CD-ROM Conference Common Answer Guide ************************************************* October 5, 1991 - Volume I - Number 1.17 compiled by Ted Tang (please distribute freely, released to the public domain) ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS --------------------------- AUDIO CD PLAYER TO CD-ROM DRIVE ------------------------------- No, you cannot convert your CD audio player into a CD-ROM drive. But, Bill Hemmings of 1:300/11 claims: I should get a nickle for all the times the question has been asked "can I use a cheap ordinary cd-rom drive for computer data". And a dollar for all the wrong answers. Because, it turns out, it not only can be done, but it's cheap. I'm not going to go into the details here, because my opinion is that it's not worth the trouble. But for those on a REALLY short shoestring, check out the July/ August issue of 'Midnight Engineering'. Everything you need to read the digital data stream is there. You'll need a device driver, however, to interface to DOS. You can order the magazine from 303-225-1410 if you can't find it on the newstand. Tell 'em I sent ya. Maybe they'll give me a free issue. Or something. Bigfoot's RBBS - Tucson,AZ - HST - (8:902/1) or (1:300/11.0) [I read the article. It sounds like it would take a lot of technical expertise to get the computer to control the CD player. The experiment was for playing around with digital music, not reading CD-ROM discs.] CD-ROM SUPPORT FILES -------------------- I have a large collection of CD-ROM support & information files. You may either FREQ: HARDWARE for a list or call my BBS and download on your first call. See credits below. DAK --- Is selling a BSR CD-ROM drive which is actually a Sony drive. 380 ms, 8 K buffer, $399. But is it really SCSI? No one seems to know for certain! drive: CDU 6201-20 external CDU-531 internal interface: CDB-242 interface BUS -OR- DTC3280A "SCSI" Controller 8-bit, pseudo SCSI? Doors/BBS Usage --------------- Most CD-ROM databases, including encyclopedias, do not permit you to install on a BBS for public access. Errors ------ Experiencing disc read errors? Try cleaning the lens with a CD lens cleaner available at any audio store and clean the disc. Disc access slow? Try increasing MSCDEX buffers. Microsoft Bookshelf ------------------- IME is selling them for $59. Microsoft CD-ROM Extension -------------------------- Non-removable TSR that configures your CD-ROM drive to behave like a network drive/device. Supposedly, you can get the latest version on Compu$erve. Otherwise, it is available from your dealer but not Microsoft. With DOS 5.0, you must use SETVER. Here's a brief summary of command line options- MSCDEX [/E/K/S/V] [/D: ... ] [/L:] [/M:] option: /E Use expanded memory for cache /K Include support for Kanji character set /S Network server support /V View setup on installation /L:[C-Z] DOS drive letter to use /M:[4-xx] Cache size, 16=32K /D:[name] Device driver name [I don't know how multiple CD-ROM drivers would be defined] Tandy CDR-1000 CD-ROM Reader ---------------------------- access time 800 ms, data rate 150 Kb/s, Mitsumi brand, no internal cache, drawer loading. Passed by Sierra for multimedia. Price $399 Definitions ----------- CD-ROM ------ Means "Compact Disc Read-Only Media". It is exactly the same thing as the audio CD except for just music, it also contains data. Introduced in 1984. CD-I - Interactive ------------------------------- A Sony-Philips developed consumer oriented CD based video and audio system combining hardware and software. A home consumer version of CD-ROM, with music, pictures, and partial-screen motion video that plugs into a TV set and stereo. CD-I gives