Disabling SCMS on Tascam CD-RW700
Serial Copy Management System (SCMS) is the means by which consumer stereo-component-like CD recorders prohibit recording on anything but expensive "digital audio" CD blanks. Professional CD recorders can record on much cheaper "computer" or "data" discs, but the recorders cost more than consumer models. The best deal would be to pay a consumer price for a machine that recorded on data discs. The Tascam CD-RW700 is sold (as of 2/23/2000) as a $550 consumer machine and can be VERY SIMPLY configured to disable SCMS, thus enabling the use of inexpensive blanks.

With the unit plugged in but power off...

1. Press and hold the STOP PLAY and PAUSE buttons simultaneously until some mystery numbers appear on the display.
2. Press and hold the FINALIZE button for quite some time until "SCMS = ON" appears on the display.
3. Turn MULTI JOG knob either way so that the display reads "SCMS = OFF."
4. Press FINALIZE.
5. Press STOP.

There you have it. Now you can enjoy recording on cheap blanks.

February 23, 2000