Extend
the life of your music CDs
IF you’ve
ever lost a favourite music CD to scratches or accidentally broken one, you
obviously know how much it hurts. But the heartburn caused from the loss of a
favourite disc can be avoided. Here are a few tips to help you protect your
prized music collection…
Proper storage and handling
If handled and stored properly, pre-recorded discs such as music CDs and movie DVDs have an estimated shelf life of around 50 to 100 years. For CDs you’ve recorded, it’s around 10 to 15 years. So to ensure that your CDs stand the test of time, you’ll need to take a few precautions:
When handling, always keep your fingers off the playable (shiny) side of the disc.
When not in use, ensure that CDs are stored securely in their jewel case, affixing the disc firmly on the holder at the centre. Also, make sure they are not exposed to direct sunlight, excessive heat or moisture.
Avoid placing heavy objects over your CDs to prevent stress damage. Replace cracked/broken jewel cases so that your discs remain unscathed.
Cleaning your CDs
To wipe accidental fingerprints or dust from the CD’s surface, always use a clean, dry, micro-fibre cloth; preferably the fine variety designed for cleaning spectacles.
If you must, clean your discs using distilled water. Do not use tap water, household detergents, organic solvents and chemical solvents like acetone or benzene. In extreme cases, if the disc has a stain, rinse lightly with distilled water, then buff softly with the cloth. Place it back in its jewel case only after it is dry.
When cleaning CDs, always wipe in a straight line, starting from the centre and moving outwards. Do not wipe in circular motions (although it may seem like the best way to wipe) as this may cause scratches that can make the disc skip.
If possible, buy a proper CD cleaning kit for stubborn stains and dust.
Fixing scratches
Sometimes, despite exercising utmost care, your CDs might end up with a scratch or two. Don’t worry. Here’s how you can get rid of them…
First, wipe all the fingerprints and dust and from the CD’s surface and make sure that it is absolutely dry and clean.
Then, apply some toothpaste (the gel variety does not work for this) on a soft cloth and gently rub it along the length of the scratch to buff it away. After a while, you will notice that the scratch has almost disappeared.
When you’re happy with the result, rinse the CD with distilled water and gently wipe it dry.
Backup
It’s always a good idea to digitally backup (or ‘rip’) your music collection. Broadly speaking, there are two types of audio compression – lossy and lossless – that can be employed when backing up your CDs.
Lossy – formats like MP3, AAC and OGG – refers to the process where some data from the original music is lost during audio conversion. But to most users, the loss in sound quality is not discernable on average music systems.
Audiophiles prefer lossless compression formats such as FLAC, ALAC and MPEG-4 Audio Lossless Coding, which retain each and every nuance of the original recording. The downside, however, is that these lossless formats are much bigger in size than lossy files.
If you’re looking for simple software to rip your CDs to MP3, WAV, WMA, FLAC or OGG Vorbis, consider FreeRIP Basic (www.freerip.com). But don’t install the FreeRIP browser toolbar when prompted during installation (the software will get installed anyway). To rip a CD in FreeRIP, simply insert the disc into the drive. Then, click on File > Refresh CD. You will soon see a complete listing of all the songs on the disc. You can then go to File > Setting > Options; click on the Output tab to select where you want the “ripped” songs to be stored. Then, simply click on the Rip option on the main menu to backup your CD into whichever digital format you prefer. For long-term backups, we would suggest lossless formats, though you can create lossy copies for everyday listening on your portable music player. As you get comfortable with FreeRIP, you can explore other settings for greater control over the backup process. Those looking for slightly advanced ripping software can try CDex (cdexos.sourceforge.net), fre:ac (www.freac.org) Exact Audio Copy (www.exactaudiocopy.de).
Proper storage and handling
If handled and stored properly, pre-recorded discs such as music CDs and movie DVDs have an estimated shelf life of around 50 to 100 years. For CDs you’ve recorded, it’s around 10 to 15 years. So to ensure that your CDs stand the test of time, you’ll need to take a few precautions:
When handling, always keep your fingers off the playable (shiny) side of the disc.
When not in use, ensure that CDs are stored securely in their jewel case, affixing the disc firmly on the holder at the centre. Also, make sure they are not exposed to direct sunlight, excessive heat or moisture.
Avoid placing heavy objects over your CDs to prevent stress damage. Replace cracked/broken jewel cases so that your discs remain unscathed.
Cleaning your CDs
To wipe accidental fingerprints or dust from the CD’s surface, always use a clean, dry, micro-fibre cloth; preferably the fine variety designed for cleaning spectacles.
If you must, clean your discs using distilled water. Do not use tap water, household detergents, organic solvents and chemical solvents like acetone or benzene. In extreme cases, if the disc has a stain, rinse lightly with distilled water, then buff softly with the cloth. Place it back in its jewel case only after it is dry.
When cleaning CDs, always wipe in a straight line, starting from the centre and moving outwards. Do not wipe in circular motions (although it may seem like the best way to wipe) as this may cause scratches that can make the disc skip.
If possible, buy a proper CD cleaning kit for stubborn stains and dust.
Fixing scratches
Sometimes, despite exercising utmost care, your CDs might end up with a scratch or two. Don’t worry. Here’s how you can get rid of them…
First, wipe all the fingerprints and dust and from the CD’s surface and make sure that it is absolutely dry and clean.
Then, apply some toothpaste (the gel variety does not work for this) on a soft cloth and gently rub it along the length of the scratch to buff it away. After a while, you will notice that the scratch has almost disappeared.
When you’re happy with the result, rinse the CD with distilled water and gently wipe it dry.
Backup
It’s always a good idea to digitally backup (or ‘rip’) your music collection. Broadly speaking, there are two types of audio compression – lossy and lossless – that can be employed when backing up your CDs.
Lossy – formats like MP3, AAC and OGG – refers to the process where some data from the original music is lost during audio conversion. But to most users, the loss in sound quality is not discernable on average music systems.
Audiophiles prefer lossless compression formats such as FLAC, ALAC and MPEG-4 Audio Lossless Coding, which retain each and every nuance of the original recording. The downside, however, is that these lossless formats are much bigger in size than lossy files.
If you’re looking for simple software to rip your CDs to MP3, WAV, WMA, FLAC or OGG Vorbis, consider FreeRIP Basic (www.freerip.com). But don’t install the FreeRIP browser toolbar when prompted during installation (the software will get installed anyway). To rip a CD in FreeRIP, simply insert the disc into the drive. Then, click on File > Refresh CD. You will soon see a complete listing of all the songs on the disc. You can then go to File > Setting > Options; click on the Output tab to select where you want the “ripped” songs to be stored. Then, simply click on the Rip option on the main menu to backup your CD into whichever digital format you prefer. For long-term backups, we would suggest lossless formats, though you can create lossy copies for everyday listening on your portable music player. As you get comfortable with FreeRIP, you can explore other settings for greater control over the backup process. Those looking for slightly advanced ripping software can try CDex (cdexos.sourceforge.net), fre:ac (www.freac.org) Exact Audio Copy (www.exactaudiocopy.de).
Savio
D’Souza TL120819
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