Computer CD Recording:
We have a few customers who have tried to use their computer to record. Here are some of the problems they face:
1) Computer recording is not a very simple process. It can not be done very successfully by someone who is inexperienced in this area. If you have more than one sound operator, the success rate is likely to vary significantly.
2) Computers are prone to lockups and crashes. Again this will affect your success rate. This is even worse if you are using the same computer for another function at the same time.
3) Computer sound cards are very simple. They don't have the head room, compression and quality of pre-amps found in proper CD recorders. It is sometimes very difficult, or impossible to get decent sound quality during live recording.
Consumer CD Recorders:
There are a few Consumer CD recorders on the market, but they are a poor choice for a church. Here is why:
1) Because they are intended for Consumer use, they have copy protection built into them which limits the number of copies you can make.
2) Because it is assumed that you will use them to copy commercial CDs, they are designed to only record on "Audio" CDs. These are much more expensive than regular CDs because they have added high royalty charges to the blank media.
3) The features and quality of electronics and mechanics are not up to professional standards.