Eight leading film companies in the USA added CSS (Content Scramble System) into DVD format for anti-piracy of digital duplication. Furthermore, Macro-Vision was extra-added to prevent analog devices piracy. Due to the different broadcasting time of DVD film in the various regions in the world, they wouldn't want a DVD film sold in one region then transported to another which has not been released, the eight major film companies divided the world into 8 regions (see table below). They got all DVD disc and DVD playback devices embeded with specific regional code which must match the region, the film can be played. This is called RPC (Regional Playback Control). However, the three methods of protection have been hacked. There have been many region-free discs and players in the market. Again, the eight leading film companies developed new technology RCE (Regional Control Enhancement). Region-free DVD-ROM or DVD player can't play disc with RCE technology. RPC-2 is designed only for DVD-ROM. It allows PC users to change regional code on their DVD-ROM up to 5 times. After the fifth time, the drive must be returned to manufacturer for reflash. The manufacturer can only reflash up to 4 times. After a total of 25 changes of regional code, the settings on DVD-ROM can not be changed anymore.

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What is DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) ?

Please download the latest version of program for fixing the problem.

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I got an error message "No hardware find" or "Hardware error" after running the Digital TV software?

DVD started as the Digital Video Disc but now means Digital Versatile Disc or just DVD. It is a multi-application family of optical disc formats for read-only, recordable and re-writable applications.
The main features of the DVD formats are:

Backwards compatibility with current CD media. All DVD hardware will play audio CDs and CD-ROMs.
Physical dimensions identical to compact disc but using two 0.6 mm thick substrates, bonded together.
Single-layer/dual-layer and single/double sided options.
Up to 4.7 GB read-only capacity per layer, 8.5 GB per side maximum.
Designed from the outset for video, audio and multimedia, not just audio.
DVD-Video for full length movies with high quality video on one disc.
DVD-ROM for enhanced multimedia and games applications.
DVD-Audio for higher quality music, surround sound and optional video, graphics and other features.
All formats use a common file system (UDF).
Digital and analogue copy protection for DVD-Video built into standard.
Recordable and re-writable versions are part of the family.

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How many kind of DVD-disc formats ?

All DVD discs comprise a sandwich of two 0.6mm thick substrates. There are four possible read-only formats plus recordable and rewritable formats:

Name	Capacity (GB)	Layers	Sides	Comments
DVD-5	4.7	1	1	Read from one side only
DVD-9	8.54	2	1	Read from one side only
DVD-10	9.4	1	2	Read from both sides
DVD-18*	17.08	2	2	4 layers, read from both sides
DVD-R	4.7/9.4	1	1 or 2	Recordable DVD
DVD-RAM	2.6/5.2	1	1 or 2	Rewritable DVD
DVD-RW	4.7	1	1 or 2	Re-Recordable DVD

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What is the VCD(Video CD) ? Then what is the SVCD (Super Video CD), and What is LD(Laserdisc).

Video CD is a CD-ROM format that uses MPEG-1 so is limited in playing time and video quality. Movies have been released on Video CD, but need 2 discs for a two hour movie.

SVCD(Super Video CD) makes use of VBR MPEG-2 to increase the video quality, but playing time is reduced so that a movie will require three discs not one.

LD(Laserdisc) stores analogue video which is composite encoded, so will suffer from noise and other defects due to imperfections on the disc, but otherwise can offer high quality video that is close to the best that can be achieved from broadcast TV. Playing time is 60 minutes maximum per side.

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What is the difference among those formats ?

Quality and resolution are better than Laserdisc and Video CD and playing time is much longer than HQ-VCD as shown below.

Feature	Laserdisc	Video CD	SVCD	DVD-Video
Encoding format	Analogue composite	MPEG-1 (CBR) component	MPEG-2 (VBR) component	MPEG-2 (VBR) component
Image size (max)	-	352 x 240/288	480 x 480/576	720 x 480/576
Video Bit rate	-	1.15 Mb/s	2.6 Mb/s (ave)	3.5 Mb/s (ave)
Quality	Good	Fair	Good	Very good
Audio channels	2 to 5.1	2	2	5.1
Languages	1	1	2 stereo or 4 mono	up to 8
Playing time	60 mins	74 mins max	37 mins at max bit rate	133 mins nominal

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What is the surround sound ?

