OT: Exploding CD & A1

[Acill]

Its true, I've had two of them shatter in my Sony 52X cd drive. They dont go shooting plastic out like a shotgun or anything, but they do break up into about 50 or so parts. I use a 48X in my Amiga though, it sounds like a jet too at times. Never had any problems with it.

-Acill

[Quixote]

Asian1 advised:

I read several case of Exploding / shattered CD inside a high speed CD-ROM drive(faster than 48X).
 
...Is this a hoax or a real case?

:-) I've had trouble with my Apple® PowerBook®'s CD drive.  The drive's spindle's low mass makes it very critical that the CD is balanced correctly.  One software title that I use frequently requires that the CD be in the drive when the program runs.  This saves room on the hard drive, but mostly it's done that way to deter piracy, I think.  The problem is, the drive rattles so badly, the computer cannot always recognize that the CD is present, and the sofware won't continue.  One solution was to stick little round gummed lables to the surface of the CD, near the rim, to act as trim weights; much like the trim weights used to balance a wheel when new tires are put on.  It helped a little, but not enough.
 
;-) Ultimately, I found an older, (slower,) external Apple SCSI CD ROM drive at a local charity thrift store.  I hook it to the PowerBook® whenever I use that title.
 

[tonyw]

What's the nominal speed (x1) of a CD? Is it 300 or 600 RPM? Assuming it's 600 RPM, 50x is then 30000 RPM. At that speed, a disc of that diameter has to be very well balanced.

I have a Ricoh DVD/CD drive in the PC, at 48x, I think. When I put the Amithlon CD in it, I always have to rotate the disc on the tray, spin it up and try again in a new spot until I get a place that is quiet. If it's out of balance, it makes an awful noise that can't be any good to the bearings or the disc.

tony

Actually the standard speed of a CD is 140 RPM (60% sure anyway).
On one of my CDs, it says 140 RPM.