Recording Mode

 

Menu Path: Options/Settings/Recorder

Digital

Digital Recording is the recommended recording mode. It is faster than Analog Recording, with recording speeds supporting up to 12x drives. The success with which your drive will be able to record in digital is based on the drive's ability to accurately seek digital information. It is also dependent on whether the manufacturer has chosen to support digital extraction.

Some CD-R and CD-RW drives do not extract digital audio, or do so in such a poor manner that the sound quality is compromised (jitter). If this is the case, MUSICMATCH Jukebox will configure itself upon initialization to record in analog mode (see below). You can attempt to record in digital mode by changing the setting in the Record Settings screen, however the digital recording attempt may fail midway through the song and start the recording again in analog mode.

Error Correction

During the recording process, drive-seeking errors may cause clicks and pops to be heard in the recorded song. To minimize noise, select Error Correction. This option is found in the Recorder Settings screen.

Recording time will take longer, but distortion will be minimized. Some drives will record excellent quality sound without this option selected. We suggest you try both settings to decide which is better for your drive.

  • To enable Error Correction go to the menu Options/Settings/Recorder, and click the Error Correction box under CD Recording Mode.

 

Analog Recording

Analog Recording mode is for those drives unable to extract digital audio (with or without Error Correction), or which are unable to extract it without considerable jitter (poor seeking accuracy).

Analog is the slowest recording option because you must record in real play time. Your system will default to Near CD Quality at 128 kbps. You may also choose FM Radio Quality or CBR .

you can choose to record in CD Quality at 128 kbps or higher as well as utilize the Variable Bit Rate feature. You can also choose to record in WAV format.

The difference in sound quality between digital and analog should be minimal, depending on the quality of your sound card and system.

For further help with analog recording, refer to Troubleshooting-Recorder.

SPDIF

This section applies only to users of sound cards that support SPDIF. Please see the manufacture of your sound card to see if this feature is supported.

Simply put, some CD ROM drives have a hard time creating MP3 files, and other digital output. However, using a sound card that supports SPDIF, you can create high quality MP3 files, and other digital files.

  • Check the box SPDIF to enable this feature. The checkbox will only be present IF your sound card supports SPDIF. You should only check this box if you have had problems creating MP3 files without it, or you'd like to add in special effects from your sound card software.

  • You can now Create MP3 files as normal, but they will only record at 1X.

  • Some sound cards that have SPDIF also come with installed sound equalizers and special effects. When you utilize these sound card software features, your MP3 files will be recorded using them as well.