Both Dolby Digital and MPEG-2 allow surround sound on 5.1 channels (up to 7.1 for MPEG-2). The channels are:

L, R (Left & Right front)
C (Centre)
Ls, Rs (Left & Right surround)
LFE (Sub-woofer or low frequency effects)

Many movies include one or more surround sound channels usually encoded using Dolby Digital. With the correct surround sound amplifier and speaker setup very realistic results can be obtained. Few players include surround sound decoders but separate decoder/amplifiers are available.

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What is the DVD-Video display format ?

DVD-Video discs can contain video suitable for either 4:3 or widescreen TVs. A total of three screen formats are available.

Widescreen, which is only suitable for a widescreen TV display, where a 16:9 image is displayed full screen.
Letterbox, where the full widescreen image is displayed but leaving black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.
Pan & Scan where a widescreen movie is displayed as a 4:3 image which is narrower than the original.

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What is difference between 4:3 and 16:9 of display mode ?

On-disc format	Resultant display
On-disc format	4:3 display	16:9 display
4:3 full frame	4:3 full screen	4:3
4:3 letterbox	4:3 letterbox	16:9 full screen
16:9 no pan & scan data	4:3 letterbox	16:9 full screen
16:9 with pan & scan data*	4:3 letterbox or pan & scan	16:9 full screen

This format requires data to define on a frame by frame basis which part of the image should be displayed. As yet there is probably no title available which use this format. Instead, DVD-10 discs are often used to offer both pan & scan and widescreen versions on one disc.

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What is the DVD-Video ?

DVD-Video players were launched in Japan in November 1996 and in the USA in March 1997. It has already become a mainstream product in the USA and the market in Europe is growing fast. DVD-Video has already become the industry standard format for distribution of movies and other video material for the consumer and corporate markets. When a recordable version is available DVD-Video is set to replace the VHS for home video recording and playback of pre-recorded video.

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What are the requirements of DVD-Video ?

The Hollywood based Motion Picture Studio Advisory Committee defined the following requirements for the DVD-Video format:

135 minutes on one side of a single disc (covering 99% of all movies).
Video resolution better than Laserdisc (LD).
CD quality surround sound for true home cinema listening.
3 to 5 languages (audio) per title on one disc
4 to 6 subtitles per title on one disc
Pan-scan, letterbox and widescreen formats
Parental lockout features
Copy protection
Compatibility with existing CDs
Chapter division and access (like Video CD)
Manufacturing cost similar to current CD costs.

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What is "region coding" ?

DVD-Video discs may be region coded to prevent eg a US disc played on a European player and vice versa. This allows titles to be distributed in different parts of the world at different times. A total of eight regions (also called locales) have been defined to cover all countries.
Region 1: USA, Canada
Region 2: Europe, Middle East, South Africa, Japan
Region 3: Southeast Asia, Taiwan
Region 4:Central America, S. America, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand
Region 5:Russian federation, Africa(part), India, Pakistan
Region 6:China

Region 7:Reserved

Region 8:Special international venues (airplanes, curise ships, etc.)

All players and PCs with DVD must implement region coding, but not all discs need to be region coded.

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Can I change the region coding myself ?

The DVD Drive allows you to change Region Code up to five times. When you insert a different DVD Region Code Disc into the player, the system will ask you to change DVD Region Code. When you run out of 5-time rights, you have to send to the vendor for reflash.

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What is the DVD-ROM ?

The computer industry became involved in 1995 and set up the Technical Working Group (TWG) to define the specification for DVD-ROM. The objectives of the TWG are to understand the technical details of DVD specifications and develop a set of recommendations for current and future forms of computer-based applications. Currently the DVD Forum WG2 is responsible for the DVD-ROM specification which forms the basis for DVD-Video and DVD-Audio as well. The requirements are:

Single format for computer and TV-based applications
Backward read compatibility with existing CD-ROMs
Forward compatibility with future R/W and WORM discs
A single file system for all content and disc media types
Low cost drives and discs
No mandatory container
Reliable data storage and retrieval
High on-line capacity
High performance for both sequential and non-sequential data types

DVD-ROM drives and PCs with DVD capability are now available in Europe as well as the USA and Japan. Generally these will also include MPEG-2 decoders either in hardware or, for high end PCs, in software. They will then be capable of playing DVD-Video discs as well as DVD-ROM applications.

