For this reason, all burners have a write buffer (typically 512 kbyte or 1 Mbyte) which can compensate for any slowdown in reading data and transferring it from the hard disk to the burner.

The solution is not foolproof: if the transfer rate is too low, the buffer is not filled with sufficient speed and is emptied. The phenomenon, far from infrequent, called buffer underrun (or buffer emptying) occurs. Depending on the recording mode chosen and the type of CD you want to create, the single track in which the error occurred or the entire disc may be unusable. What can we do to recover the disk? Little or nothing. If the disc is an Audio CD and is recorded in Track-At-Once mode, generally, closing the disc will only make the track affected by the error illegible. In Disc-At-Once mode, in most cases, finalizing does not allow for disc recovery. For Data CDs, if the disc is recorded in multisession, you can close the current session (which will not be readable) and open a new one to use the space still available. In the case of a single session, however, the CD and DVD Duplication Services in NSW is unrecoverable!

Let's see some tips that, if put into practice, will allow us to reduce, if not eliminate, this annoying problem:

Use a fast hard disk: There are specific hard disks on the market for use in the multimedia field. They are called AV (Audio / Video). They are characterized by high transfer rates and low thermal recalibration times of the heads. Generally there is no need to use these disks as the new EIDE / SCSI / SATA / SSD disks allow adequate transfer times.

Burn to 2x : Although today's burners allow recording speeds of 4x, 6x, 8x, and beyond, the write buffers inserted inside them and the PCs used to burn are not always able to support the required transfer flow. By burning to 2x (4x maximum), write times increase, but the risks of buffer underrun disappear almost completely.

Do not use the computer while burning : During the writing process it is good not to use the PC as any access to the hard disk could cause the emptying of the buffer. For this purpose it is good to disable antivirus programs, screen savers and all those management programs that could access the hard disk (e.g. system agent). If the PC is connected to the network, it is a good idea to disable file and folder sharing so as to prevent other users from accessing the PC during burning.

Defragment the hard disk : a hard disk with too fragmented files has a slow transfer speed. Disk defragmentation increases performance especially in cases where it burns on the fly.

Use the image file : the creation of an image file increases the time required for burning but improves the speed of data transfer.

Cool down the burner : If used to burn multiple CDs, the burner overheats and its mechanics can reduce the accuracy of the movements. It is advisable to let the recorder rest (and then cool down) after writing two or at most three CDs.

About the Company: ISD is the trading name of Copysoft Pty Ltd, which is a media duplication company that provides media duplication plus custom designed promotional USB drives, DVD and CD duplication and authoring services, DVD-encoding from tape, design and printing requirements, printed media, packaging and presentation requirements, and website design and hosting service.