Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #13202 in Software
• Brand: Roxio
• Model: ASW-TOAST 4 RTL
• Platforms: Windows Me, Windows 95, Windows 2000, Unix, Linux, Macintosh, Windows NT, Windows 98
• Format: CD-ROM

Amazon.com Review
Nowadays we can buy and download our music off the Net and play it instantly on our computers, completely bypassing the CD. However, almost every computer in the world has a CD-ROM drive that can also play audio CDs, and many new computers are shipping with CD-RW burners. Plus, blank CDs are under a dollar each. So, if you want to take your downloaded music to go, you can simply convert it from the downloaded MP3 file to an AIFF or WAV file, and burn that to an audio CD-format disc.

Toast has been around for years and is the benchmark application for CD burning. It works with just about every CD-R and CD-RW burner from every manufacturer, including the new USB models, and it burns almost every format: audio CDs, Macintosh data CDs, PC data CDs, enhanced music and data CDs, hybrid CDs, video CDs, etc. Many users will use Toast 4 for archiving data, as an inexpensive means of delivering content to clients, or for burning short-run or prototype multimedia CD-ROMs. But a growing market for Toast is the music crowd, especially with the explosion of MP3 music on the Web. Adaptec's Toast 4 Deluxe is CD creation and burning software for a new generation, but not without some features for the legacy crowd that worships vinyl.

Version 4 now makes it easier than ever to burn music CDs by importing (without conversion) MP3 files directly and converting them on the fly as it writes them to a CD. Now you can mix and match your favorite tunes and burn your own "best of" audio mix. Toast also includes features for extracting music tracks from commercially available audio CDs, allowing you to duplicate (for your own purposes) any CD that you own, or mix and match tracks from your favorite CDs.

As if that weren't enough, Version 4 includes the necessary cabling (a stereo connector with a pair of RCA plugs on one end and a ministereo jack on the other) for connecting the microphone jack on your computer to the output jacks on your stereo, and the software to facilitate converting from an analog source like vinyl LPs directly to audio CDs. The software, called Spin Doctor, has features for controlling input levels, balancing, cleaning up the audio by using certain filters, and viewing the waveform of the audio for keeping an eye on levels. For anyone who needs to create any type of CD, Toast rocks. --Mike Caputo

Amazon.com Product Description
Create CDs from any music source, including LPs, cassettes, CDs, even MP3 tracks from the Internet. Organize multimedia files the way you want with PhotoRelay. Gain real control over disc mastering with Disc-At-Once. Toast 4 Deluxe supports USB, IDE, and SCSI CD recorders and multiple CD formats.

Customer Reviews

A MUST FOR MAC CD BURNERS
This is by far the best cd burning program I have used. It takes care of everything Mp3, Disc copy, and is very easy to use. You can even hook up turntables & tape deck and convert that to CD format. And the cable to do it with is included. If you have a burner and dont have Toast 4 Deluxe, BUY IT!

This is the easy way
This is the way it ought to be. Drag your audio file on Toast and you're burning an audio CD. The only improvement that could possibly be made would be the addition of crossfading ability. Otherwise, it'll practically do anything you want with simple drag & drop! Since it easily copies mp3 and complete compact discs, you now have the unbridled option of ripping off all the musicians you love so much. Computer nerds will also love the fact that it will burn data CDs, copy your hard drive, even create hybrid CD! You'll also be able to copy your favorite video games and programs on them, giving you the unbridled option of ripping off the software makers you love so much. Other than giving you the option to be a criminal, this software is absolutely the best.

No Customer Support
Toast is a good program for burning CDs, but if you can't do it all yourself, watch out. The Adaptec customer service is terrible. Not only do they not have a toll free number, but I've been on hold over an hour and had no response. If you're a computer genius, enjoy. But if you'll have questions, it looks like you're on your own.