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What makes a CD "skip?"

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Early B.

What makes a CD "skip?"
« on: 10 Jan 2018, 02:13 am »
One of my favorite CDs "skips" -- it stalls and hesitates like a car with a bad transmission. It's only on this CD and it's gotten worse over time. My other CDs play fine in my transport. Visually, I don't see anything wrong  -- no scratches, etc.

What makes a CD go bad and is there a cure?
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JerryM

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Re: What makes a CD "skip?"
« Reply #1 on: 10 Jan 2018, 02:25 am »
Does it skip or stall in a different transport/player?
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Doublej

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Re: What makes a CD "skip?"
« Reply #2 on: 10 Jan 2018, 02:29 am »
JerryM just beat me to it...

Did you try playing it in another device such as a DVD player, Blu-ray player, or computer? If it plays fine your transport doesn't like it. If it exhibits the same behavior as with the transport and you are absolutely sure there are no scratches or visible signs of degradation of the disc, I declare CD rot.

In either case a replacement CD might take care of the problem.
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Mag

Re: What makes a CD "skip?"
« Reply #3 on: 10 Jan 2018, 02:30 am »
Quote from: Early B. on 10 Jan 2018, 02:13 am
One of my favorite CDs "skips" -- it stalls and hesitates like a car with a bad transmission. It's only on this CD and it's gotten worse over time. My other CDs play fine in my transport. Visually, I don't see anything wrong  -- no scratches, etc.

What makes a CD go bad and is there a cure?

Okay, you can have a bad original, copying to a cd-r may solve the problem.
You can have a dirty disc, try cleaning with alcohol or eye glass cleaner.
You can have a bad batch of cd-r's, this can be random 1 out of 100.
You can have a bad codec, try writing again of use different software converter.
You could have a cd-compatible disc with copyright software on it that won't play on your platform. With some of these cd's, I find it usually skips on the last track, nothing you can do about it.

That's all the reasons I can think of at the moment. :smoke:
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FullRangeMan

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Re: What makes a CD "skip?"
« Reply #4 on: 10 Jan 2018, 02:36 am »
Quote from: Early B. on 10 Jan 2018, 02:13 am
One of my favorite CDs "skips" -- it stalls and hesitates like a car with a bad transmission. It's only on this CD and it's gotten worse over time. My other CDs play fine in my transport. Visually, I don't see anything wrong  -- no scratches, etc.

What makes a CD go bad and is there a cure?
Unfortunately this your favorite disc have no cure, its data stream are not perfect due microfilm damage or dust or media defect. Better dont play this CD on any player as its difficult to a laser unit read those faulty data, it may deregulate the focus and tracking of transport, too bad.
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JerryM

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Re: What makes a CD "skip?"
« Reply #5 on: 10 Jan 2018, 02:46 am »
Quote from: Doublej on 10 Jan 2018, 02:29 am
JerryM just beat me to it...

...If it plays fine your transport doesn't like it. If it exhibits the same behavior as with the transport and you are absolutely sure there are no scratches or visible signs of degradation of the disc, I declare CD rot.  ...

You beat me to that part.  :thumb:
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Elizabeth

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Re: What makes a CD "skip?"
« Reply #6 on: 10 Jan 2018, 03:07 am »
First thing is to wash the CD with kitchen detergent and water.
No results then POLISH the CD. I use meguiars Scratch X and VIVA paper towels. (sadly Viva select a size now use CRAP paper, make sure you buy the full size plain white no texture sheets to get the original wonderful product.)
Or one of  the made for CD polishers..
If this does nothing.
As mentioned.. try burning a new copy with a burner which will keep checking the data.
A lot of computer programs will do this and correct any small defect.
Only a really big defect will cause a computer burner to fail to make a bit perfect copy.
(I had a disc with endless errors. I was able to copy ten of the 11 tracks! This on a CD worth $50 used.)


A CD is read super close to the laser lens. Pictures of an invisible cigarette smoke particle on the surface looks like a boulder! to the lens. So even an invisible particle can be the cause of a failure. Thus my recommendation to polish the CD.
If you have any tendency to blow air on the CD (to clear off dust).. It will have endless tiny bits of spittle on it
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Early B.

Re: What makes a CD "skip?"
« Reply #7 on: 10 Jan 2018, 04:45 am »
Quote from: JerryM on 10 Jan 2018, 02:25 am
Does it skip or stall in a different transport/player?

I put the CD in my computer and it didn't skip.
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charmerci

Re: What makes a CD "skip?"
« Reply #8 on: 10 Jan 2018, 04:51 am »
Quote from: Elizabeth on 10 Jan 2018, 03:07 am
First thing is to wash the CD with kitchen detergent and water.

Uh - wait. Be careful. You can wear out (cause more problems) on the other label side of the CD, peeling off more of the data. Try not to get any junk on the label side

I have a CD that's unplayable because the label in spots is worn out.
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FullRangeMan

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Re: What makes a CD "skip?"
« Reply #9 on: 10 Jan 2018, 05:23 am »
Quote from: charmerci on 10 Jan 2018, 04:51 am
I have a CD that's unplayable because the label in spots is worn out.
It dont need the silkscreen label to play, I would guess it may have further damage on the recording side. Do you could try a CD Mat to test?
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