Media: CD, DVD, MD

CD-ROM, CD-R, CD-RW, CD-DA

The CD made its debut in 1982 as an audio medium to take over conventional records. Since then CDs of various standards have come up including photo CD, CD-ROM, video CD, and CD-R/RW, each provided with an interactive function, to take the lead in the field of multimedia and IT. Various bodies to promote the respective standards have been set up accordingly.

• comp.publish.cdrom.hardware FAQs:
  • Andy McFadden's CD-Recordable FAQ
    HTML version of the FAQ by Andy McFadden.
  • MIT FAQ archives: comp.publish.cdrom.hardware
    The "canonical" FAQ in plain text format, at rtfm.mit.edu.
• CD-R FAQ Section [5-1] Which CD-R unit should I buy?
• CD-ROM Related Newsgroups:
  • comp.publish.cdrom.hardware
  • comp.publish.cdrom.software
  • comp.publish.cdrom.multimedia
• CDs21 Solutions
  The CDs21 Solutions made a start in April, 2001. It is a voluntary association organized to promote CDs (compact discs) which have developed into diversified types. The CDs21 Solutions is a new body created by merger of the Multimedia CD Consortium (MMCD), so far promoting CD-i and Video CD, and the Orange Forum (OSJ) specifically focusing on CD-R/RW among these standards.
  "Museum": home pages of the Multimedia CD Consortium (MMCD) and the Orange Forum (OSJ). Both associations had operated actively from 1991 through 2001, when they were then integrated into CDs21 Solutions.
  Board of Directors, Japan: Sony, Taiyo Yuden, TDK, Denno Shokai, Toppan, Victor, Philips, Pioneer, Matsushita, Mitsui, Yamaha, Ricoh.
  Old site: Orange Forum. Originated from Sony Online CD-R site.
• OSTA - Optical Storage Technology Association (other link)
  OSTA Technical Information: Universal Disk Format (UDF), MultiRead Specification, CD-R Compatibility Study, Multiread Test Plan
• The SIGCAT Foundation
  Special Interest Group on CD Application & Technology
  Founded in 1986, SIGCAT is the world's largest users group dedicated to educating the public and promoting the growth of applications and technologies based on the compact disc.
• CD Related Information by CD Archive, Inc. (another link)
• CD Information Center
  CD-R Media Longevity
  Chronology of a Scandal - a CD-Info Special Report, edited by Katherine Cochrane.
• WeetHet - CDRW - How does a Compact Disc work?
  Anatomy of a Compact Disc, How it all works, Recording sound: Analog to Digital, Sound Playback: Digital to Analog.
  How can I burn (create) a CD by myself? (using Nero). By WeetHet.
• CDR Dicas [In Portuguese]
  CDR-Fórum, E-mail-list, Links, MP3cdr, Divx-cdr, CDR-duv, Disaster Recovery, F.A.Qs CDR, CDR Soft, BackupCDR, Creative-CDR, LP vinil/K7 to CDr.
  CDR FAQ.
• Mídias CD-R [In Portuguese]
  By Alberto Cozer, December 1999, at site Clube do Hardware.
• CDR Labs
  CDRlabs is a website dedicated to CD-Rs and all other removable media that surround them. Its goal is to provide accurate, informative reports on a wide range of CD-R products, hardware and software. News, Reviews, Articles, Forum.
• CD Page
• Gravador.com.br Information [In Portuguese]
  Qual é a velocidade, O que comprar, Perguntas Mais Freqüentes (FAQ), Gravador: quando será rápido o bastante, DVD - A revolução nas mídias digitais, O que é MPEG4, Gravando um CD, CD feito em casa, Over size, Padrões SCSI, Aplicações, Compatibilidade, Truques, Segurança, Técnico, Glossário, Mensagem de erro, Dicas, Links. Por em gravador.com.br.
• CD-R Hints [in Portuguese]
• White Papers: HP SureStore CD-Writer Articles:
  
