Creating a Data CD using Roxio Easy CD Creator 5 LTA (Moderate)

A Low Threshold Application (LTA) is a teaching/learning application of information technology that is reliable, accessible, easy to learn, and non-intimidating. Each LTA has observable positive consequences, and contributes to important long-term changes in teaching and/or learning. The user of LTA�fs whether that person is the teacher or learner should perceive the LTA not to be challenging, or requiring a lot of additional work; rather, the user should find the LTA helpful with quick and meaningful results. Below you will find three categories of LTA�fs: easy, moderate, and hard. Simply click on the LTA under the category that you are interested in and you will be linked to a set of simple step-by-step instructions relating to your item of interest.

We are always looking for LTA�fs. If you are interested in submitting one, please email kahnp@mail.montlcair.edu.

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LTA Overview
Compact disc (CD) burning is the process of creating your own CD from files on your computer. It's also referred to as CD writing or CD burning. The two most common types of CD's are:

Audio CD's: can be played on your computer and on most home or auto CD players. These store the music in uncompressed form and are equivalent to the commercial CD's you buy in a music store. They can hold up to 74 or 80 minutes of music depending on the CD you use.

Data CD's: unlike a music CD, a data CD is used for data storage only and cannot be played on your home stereo or car CD player. A data CD is a CD used for storing computer data. With Easy CD Creator, you can make your own data CD by recording any files and folders stored on your hard disk. Here are just some of the things you should know about a data CD:

• A data CD can typically hold up to 650 MB of data if you have a blank 74-minute CD-R or CD-RW disc, and 700 MB of data if you have a blank 80-minute CD-R disc
• A data CD is ideal for backing up and archiving your important files such as spreadsheets, tax records, and financial data
• A data CD is ideal for sharing multimedia presentations, graphics, CAD files, Internet downloads, Websites, and company documents with your colleagues

What�fs needed to create a CD?

• CD burning software, like Roxio Easy CD Creator
• A CD-Recordable (CD-R) or CD-ReWritable (CD-RW) drive, also called �gburner�h
• Blank CDs

What about CDs?
There are two basic types of discs that you can buy for CD burners, CD-R and CD-RW.

When to Use CD-R Discs

• Use when you want to make a music CD that you can play on your home or car stereo CD player
• Use when you want to copy a music CD for your own personal use
• Use when you want to permanently save large project files
• Use when you want to permanently archive or store files, such as your home records, photos, or videos

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 CD-RW disc in most home or car stereo CD players. Here are some ideas for using CD-RW discs:

• Use when you need to write, erase, rewrite, and update all your large files on CD
• Use when you want to make a practice CD or test the contents of a CD before making a permanent one

NOTE: There are some CD-R discs designed exclusively for use in home stereo-style CD burners (which don't require a computer), such as the Philips unit sold at retail chains like Best Buy and Circuit City. The discs are called "CDR Music" or "Music Only", and are generally more expensive because the recording industry gets a cut of each one sold. These discs may not work with some CD burners and burner software.

One quick note on longevity: CDs have a life expectancy of 50 years or more. You can spill coffee on CDs and wipe it off. The main enemies of CDs are scratches, humidity and extreme heat.

Another potential danger is the ball-point pen, which can damage the top layer of the disc. If you want to label a disk, be sure to use only a smudgeless, felt-tip pen.

LTA Level
This LTA is geared towards the user who is comfortable working with a computer.

LTA Outcomes
By working through this LTA, the user will be able to successfully create a data CD and copy files and folders to it.

LTA Instructions
Saving Files on a CD

NOTE: It is recommended to first close all other programs before you begin. For best results, shut down other programs that might use up the CPU while the burn will take place. Don't do anything else on the computer until the burning process completes.

Step 1 - Launch the Program

1) Click on Start

2) Go to Programs

3) Select Applications

4) Choose Roxio Easy CD Creator 5

5) Click on Project Selector

The following window appears:

Step 2 - Select CD Type

1) Choose make a data CD

2) Click the dataCD project button - this allows for the CD to be read on many difference computers

The following window appears:

Step 3 - Adding Files to the CD Project

Here are two easy ways of adding files, folders, and tracks to the CD project:

1) Select the item you want to save from the source window, and then click the Add button.
The item is added to the CD project window.

2) Or select the item you want to save from the source window, and then drag and drop it into the
CD project window.

NOTE: You may change the source window directory location by clicking on the drop down arrow under
Select source file.

To remove files in the CD project window:

1) Select the item to be removed

2) Click the Remove button next to the Add button

Step 4 - Record the CD

1) Once all files have been added to the CD project window, click on Record

NOTE: When you add files or tracks to a data or music CD project, the Status Bar shows the amount of data or music in the CD project, and how much space remains on the CD. Keep in mind that the Estimated Space Free amount is based on a 74-minute CD; however, you can still record 80 minutes on an 80-minute CD. For data CDs, the space is shown in MB; for music CDs, it is shown in minutes:seconds.

The following window appears:

2) Click on the Options button to expand the window and check the settings

The window will looks as follows:

Make sure:

• Record Options: Record CD option is selected
• Record Method: Track-At-Once and Finalize Session. Don�ft Finalize CD are selected (this will allow you to add more data to the CD in the future)
  

NOTE: The amount of music you can record to a music CD also depends on whether you record in Track-at-Once or Disc-at-Once mode. If you use Track-at-Once, two seconds of silence is automatically added between each track. If you use Disc-at-Once, by default there is no gap of silence between tracks, but you can set each gap as desired. The size of the gaps affects how much music you can fit on the CD.

3) Click on the Start Recording button

The system will tell you when recording is completed

NOTE: Files on a CD are identified as read only by Microsoft Operating Systems. To use the files you have to copy them to the hard drive from the disc and then remove the read only attribute.