Dan Butler's
TNPC Newsletter

Easy CD Creator Deluxe 4.0

by Al Gordon

My colleagues recently have been writing about their recordable/rewritable CD-ROM experiences.

Wimps.

They went out and bought their drives now, when they work well and are cheap. Hey, REAL computer geeks buy hardware back when it is overpriced and buggy. In fact, they buy it before they even understand what they are doing.

Yeah. Me.

I purchased a SONY "Spressa" two years ago for my old PC, didn't like it much, and made a lot of "coasters" out of botched CDs. So when I bought a new system, I switched to a HP 8200. It came bundled with recording software from Adaptec, "Easy CD Creator." Nice drive, I thought.

Then I bought the retail "Deluxe" version of the software, tried it with the SONY, and discovered that the problem wasn't the drive but the SONY proprietary software. Easy CD Creator is clearly the key to reliable CD creation on most brands of CD writers. All of which is by way of prologue to the news that Version 4.0 of "Easy CD Creator" is now on sale.

Users of Version 3.5 may not find a compelling need to upgrade. 4.0 has a street price of $80-$85, with a $20 upgrade rebate for existing users. There isn't that much worth of new features, and Adaptec clearly is a member of the overpriced upgrade brigade.

However, people who have the reduced-feature recording software bundled with CD-ROMs or who do a lot of disc "burning" will like the new version, which addresses several key limitations in version 3.5.

Easy CD 4.0 does what the early versions did: create data or audio discs from individual files or CD tracks, create labels and jewel box covers, and copy CDs in one step. It does "packet writing" -- save files on rewritable CDs as if they were floppy discs. There also is a package of audio and graphics editors for those who lack them. (These are not particularly strong apps, so don't bother with them if you already have, for instance, Paint Shop Pro or Microsoft PhotoDraw for graphics or Cool Edit for sound files.)

Version 4.0 performs all of its core functions better than ever.

There is a new unifying interface that blends the various functions into a more seamless package. Version 3.5 treated each function as a separate application. Data CD creation seems faster, and there now is a verify feature to check a disc after recording. The disc copying utility allows "disc at once" one- click creation. HP label software is now included for simpler label production. But the biggest enhancements come for audio CDs, reflecting the current trend toward "burn your own" discs for music lovers.

Launch the audio CD writer, and put a music CD in a drive to record it. CDDB -- the online CD database -- automatically is contacted and the application pulls down album and track name and timing information. So instead of seeing "track 1," etc. in Easy CD's Windows Explorer-like interface, you see actual song names - - which are then available for label creation and jewel box covers as well. You can change the spacing between tracks on your discs, and also do fade in/fade out effects. Basically, everything you need to really irritate the music industry.

There is one annoying downside to the new release, though. Adaptec insists on putting automatic startup features into the Windows Registry rather than through startup group icons that can be bypassed on Windows start. I hate that, as typically one holds down the shift key to bypass startups precisely to boot up Windows without launching unnecessary background apps such as CD software.

Those running NT and who aren't intimidated by Registry editing should -- after following the usual Registry backup precautions - - go directly to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

and remove the Adaptec items, then create startup shortcuts. If you're using Windows 98 click on Start / Programs / Accessories / System Tools / System Information / Tools / System Configuration Editor. Then click the Startup tab and uncheck those items you don't want to start on boot. Or run the msconfig.exe program (Start / Run) that calls up the System Configuration Editor directly.

Easy CD Creator V4.0 Deluxe for Windows 95/98/NT on Beyond.com:
http://www.thenakedpc.com/t/225/tr.cgi?easycd