Einer,
> I�m thinking of [adding] a [cd-writer] to my computer and will
> probably do so within a week. The problem is that most
> [cd-writers] come with win-only software. I did a search for
> burner programs ... and ... found ... too many.
> Has anybody here experience of [cd-writers] under linux?
In February, I purchased an HP Surestore 8100i CD-Writer+.
The online documentation (http://www.hewlettpackard.com/ ?)
explicitly lists unix compatibility. I have been writing
successfully with it under linux at 2x and 4x speed. (Until
recently, I had major reliability difficulties which were traced
to a new scsi host adapter and hard disk installed at the same
time, but the CD-Writer+ has demonstrated reliability and
ease-of-use.)
The installation instructions were frustratingly difficult
to read and except for the hyptertext usage suggestions, mostly
uninformative. Fortunately, the installation was so simple, that
I think the instructions were unnecessary, and I wasted the hours
I spent trying to view them.
The installation instructions provided consisted of a
small (~12 sketches, ~0 text) color pamphlet, a quick-time movie,
a win-only quicktime movie player, and an win-only installation
application. The sketches were mostly safety-related (unplug the
computer, use a grounding strap, remove the case, etc.). I
have not installed a quick-time movie player for linux yet, so
I played it under Windows. Interestingly, the Win-only quick-time
movie player muted midi before playing the movie, so there was
no sound with the instructions, and no sound with anything else
later that used midi (e.g. the Windows login tests). I'm afraid
I wasted several hours examining quick-time and hardware
configuration before tracing the problem to this feature of the
supplied quick-time player. I reported this to HP, and I believe
they have received MANY such reports. The movie instructions
did not suffer much from silence, and they simply reiterated
the pamphlet data. The Win-only installation application was
primarily a fancy ("Honeymooners" style) hypertext browser
of the usage information. If you follow normal safety procedures,
I believe you will find nothing new or unexpected in the
pamphlet or quick-time movie.
> What is the best program?
I use cdrecord (v 1.1.6?), mkisofs (v 1.14?), and sox
(v 3.11?). cdwrite is reported to be no longer supported, and
missing critical features. xcdroast is a wrapper for cdrecord
and mkisofs that provides (with KDE) a drag-and-drop interface.
I have tried xcdroast, and currently prefer to use cdrecord
because I can more easily test the file hierarchy, and image
at each intermediate stage. As I become more proficient
in cd generation, I may switch to xcdroast because of its
simpler interface.
I understand that I am using the latest and last version
of mkisofs. I understand that future versions of mkisofs will
be supported as a subset of the features of mkhybrid. Please
correct me, if someone else on this list knows otherwise.
I use sox to produce a CD-DA (red book) image. My searches
have not yet produced another tool. Though I've not yet dug
into the source code, it appears that sox generates only the
data (X & Y?), and error correction (P & Q?) channels. It does
not appear to have any provision for the information (artist,
title, etc.) channels (R-W?). You should be aware that most
inexpensive CD players, especially older ones, ignore all but
these channels, read only the first 20 tracks, and do not
ignore a data track 0.
I suggest that you refer to the HOWTO-CD-WRITING available
for download.
> I would also like ... the program [to] burn an [image
> (i.e. using dd)] of another cd to make an exact copy [i.e.]
> bootable and/or playable as music cd in an ordinary cd player.
I've not yet tried this, but believe that cdrecord should
have no difficulty handling an image read with dd. I suspect
that the larger difficulty will be updating the disk table of
contents for any tiny changes.
Though, I've not yet learned how, I believe that I can use
cdrecord and the HP 8100i to record multi-session CDs.
> I don�t know yet if [I�m] going to buy a SCSI or EIDE [writer, or]
> if that is relevant for the software[.]
cdrecord supports only SCSI devices. This is not a major
problem, since all the IDE CD-Writers that I considered before
purchase were ATAPI (SCSI commands sent through the IDE bus).
You need only install the generic SCSI and ATAPI (scsi emulation)
modules.
> (I don�t know if you say "burn cd" in [English] but thats a
> direct translation from swedish, ... )
The language I've heard most frequently in America is as
follows.
I cut a cd, to make master, archival, or many release copies.
I record a cd, for interactive use, especially single copies.
I burn a cd, read-only-memory (ROM) for automated use.
I write to a cd, for intermedate or rewritable storage.
I use a cd-recorder to record a cd.
I use a cd-writer to cut, record, burn, or write to a cd.
Hopefully helpful,
Bob
