Compact Disc skips and jumps etc.

[Motownsoulman]

We've all got, or had them, for whatever reason, and recently I found what seems to be a solution to those irritating skips and jumps etc, when the disc seems to the eye, to have no damage at all.

I recently bought a brand new copy of a non soul related CD, and it skipped quite badly on a couple of tracks. I tried a few things to remedy the problem, but with no success, until that is, I used a clean, soft cotton handkerchief and 99.9% Isopropyl Alcohol (those of us with more years behind us, than we have left in front of us, will know it as "rubbing alcohol", and you will most likely have to order it online). It worked perfectly, straight away, and I checked it a day or so later, and it still worked perfectly, and still does today. Obviously, this won't work with screwdriver gouges and the likes of course. 

Incidentally, one other remedy, without having to pay out for a new copy, unless the damage is bad, is to use a ROM Drive to copy the disc to a computer, then copy the files back to a clean blank CD. This has worked for me several times times in the past, though why I don't know. Disclaimer: Just to point out, that doing this breaks no laws whatsoever, as long as its for your own personal use.

Sorry if this is in the wrong forum. I'm sure the powers that be, will move it, should it be deemed necessary. Mike

 

[Shinehead]

Hundreds of cds and apart from the occasional skip on one or two never been a issue and those that have skipped have just been in need off a quick wipe with a lint free cloth, never needed to resort to chemicals but then again I do treat them with the same respect I do with vinyl.

I have though noticed a few that have tarnished in colour but fortunately not impacted on play back.

 

[Steviehay]

shame it wont do the same for vinyl 

[Motownsoulman]

2 hours ago, Shinehead said:

Hundreds of cds and apart from the occasional skip on one or two never been a issue and those that have skipped have just been in need off a quick wipe with a lint free cloth, never needed to resort to chemicals but then again I do treat them with the same respect I do with vinyl.

I have though noticed a few that have tarnished in colour but fortunately not impacted on play back.

 

I've never had any tarnish on any CDs at all. In fact, until you mentioned it, I'd never heard of it happening. I'm reliably told, that the natural oils on people's hands are responsible for many skips on CDs, therefore Rubbing Alcohol, being a proprietary de-greasing agent, made perfect sense to me, hence me trying it. I've always been as careful with CDs as I have been with vinyl, but that doesn't mean anyone who's touched them before me has, plus. my hands aren't always perfectly clean when I touch them either.

[Motownsoulman]

1 hour ago, Steviehay said:

shame it wont do the same for vinyl 

You ain't wrong there. If only it did work, there would be a lot of happy people about. Besides, I don't know what would happen if vinyl came into contact with it. I will find out later though, cuz I'll give it a go.

[Steviehay]

im melting !!!!!

 

[Motownsoulman]

1 minute ago, Steviehay said:

im melting !!!!!

 

I doubt it'll melt, but then you never know. 

[Simon T]

1 minute ago, Motownsoulman said:

You ain't wrong there. If only it did work, there would be a lot of happy people about. Besides, I don't know what would happen if vinyl came into contact with it. I will find out later though, cuz I'll give it a go.

I've found 99.9% Isopropyl Alcohol fine on both vinyl and styrene for many years now without a problem.

BUT DO NOT LET IT ANYWHERE  NEAR AN ACETATE!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Motownsoulman]

14 minutes ago, Simon T said:

I've found 99.9% Isopropyl Alcohol fine on both vinyl and styrene for many years now without a problem.

BUT DO NOT LET IT ANYWHERE  NEAR AN ACETATE!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can confirm that you are correct. I just cleaned an Lp with it, and it's fine. I already knew to not let it come into contact with Acetates and similar stuff

[Shinehead]

35 minutes ago, Motownsoulman said:

I've never had any tarnish on any CDs at all. In fact, until you mentioned it, I'd never heard of it happening. 

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg14119093-600-technology-no-silver-linings-for-cds/

[Simon T]

7 minutes ago, Motownsoulman said:

I can confirm that you are correct. I just cleaned an Lp with it, and it's fine. I already knew to not let it come into contact with Acetates and similar stuff

Witnessed with my own eyes:

Lester Typton - This won't Change Audiodisc  + 99.9% Isopropyl Alcohol + household 'duster' cloth  = 7" thing wearing a fur coat!

 

[Motownsoulman]

2 minutes ago, Shinehead said:

https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg14119093-600-technology-no-silver-linings-for-cds/

Interesting. I never knew that.

[Thinksmart]

I never play off CDs, I rip them (twice) to lossless FLAC format and only play those on my Astiga personal cloud.  The CD essential is just the master source for me.

[Motownsoulman]

1 hour ago, Thinksmart said:

I never play off CDs, I rip them (twice) to lossless FLAC format and only play those on my Astiga personal cloud.  The CD essential is just the master source for me.

I play them quite a lot, along with my vinyl, but like you, I've got most (especially the good stuff) ripped, onto a huge portable HDD, and a back up also (just in case). Most of the time, I find it so much more convenient, to play the copies, as opposed to getting up every few minutes or so, to change the disc. It did take a long time (5 years almost) to find a good, clean and reliable method, to digitally copy my vinyl. To me, being retired, it's my day, listening to music, as I seldom bother with TV, and I really detest "most" modern (post 1980) music.