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CDs are great, and certainly more flexible to work with than some other music mediums. However CDs aren't indestructable.

 

Years of being inserted, removed, dropped, caught in closing cd-deck drawers etc etc can all take its toll on the surface of the CD.

 

A few good scratches on the playing surface and suddenly every track sound like J J J J J J J Jive B B B B B unny (c c c c'mon)...

 

www.scratch-busters.co.uk is a freepost service for poorly music CDs, data CDs, Game Console CDs, DVDs etc.

 

 

They basically make the disc "playable" again by skimming the first few microns off of the discs transparent (and scratched) layer so that your CD-decks laser has a clear, uninterupted view of the data again. The process can be repeated several times, so they say, and its "No Fix, No fee"

 

For the really unlucky, or clumsy...bulk rates are available by emailing the site directly.

Edited by Gary

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QUOTE (brianmole @ Jun 21 2004, 09:48 AM)
QUOTE (Chris_Pointon @ Jun 21 2004, 09:38 AM)
T-cut also works wonders!  http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/flirt.gif

Are you serious about t-cut?!

I wouldn't use it on my own collection personally. But I know a colleague who swears by a T-Cut generic for repairing scratched CD's. It's also been mentioned several times on the forum by other members.

 

If anybody was to try it, I do suggest that you use a cheap CD first - not a deleted Classic!.

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QUOTE (Chris_Pointon @ Jun 21 2004, 09:54 AM)
QUOTE (brianmole @ Jun 21 2004, 09:48 AM)
QUOTE (Chris_Pointon @ Jun 21 2004, 09:38 AM)
T-cut also works wonders!  http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/flirt.gif

Are you serious about t-cut?!

I wouldn't use it on my own collection personally. But I know a colleague who swears by a T-Cut generic for repairing scratched CD's. It's also been mentioned several times on the forum by other members.

 

If anybody was to try it, I do suggest that you use a cheap CD first - not a deleted Classic!.

Fair enough, I will try it one day.

 

The next magic cure which I would welcome is the one which fixes a cracked CD. I have about 10000 CDs. Out of all those, only 2 have cracked from the centre to the outside. Strangely enough, they are both from musicfactory, one is the modern romance disc one, the other is a classic cuts with celebration - kool &G, tainted love, etc... I wonder if they would consider replacing them......

 

Brian

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And of course, you can use a marble to reduce the effects of a scratch on a old vinyl record, and the affects that it has on a stylus.

Edited by Gary

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We swear by t-cut... it works wonders! Every dj I know uses it!

WE LOVE KAREN, AND IT'S GREAT TO HAVE HER BACK !!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

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I used these Clear sticky covers that you put on the bottom of the disco to protect them. You cant see it when its stuck on but apparently makes the CD Life longer.

But tip is good from above. Got a good Summer Mix album might let them loose and see if they can fix that one. When it gets to B52's - Love shack it sticks on the word "shack". http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

 

Email :: info@nrgize-disco.co.uk

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QUOTE (nrgize @ Jun 22 2004, 04:18 PM)
Got a good Summer Mix album might let them loose and see if they can fix that one. When it gets to B52's - Love shack it sticks on the word "shack". http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

Let us know how it goes...eg: whether the disc works ok afterwards, how fast they are etc.

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Make a copy of it, complete with scratch before you send it away, and use T Cut on one and send the other away to be done professional and see which one does work better.

.....but what do I know ?

 

 

 

Your Big Event

Office:01803 813540

Direct: 0797 0717 448

e.mail:info@yourbigevent.co.uk

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QUOTE (ADS Entertainments @ Jun 22 2004, 11:52 PM)
Make a copy of it, complete with scratch before you send it away, and use T Cut on one and send the other away to be done professional and see which one does work better.

http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/huh.gif urmmm Andy....you wont need to T-cut the freshly burnt copy...it doesnt have a scratch on its surface... http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/wacko.gif

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Yep, correct, what I meant was MAKE a scratch on the burned CD and try and fix it

.....but what do I know ?

 

 

 

Your Big Event

Office:01803 813540

Direct: 0797 0717 448

e.mail:info@yourbigevent.co.uk

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Because there is no one type of damage to a CD, there is no one type of solution.

