Roxio Easy Media Creator 7 or Nero 6?

[GA Russell]

It's time for me to buy a program which will allow me to burn CDs - both albums and compilations.

Roxio EMC7 and Nero 6 cost about the same and seem to offer the same features. I've done a little homework, and I've read that Roxio is a little better regarding some video functions, but I don't have any desire to get involved with that.

In fact, maybe there is another program that just handles audio that I don't know about.

So I guess my question is...What does this group recommend for a program to burn jazz CDs with?

All informed opinions welcome, and thanks!

[Michael Fitzgerald]

burning (audio & data): CDRWin - www.goldenhawk.com

ripping: Exact Audio Copy - www.exactaudiocopy.de

Mike

[Quincy]

I'll second Exact Audio Copy for ripping. It's the best there is, it's the preferred choice of hardcore traders, and it's free!

And send the kid who wrote the program a postcard (it's postcardware), he really appreciates it. Such a small thing to ask for such a great program.

[Claude]

In my view, the only adavantage that Roxio has over Nero is the packetwriting program. Packetwriting is used to format a CD-RW (or DVD-RW or CD-R) in the UDF format and use it as an additional drive in which files can be written within Windows Explorer. This is great for frequent backups or data transport. The Roxio packetwiting program DirectCD is better than the Nero counterpart InCD.

On all other aspects of data burning, Nero is preferable. I can't judge the video functions.

It is also better for audio CD bruning. But for this task I would recommend Feurio, which is the best and most powerful audio CD writing software I know. It is unlimited shareware. The only negative point is that it has so many options and features that a beginner might be overwhelmed. But that is true for EAC too.

Edited August 29, 2004 by Claude

[Shrdlu]

I haven't seen Nero 6 (mine is something like 5.5.1.1, or something like that), but the one I use is terrific and is very user-friendly. I'm speaking as an amateur, though its burns of CDrs taken from LPs (using Musicmatch) sound better, to me, that new 24 bit Japanese CD reissues, and WAY better than any McMaster 24 bitters.

The editing features are very good, and you can even balance the volume over a whole CDr when making a custom disk from different sources. You can also "pan in" stereo recordings that are too widely panned - a lot of recordings fall into that category.

[couw]

...you can even balance the volume over a whole CDr when making a custom disk from different sources...

I find that particular feature not very good with Nero. It tends to create distortions.

[Eric]

burning (audio & data): CDRWin - www.goldenhawk.com

ripping: Exact Audio Copy - www.exactaudiocopy.de

Mike

what is the difference?

[GA Russell]

Thanks for your thoughts!

My inclination is to go with something I can buy a hard copy of, with a hard copy manual.

[Michael Fitzgerald]

What is the difference between what? Ripping and burning?

Ripping is DAE - Digital Audio Extraction - taking the information off an audio CD and turning it into a .wav file on your computer. Accuracy is crucial.

Burning is the opposite - putting a .wav file onto a CD with a header that will let it be read by a plain old CD player. Flexibility is more important. I like CDRWin because it lets you do drag-and-drop but can also handle .cue sheets for more involved tasks.

Either program can do both ripping and burning but EAC does ripping better than anything. CDRWin does burning easier. I am pretty sure that EAC cannot burn data CDs.

Mike

[Eric]

Thanks Mike ... turns out I have been ripping and burning without knowing the proper terms B-)

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Yeah, even those with a thorough knowledge of jive might get confused based on the similarity of the statements: "Damn! I got ripped!" and "Damn! I got burned!"

Mike

[Jim Alfredson]

In my view, the only adavantage that Roxio has over Nero is the packetwriting program. Packetwriting is used to format a CD-RW (or DVD-RW or CD-R) in the UDF format and use it as an additional drive in which files can be written within Windows Explorer. This is great for frequent backups or data transport. The Roxio packetwiting program DirectCD is better than the Nero counterpart InCD.

Yes but Windows XP has a similair feature built into the OS now.

Roxio is a resource and memory hog. Nero is much more streamlined.

[Tim McG]

Nero is easier to use, but Roxio has more functions.

[GA Russell]

OK then, it looks like it will be Nero. Easy to use is a big selling point in my book.

[skeith]

I went to the exact audio copy site and it appears that there are several programs to download depending on your computer or your software- or did I misread it?

I am not too savvy on computers, can anyone give me some guidance on this?

[Michael Fitzgerald]

Looks like just one zip file to me.

http://www.exactaudiocopy.org/eac095pb5.zip

Mike

[Claude]

Here's a promising free CD/DVD writing software:

CDBurnerXP Pro

It's interface and functions are inspired by Nero. I have installed it but not tried it yet.

There will be a new Nero version (Nero 6 Reloaded) out this month, with some improvements and new features. The one I am awaiting most is a Verify function for audio CD-Rs. This was only available for data CDs/DVDs until now.

Edited October 1, 2004 by Claude

[GA Russell]

I had forgotten about this thread, and I started it!

I went to BJ's Warehouse this week, and was surprised to see that they now carry Nero 6. I was going to pick it up but didn't. I won't wait much longer.

Maybe I should spend the extra probable twenty bucks for the Reloaded, and order it from Amazon. What do you think?

Thanks for the heads up, Claude!

[GA Russell]

It looks like I'm back to the drawing board.

I bought Nero 6 but returned it unopened when I realized that only a small part of it was relevant to my needs.

Today I bought DVD Ripper at Walmart, and it isn't loading properly. I get an error message for the main program, although two other programs including Adobe Reader 5.1 loaded fine.

So it looks like I'll just try the download you recommend, although with my slow dial-up it might take forever. We'll see.

[mmilovan]

EAC with Nero 6 is winning combination as far as CDRs are concerned.

It was Feurio that works so well with audio media (used to have some callibration system), it's free, but, it wont recognize my new burner, and I've gave up - to hell with it.

For burning DVDs most of the people claims Roxio works better.

[mmilovan]

The one I am awaiting most is a Verify function for audio CD-Rs.

Nero 6 version has it enabled, but I don't know how this works, because of natire of audio CDs... A fake function?

[Claude]

I haven't tried it yet, because I continue to use Feurio (feurio.de) for audio CDs.

Since I have bought a new DVD writer, the number of defective burns has gone down to zero, so for me the verify function is not that essential anymore.

Edited April 1, 2005 by Claude

[fent99]

Even on Dialup I don't think the filesize should take too long. I'd definitely try EAC before anything else

I use EAC for ripping (sometimes for writing too, its simple enough)

Is there anything similar for copying DVDs?

Edited April 1, 2005 by fent99