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What is the MPEG-2 ?

An MPEG-2 decoder is needed to play DVD-Video titles plus any MPEG video contained on a DVD-ROM disc. Both hardware and software decoders are available.

Hardware decoders allow a slower processor, such as a Pentium 133, to be used. Most decoders include a video output, which allows your favorite movies to be watched on a TV instead of the computer monitor.
Software decoders require a faster processor (at least a 266MHz Pentium II) and a suitable graphics card, but offer a lower cost solution for PCs already equipped with a fast processor.

DVD add-on kits usually comprise a DVD-ROM drive and MPEG-2 decoder board. Software to play DVD-Video discs is also included in the package. Normally this includes an on-screen controller to simulate the remote control of a DVD-Video player.

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What is the DVD-ROM applications ?

It is generally believed that DVD will become the predominant storage technology in the computer industry, with worldwide sales of PCs with DVD-ROM drives considerably more than the number of DVD-Video players.

Sales would have been higher, but CD-RW drives are becoming increasingly popular and none of these will play DVD discs. Also there has been an increase in sales of low end PCs for which a DVD-ROM drive is currently too expensive.

DVD-ROM applications can take advantage of the increased capacity of DVD discs and, optionally, make use of DVD-Video's high quality MPEG-2 video and multi-channel audio encoding. There is a wide range of applications for DVD-ROM including:

Bigger and better games allowing current multi-disc CD-ROM games to be distributed on one DVD-ROM disc. DVD allows the content of six or more CD-ROM discs to be stored on a single disc.
More extensive multimedia applications, such as encyclopedias, with additional content including higher quality MPEG-2 video and surround sound audio.
Very large databases and clip-art libraries.
Hybrid DVD/online titles where the bulk of the data needed (such as video) is stored on the disc and updates are downloaded from the Internet. The Internet can also be used to pay for and unlock software contained on a DVD-ROM disc.
Dual format titles, which will play on DVD-Video players with limited interactivity and on computers for full interactivity. These include movies with an associated game or multimedia content, which can only be played on a PC or Macintosh.

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What is the DVD-Audio ?

DVD-Audio is the latest member of the DVD family of pre-recorded optical disc formats, designed for higher quality audio than current CDs. A full version (1.0) was released in April 1999 and discs and players are due in the second half of 1999. DVD-Audio will offer a range of new features including even higher quality, surround sound, longer playing times plus additional features which are not available on CDs. DVD-Audio discs will be capable of carrying video, like DVD-Video titles, as well as high quality audio files and include limited interactivity. Capacity of a dual layer DVD-Audio will be up to at least 2 hours for full surround sound audio and 4 hours for stereo audio. Single layer capacity will be around half these times.

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What is the feature of DVD-Audio ?

The main features of the DVD-Audio specification include:

High quality multi-channel audio with copy protection
DVD-Audio players will play CDs
A wide range of quality levels and channels allowing flexibility for the content owner.
Extensible to include new technology when available.
Additional added value content including video, stills, text and menus.
User friendly navigation system.
Connection to the Worldwide Web for the latest information supporting the title's content.

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What is the DVD-Audio applications ?

WG4 has defined two different versions of the DVD-Audio disc format, one for pure audio applications the other for audio with video. Together with DVD-Video this gives a total of three formats, which are listed below.

Format	Contents	Will play on
DVD-Audio	Audio disc with optional text, menus & still pictures but no video	Audio player and Universal player
DVD-AudioV	As DVD-Audio plus video from the DVD-Video specification	Universal player and DVD-Video player (video part only)
DVD-Video	Video but no DVD-Audio audio content	DVD-Video and Universal player

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What is the DVD-Audio copyright protection ?

