What CD-Rs are compatible with the X Box?

[V Bot]

I use TDK CD-Rs and have only once been able to play a disc on my X Box. I have also tried Sony and Memorex. These were recorded on both a computer and standalone CD Recorder. I can't seem to get them to play, I bought my X Box about two years ago(Brand New). It has been cared for very well. Would the DVD Playback kit help with CD-Rs? Is there a burning program that would help?

Thanks,
Erasmo

[lordsmurf]

XBOX does not acknowledge CDs at all, only DVDs. It's not the hardware, it's the custom software. Burn to DVD. XBOX cannot be used for audio CDs.

[V Bot]

Thanks,

I'll try that, I don't know why I didn't think of that.

[starwarrior29]

Yes it can be used for audio cds, I have used tdk, maxell and even generic brands to rip music to the xbox hard drive to use in custom soundtracks, as long as the music discs are finalized they should work.

[lordsmurf]

You must have a custom drive then, as most of them disallow CD. I'm using a stock Thomson drive. Audio CD or CD of any kind was not part of the original XBOX programming.

[GabeB]

You can use factory pressed CD's and have XBOX rip them to the hardrive for listening to during games. CD-R's are not recognized though.

[starwarrior29]

I have the newer xbox that has the samsung drive in it, I have read that the early thompson drives had trouble reading cds.

This is from my xbox owner's manual:

[solidsnake]

You must have a custom drive then, as most of them disallow CD. I'm using a stock Thomson drive. Audio CD or CD of any kind was not part of the original XBOX programming.

???

I used to own a Thomson (lens messed up) but I always put my store bought cds onto the xbox with no problems. It does work. But cd-rs were very troublesome, never got it to work. The trick is to use cd-rw, it works 50-75% of the time, you just have to keep trying if it doesnt read it the first time. CD-RW will work with the Thomson, as well as any store bought audio cd. I also own a Samsung drive, which is a great drive, reads any cd-r or cd-rw.

some cd-rs I use on my samsung are sonys and fujifilm

[mazinz]

it all depends on your drive and media. Some older Xbox drives would/can read cds/cdrs with no issues, others cannot. I have a newer one (march 2005) It can read data cdrs but not audio burned cdrs, although it does read cdrw with no issues. But for the most part I either ftp into the thing or use a dvdrw if i have to transfer over anything to the drive. Anything else more permanent I use a dvd-r.

[V Bot]

Thanks everyone for the tips. The CD-RWs work like a charm!!!

Now I can put my own Remixes, etc. on the X Box.

[mazinz]

if you mean to just play music the xbox can do that normally, just use a cdrw disc.

If you mean to rip it to the xbox so you can use custom soundtracks, then again I suggest using a cdrw. Xbox rips in wma format but adds other type of tags (meta) in files and folders you would not otherwise have access to unless your xbox is modded in some way. With that in mind, burn whatever it is you want to rip to the xbox as a regular audio cd (and once again try a cd-rw disc). If your system is modded then thats a whole other ( and much easier) ballgame.

[lordsmurf]

I probably should have stated CD-R and CD-RW.

I have one of the first XBOX systems, maybe they updated some of the CD features with more recent releases, but I sure don't have any.

I can read DVD+R and DVD-RW however, something most people seem to have issues with. That is a drive issue.

[mazinz]

Hey LS what is the manufacture date for your xbox? A friend of mine has an older one, his can read burnt cds fine while I cannot in mine (I have the samsung drive). Just be very interesting to see if you and my friend have the same (or close to) manufacture date and drive

[V Bot]

I was just trying to get my own remixes, extended tracks, Eq'd tracks on the X Box. It's not modified, but the CD-RWs do work. It's like Christmas again. I do however need to get a mod chip. Solderless would be preferred any suggestions? Tried eBay.