a variety of high quality digital pictures, including still photographs, graphics, and animation; and it delivers four grades of sound from AM quality for narration to CD digital audio style high-fidelity for music. However, moving video is currently only possible on 40% of the screen. CD-I is designed to deliver interactive entertainment (anything from encyclopedias to games). CD-I offers ease of use by having a microprocessor built into the CD-I player, which hooks up to a TV set and stereo system and plays audio and video CDs as well as CD-I specific applications (no microcomputer is required). The user interacts with the program using a pointing device such as a joystick or mouse.(1) CD-ROM XA - Extended Architecture ----------------------------------------------------------------- A CD that is a hybrid of CD-ROM and CD-I proposed by Philips, Sony, and Microsoft. This technology requires a microcomputer and gives CD-ROM users the ability to access some of CD-I's audio and video features, and CD-I users the ability to play some (but not all) CD-ROM XA discs.(1) CD-ROM WO - Write Once ---------------------- Aka "Frankfurt Group Proposal" Proposed successor to the ISO 9660:1988 standard to support CD-WO hardware and X/Open or IEEE POSIX file systems. Contact Sun Microsystems. Sony has marketed a re-writable CD-ROM system for in-house publishing. Cost $20,000 CDTV ---- Available from Commodore. Magneto-optical --------------- Magnetic media utilizing optical tracking. Not CD-ROM compatible. Rock Ridge Group ---------------- Proposed extension to ISO 9660:1988 to provide for X/Open or IEEE POSIX file systems. Contact HP or Sun Microsystems. WORM ---- Means "Write Once Read Many". Not CD-ROM compatible. DRIVES ------ Access Time: rated time it takes for the CD-ROM drive to seek to the requested position on the disc, usually 300-1500ms. See stroke for max access time spec. Audio: most CD-ROM drives have stereo audio capability and simply require software to play a CD-Audio disc; such drives will usually have a headphone jack, volume control, and/or line out jacks; some have such jacks directly on the interface card. Buffer/Cache: The CD-ROM drive hardware cache is the internal buffer size. It ranges from 0-64K. For software cache, see Microsoft Extension. Caddy: provide extra protection to CD-ROM disc at additional cost. Some people complain they rattle. Not all drives use a caddy (top or drawer loading). compatibility- Sony/Toshiba/Amdek/Chinon/Apple type Access type Philips type rumored best price: EduCorp $5.50/10 Data transfer rate: 150-171 Kb/sec depending on interface. Device driver: hardware specific software that handles low-level calls to CD-ROM hardware. Young Minds driver ------------------ "Universal driver". Allows the DRM-600 to automagically change cd-roms if you need to use a different disc. Error correction technique: CIRC, EDC/ECC Interface: CD-ROM drives are either proprietary serial or SCSI. Jukebox: Pioneer DRM-600/610 CD-ROM Changer (6-cd jukebox unit) only one known in existance. Repair: CD ROM Doctor. He currently repairs all makes of Toshiba, and is now expanding into various SONY Models and Hitachi Models - currently 1703 and 1503S. He generally charge s $100.00 for a cleaning, adjustment, and small repairs. He also has a 2 week turnaround time which beats repair by manufacturer and he is both friendly and professional. Stroke: measurement of arm movement from inner to outter track, in CD-ROM drive case, the laser. See access time. Data Discman ------------ By Sony. A hand-held "Electronic Book" that plays 8-cm optical discs in both CD-ROM and CD Audio format and includes built-in retrieval software