IBM, Intel MEI, and Toshiba have announced the development of a content protection framework for DVD-Audio, endorsed by the five major international record companies. It uses watermark and encryption technologies so that the protected disc will only play on licensed players. The framework also contains a set of options, which provide content owners with the flexibility needed by consumers as the market develops. The system lets consumers make one CD quality copy for personal use and content owners can allow consumers to make additional copies at various levels of quality up to DVD-Audio.

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What is the Super Audio CD ?

Philips and Sony have been working on an alternative specification called Super Audio CD which uses a different audio coding method, Direct Stream Digital (DSD) and the use of a hybrid disc format.

SACD is claimed to fully meet the ISC requirements and to provide a format, which is good for another 20 years. SACD offers high quality, multi-channel audio, CD compatibility, copy protection and added features. The main parameters are:

Up to 100kHz bandwidth
120 dB dynamic range
Full quality for all channels
Hybrid disc (CD and DVD)
Watermarking and copy protection
Text, graphics and video

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About DVD-R and DVD-RAM

The DVD family would be incomplete without recordable versions. CD-Recordable discs were introduced in 1988 and CD-RW (the re-writable version) has been introduced 15 years after the first read-only CD was launched.

Both recordable (DVD-R) and re-writable (DVD-RAM) DVD discs have been developed. Recorders and discs for DVD-R have been available since 1997 but at a high price and DVD-RAM recorders and discs are available but at a much lower price. This time round the timescales are being compressed partly due to the technology being available and partly because there is already a need for such discs for development purposes and for small volume production.

Both DVD-R and DVD-RAM currently offer a lower capacity than read-only DVD discs. This limits their usefulness to applications where the full capacity of read-only DVD is not required. However, this capacity will increase to a full 4.7GB per side by the middle of 1999 for both DVD-R and DVD-RAM.

Alternative formats to DVD-RAM have been proposed and one of these, DVD-RW, is now being considered by the DVD Forum. Other formats, including DVD+RW, are being developed and products are planned to be launched by this year.

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What is the DVD-R (Recordable) ?

DVD-R discs make use of a similar technology to CD-Rs but with a different dye and smaller geometries. DVD-R is fully compatible with DVD-ROM, DVD-Video and DVD-Audio so that recorded DVD-R discs can be read on any suitable DVD hardware, depending on the format of the data contained on the DVD-R.

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What is the DVD-RAM (RE-Writable) ?

DVD-RAM discs use phase change recording where the active layer is made to change between amorphous and crystalline state by means of a laser at different power. DVD-RAM discs use Zoned CLV (ZCLV) method instead of CLV. Within each zone the data is written/read using the CAV method, the angular velocity changing from zone to zone to maintain a constant average linear velocity.

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What is the DVD-R/RAM applications ?

Alternative re-writable formats are being developed. DVD+RW, developed and proposed by Hewlett-Packard, Philips, and Sony with the support of Verbatim, Ricoh and Yamaha. Philips and Sony are also members of the DVD Forum but believe that DVD+RW is more compatible with existing DVD-ROM drives than DVD-RAM. DVD+RW discs have a capacity of 3GB and do not need a cartridge.

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What is DVD+RW ?

DVD-RW is Pioneer's format which is an evolutionary development based on existing CD-RW technology and with a capacity of 4.7GB. Its phase-change technology means that discs have a higher reflectivity than DVD-RAM or DVD+RW media, and can be read in existing DVD-ROM drives. This format has been accepted by the DVD Forum for evaluation as a possible member of the DVD family. Discs and players are due to be available soon. MMVF (Multimedia Video File) format from NEC offers a 5.2GB capacity on one side and is more suitable than the other formats for a video recording format.

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What is the feature of DVD+RW ?

Features of DVD+RW are claimed to be:

Compatible with DVD-ROM drives
No need for cartridge
4.7GB capacity under development
Choice of CAV for high performance data storage applications and CLV for video recording
Backed by industry leaders in CD-RW.

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What is the difference between CD discs and DVD discs ?

DVD discs are more difficult to manufacture than CDs, requiring new, purpose designed equipment rather than upgraded equipment. DVD discs are different from CDs in the following ways:

Pit sizes half that of CD pits
Track pitch half that for CDs, with tighter tolerances
Higher mastering speeds, both in angular and linear velocity and data rate
New data formatting requirements, particularly for dual layer discs.
Two disc substrates to mould per final disc, each half the thickness of a CD
Tighter tolerances on tilt and jitter in particular
Additional bonding stage, which for dual layer discs must be optically transparent and of the correct thickness.
A range of disc formats including dual layer and double sided discs.

