@DATABASE "CDRom FAQ -pc" @FONT "topaz.font" 8 @WIDTH 80 @NODE MAIN "CDRom FAQ" FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT CDROM TECHNOLOGY @{" What is CDROM? " LINK 1 } @{" What is the difference between disc and disk? " LINK 2 } @{" How standardized is CDROM? " LINK 3 } @{" What is MSCDEX, or Microsoft Extensions? " LINK 4 } @{" What is a software driver? " LINK 5 } @{" What is SCSI, and why is it important to CDROM? " LINK 6 } @{" Can I run a Mac CDROM on an MSDOS computer, and vice versa? " LINK 7 } @{" What are the Red, Yellow, Green and Orange Books? " LINK 8 } @{" Why is CDROM so slow? " LINK 9 } @{" What CDROM drive should I buy? " LINK 10 } @{" Can I upgrade my CDROM drive to read other formats? " LINK 11 } @{" What is a multi-spin drive? " LINK 12 } @{" What is a single session/multi-session CDROM drive? " LINK 13 } @{" What is caching? " LINK 14 } @{" Where can I buy CDROM drives? " LINK 15 } @{" Where can I buy CDROM titles? " LINK 16 } @{" What is the ISO 9660 standard? " LINK 17 } @{" What is the High Sierra standard? " LINK 18 } @{" What is CDROM-XA? " LINK 19 } @{" Where does Apple Macintosh stand on CDROM? " LINK 20 } @{" What is MPC? " LINK 21 } @{" Must I have a sound board for my DOS pc? " LINK 22 } @{" What is Photo-CD? " LINK 23 } @{" What is UltiMedia? " LINK 24 } @{" What is Sony's Bookman and Data Discman ? " LINK 25 } @{" What is CD-I? " LINK 26 } @{" What is VIS? " LINK 27 } @{" What is CDTV? " LINK 28 } @{" What are CDROM-based games machines? " LINK 29 } @{" What is 3DO? " LINK 30 } @{" Can CDROM run in a UNIX environment? " LINK 31 } @{" Can CDROM be networked? " LINK 32 } @{" How is a CDROM mastered? " LINK 33 } @{" What is CD-R (recordable compact disc) or CD-WO? " LINK 34 } @{" How is CDROM related to optical write-once technologies? " LINK 35 } @{" How is CDROM related to erasable optical discs? " LINK 36 } @{" How long will a CDROM last? " LINK 37 } @{" How is CDROM related to laserdisc (videodisc)? " LINK 38 } @{" What is a blue-light laser for CDROM? " LINK 39 } @{" Where can I find out more about CDROM? " LINK 40 } Converted and guided by Louise/AMIGAonly 1995 @ENDNODE @NODE "1" " What is CDROM? " Physically, CDROM is the same compact disc that has become the standard for the delivery of music. It is a plastic disc, 4-3/4" (12cm) in diameter, on which data is recorded digitally. There is also a 3-1/2" (8cm) form factor, equivalent to the mini-disc music product (although this size is currently used only in Sony's Data DiscMan portable reader). Because compact disc is a digital medium, it is a natural for delivery of information of a variety of types - text, photos, audio, computer-generated graphics, video and software - to a computer host. CDROM has many unique features that suit it to information delivery. It has a capacity of approximately 650 million characters (about 200 million characters for the mini-disc). This capacity is analogous to any number of measures. It is equivalent to over 1500 high-density floppies, or over 200,000 pages of printed text. By using a lower sampling frequency for recording audio, it can hold many hours of sound. It can hold upwards of 10,000 high quality photographs. By using compression and decompression techniques (in partnership with the host computer), these numbers can be greatly increased. It is a very durable delivery medium. It is not indestructible, but it is not subject to magnetic fields as hard disks are, and it can be mailed with minimal protection. The disc itself weighs only an ounce or two, and thus is highly portable. And technical standards enable a CDROM to be "portable," in a computer sense, across many types of systems. First and foremost, CDROM is a publishing medium and opportunity. Because compact discs are mastered and inexpensively replicated in quantity, CDROM is an ideal medium for "publishing" many copies of large volumes of information. And because the discs are digital and have a high capacity, they are amenable to entirely new categories of products - such as multimedia - which have not been "published" in the past, because there was no practical means to do so. Thus there are large databases that have formerly been accessible only online being published, in whole or in part, on CDROM. And we see multimedia presentations, which formerly were only accessible from large magnetic discs, being packaged and distributed like other publications. CDROM has inspired new methods for the delivery of existing materials, it has inspired the creation of radically new materials, and it has inspired a complete re-thinking of traditional