along with a high-resolution LCD display to provide a completely portable, self-contained database access device. Capable of holding around 200 meg of information. The Wall Street Journal says that Sony yesterday announced November availability of the Data Discman in the US. Size of a thick paperback book; weight about 2 pounds. Suggested retail of $549.95 which includes 3 starter disks: Compton's Concise Encyclopedia, the Wellness Encyclopedia, and the World Travel Translator. More than 20 disks will be available by December 25, including the Bible, a wine guide, and a moview review guide, all selling for between $30 and $130. The US model is different from the Japanese model with a larger screen. Sony says that there will eventually be different versions with varied prices and capabilities. DISCS ----- Capacity: 540-720 megs per side (CD-ROM discs are rarely double sided) depending on format. Coating: polycarbonate material (plastic) Disc or disk: Use "disc" to refer to optical media and "disk" for magnetic media. Format: foreign file access, HFS- compatible on Mac. High Sierra Group (HSG)- HS allows 4 path tables per byte ordering vs 2 ISO 9660 allows. ISO 9660 date formats have an additional field for offset from UTC. Pseudo compatible with ISO 9660. Docs supposedly available on Compu$erve. ISO9660- international standards organization, ANSI standard recording format for CD-ROM discs. Single case 31(8+3) character file names; limited 8 subdirectory depth. Compatible on PCs, Mac, & Sun. Kodak- photo/image storage red book- CD audio specs (44.1 Mhz) yellow book- ??? Life: 25+ years Medium: information is pressed on alluminum as pits or lands. Archival disc ------------- Century Disc. Gold medium in between very hard tempered glass using mineral based protective coating. Designed to last 100-3000 years. LATEST VERSIONS --------------- Alde Vol. 3 No. 1 Carrs PDSI-004 CD-ROMs in Print, 1991 ed, $125.00 (7/31/91) Grolier's Encyclopedia (aka Software Toolworks) 1991 ed Meridian CDNET software 4.1 Microsoft Bookshelf 1991 Microsoft CDROM extensions v. 2.20 PC-SIG Library, 9th ed (1991) $295 (2) RBBS-In-A-Box (RIAB) Vol 3.1 No. 1 ROM1, ROM2: 18,000 ZIPped files; 100 subdirectories, $80 each Rock Ridge 1.09 Silver Platter software 2.01 SUN User Group CD-ROM, 1991 ed Books, Magazines, Conferences & Groups -------------------------------------- "alt.cd-rom" Internet Usenet conference "Brady Guide to CD-ROM" by Laura Buddine & Elizabeth Young "CD-Rom Collection Builder's Toolkit" Softcover 190 Pages. $29.95 from Online Inc. "CD-ROM End User Magazine" (defunct?), Helgerson Associates, Inc, free "CD-ROM Extensions Information Packet" Microsoft "CD-ROMs in Print 1991: The Book Version" Comprehensive international coverage of over 1,400 CD-ROMs. Up to 25 items of information on each CD-ROM in the Optical Product Directory. A NEW Macintosh Title Index. Annually in November. ISBN 0-88736-587-6 $49.50 "CD-ROMs in Print 1991: The CD-ROM Version" Provides detailed information on the 1630 Cd-ROMs currently available. Each record in this database has up to 26 items of information. $175.00 CD-ROM ISBN 0-88736-732-1 "CD-ROM Librarian Magazine" includes monthly update to "CD-ROMs in Print". "CD-ROM Local Area Networks: A User's Guide," edited by Norman Desmarais. Just published by Meckler Ltd. It's 175 pages and costs 21 pounds... no U.S. price listed, but Meckler has an office in Westport, Conn. ISBN is 0-88736-700-3 "CD-ROM Professional Magazine" Pemberton Press, Inc, Adam Pemberton, president/publisher, rate: $86/year (bimonthly) "CD-ROMS: Breakthrough in Information Storage" by Frederick Holtz Tab Books, 1988, TK7882.C56H65 "CD-ROM