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What's CD-RW ?

CD-RW is stand for CD "ReWriteable", The advantage for CD-RW is let you erase the discs and reuse them. Each disc can hold about 74 minutes of audio or about 650MB of data. CD-RW technology is based on phase change which is different from CD-R--organic day. CD-RW discs can be rewritten up to 1000 times usually. CD-R recorder can not write CD-RW discs only the CD-RW recorder.

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What are the differences between CD-RW and CD-R ?

The difference between two media is CD-R only can record once but CD-RW can erase the data and rewrite again. CD-R is the best media to use for distributing data because it is easy of interchange with CD-ROM drives. For CD-RW discs, they are good for back up and storage.

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What are buffer underruns ?

CD writing is a real-time process, which must run constantly at the selected recording speed, without interruptions. The CD recorder's buffer is constantly filled with a reserve of data waiting to be written, so that small slowdowns or interruptions in the flow of data from the computer do not interrupt writing. A buffer underrun error means that for some reason the flow of data from hard disk to CD recorder was interrupted long enough for the CD recorder's buffer to be emptied, and writing was halted. If this occurs during an actual write operation rather than a test, your recordable disc may be ruined.

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How do I prevent a "Buffer Under Run" ?

There are several possibilities that could result in a "Buffer Under Run":
Hard Disk
※ The information stored on the hard disk has become fragmented.
※ Writing from a hard disk which has been set up as a compressed disk (using disk data compression).

Hardware environment
※ Copying from CD-ROM, the speed of the source CD-ROM is too slow.
※ The translation speed of the source CD-ROM is not steady or uniform.
※ The set up is not correct.
※ The PC cannot translate the information fast enough.
※ There is a conflict with an old Device Driver
※ Do not use 16 bit (Real Mode) Device Drivers under the Windows 95

File
※ Too many files
※ The file structure of the source files is damaged.
※ Trying to record a file that is in use by or is part of the Windows 95 system.

Resident Program
Close the following Resident Programs before recording:
※ Power Management
※ Screen Savers
※ Anti-Virus
※ Motion Picture Viewer
※ Network Connection
※ System Alarm sounds
※ Scheduled Tasks

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CD Books

Red Book
The Red Book describes the physical properties of the compact disc the digital audio encoding. It comprises:

Audio specification for 16-bit PCM.
Disc specification, including physical parameters.
Optical stylus and parameters.
Deviations and block error rate.
Modulation system and error correction.
Control and display system (ie subcode channels)

Yellow Book
The Yellow Book comprises the CD-ROM specification plus an extension for CD-ROM XA.

CD-ROM
The Yellow Book for CD-ROM was written in 1984 to describe the extension of CD to store computer data, ie CD-ROM. This specification comprises the following:

Disc specification which is a copy of part of the Red Book.
Optical stylus parameters (from Red Book)
Modulation and error correction (from Red Book)
Control & display system (from Red Book)
Digital data structure, which describes the sector structure and the ECC and EDC for a CD-ROM disc.

CD-ROM XA
As a separate extension to the Yellow Book, the CD-ROM XA specification ("SYSTEM DESCRIPTION CD-ROM XA") comprises the following:

Disc format including Q channel and sector structure using Mode 2 sectors.
Data retrieval structure based on ISO-9660 including file interleaving which is not available for Mode 1 data.
Audio encoding using ADPCM levels B and C.
Video image encoding (ie stills)

The only CD-ROM XA formats currently in use are CD-I bridge formats Photo CD and Video CD, the data session of a CD Extra disc, plus Sony's Play station.

The current status and versions of the Yellow Book and associated CD-ROM XA specification are listed below.

