I have a bootleg question.

[salty72]

I was putting cd labels on my bootlegs, but lately I've been labeling the cds with a sharpie. My question is; will the label stuck onto the cd eventually affect the performance of the cd? Should I start making copies of all the boots that I stuck a label on and label them with a sharpie?

 

[Sicy]

The music doesnt play on that side of the CD, therefore I dont believe that anything you do to that side of the CD will effect the playing side of the CD.

 

[salty72]

What worries me is that whenever I play a cd in my car's player the cd is warm after being played and I worry the label might "melt" so to speak to the cd and it might warp the playing side.

 

[Sicy]

My cds get warm too, I think that's normal, but I dont think they could get hot enough to melt.

 

[U2Lynne]

The music doesnt play on that side of the CD, therefore I dont believe that anything you do to that side of the CD will effect the playing side of the CD.

Actually, you are kind of playing 'that' side - you are actually playing the reflective side of the label side of the CD. If you pull a label off and it takes some of that 'painted' surface with it, you have ruined your CD. I don't know if I'm saying this right...... look at the side view of a CD. The side that you think you are playing is just all clear plastic - the shiny part that contains the music is actually on the other side of the CD.

Can someone explain this better?

 

[U2girl]

What is a sharpie? Kind of pen? I have my CDs labelled with a kind of pen and it didn't hurt them in any way.

I don't think any labelling on the right side will hurt your CDs in any way. On one side you have written something like CD - ROM and the brand of CD (Fujifilm, Memorex etc...) right? The other side is all blank right? Well this blank side should STAY blank, but it's ok to label on the other side.

And yes, it's ok for the CD to get warm. I don't think it gets hot enough to melt anything though.

 

[Liesje]

I think as long as you are using actual CD labels, not just any sticker, you should be fine b/c those labels are made for CDs so they shouldn't damage the CD. But using the sharpie works fine too, that's what I do - much cheaper than putting a new label on every CD.

U2girl - a sharpie is just a special kind of permanent marker, usually black but come in many colors. It's good for lots of things, especially CD labelling. They say "sharpie" on them:

 

[Liesje]

I don't think any labelling on the right side will hurt your CDs in any way. On one side you have written something like CD - ROM and the brand of CD (Fujifilm, Memorex etc...) right? The other side is all blank right? Well this blank side should STAY blank, but it's ok to label on the other side.

BOTH sides of the CD are equally important. The shiny side is important b/c if it gets scratched too deep, or has stuff on it, the CD can't be read. The labelled side is important because the laser actually reads this side - what's under the label. So if the label gets scratched or peels, the CD is absolutely worthless.

To be safe, I'd only use good permanent markers like Sharpies or specific CD labelling markers or labels.

 

[Sicy]

The labelled side is important because the laser actually reads this side - what's under the label. So if the label gets scratched or peels, the CD is absolutely worthless.

It does?

 

[U2Lynne]

It does?

Yes. That is what I was trying to explain in my post above.

 

[Sicy]

But the music is only on one side of the CD. That is the side the laser reads. At least that's what I thought.

 

[U2Lynne]

But the music is only on one side of the CD. That is the side the laser reads. At least that's what I thought.

Actually, the laser goes through the side you think it is reading and reads the back of the labeled surface.

Think of a CD as like a mirror. The label side is against the wall. The part you show to the laser is the side you look at the mirror from. If you scratch the back of the mirror, you can't see in that spot. If you scratch the labeled side of the CD, you ruin the CD. If you scratch the side of the mirror you look at, you also cause problems for looking in the mirror. If you scratch the side of the CD that the laser is looking at, you ruin the CD.

I have a feeling I'm not explaining this very well, but I don't know how else to explain it. Somebody?!?!?

 

[Sicy]

Actually, the laser goes through the side you think it is reading and reads the back of the labeled surface.

Very interesting. I was not aware. I think I understand what you're saying.

 

[Liesje]

Actually, the laser goes through the side you think it is reading and reads the back of the labeled surface.

Think of a CD as like a mirror. The label side is against the wall. The part you show to the laser is the side you look at the mirror from. If you scratch the back of the mirror, you can't see in that spot. If you scratch the labeled side of the CD, you ruin the CD. If you scratch the side of the mirror you look at, you also cause problems for looking in the mirror. If you scratch the side of the CD that the laser is looking at, you ruin the CD.

I have a feeling I'm not explaining this very well, but I don't know how else to explain it. Somebody?!?!?

yeah, that's a good way of putting it. I always thought only the non-labelled side mattered, until I bought cheap CD-Rs and they all peeled! (imation, ACK )

 

[Nate Dogg]

http://www.howstuffworks.com/cd1.htm

This is a link to Interesting web page concerning how CDs work. You'll find the answers to your questions there....

 

[typhoon]

I've read from some audiophiliac site or another that permanent markers will bleed through and eventually ruin your CD-Rs. But that would probably take a really, really long time and isn't likely worth worrying about. I find it's nice to keep back-ups of all my tunes on my computer so I don't have to worry about silly things like that, though.