organic dye absorbs the laser beam’s
CD-R CD
energy, creating heat. This heat causes the plastic
Label Print substrate to deform and the dye to chemically
decompose. The result is a dark, non-reflective spot
Protective Layer
Reflective Layer
on the disc.
Dielectric Layer By the way, the organic dye makes a difference
Phase Change Recording Layer you can see with the naked eye. To enable record-
Dielectric Layer
ing, CD-R discs must be visibly darker than CDs. Yet
Disc Substrate
CD-R media is light enough to be read on con-
CD-RW ventional CD-ROM and DVD-ROM drives and
standard audio CD players.
Similarities
Both CD-R and CD-RW are outgrowths CD-R CD
of the original Sony/Philips CD
Red Book specification. CD-R is
defined by the Orange Book
Part II as well as the ISO
9660 CD-ROM CD/I stan-
dards. CD-RW conforms to
the Orange Book Part III.
Like conventional CD, both
types of discs have a reflective
layer. Like conventional CD, both
use a spiral track, with a track pitch
of 1.6 micrometers. Also like CD, the newer You can see the difference.
2
CD-R and
CD-RW are very
Pit Formation Mechanism
Pit formation mechanism of CD-R
of CD-R
different in the To get over 60% modulation amplitude
Dye Decomposition
way they
record signals.
Recording
Substrate Deformation
Laser Beam
The CD-RW principle as part of the CD-RW logo on the front panel. Sony
The permanent recording method of CD-R is not High-Speed CD-RW discs record beautifully in
appropriate for the write-erase-rewrite capability these drives, and can be read by standard-speed
of CD-RW. That’s why CD-RW uses a phase CD-RW drives. However, High-Speed CD-RW
change film. Heat from the recording laser discs cannot be written with standard-speed
changes the film between two phases: crystalline CD-RW drives. That’s usually not a problem,
(which is reflective) and amorphous (which tends considering most customers purchase media for a
to scatter light). The playback laser then detects specific drive.
the alternation between crystalline and amor-
phous, light and dark. This process requires a disc
surface far darker than CD or CD-R; CD-RW is only
25% reflective. As a result, CD-RW discs can only
be read on drives designed at the outset to accom-
modate a wide latitude in disc reflectivity. To read
CD-RW discs, you need either a CD-R/RW burner
or a Multi-Read CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive.
High-speed CD-RW
One additional wrinkle is the new generation of
High-Speed CD-R/RW drives. These can record
CD-RW at 4X to 10X standard speed — and High-Speed CD-RW discs cannot be written with standard speed
they’re identified by the HIGH SPEED designation CD-RW drives.
3
Dedicated audio
CD-R/RW
Phase Change Recording Principle
Recording Power of CD-RW
recorders
require media
Laser Erasing Power
Power
with a special
Read-out Power
code that
identifies the Laser
discs for
audio-use. Media
Trim
Amorphous State Crystalline State
(Molecular Arrangement Diagram) (Molecular Arrangement Diagram)
Low Reflectivity High Reflectivity
CD-R and CD-RW Compatibility Chart
CD-R CD-RW
Media for Data Files CD-R CD-RW Audio Audio
Write
Drive CD-R/RW Drive Yes Yes Yes Yes
CD-R/RW Drive Yes Yes Yes Yes
Read Drives
Multi-Read CD-ROM Drive Yes Yes Yes Yes
Multi-Read DVD-ROM Drive Yes Yes Yes Yes
CD-ROM Drive Yes No Yes No
DVD-ROM Drive Yes No Yes No
Compatibility for data files. In most cases, the user’s drive and application will dictate the choice of media.
4
It’s quite CD-R Audio and CD-RW Audio
Implicit in CD-R and CD-RW is the ability to make
remarkable that
digital copies of copyrighted works. Sony urges all
end-users can users to record responsibly. Computer CD-R/RW
drives write onto all CD-R and CD-RW media. But
now work with dedicated audio CD-R/RW
recorders require media with
technology
a special code that identifies
previously the discs for audio use.
CD-R Audio and CD-RW
limited to an Audio are the only media that
will record on CD-R/RW home
elite group of
audio recorders. However, the
industrial users. CD-R Audio and CD-RW Audio
discs can write both data and Specifically designed for use
in CD-R/CD-RW home audio recorders.
music when used with personal
computer CD-R/RW drives.
Media for CD Format CD-R CD-RW CD-R CD-RW
Digital Audio Audio Audio
Trim
Recording
CD-R/RW Drive Yes Yes Yes Yes
Drives
CD-R/RW Audio Recorder No No Yes Yes
CD-R/RW Drive Yes Yes Yes Yes
CD-R/RW Audio Recorder Yes Yes Yes Yes
Read Drives
Multi-Read CD-ROM Drive Yes Yes Yes Yes
Multi-Read DVD-ROM Drive Yes Yes Yes Yes
CD-ROM Drive Yes No Yes No
DVD-ROM Drive Yes No Yes No
Audio CD Player Yes No Yes No
Compatibility for CD-format digital audio. CD-R/RW audio recorders can only record on dedicated CD-R Audio
and CD-RW Audio discs.
A bright future
The experience of burning your own CDs can be Record Responsibly!
personally and professionally gratifying. It’s quite Before copying anything onto a CD-R or
remarkable that end-users can now work with CD-RW disc, please be sure you are not
technology previously limited to an elite group of violating copyright laws. Most PC software
industrial users. Now that the market has companies allow you to make a back up or
expanded, the new generation of users needs archive copy of software. Check your soft-
simply to exercise a little care in the choice of ware license agreement for specific details.
media. If they do, the results can be spectacular.
5
Background: Sony, Philips and the Compact Disc
Sony is in the ideal position to explain CD-R
and CD-RW technologies because Sony and
Philips invented Compact Disc in the first place.
Sony introduced the first CD player in the
United States in 1983. Sony and Philips soon
extended the CD concept with the CD-ROM
data disc. This was followed by CD-R, CD-RW,
DVD-Video, DVD-ROM, DVD+RW and still
additional formats — all of which depend on
CDQ-74CN
technology from Sony and Philips.
And Sony continues to lead the way. We’re a major presence
in every link of the CD chain, from music CD recording, mas-
tering and manufacturing to home, car and portable CD players
to CD-ROM drives and Spressa™ CD-R/RW burners to the new
Sony RCD-W1 CD/CD-R/CD-RW dual deck audio recorder to a
full range of CD-R and CD-RW recording media.
Something’s always new at
the MSC website!
When technology moves this quickly, paper brochures
can hardly keep up.
For the latest information, visit us at:
[Link]
©2001 Sony Electronics Inc. Reproduction in whole or
Comments? Questions? Sony. Our media is your memory.™ in part without written permission is prohibited. All
rights reserved. Features and specifications are subject
If you’d like to share your thoughts,
to change without notice. Sony, Spressa and Our media
including information you’d like to
is your memory are trademarks of Sony. Training
see in future issues, we’d love to To learn more about Sony’s Center is a servicemark of Sony. All other trademarks
hear from you. You can write us at: breakthrough media technologies are property of their respective owners.
and what’s in store for the future,
TechPort visit our website at:
Sony Media Solutions Company
Mail Drop 56-45 [Link]
680 Kinderkamack Road
Oradell, NJ 07649
Sony Electronics Inc.
680 Kinderkamack Road
Or you can fax us at: Oradell, NJ 07649
201-599-3588 [Link] TC193