Format	Version	Date	Comments
CD-ROM	-	Nov 1988	Original Yellow Book
CD-ROM XA	-	May 1991	CD-ROM XA System Description

Green Book
The Green Book describes the CD-interactive (CD-i) disc, player and operating system and contains the following:

CD-I disc format (track layout, sector structure).
Data retrieval structure which is based on ISO 9660
Audio data using ADAPCM levels A, B and C.
Real-time still video image coding, decoder and visual effects.
Compact Disc Real Time Operating System (CD-RTOS).
Base case (minimum) system specification.
Full motion extension (the MPEG cartridge and the software).

Orange Book
The Orange Book defines CD-Recordable discs with multisession capability.

Part	Format	Version	Date	Comments
I	CD-MO	-	Nov 1990	Magneto Optical re-writable discs
II	CD-R	3.1	Dec 1998	was CD-WO - Write Once
III	CD-RW	1.95	May 1998	ReWritable

All three parts contain the following sections:

Disc specification for unrecorded and recorded discs.
Pre-groove modulation .
Data organization including linking.
Multisession and hybrid discs
Recommendations for measurement of reflectivity, power control etc

White Book
The White Book defines the Video CD specification and comprises:

Disc format including use of tracks, Video CD information area, segment play item area, audio/video tracks and CD-DA tracks.
Data Retrieval Structure, compatible with ISO 9660.
MPEG audio/video track encoding.
Segment play item encoding for video sequences, video stills and CD-DA tracks.
Play sequence descriptors for preprogrammed sequences.
User data fields for scan data (enabling fast forward/reverse) and closed captions.
Examples of play sequences and playback control.

The various Video CD formats and enhancements are listed in the table below.

Format	Version	Date	Comments
Karaoke CD	1.0	1993	Original VCD for Karaoke
VCD	2.0	Apr 1995	Current Video CD specification
Internet	-	Apr 1997	Extension for linking to websites
Super VCD	0.9	Nov 1998	Higher quality video using MPEG-2. Replaces HQ-VCD.

Blue Book
The Blue Book defines the Enchanced Music CD (also known as CD Extra) specification for multi-session pressed disc (ie not recordable) comprising audio and data sessions. These discs are intended to be played on any CD audio player, on PCs and on future custom designed players. The Blue Book comprises:

Disc specification and data format including the two sessions (audio and data).
Directory structure (to IS) 9660) including the directories for CD Extra information, pictures and data. It also defines the format of the CD Plus information files, picture file formats and other codes and file formats.
MPEG still picture data format.

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What is the recording speed of CD-R ?

The “speed” rating of a CD-Recorder determines how fast it can record data to blank CD-R media. Speed designators, such as “1X,” “2X,” “4X,” “6X,” “8X,” and “12X” define multiples of the original playback speed of first generation CD-ROM players. For a CD-ROM player or CD recorder, a 1X speed translates to 153,600 Bytes per second. This is usually rounded down to 150 KB per second. Therefore, a “1X” recorder writes 150 KB per second to the CD-R media. Likewise, a “2X” recorder records at 300 KB per second, and a “4X” records at 600 KB per second. Note that there are some variations in measuring speed, because there are recording modes that provide more than 2,048 data bytes per block (audio is recorded at 2,352 bytes per block). Also note that some CD recorders have a different reading speed than their rated recording speed. For instance, a “4x4x32” CD recorder can write at 4X speed, rewrite at 4X speed, and read back at 32X speed (4,800 KB per second).

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Which IDE port should I set up with my CD-RW drive ?

You can set up the CD-RW drive in any IDE port. Usually, we set up the hard disk in Primary master, so the CD-RW drive can leave in Secondary master or Secondary slave. The reason not to hang on with hard disk in the same IDE port is to separate the CPU loading to increase access time.

What are the differences among various colors of CD-R ?

The colors show the different of reflection. Usually the gold or silver color has strong reflection than blue and green ones. Still, there are some mix colors of media like gold green CD, blue green CD and gold blue CD and so on. In addition, the high reflection of media does not mean the data transfer rate going first because each CDROM drive has its own setting. When the reflection is too high to the setting, it will take longer time to access the data.

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Why can't CDROM drive read the CD-RW ?

The CD-RW only has 15% lower reflection rate than CD-R media, which contains 65% reflection rate. So, if CDROM drive does not support the "MultiRead" feature, it can not read CD-RW disc.