  • Using OSTA UDF on CD-R and CD-RW Media
  • MultiRead Enables CD-Rewritable, by Ron Sutton, OSTA Technical Editor for MultiRead / CD Compatibility Manager, HP.
• Phillips Optical Storage - CD Technology at a glance
  The Compact Disc Books, Optical Disc Technology, Glossary of CD-Terms.
• Adaptec's CD-Recordable Software & Technology
  Adaptec Support FAQs:
  • Index of CD-R Information
  • CD-Recordable Glossary
  • Adaptec CD-R Internet Mailing List / User Tips & Tricks
• CDR-Info, The Recording Authority
  News, Articles, AudioCD, Hardware, FAQ, Firmware, Forum, Software, Tips.
  CDR-Info BURNER's Corner.
• CD-RW.org - A CD recording knowledge base
• EMPiRE's World of Hardware: CD Media Information (CD-R/RW/DVD-R)
  OverSize/OverBurn CD-R's: Write more than 659 Mb (and up to 734 Mb) to a CD-Recordable.
• EMedia Magazine
  Information and reviews on electronic information storage and retrieval, covering hardware, software, media, networks, technologies. DVD, CD, and other media; recorders, duplicators and servers; software etc.
  EMedia Buyer's Guide
  EMedia Magazine Buyer's Guide is a compendium of company and product information in the electronic media industry.
  EMedia Newsletters: A Digital Earful, DVD Today News, TechVideo News.
  eMedia News Archive. The magazine was named CD-ROM Professional until 1996; afther than it turned into EMedia Professional. By Online Inc.
• Jitter
  The miniGUIDE from discussion groups it.comp.hardware.cd & it.comp.hardware.cd.moderato. By Pier. Information abour CD and CDR masterization: FAQ & Info, Links, Hardware, Software, Drivers & Firmwares, Tips & Tricks, Downloads.
  Tips & Tricks, Downloads.
  Older version.
• "To Write or To Rewrite? -- CD-R and CD-RW drives"
  PC Labs review, PC Magazine Online
• CD-RW Drives Cover Your Tracks
  ZDNet Products - Computer Shopper review
• Recording Compact Disc Digital Audio (CD-DA)
• Compact Disc Digital audio (CD-DA) information, FAQ, software and survey
• Yamaha CD Recorders site: CD-Recordable Magazine Articles and Books
• Electronic Publishing on CD-ROM - Glossary, by CD WebStore
• CD-RW Central
  Info & Articles, Reviews, Links, Downloads, Top 10, Forum, HS DVD CD-RW List.
• Mariposa - CD Recording Guide
  Software, FAQs, XDuplicator CDR software, Newsletter, Communication.
• CD Solutions, Inc.
  Enhanced CD-ROM disc types, paper from Cinram Inc.
  Mixed Mode CD, Hidden track, Stamped Multisession (CD Extra), CD-I, CD+G (CD + Graphics).
• Storage by Sony
  Sony Support: Storage FAQs
• CDROM Guide
  Forums: ASK! The CD-ROM Discussion Forum, CD-R Forum etc. Search, Bargain Finder, FAQ.
• CD-R Forum, Germany

CD AutoRun / AutoPlay

• Creating an AutoRun-enabled CD-ROM Application
  MSDN Library, Shell Programming: AutoRun.
  
  • Creating an AutoRun-Enabled Application
  • Autorun.inf Commands
  • Enabling and Disabling AutoRun
• Autoplay in Windows XP: Automatically Detect and React to New Devices on a System
  By Stephane St-Michel and Brian Aust, MSDN Magazine.
• AutoRun by Tarma Software Research
  AutoRun.exe is a Win32 executable program intended for use with the Windows 95/98/ME/NT4/2000/XP AutoRun facility. It allows opening of any mixture of document files and executable programs, and implements a robust and sensible fall-back strategy to cope with unexpected situations. AutoRun comes free of charge.
• CD AutoRun Freeware Edition
  By ImagesPro.com.
• FreeDownloads Center: Autorun Utilities
• HOW TO: Autoplay Video CD (VCD) in Windows
  Step-by-step guide by Navas Group.
• How to make autoplay/autorun VCD, SVCD, DivX, AVI CD
  Tutorial for Windows 9x/2000/XP by DVDR Help.

CD/DVD Recording Software

• CD Related Software
  By Jitter. CDR / CDRW, CDDA / DAE, Audio, CDR Utils.
• burnarchive.de - CD-Recording Software Archive, Germany
• Ahead Software:
  • Nero Burning ROM
    Supported formats - CD-ROM: ISO Level 1 + 2, Joliet (w/ 2-byte chars), ISO Mode 1 and XA Mode 2, Mixed-Mode, HFS, ISO/HFS-Hybrid, UDF, UDF-Bridge, single track "on-the-fly" up to 8x, multisession with track-linking, user selectable relaxations of ISO/Joliet requirements, full OFAS support (optimal file access speed), dynamic conversion of filenames to ISO. Bootable-CD: from floppy disk or hard drive partition. Audio-CD: Track-at-Once (TAO) and Disc-at-Once (DAO), variable pause-length, ISRC. CD-Copy: TAO and DAO, Image-copy, "on-the-fly"-copy, optional jitter and CRC-correction.
  • List of supported recorders by Nero, includes official site/pages and useful links for manufacturers and models.
• Roxio:
  
