Number 218 - July 2001
Burning MP3s
from Ask Leo by Leo Laporte, Access Magazine 05/20/01
    Q How do I go about burning MP3 files to a disc? Will MP3 files play on a regular disc player?
        Mark Niles, Address Withheld

    A They will as long as you create an audio CD. Let me explain.

    You can record or "burn" CDs in two formats; audio or data. Before you record music CDs, you'll need to decide which kind of disc you want to make. Make your decision based on where you intend to play the CD. Audio CDs, like the recordings you buy in music stores, can play in computers, stereos and car CD players. They're the most compatible, but they're limited to about 80 minutes of music.

    Data CDs can play only in a computer or a portable CD player designed to play MP3 files, such as the Rio Volt ($169.95; www.sonicblue. com) or Philips eXpanium ($199; www. expanium. philips.com). But each disc can hold as much as 10 hours of MP3-based music.
    Most CD-recording software can record MP3s to audio CDs and data CDs. I recommend the free MusicMatchJukebox (www.music match.com) for Windows. Create a play list in MusicMatch, then press the CD-R button at the bottom of the play list window. Choose the type of disc you want to make in the window that pops up. If you choose to make an audio CD, MusicMatch will convert your MP3s to a format your stereo and CD player can handle. Mac owners can use the free Apple iTunes (www.apple.com/itunes) to record CDs.

TOGGLE Editor's Note:
    Alternatively, you can use a commercial program such as Adobe CD Creator. Librarian Tom Stepanek uses it to create music CDs all the time. He demonstrated this recently during the CD Burning Demonstration which was part of our Program Presentation portion of the April 2001 meeting.

    Tom is quite knowledgeable on the subject and should be able to answer any questions you may have about creating music CDs.
  Number 218 - July 2001