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What is the "ISO9660" ?

ISO9660 is kind of files layout standard for CDROM. In the early time, each CDROM developing team group decided they're own format of media that could not be compatible to each other's. Until the "High Sierra" showing up, they used the new "ISO9660" format as a standard in CDROM field all over the world.

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What is the "UDF" ?

UDF is short for Universal Disc Format, another file layout standard for CDROM. The UDF format can use in CD-R, CD-RW, and DVD by Packet writing method, which would not cause "Buffer Under-Run" and can be compatible with ISO9660.The advantage of UDF is provided similar function like hard disk.

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How long does take CD-RW drive to write a data-CD ?

Usually it takes about 74 minutes at 1x (37 minutes at 2x) to record the 650MB of data and add one or two minutes to do finalizing for the disc. The less data you have, the fast time you get. Remember by using various writing tools, it will also make slight time difference.

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What's the disc-at-once(DAO) ?

Disc-at-once (DAO) is writing the entire CD by one pass without any interrupt. There is not gap between track so the size of written CD is same the original one.

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What's the session-at-once ?

The difference between session-at-once and disc-at-once is SAO can continue writing but not DAO. Both have no gap in tracks.

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What's the track-at-once ?

"Track-at-once" in the CD-RW drive writes the data first and then finish Lead-in, Lead-out last, so it allows you to write multiple passes. But it will cause some gaps between tracks. Usually, the recordable disc has big size than the original one.

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What's the difference between recording from an image and on-the-fly ?

Disc images files are copied data completely from the CD, so it will require big enough hard disc spaces. If you have both audio and data tracks on your CD, there would be an ISO-9660 file system image for the data track and one or more 16-bit 44.1KHz stereo sound images for the audio tracks. On-the-fly, this method takes and throws data directly on the CD so it requires less hard disc space and saves time, but it increases the risk of "buffer under run ".

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Why I can not read the CD-R disc in my CDROM drive that I just made from my writer ?

One possible reason to cause this problem is your CD-R media not doing the finalized. You can read the disc from recordable drive but not CDROM drive because the TOC (Table of Content), the starting point to find the data, is not been completely. Some old CDROM drives can not read multisession disc, which has combination of MODE-1 and MODE2 format.

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What's the difference between a "Multisession" disc and a "Multitrack" disc ?

A session is a unity on a CD, which includes lead-in and lead out. If the disc only write once, it is a single session. In addition, multisession disc can write multiple time and more than one session. Under a session, it can contain one or several tracks (up to 99 tracks). Each track has the different index number in the subchannel, which helps drives to find audio or data.

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Why does multisession have so much overhead ?

Each session contains lead-in and lead-out area, and both areas need to be written TOC and indicated the "landing zone". So, multisession requires about 13.5 MB or 6750 blocks between sessions.

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What is a bootable CD ?

A bootable CD is a CD created by your recording software with the operating system files on it. It is similar to a bootable floppy disk except it’s a CD. You can boot from it, as long as your computer’s BIOS settings are set to boot from the CD-ROM drive instead of the floppy A: drive. Most BIOS programs are set to boot from the floppy A: drive.

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How many times can a CD-RW disc be rewritten ?

The number of times that a CD-RW disc can be rewritten is dependent upon the disc itself. The higher quality discs will have a longer life than lower quality discs. Some websites state that a CD-RW disc can be rewritten up to 1000 times. Once again, this number is dependent upon the disc and the care that is taken with the disc.

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What is Digital Audio Extraction ?

Digital Audio Extraction (DAE) or “ripping” is the ability to record or rip an audio track or song from your CD-ROM or recorder to your computer. To copy audio digitally from a CD to your computer, your CD-ROM or CD-Recorder will need to support Digital Audio Extraction.

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What is BURN-Proof ?

BURN-Proof (or BurnProof) is an unfortunate abbreviation of "Buffer-Under-RuN Proof". The technology allows you to avoid buffer underruns by suspending and restarting the write process when the recorder's buffer is about to empty. Ideally, the results of interrupted and uninterrupted writes would be identical. In practice, there may be a small glitch at the point where writing was suspended. Another technology JustLink is same as BURN-Proof.

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