CD/DVD Readers/Writers
Don’t forget to install a CD/DVD writer (also known as a burner) in your system. Even though you currently can’t burn a CD directly from Cubase, you need a DVD-ROM in order to install the software. Instead of owning a DVD-ROM drive (which cannot write to disc) and a CD writer, I recommend just owning a DVD writer. With a DVD writer, you can read and write CDs and DVDs.
Another important thing about owning a DVD writer, as opposed to a CD writer, is that you can store over 4 GB of data on one standard DVD-R (a write-once format). This means you can usually back up entire projects on one DVD-R. To do that, you will need other software besides Cubase. I’ll tell you more about that in Chapter 2, “Accessorizing Your Cubase Studio.”
DVD writers have a few different specifications. There are DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, and DVD±RW. You definitely want a DVD±RW writer. This type of DVD writer ensures that you can read or write DVD+Rs, DVD-Rs, DVD+RW and DVD-RW (rewritable) discs, as well as CD-R and CD-RW discs, with no problems. For more information on DVD formats, search Wikipedia for “DVD format.”
Note
DVD-RW and DVD+RW discs (DVD rewritable) are DVDs you can reuse over and over again. I don’t recommend them. DVD-Rs are cheap. Maybe they aren’t as environmentally friendly, but they burn better, faster, and they are recognized in more DVD-ROMS.
Another spec to look for is the x speed. You may have a DVD writer that’s 16x. This means that if you’re writing a 16-minute-long CD, in theory it should write the CD in one minute. This is not 100-percent accurate because it usually takes a minute before it actually starts writing, but this should give you an idea. This means a 52x writer should be able to write a 52-minute CD in one minute as well. Here’s the catch: In order to write at the max speed, your media (whether it’s DVD or CD) must also be rated at that speed. Not all media are created equal, so speeds vary. Most programs allow you to burn CDs at lower speeds than the max speed. This is nice because, when quality is important, you want to make sure there are no write errors, and writing at a slower speed lessens the chances of write errors. Currently Cubase does not offer a way to burn CDs internally.
The last spec to consider is dual (or double) layer. If you can find a DVD writer that is dual-layer capable, this means you can write more than 8 GB of data on a dual-layer disc. This can come in handy when you need to back up a project that’s larger than the standard 4.7GB DVD-R.
Note
HD DVD burners and Blu-ray technologies are both fairly new to computers. These both offer even better disc-burning alternatives but are currently very high priced and work with media that isn’t as compatible as a standard DVD or CD. I’m positive that there will be a dramatic price drop in this technology within the next five years, and it will not be necessary for most Cubase users to own either until that time.