publishing and distribution processes. For this reason, we see CDROM as the catalyst and the means for a "revolution" in publishing. Compact disc was created and defined in a series of proprietary standards by a joint effort of Sony and Philips. Compact disc-audio was introduced as a commercial product in 1982. The first CDROM applications were introduced for sale in late 1985. CD-I was announced in 1986, the first commercial products were sold in the fall of 1991. CDTV was first sold in the spring of 1991. The MPC specification was introduced in 1991, and the first MPC-compliant upgrade kits and titles were launched in late 1991. And, of course, there are new CDROM-based devices coming from Sony (via the handheld Data Discman and the so-called Bookman), Tandy (VIS) and cartridge-based game systems producers like Sega, NEC and Nintendo. CDROM differs from CD-audio in that certain data are added to meet the needs of computer operating systems, and to assure that the data you receive are the same as the data originally recorded. To meet the needs of a computer's operating system, a header is required that describes the nature and location of the data on the disc. This is called a volume-table-of contents, or VTOC in computer-ese. The integrity of the data is assured through the use of multiple layers of error-correction codes, which further distinguish CDROM from CD-audio. The structure and use of these components are mandated by standards such as the Yellow Book (which defines the recording of data for computer use, extending the CD-audio standard described in the Red Book), and ISO 9660, an international standard that defines the VTOC. Within these constraints, there are many ways to deliver information for specific platforms and applications. These differing methods have lead to the proliferation of "CDROM formats" - such as CDROM-XA, CD-I and so forth. These are described in detail below. However, all formats conform first to the CD-audio standard, second to the CDROM standard, and third to the extended specifications required for each format. In short, CD-I is a format of CDROM, CDTV is a format of CDROM, etc. CDROM requires a computer to read, interpret and display data, and to deal with the interactive nature of CDROM access and use. The initial products were exclusively computer host-based: the drive is attached as a peripheral to a personal computer. In recent years, a new category of products has emerged: the so-called "information appliances," such as CD-I, VIS, Data Discman, etc. These products also use computers, but the computer-ness is embedded in the use of the product. The technical aspects of many of these products are described below. @ENDNODE @NODE "2" " What is the difference between disc and disk? " The convention is that "disc" refers to optical media, while "disk" refers to magnetic media. The distinction is important, because the different spellings signify very different products. Most trade media seem to be oblivious to the distinction (are we listening, InfoWorld and PC Week?), and persist in using the terminology incorrectly. But this is among the least of their sins toward the optical publishing industry. By the way, the absolutely correct way of referring to CDROM is "CD-ROM." This author and others remove the hyphen because a) it does not change the meaning and b) it is easier to type. CDROM should not be shortened to "CDR" because CD-R refers to compact disc -recordable systems, or CD-Write Once. @ENDNODE @NODE "3" " How standardized is CDROM? " CDROM is one of the most thoroughly standardized computer sub-systems in the history of the business. The medium is standard, and the drives that read the medium are defined by standards. The format of the header which enables cross-platform access to data - ISO 9660 - is standardized. There is a variety of standard formats for various data types (text, audio, grpahics, video etc,). Not all is perfect, however. CDROM developers must do business in a real world comprised of a variety of computer platforms, operating systems, and other factors. So the information content on a CDROM remains - to some extent - dependent on retrieval and presentation software which can operate on the system which will access and use the data. @ENDNODE @NODE "4" " What is MSCDEX, or Microsoft Extensions? " MSDOS was first created in a day when no one anticipated that large files would be accessible to a desktop computer, and it has a severe limitation in the size of files it can access (32 mb). Microsoft created an extension to DOS to give publishers a standard mechanism to read 650mb CDROM's. This