 

Those disc doctor electric pieces of plastic and 6v motor that are sold by the likes of Argos and the local megastore are very effective on discs with a high level of general scratching. Because they apply the treatment equally across the disc, the risk in unskilled hands is slight. The cost is of course outrageous and you begrudge paying it, but what can you do? http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/rolleyes.gif

 

There are kits that include a T-Cut like substance they retail for about EUR19/USD19. Again far too expensive for what they are. They come with pices of sandpaper and various cloths. These work quite well on big dirty scratches, but they need practice. Try it on a disc of no value first. Don't be afraid to get stuck in quite hard. But it does take practice and make sure you follow all the polava about wiping from centre to edge, not in circles.

 

T-Cut itself is effective, but it also cracks the membrane of the CD leading to a process called delamination. It's a quick fix that leads to greater problems in the long run. Again best of practising first. Try to copy the disc soon.

 

If you have a good quality CD drive in your PC, especially Plextor and Lite-On models they are very good at extracting a complete WAV file when DJ CD players won't read.

 

A bizarre phenomenon I can't explain is that when an optical drive on a PC won't make a WAV copy of a disc, it will frequently make an mp3 or wma copy. I am sure this is something to do with the amount of information required to be extracted, and someone more skilled in that area may be able to furnish an explanation.

 

A very good quality hi-fi deck will also read a disc frequently when a DJ CD player won't. You can then use optical out to make a copy. CD players that retail for GBP400/EUR600 rarely refuse discs.

 

As for broken discs, you can buy these plastic thingies that are supposed to protect your discs from scratches, they are a CD-shaped plastic sticker. If you have a good hand and can rebuild the cd, you can stick it together with that and put it in a high quality domestic deck and make a digital copy. DO NOT PUT IT IN A PC. They read faster and the disc will shatter with all kinds of dire consequences.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited by transeurope
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Sometimes I find copying a CD that isnt too scratched, but wont play on DJ Decks works. Keep the original at home and use copy. But wont work on my Summer Mix Album http://www.dj-forum.co.uk/html/emoticons/sad.gif

 

Email :: info@nrgize-disco.co.uk

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Oh Yeah!! Forgot to answer the question.

What to do if Rare CD starts skipping ???

Well if your playing it out live and is starts to skip

 

P A N I C !!!

 

Panic a little more then change the CD lol

 

Email :: info@nrgize-disco.co.uk

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DON'T PANIC

 

It will only make things worse, you will worry about it more than the punter

.....but what do I know ?

 

 

 

Your Big Event

Office:01803 813540

Direct: 0797 0717 448

e.mail:info@yourbigevent.co.uk

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've used T cut and it works but only had to do so once (On a bad scratch) Im a freak on keeping my CDs in mint condition.

Another thing I've tried with great results is to clean or should I say polish my

finely scratched Cds with Mr Sheen furniture polish and a very fine soft cloth

The procces is as follows:

Sparay onto affected disc, lightly spread around surface and leave for about 30secs

this enables the polish to loosen any dirt/muck.

 

Take soft fine cloth and start rubbing the most critacal areas of the scratched CD

in a outward direction (Centre to edge) and then finish off by simply polishing off

the rest lightly.

 

I have found this to work on bad scratches too, the polish doesnt completly remove

the scratch but instead smooths off the sharp edge of the scratch which actually

causes the laser light to refract from the disc which cause the famous repeat.

 

I must point out that you should only attempt this on a hard flat surafce and not rub

between your fingers, this can cause distortion and warp your discs

 

Happy polishing, it works well for me everytime

 

Last tip:

If you do have a PC with a writer then backup all the IMPORTANT and popular

onto your Hard drive so that when your CD does give up the ghost you still got

your important tracks BUT remember to keep your Dead CD as proof and never

play Mp3s from the net at gigs as this is sure to draw attention oneday and you can

say good bye to everything connected to your rig/stack/system etc if busted.

Besides artists need our support to keep the music flowing.

 

Cheers

 

correct me if Im wrong, Im always happy to listen, well just now and then

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