USERS GROUP" They have special offers to members. Membership is FREE. They recently had a 7-PAC of CD-ROM discs for $69. Numerous PC titles to choose from. "CDROM" Fidonet Echomail conference; Bob Hall, moderator "DISC Magazine" (defunct?), Helgerson Associates, Inc "Ebsco CD-ROM Handbook" Ebsco Subscription Services "Information processing - Volume and file structure of CD-ROM for information interchange" from ANSI, ECMA, or GED "MS-DOS Extensions" Microsoft Press "MS-DOS CD-ROM Extensions Programmer's Reference Manual" Laser Magnetic Storage Intl. Specify document number 75117166C. $11 "Nautilaus" monthly CD-ROM publication designed to provide a multi-disciplinary forum to present and discuss multimedia applications. Linda Davies, Ph.D., contributing editor for the Macintosh version, and Sharon Summers Ph.D for the Windows 3.0 version "optiC-Digest Magazine" rates 3 months 4 months base $39.95 $49.95 int'l +$45.00 +$60.00 CN +$15.00 +$20.00 "Special Interest Group on CD-ROM Applications & Technology" (SIGCAT) User group sponsored by the U.S. Geological Survey which is devoted to the investigation of CD-ROM technology. Free membership. "USGS Library/SIGCAT CD-ROM Compendium" U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 91-40. Great listing of lots of government CD-ROM's Mastering --------- Data Index Preperation: You do this Input medium: disks, ANSI labeled tapes, discs Pre-Mastering: Conversion to your data & data files to a file system (ISO 9660, High Serria (now obsolete), or Mac HFS) This is $100 to $500 per setup. Meridian Data, Inc & Young Minds sells in-house pre-mastering software. Mastering: This makes a pressing master. Varies from $800 for 2 week turn-around to $2,300 SAME DAY SERVICE! Replication: $1.30/disk. Add $.35 per disk if in a jewell box. Minimum pressing run of $300 (about 230 disk). Plants: 3M Optical Recording American Helix Denon Devon Corporation Digital Audio Disc Corp Disc Manufacturing, Inc Discovery Systems Disk Manufacturing Inc JVC Disc America Company Nimbus Information Systems Optical Disk Mastering Phillips/DuPont Technetronics Inc Addresses --------- 3M Optical Recording, 612-733-3000 Alde Publishing 6520 Edenvale Blvd., Ste. 118, Eden Prairie, MN 55346 800-727-9724; 612-934-4239 FAX: 612-934-2824 American Helix, 717-392-7840 American National Standards Institute 1430 Broadway, NY, NY 10018 TEL: 212 642 4900 Bureau of Electronic Publishing, Inc. 141 New Road, Parsippany, NJ 07054 toll-free 800-828-4766 international 201-808-2700 fax 201-808-2776 Carrs-Night Owl 219 Potomac Ave, Buffalo, MY 14213 fax 716-886-0545 bbs 716-881-5688/5380/5182 (2) CD ROM Doctor, Rick Thomas 18642 El Carmen, Orange, CA 92669 Telephone: (714) 538-3077 CD-ROM Inc, Roger ??? Attention: Department CRS 1667 Cole Blvd, Suite 400, Golden, Colorado 80401 303-231-9373 CD-ROM USERS GROUP, Fred Bellamy, Info-Mart Sales PO BX 2400, Santa Barbara, CA 93120. voice: 805/965-0265 fax: 805/965-5415 CD-Online (call voice, get password, try CD-ROMs for 10 mins each via BBS) voice: 201-080-2700 bbs: 201-808-0085 Comtek, Henry or Leif toll-free 800-767-0668 international 405-524-0668 fax 405-525-9154 Corel Systems Corporation 1600 Carling Ave, Ottawa, Ontario K1Z 8R7 international 613-728-8200 fax 613-761-9177 DAK (contact: Bryan Eggers) 8200 Remmet Ave, Canoga Park, CA 91304 toll-free 800-DAK-0800 800-325-0800 technical 800-888-9818 inquiries 800-888-7808 tdd 800-888-6703 fax 818-888-2837 corporate office 818-888-8220 Denon Corporation, Garden City, NY, 404-342-3032 Digital Audio Disc Corp, 812-466-6821 Disc Manufacturing, Inc Shogo Karitani, Technical Sales CD-ROM Marking 4905 Moores Mill Road, Huntsville, AL 