Create Your Own CDs

Creating your own CDs is actually surprisingly easy these days with technology as it is.

You'll need a CD writer or rewriter on your PC.

If you haven't already got one, you can buy them separately, then attach them to your Universal Serial Bus (or USB for short).

Don't know if you've got one? Virtually every new PC has at least one. It's fair to say that 90% of computers sold within the last 3-5 years have them as standard.

And if yours hasn't, you can even get a USB port and fit it yourself!

The difference between CD Writers (CD-W) and CD Rewriters (CD-RW) is incase you hadn't guessed from the name that the CD writer will just take blank CDs and then write onto them. If you make a mistake in burning the CD, or you change your mind as to the lineup you'd like then it's just too bad.

You have to chuck out the CD you just made and put a new blank one in.

On the other hand the CD Rewriter will allow you to "overwrite" the information on your CDs numerous times.

They are, however, more expensive.

I use a CD writer without any problems as I don't intend to constantly rewrite CDs. I hold lots of music on my PC, and only burn to CD what I really want to make a lasting copy of for future reference...

And the great thing is that with virtually every CD writer or rewriter sold, you get a suite of software like you do with, for example, a scanner, which enables you to do just about anything your little heart desires.

This includes burning your favourite downloadable music onto CDs to listen to at your leisure.

Whilst every piece of software is different, the basics tend to be very similar between different pieces of software.

You literally highlight the downloadable music tracks on your hard drive that you'd like to burn to CD.

You choose the order of the tracks and set the CD writer going.

If you haven't tried it yet, get your instruction manual out and you'll be doing it before you know it.

Or, if you're like me, throw the instruction manual away with a knowing smirk on your face, certain that as semi-intelligent and reasonably computer literate it'll be so obvious you'll be making top-notch CDs within minutes.

Then procede to spend the next 4 hours getting more and more annoyed as the thing is clearly "faulty" and you can't make it do anything.

Your precious downloadable music vanishes from your hard drive, but no CD is forthcoming, then finally switch off the computer in frustration muttering to yourself about how you've been conned, and you'll show the guy in the shop who sold you the "broken" CD Writer.

Then wake the next morning to find your better half has fished the instruction manual out of the trash can and has everything working perfectly. Much to your embarrasment.

See, nobody's perfect ;-)

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