What Is a CD Reader?

A CD Reader is a device that lets you read and write to compact discs. They are available as built-in drives on some computers or as external devices that connect to USB ports. Using a CD drive is also an easy way to store data or to back up and share your computer's files.

CDs (Compact Discs) were invented in the 1990s and they quickly gained popularity for storage of digital audio and data. They are a bit like floppy disks or tapes, but they use flashing laser lights to record and read information from the surface of the disc, rather than a magnetic recording media such as LPs.

The CD drive shines a laser at the surface of a disc and can detect reflective areas along its track as well as bumps in the dye layer. The drive then converts the reflections to 1s and 0s, which it uses to read the digital data on the disc.

However, CDs can be damaged by a process called disc rot. Depending on how old a disc is, it may slowly turn brown or bits of the reflective surface pits may disappear.

This can cause the disc to be hard to play or even unreadable, and it's a good idea to keep your CDs in cases where they don't come into contact with other objects. Dust on the disc or in the disc drive can also damage it and make it hard to read, so it's a good idea to clean them regularly.