35811-1511 714-630-6700 Discovery Systems, Dublin, OH 614-761-2000 Dr. Linda Davies, Assistant Director of Educational Technology Dykes Library, Division of Educational Technology University of Kansas Medical Center 2100 W. 39th St., Kansas City, Kansas 66103 (913) 588-7342 LD07134@UKANVM Ebsco Subscription Services 1-800-221-1826. ECMA Headquarters Rue de Rhone 114, CH-1204 Geneva, Switzerland EduCorp 7434 Trade Street, San Diego, CA 92121-2410 toll-free 800-843-9497 Future Domain Corp 2801 McGraw Ave, Irvine, CA 92714 714-253-0400 Global Engineering Documents TEL: 714 261 1455 Hall, Bob, CDROM Echomail conference moderator Ellis Enterprises 4205 McAuley Blvd. #385, Oklahoma City, OK 73120 toll-free 800-729-9500 international 405-749-0273 fax 405-751-5168 Fidonet 1:147/23 Helgerson Associates, Inc 510 N Washington St, Suite 401, Falls Church, VA 22046-3537 703-237-0682 Hewlett-Packard, Bob Niland 3404 East Harmony Road, Fort Collins, CO 80525-9599 atten: Bob Niland MS66 Internet: rjn@FC.HP.COM UUCP: hplabs!hpfcrjn!rjn AT&T: (303) 229-4014 Hitachi America Los Angeles, CA international 213-537-8383 IME Computers 1340 Soldiers Field Road, Boston, MA 02135 toll-free 800-999-1911 international 617-254-1700 fax 617-254-0392 JVC Disc America Company, 205-554-7111 Laser Magnetic Storage Intl 4425 Arrows West Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80907-3489 Meridian Data, Inc. 5615 Scotts Valley Dr., Scotts Valley, CA 95066 international 408-438-3100 fax 408-438-6816 Microsoft, Product Support Services international 206-454-2030 NEC Technologies, Inc. 1255 Michael Drive, Wood Dale, Illinois 60191-1094 general 708-860-9500 technical support 800-FONE-NEC, 708-860-0335 bbs 508-635-6328 HST bbs 508-635-6163 HST/V32 Nimbus Information Systems, Charlottesville, VA 804-985-1100 Online Inc 11 Tannery Lane, Weston, CT 06883 toll free 800-248-8466 fax 203-222-0122 optiC-Digest Magazine Jeff Connors, subscriptions Bob Hall, Editor Dept. CDOPDM, 29200 Vasser Avenue, Suite 200, Livonia, MI 48152 international 313-477-7340 Optical Disk Mastering, 704-542-5303 Optical Media International 485 Alberto Way, Los Gatos, CA 95032 international: 408-395-4332 fax: 408-395-6544 AppleLink: OMI Internet: omi@applelink.apple.com Pemberton Press Inc 11 Tannery Lane, Weston, CT 06883 toll-free 800-248-8466 Philips, Linda Olsen 1898 Leland Ave, Marrieta, Georgia 30067 USA 404-952-0064 Phillips/DuPont, Deleware 800-433-3472 Quanta Press 2239 Carter Avenue, St Paul, Minnesota 55108 international 612-641-0714 fax 612-644-8811 (2) ROM1, ROM2, Rose & Crown BBS bbs 615-892-0017 (before 9:30pm) Sierra toll-free 800-326-6654 international 209-683-4468 SIGCAT ------ E. J. (Jerry) McFaul, Chair, SIGCAT U.S. Geological Survey 904 National Center, Reston, VA 22092-9998 SIGS: SEARCH SOFTWARE Working Group George Knapp, Geological Survey, 703-648-6823 SIGLIT - Library Information Technology Susan David, Library of Congress, 202-707-7169 SIGACE - Application of CD-ROM in Education Sheldon Fisher, Dept of Education, 202-219-1699 CIAS - CD-ROM Index Architecture Specification Cpt Larry Schankin, US Air Force, 617-377-2105 ISO-9660 Mike Rubinfeld, Nat Inst of Stand & Tech, 301-975-3064 CDOWG - CD-ROM Data Origination Working Group Maureen Prettyman, Nat Inst of Health, 301-496-1936 CD-CINC - CD-ROM Consistent Interface Committee Susan David, Chair, SIGLIT, 202-707-7169 Fred Durr, Nat Inf Serv Corp, 301-243-0797 GIS - CD-ROM Working Group Dan Costanzo, Army Eng Topographic Labs, 703-355-2803 SIGTEAL - To Expedite the Accommodation Law Robert Jaquiss, Tektronix Corp, 503-627-4444 Tom Dennison, Todd Enterprises, Inc, 703-379-2842 SIGCLASS Working Group Duane Marquis, Dept