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Once you've jammed your computer full of MP3 song files, how can you play them in your car or on one of those cool new MP3 players? Good news! The process is easy and the cost is reasonable. You will need CD-ROM and CD-RW drives on your PC, software that records CDs and converts your MP3 files into WAV files (more on WAV below), and as many blank CDs as you want. The hardware: The majority of today's computers come with either a CD-ROM or CD-RW, often both, which means you can record, erase and reuse CDs with one piece of hardware. Not too long ago, you needed separate pieces for both tasks. Drives use two kinds of blank CDs: CD-R, which you can burn only once, and CD-RW, which you can record on, erase and reuse. While your PC may be able to read both formats, your home or car audio system will only work with CD-R discs. The software: Before recording an MP3 file to a CD-R, you must convert it to a WAV file. This is easier than it sounds. Some CD-recording software does it automatically, even before actually burning the CD. Automatic recording software isn't perfect, however - particularly if your computer is slower. For optimal performance, most digital music lovers download separate MP3 decoder software programs and perform the conversion "manually'' with a few mouse clicks. Once your MP3 files are converted to WAV files, you can store them on your hard drive, arrange them in a mix, and burn your CD by dragging and dropping the files into your CD-burning application. To learn more about the following please visit the Gateway eSupport site for additional tutorial information. Learn about: Digital Sound Quality Storing Music on Your PC Storing Music on Your Player

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