Frequently Asked Questions

CD-Rom Development/Authoring

CD-Rom Development/Authoring

Sometimes referred to as CD Extra, it is a CD that contains an audio portion as well as a data portion. It plays like a regular audio disc in an audio CD player. When you put it in your computer, it displays pictures, literatures or videos, anything that you have designed it to do. More>>


What is a hybrid CD?
It is a CD that can be played or opened on a Mac or PC. This is necessary for anyone who would like to create a cross-platform content. More>>


What is CD-Text?
CD Text is a hardware-based standard that allows disc and track information to be embedded on audio CDs. However, not all CD players can read CD text. With a CD player or CD-Rom that is capable of reading CD-Text, artist, album and track information can be displayed. Most new car audio player can read CD text.
To add CD text to a CD, you would need a capable recorder and software. Check if your replicator can process CD text as well.


How can ITunes or Windows Media Player recognize my album and song titles?
Step-by-step submission guide through iTunes
For a list of players that are enabled with CDDB, go to http://www.gracenote.com/partners/software/


What do I set up Autorun on a CD?
For a CD to autorun on a PC, it requires the setup of a file called autorun.ini. Here's an example of what the file looks like:
[autorun]
open=foo\bar\index.htm
The first line is telling the system that this is autorun instructions. The second line is specifying the position of the executatable file.
We are not able to make Mac autostart/autorun. OSX does not support this functionality. When a disc is inserted, the disc will be mounted and you can see the disc ID on the desktop.


Is .mp3,.mp4 or window media file acceptable as a source of master for audio?
For an audio CD project, the most common format will be CDDA (Compact Disc Digital Audio). Most CD burning software (Toast / Nero) has a mode for audio CD burning. In this case the burning software will convert whatever source file (mp3 or window media file) to audio CD format while burning. However many CD player, computer and stereo today will play mp3 files the same way as an audio CD, but just keep in mind that there is a chance that some players will not read CDs with digital music files. See the article on acceptable formats for audio CD


How to create a CD disc image with Toast?
See our step by step on how to create disc image using Toast