of Commerce, 301-261-8002 SIGSGML Working Group John Oster, Oster Associates, Inc, 301-838-1908 Sony Electronic Publishing Company Jackie, Optical Dept, 408-432-0190, 408-372-6579 Greg Smith, National Sales & Marketing Manager, 408-944-4027 Bob Hurley, Eastern Regional Sales & Marketing Manager, 603-595-4331 Keith Dalton, Manager, Systerm Marketing, 703-620-1305 Sharon Summers, RN Ph.D. School of Nursing, University of Kansas Medical Center 39th and Rainbow, Kansas City, KS 66103 (913) 588-1664 1K1SUM@UKANVM Sun Microsystems, Inc (contact: Torn Wong) fax 415-336-6015 Larry Kluger, Software Division Marketing Manager international 415-336-4708 SUN User Group internet office@sun.org international 617-232-0514. Technetronics Inc, West Chester, PA 215-430-6800 Tiger Software 800 Douglas Entrance, Executive Tower, 7th Fl, Coral Gables, Fl 33134 toll-free 800-888-4437 international 305-443-8212 fax 305-443-5010 Todd Enterprises, Inc. 224-49 67th Avenue, Bayside, New York 11364 international 718-343-1040 fax 718-343-918 toll-free 800-445-TODD Trantor Systems 5415 Randall Place, Fremont, CA 94538 international: 415-770-1400, 415-770-9910 AppleLink: Trantor Internet: trantor@applelink.apple.com U.S. Geological Survey, Earth Science Information Center 507 National Center, Reston, VA 22092 international 703-648-6045 toll-free 800-USA-MAPS 800-872-6277 Daniel K. Cavanaugh, 703+648-5908 US Geological Survey Library, National Center, MS 950 Systems Section Reston VA 22092-9998 international 703-648-7047 World Library Inc. 12894 Haster Street, Garden Grove, CA 92640 Young Minds Inc. Tel: (714) 335-1350 Fax: (714) 798-0488 E-Mail: yngmnds!mailstop@ucrmath.ucr.edu DISCLAIMER ---------- I have no association with any business entity except as a consumer. The above was provided as information only and does not consistute endorsement. The above information is correct to the best of my knowledge but you should always verify yourself. COMMENTS -------- Comments, additions, corrections, and deletions to this text are welcome. Please send them to me for preparing the next update. No attempt will be made to list all models of CD-ROM drives nor all CD-ROM discs available. CREDITS ------- fidonet: Ted Tang @ 1:154/386.0 bbs: Digital Future BBS 414-964-0386 usmail: 3234 N Cambridge Ave, Apt D, Milwaukee, WI 53211 USA telco: 414-964-8756 (1) Peter Dettelis of COSUG BBS: Colorado Springs PC User Group (719)632-2566 (1:128/13) (2) Trev Roydhouse of Sentry -- Sydney, New South Wales, Australia (3:711/401.0) All trademarks belong to their respected owner. I would add the following two publications to your list, especially since they are so heavily detailed and are sort of 'pioneers' in the field: CD ROM The New Papyrus - Steve Lambert and Suzanne Ropiequet, editors.Microsoft Press, 1986 - 626 pages . Various detailed articles covering CD Systems, producing CD-ROMs, elements . of design, project management, CD-ROM publishing, applications and . resources. CD ROM Volume 2: Optical Publishing - Suzanne Ropiequet with John Einberger and Bill Zoellick, editors. Microsoft Press, 1987 - 342 pages . Evaluating and defining the storage and retrieval method . Collecting and preparing text, images and sound . Converting data formats . Structuring and indexing data . Logical formatting . Premastering and mastering . Data updating strategies . Data protection and copyrighting, and much more I know that you are not planning to list available discs, but the collection of Voyager images from outer space is so unique and economical ($120.00 for 12 discs and many thousands of images) it might be accorded a special mention. ------------------ END -------------------