  • Easy CD & DVD Creator
    Originated from Adaptec Easy CD Creator Deluxe, which in turn is resulted from the combination of Adaptec Easy CD Pro with Corel CD Creator.
  • Toast Titanium for Macintosh OS X/9
• CeQuadrat:
  • WinOnCD
    CD recording for SCSI and ATAPI/EIDE CD-recorders under Windows, supports CD-ROM single session and multisession, Mixed Mode CD (audio/data), CD-XA, CD-Digital Audio (RedBook), VideoCD (WhiteBook), CD-Extra (BlueBook), Bootable CD (El Torito), Hybrid CD (PC/Macintosh), DVD-ROM, and DVD-Video.
  • Just!audio - Audio CD CD-R/CD-RW recording software
  • PacketCD - Incremental CD-writing, write directly to CD-R and CD-RW devices under Windows 95
  • VideoPack - for the creation of Video CDs according to the WhiteBook 2.0
• Gear Software:
  • Gear Multimedia - CD Recording and Pre-mastering
  • Gear CD Replicator - CD Copying
  • GEAR Audio - Custom Audio Recording
• Golden Hawk: CDRWIN
• Amiga MakeCD Support Page: page for MakeCD, a program to write CDs, with a collection of useful information such as the MakeCD Compatibility List
• CloneCD & CloneDVD
  Software de replicação de CD. By SlySoft, which acquired license on software from Elaborate Bytes (elby.org, EB Switzerland, EB Germany).
  Clone CD Underground Website
  Unofficial site of CloneCD, full of information. Discussion forums, FAQ, Hardware, Firmwares, CloneCD Database, CloneCD + Serialz, Original CloneCD, More CDR Software 1, More CDR Software 2, Useful Files, Skins section, Bugs & Limitations, Revision hist, What is?, Contact, Mailing list, Links, Buy CloneCD.
  www.clone.cd, www.clonecd.net, German CloneCD Page.

CD/DVD Utilities

• CD-R ATIP Reader
• CDR Identifier
  This little tool lets you read the ATIP (Absolute Time In Pre-Groove) of CDR (CD-Recordable) media with most of the current CDR recorders. This information tells the real manufacturer and type of dye used for the media. Free download, unsupported, needs ASPI driver.
  English & German.
• CD Indentifier Utilities
  Software utilities listing by CD Media World.
• CD Speed 2000
  Freeware CD/DVD utility software for Windows, by Nero. Free Download. Nero CD Speed, Nero DVD Speed, Nero DriveSpeed, Nero InfoTool, CD DAE, CD+G Creator, Nero ASPI manager.
  CD Speed and DVD Speed are CD/DVD-ROM benchmark programs which can test the most important features of a CD/DVD drive: Transfer rate, Seek/spinup/spindown times, CPU usage, and other metrics.
  Nero DriveSpeed is a utility to set the reading speed of a CD-ROM drive.
  CD DAE is a CD ripper with an option to verify extracted files.
  CD+G Creator is a utility which helps you to create your very own CD+G audio discs.
• ASPI Drivers - Adaptec Drivers for SCSI Software
  Windows 98, NT 4, Me, 2000, XP: Adaptec ASPI drivers v4.71.2 (+ ASPICHK).
  Windows 95: Adaptec ASPI layer 4.60 (1021) (ASPI32) / Adaptec Aspi version checker (ASPICHK).
  DOS/Windows 3.x: Adaptec ASPI Managers (TASP3).
  Updating the ASPI Layer to the Most Current Version, Adaptec Support.
• Bob Doiron's Bin2iso
  bin2iso converts RAW format (.bin/.cue) files to ISO/WAV format. It also can make a .cue index text file from a .bin image file.
  Freeware. Freshmeat.net Project: bin2iso.

---

DVD - Digital Video Disc / Digital Versatile Disc

• MPUCoder
  DVD-Video Technical Information.
  MPUCoder Mirror.
• Doom9.net - The Definitive DVD Backup Resource
• DVD±R Digest
  News, Articles, Reviews, Software Downloads.
  By DVD Digest.
• DVD Digital Domain
  DVD - The Facts: DVD FAQ
• DVD.com
• Jim Taylor's DVD Demystified site
  "The Guidebook of DVD-Video and DVD-ROM".
  Home of the DVD FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions (with answers!) of the alt.video.dvd newsgroup.
• DVD Central @ E/Town, The Home Electronics Guide
• DVD Industry, by Visible Light
  An online resource for multimedia authors seeking information on the DVD industry.
• DVD-ROM Initiative, Software Publishers Association (SPA)
• "DVD: Back to Basics", by Chris Smith, Creative Labs Business Development Manager
• DVD.com.br
  In Portuguese. DVD News and Information. DVD-Video, DVD-Audio, DVD-Players, DVD-ROM, DVD-RAM, Links.
• Apple DVD Studio Pro

DVD CSS - Contents Scrambling System

• Cryptanalysis of Contents Scrambling System
  By Frank A. Stevenson, November 1999.
• DeCSS Central
• DeCSS for Linux and DVD
  By Dr. David S. Touretzky, Carnegie Mellon University, USA.

