Format for Burnt CDs using the OEM player

Have had great news with the CD player suddenly coming to life in my ‘97 Riviera. I enjoy the CD format as I can play what I like and change it on the move. And the storage drawers are handy too!

Like many of us, I like to burn a copy of my original CD for my own use, so if it gets damaged, I can make another, keeping the original perfect.

However, I am finding that what I currently burn using Windows Media Player or Nero will not play. They will play in my home unit or my 2012 Subaru but not in the Buick.

Interesting as most of the CDs I copied in the early 2000’s still work perfectly in the Buick but ones copied last week will not.

Can any member advise what CD copying/burning format they are using for copying CDs that will play using the OEM Buick player?

BTW I find the Bluetooth FM converter/ adapter playing through an FM station not convenient for my situation.

Thanks in advance. Rodney

What are your format choices?

albertj wrote:

What are your format choices?

Hi, I have a desktop with Windows 11 and Windows Media Player. I also have a laptop with a standalone CD drive with Nero. However happy to download whatever program that is proven to work.

As mentioned I burnt a number of CDs in the early 2000’s that play fine in the Buick but the new ones burnt on both Windows and Nero won’t read, give E20 error.

I am on the search for some TDK Gold CD-R blanks as these are what I used back then whereas currently am using Verbatim CD-R. It maybe as simple as a disc brand issue.

I understand they need to be burnt as an audio file .cda and also at a slow speed such as 4X.

Be interested in what you come up with
Rodney

RodneyRiviera wrote:

albertj wrote:

What are your format choices?

Hi, I have a desktop with Windows 11 and Windows Media Player. I also have a laptop with a standalone CD drive with Nero. However happy to download whatever program that is proven to work.

As mentioned I burnt a number of CDs in the early 2000’s that play fine in the Buick but the new ones burnt on both Windows and Nero won’t read, give E20 error.

I am on the search for some TDK Gold CD-R blanks as these are what I used back then whereas currently am using Verbatim CD-R. It maybe as simple as a disc brand issue.

I understand they need to be burnt as an audio file .cda and also at a slow speed such as 4X.

Be interested in what you come up with
Rodney

I wonder if you just need an older Codec to work with your Windows Media Player for burning.

I had burned disks at 24x for my Riv without serious issues; Once in a while I'd get spurious 'blips' artifacts in teh sound, usually resolved by re-burning the CD.

E20 error makes me think you might start with getting a cleaning disc to run thru your CD player. The E20 error is the Delco general cant-read-the-disc error (they call it "Focus Error") and in my experience the drive is dirty or overheated, or the disc is dirty or scratched. You'll get an E20 if your disc has too many fingerprints, for instance. You will also get it if the drive has malfunctioned for some reason. With some malfunctions the drive will paly some discs and not others.

Beyond that, you can open the radio and use canned air to blow dust etc. out of the unit; you can use rubbing alcohol on a q-tip to clean the lens too. You can check to see if any of the gears in the unit are cracked. *Typically* blowing the dust out sets things right. I only had to do that once. "Your mileage may (will) vary."

Hi, not sure what a Codec is.

May I ask what burning software you have used that has worked in yours.

BTW I had run a cleaner through it once it woke up but can used compressed air to blow it out (gentle).

In the meantime I will try to hunt down some TDK Gold discs which my old stuff was burnt to, as these work fine. Currently using Verbatim white face which may be the problem.

Given the Riv has just turned 14000m hoping the deck has had little use. Certainly don’t want to change it at all!

Cheers
Rodney

RodneyRiviera wrote:

Hi, not sure what a Codec is.

May I ask what burning software you have used that has worked in yours.

BTW I had run a cleaner through it once it woke up but can used compressed air to blow it out (gentle).

In the meantime I will try to hunt down some TDK Gold discs which my old stuff was burnt to, as these work fine. Currently using  Verbatim white face which may be the problem.

Given the Riv has just turned 14000m hoping the deck has had little use. Certainly don’t want to change it at all!

Cheers
Rodney

For burning I primarily used Windows Media Player.  Nero includes a wide range of features that mean nothing on an audio CD for the Riv.  Maybe if you're playing the CD on a home player or PC and you want a custom menu, Nero's better.  But when it comes to doing the basics, it's not my cup of tea.

Codec is the software that compresses and decompresses music on a CD, among other things.  If you use a codec to record a CD that our player does not have firmware to decompress, the CD wont play right.  However, there are not that many codecs for music CDs.  See the link:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/codecs-faq-392483a0-b9ac-27c7-0f61-5a7f18d408af#:text=What's%20a%20codec?,decompresses%20the%20file%20(decoding).

Most disks now, I am told, are manufactured b CMC, JVC (Taiyo Yuden) or Ritek. CMC makes, for instance, all of HP's "HP" branded optical media. Verbatim's disks also are made by CMC. JVCs disks have a reputation of being the best as regards audio playback and recording compatibility and lowest error rate.  Ritek is (by far) the world's largest CD manufacturer - overall manufacturer of optical storage media - their quality is good enough. There are other big companies (LG, Plextor) in the business of manufacturing CDs.  

If you are still having problems with your CD player, United Radio in Syracuse can fix it.  You will want to phone them.  They are neither cheapest nor most expensive, but I would not send a Delco radio elsewhere for repair or refurb.

Wow, that is interesting. I used Windows Media Player first up and thought the program may be the issue.

What I will do is source some different discs (and you mentioned JVC) and carefully go through the burn process again. I too found Nero complex and not intuitive and happy to know that WMP works for you.

Will get back as soon as I get some results.

Many thanks for your interest, as I appreciate wanting to retain the stock player.
Cheers Rodney

bump