2 replies to this topic

[audiodio]

Hi. Sorry if this has already been suggest, but I don't think so...

I'm a Mac guy that is considering Win XP too. On the Mac, we have an CD audio image format that is based on a large SD2 audio file (sound designer II) with markers for the entire CD, so this makes possible to do non-silent pauses (like applauses as negative pauses between tracks) or just tracks without pause as on a live CD... Also, it has some sort of metadata or comments too, so on the same file it saves ISRCs and UPC codes (I'm not sure about CD-Text, as it's so unusual and unsupported). It's the audio image format used by Mac software like Jam, Toast with Jam, Peak, and many others.

So, it's the best format for CD audio master preservation on the Mac, I have more than 200 audio masters done on that format. And I know many other users like me.

I did an extensive search on burning software on the PC and Alcohol appears to be great. I'm not worried about copy protection, but using it as a way to make perferct archival copies of CD audio masters with all data (track, gap/pregap, pauses between tracks, non-silent pauses with audio, no pauses/continum audio). I'm not sure but the MDS/MDF format (CD,CD+; RAW DAW +...) looks to be just what I need. But that needs the audio master burnt...

But what about supporting that Mac CD audio image format, as I said? No software on the PC appears to support!!! I searched, I talked with the Sonic Solutions staff (that currently owns Roxio/Adaptec, that created this Mac format), and they told me there's no software support on the PC for that - not even from thenselves - what a shame!

This would be an opportunity to Alcohol to be "the" software to support it!!!

I don't think it's that hard to implement, as the SD2 format is old and very documented, but the only thing I know that supports it (for just playing plain files) is Quicktime (aargghhh...)

CD Text support would be great too...

So, that's my suggestion.

All the best,
ave/audiodio

[Charalambos]

Mac OS is a different OS than Windows for completely different computers and it probably has a very different file system. The question is if what you suggest is even possible.

[Jito463]

A company cannot just "support" a new file format. The company that created the format has to be willing to provide the specs to the other companies so they can access it.