DVD Software

• Doom9.org
  Doom9.net - The Definitive DVD Backup Resource.
  Useful Software Tools: Audio, AVI, Calculators, Codecs, Descrambling, Ripping, Decoders, DivX / MPEG-4 Encoders, Filters, Launchers, Media Players, MPEG-1/2 Encoders, Region Free, Subtitles, S/VCD, VOB Tools, Support Utils.
• DVD Decrypter
  The Ultimate DVD Ripper. Free. Extract and decrypt (DeCSS) VOB files from DVD to your hard disk, or generete an ISO image.
• DVD Shring
  DVD Shrink: Shrink your DVDs to fit DVDR. Free software. English / Español.
• DAEMON Tools
  DAEMON Tools is a virtual cd/dvd-rom emulator. It is able to emulate nearly all known copy protections on the market today. Free for personal, non-commercial use.
  DAEMON Tools Download.
• IfoEdit
  IfoEdit - The solution to DVD Copy 1:1. Mirror.
• AfterDawn.com
  Video Software: DVD rippers, DVD tools, DVD-R tools, Subtitle tools, Video capture tools, Video codecs and filters, Video encoders, Video players, Video tools.
• RipHelp.com
  DVD Downloads: DVD Conversion, Editing and Ripping Tools.
• DVD Softwares
  DVD Encoders, Divx Codec and Decoders; DVD Players; DVD Region Area Utilities; DVD Rippers; DVD Writing, Burning and Authoring Softwares; DVD Video MPEG Subtitles; Miscellaneous DVD Utility Software.
• vStrip - DVD VOB Utility
  vStrip is a small utility for stripping (=removing) unwanted streams (=data packets) out of VOBs (Video Objects) without having to reweave the VOB, or extracting the data contained inside a single stream. It also parses IFO-files so it (hopefully) doesn't get confused by multi-angle VOBs. By Daniel Vollmer [maven].
  vStrip Guide - Doom9.net.
• DVD Writers

DVD Utilities

• Drive Region Info
  Drive Region Info Download.
  Freeware by Visual Domain.
• DVD Region Killer
  Automatic region selector for region free DVD drives. Free Software by Elaborate Bytes.
• DVD Genie
  DVD Genie is a DVD Tweaking and Enhancement tool. It allows you to enable many undocumented or hard to find options through a simple and easy to use user interface. DVD Genie only supports region free DVD drive. If your DVD drive is region protected (RPC-2), you should try DVD Region-Free to watch all region DVDs.
• DVD Region-Free
  DVD Region-Free enables you to watch any region DVDs on region-locked DVD drive. It will work, even if you can not change the DVD drive's region anymore. You needn't hack DVD drive (flash firmware) which is sometimes dangerous, useless or unavailable. DVD Region-Free disables region check for software DVD players such as PowerDVD, WinDVD, ATI DVD Player, DirectDVD, NVDVD, CinePlayer, Windows Media Player, PCFriendly Player, InterActual Player, TheaterTek DVD and UltraDVD. Shareware.
• Remote Selector
  Remote Selector is an add-on utility for PC DVD players with the following features: Region free for all supported decoders and players with any DVD drive, even region protected ones; Disabling MacroVision and changing video mode on TV output, to connect your DVD player to your VCR without any image distortion, Disabling User Prohibition operations; Disabling of forced subtitles.
  Shareware by Visual Domain.
• The Firmware Page
  firmware-flash.com, rpc1.com.

---

Outros

Sony MiniDisc - MD

MiniDisc (MD) is a disc based digital medium for recording and distributing consumer audio with near-CD quality. MD is rewriteable and holds 74 minutes of stereo music, or 148 minutes in monoaural.

• MiniDisc Community Page
  Mirrors: USA, Australia, The Czech Republic, Finland, Great Britain, Japan
• Music On MiniDisc official home
  By Sony Music Europe

Miscelaneous

• PC Today magazine references
• Publishing Perfection - Publishing related computer products
  Hardware store, has a good catalog with information on products and manufactures of CD recording, publishing, graphics, digital video products.
• Digital Consumer Formats
• ZipLabel.com
  Software for designing catalog labels and full-color jackets for Zip, CD-R, Floppy, Jazz, SyQuest, and LS-120 disks.
• Neato MediaFACE II Design Software (is FREE)
• ZDNet Hotfiles - Printer Utilities