CD and DVD Recording for Dummies, Second Edition [Paperback]

Mark L. Chambers (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 5, 2004

Most new PCs and Macs today are equipped with the latest in recording and storage equipment: CD-RW and DVD-R/RW drives. Even if your computer is a little older, you can still join the revolution with add-on hardware and software. You can record music and movies, store photos and data, and organize things you want to preserve for posterity, safely and easily.

CD and DVD Recording For Dummies®, Second Edition, takes the frustration out of choosing and using these cool recording systems. This easy-to-follow guide will help you find what you need and use it efficiently, and it covers all the newest equipment. You’ll discover how to

• Choose and install a CD or DVD recorder
• Pick the best software for your needs
• Store large data files safely on CD
• Use EasyCD and DVD Creator and Toast
• Record mixed media disks
• Create electronic photo albums, baby books, genealogies, and more

Once upon a time, videotape, vinyl record albums, and floppy disks were state of the art for preserving movies, music, and data. The superior durability and capacity of CDs and DVDs have made these tools as obsolete as the washboard, but never fear. CD and DVD Recording For Dummies®, Second Edition, makes it easy to

• Transfer your favorite VHS movies to DVD
• Preserve those classic LPs on CD
• Archive records and data files, and safely store treasured family photos
• Ask the right questions when shopping for CD or DVD recording hardware and software
• Record original material, copy and erase rewriteable disks, and make backups of important data
• Add menus to your disks, label them, and care for them properly
• Record a bootable CD-ROM

Today’s CD and DVD recorders can produce everything from superb sound quality to original movies you can play on your DVD player. CD and DVD Recording For Dummies® will get your recording career going in a jiffy.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Choose and use the perfect CD or DVD recorder

Safeguard data and photos, put that classic music on CD, or record your favorite movies

CDs and DVDs do more than entertain; they’re also the perfect data storage system! This fully updated guide helps you record favorite tunes as well as preserve family photos with the greatest of ease. Get the scoop on the latest devices, tips on mixed media recording, advice on turning your videotapes into DVDs, and much more.

The Dummies Way

• Explanations in plain English
• "Get in, get out" information
• Icons and other navigational aids
• Tear-out cheat sheet
• Top ten lists
• A dash of humor and fun

Discover how to:

• Choose the equipment you need
• Use Easy CD & DVD Creator
• Archive data files on CDs
• Organize and convert files
• Care for CDs and DVDs
• Record a bootable CD-ROM

About the Author

Mark L. Chambers has been a computer consultant, programmer, hardware technician, tech editor, and author for over 20 years. He has written more than 15 computer books.

Product Details

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 2 edition (March 5, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764559567
• ISBN-13: 978-0764559563
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 7.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #199,461 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #82 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Physics > Acoustics & Sound

More About the Author

Mark L. Chambers is an author, tech editor, and unabashed Mac fan. He is the author of more than 30 computer books including Mac OS X Leopard All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies and AppleTV For Dummies.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Worth Less Than Nothing, November 11, 2003

By 

Frank Dutton (Many, LA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: CD and DVD Recording for Dummies (Paperback)

For anyone who has any basic familiarity with using a computer (viz. using EXPLORE to navigate the file system and some program to defragment the drive and determining how much disk space you have available) this book is useless. It really doesn't present anything other than designing a disc label that you won't get with the instruction manuals with the hardware/software you buy for burning a CD or DVD. It's "worth less than nothing" because it costs time and postage to return the book. But, I'd say it's better than "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Creating CDs and DVDs".

42 of 50 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars One Word...Worthless!!!, November 25, 2003

By 

Chris Connors (Chicago) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: CD and DVD Recording for Dummies (Paperback)

This book does tell you how to record CD/DVD's and whatnot, for Easy CD Creator? That is a HORRIBLE progam for recording CD/DVD's you CANNOT even bypass the Copyright movies (To back up your PURCHASED movies that you already own). Just SIMPLY download, SOME are even FreeWare (Meaning that the program WILL cost you nothing, but I suggest buying a GOOD CD/DVD Recording program, like Nero they are ALWAYS supplied with the User Manuals if you need help. So WHY pay for this book.
Save the money and just BUY a good CD/DVD recording software program. In my opinion, Nero's actually the ONLY CD/DVD Recording program worth the money (MSRP $70.00) AND it comes WITH a User Manual AND Technical Support; Beside the fact that you can make movies, back-up, anything! Does this book have technichal support and cover ALL good CD/DVD Recording programs?
Like I said I bought this book, and like a lot of reviews here I found it to be pointless. It was just easier to Purchase a progam but..well it's up to you. Hope I was able to help.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read and good info!, December 5, 2003

By 

Tony Hargood (Richmond, VA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: CD and DVD Recording for Dummies (Paperback)

First off this book is NOT a guide to pirating. If you need to learn how to copy DVD movies look elsewhere, but the book does show you how to rip songs from a music CD.

With that understood, this book explained a lot I did not understand before. Ever wonder what settings you need to burn one type of CD or another? Apple owners will like that the author crosses platforms here and writes about Toast as well. I really liked the chapter on adding HTML menus to a CD or DVD to make it easier to use, since I've never seen this info in any other recording guide.

Although you learn Easy CD 5, it's not much different from the new version and I think this Dummies book is still a good pick. I recommend it all the time to friends who are just learning how to burn their first music CDS.