Thanks,

[mazinz]

soft mod is the best and safest way to go. A soft mod requires no chips at all. It works off an original copy of one of these three games (splinter cell (original version not the best of), mechassault, and one of the 007 games) and a memory card save, thats it!!! And once its done you do not have to do it again (you can revert your xbox back to factory issue as well if you had to).

Their are a ton of links and how to's online- do a google search, etc

[V Bot]

Okay, I thought I had it made, my X Box will read most of my CD-RWs, but some tracks won't play or record. Is there a certain program I need to be burning with? I normally use my stand-alone Pioneer CD Recorder. Do I need to use Digital or Analog Mode? Will high speed dubbing affect the compatability? If I use the computer, do I need to use Data CD-RWs rather than Digital Audio CD-RWs? What speed should I use? What format? Wav, WMA, etc.?

[whitejremiah]

this is kinda the same idea as saying are cdr's compatable with computers.....there are MANY differant types of dvd rom drives on the xbox system, some of them will read cdr, some will not....im fairly certain that all will read rw......at least most types of rw, and all should read dvd-r, and most will also read +r discs.....as for burning the disc, just burn it as an outright audio disc and it SHOULD work...i just use nero for that myself, i'll have to agree with mazinz to some extent...softmod is the way to go, however i personally found hotswapping hdd's is a little easier, and there's a bunch of guides available on that...if you go that route and run say xbox media center, you can then take your cd and rip it to....say ogg format instead of the lousy built in wma variation that the standard xbox dashboard uses by default....that and you can throw in a bigger harddrive too.......you can then use it not only for music, but videos, emulators, ect.....imagine recording a movie on a camcorder, compressing it to divx, and playing it back on the xbox.....it can be done.

[lordsmurf]

Hey LS what is the manufacture date for your xbox? A friend of mine has an older one, his can read burnt cds fine while I cannot in mine (I have the samsung drive). Just be very interesting to see if you and my friend have the same (or close to) manufacture date and drive

I bought mine used. All the stickers have been stripped.

[mazinz]

this is kinda the same idea as saying are cdr's compatable with computers.....there are MANY differant types of dvd rom drives on the xbox system, some of them will read cdr, some will not....im fairly certain that all will read rw......at least most types of rw, and all should read dvd-r, and most will also read +r discs.....as for burning the disc, just burn it as an outright audio disc and it SHOULD work...i just use nero for that myself, i'll have to agree with mazinz to some extent...softmod is the way to go, however i personally found hotswapping hdd's is a little easier, and there's a bunch of guides available on that...if you go that route and run say xbox media center, you can then take your cd and rip it to....say ogg format instead of the lousy built in wma variation that the standard xbox dashboard uses by default....that and you can throw in a bigger harddrive too.......you can then use it not only for music, but videos, emulators, ect.....imagine recording a movie on a camcorder, compressing it to divx, and playing it back on the xbox.....it can be done.

I paid for a 3 year warranty when i bought it, so worse case I have to send it back I can easily revert it and the techs would take note that I did not open the xbox (my main reason for softmode). But for the most part all of my backed up games I have on dvd-r. I only use the box mainly for emulation (despite the pc doing it better) and either copy to the drive or work it off the disc. I do agree and love what the media center for it can do/play. Essentially it is really just a smaller computer. WOOOOO

[starwarrior29]

Okay, I thought I had it made, my X Box will read most of my CD-RWs, but some tracks won't play or record. Is there a certain program I need to be burning with? I normally use my stand-alone Pioneer CD Recorder. Do I need to use Digital or Analog Mode? Will high speed dubbing affect the compatability? If I use the computer, do I need to use Data CD-RWs rather than Digital Audio CD-RWs? What speed should I use? What format? Wav, WMA, etc.?

I have only burned cds on the computer using Nero, don't have a stand alone cd recorder. Data cds will work, just burn them as audio cds.

This page will tell you what version your dvd player in your xbox is by looking at the tray:
http://www.llamma.com/xbox/Repairs/xbox_dvd_version_comparison.htm