extension to DOS is called Microsoft CDROM Extensions, or MSCDEX. Like any software, it has strong features and some limitations, so some CDROM developers purposely avoid using the Extensions, but it is required by the vast majority of products. MSCDEX is generally delivered on floppy with each CDROM drive purchased, along with the vendor's driver software. The problem is that distribution for updates to MSCDEX has never been well established. The current (November 1992) version of MSCDEX is version 2.21. If you need an update, first contact your drive vendor. If they cannot supply it, MSCDEX is available for downloading, as CDEXT.EXE on CompuServe (GO MSL-1). If you are interested in some detailed specs of Extensions, download DR0498.ZIP in the same library. There have been rumors for years that MSCDEX would be included in a new version of the MSDOS operating system, but this has not happened. For now it remains an add-on to the system software. Like many MSDOS utilities, there can be many options for its installation and use. Perhaps the most comprehensive guide to the use of MSCDEX is the LASER3.TXT file in Library #4 of the CDROM Forum, compiled by Kevin Kelly. @ENDNODE @NODE "5" " What is a software driver? " Communications between peripherals and a pc is a many-layered thing. MSDOS gives the cpu the capability to communicate with peripheral devices. But because each device has its own features, the vendor must provide a small piece of bridge software that enables MSDOS to communicate effectively with the device. This software is called a driver. There are drivers for hard disks, for monitors, for printers and for CDROM drives. Each CDROM vendor supplies the drivers for his own devices, and these drivers vary by vendor and drive model. Be sure that you have loaded the driver that matches your computer system and the specific model of CDROM drive, to assure that it will work properly. @ENDNODE @NODE "6" " What is SCSI, and why is it important to CDROM? " The Small Computer System Interface (SCSI - pronounced "scuzzee"), is a standard which permits the connection of up to 7 different devices to the host computer. Each device still requires its own driver software. The use of SCSI requires an interface board inserted in an expansion slot of a pc. Macintosh and UNIX systems are natively SCSI-based. One advantage of SCSI is that expansion slots are conserved - instead of a proprietary interface board required for each device, several can share the same interface. Devices such as scanners, printers, hard drives, CD-R drives like Philips CDD-521, MO drives, WORM drives, and some network cards (usually ethernet), can use SCSI in addition to CDROM drives. Virtually all CDROM drive manufacturers have one or more models that use the SCSI interface. In most cases, the consumer has a choice of acquiring the interface board from the CDROM drive vendor, or using a board from a third party. At the risk of offending some vendors by exclusion, note that interfaces from Adaptec, UltraStor and Future Domain receive many comments on the CDROM Forum. Drivers for CDROM devices are available from the drive manufacturers, and from companies like Corel (which maintains a Forum on CIS at Go COREL), and Casa Blanca Works ( with their product called "Drive 7" for the Mac). A new variation on SCSI has emerged. The original standard, now called SCSI-1, has been enhanced with a new specification called SCSI-2. SCSI-2 has standardized audio commands for CD-ROM drives. So using a SCSI-2 "play" command will work on all SCSI-2 CD-ROM drives, eliminating the need for unique audio device drivers for each CDROM drive. SCSI-2 is backwardly compatible with SCSI-1, so a SCSI-1 device will work with a SCSI-2 interface board. In addition, SCSI-2 will offer faster transfer speed for devices that can support it, and the capability to transfer 16- and 32-bit paths in addition to the normal 8-bits. Standard SCSI connectors have 50 pins, a new wide SCSI has a 68-pin connector. SCSI-2 has not been formally approved yet, although some vendors are offering products with these features. (My thanks to Albert Dayes for providing the majority of this data.) @ENDNODE @NODE "7" " Can I run a Mac CDROM on an MSDOS computer, and vice versa? " Yes, no and maybe. The consumer must determine multi-system compatibility for each product. This option is primarily under control of the publisher. If the disc publisher uses ISO 9660 to structure files on the CDROM, the information will be accessible to both Macs and pc's, because a 9660 driver is provided to buyers of CDROM drives for Mac systems, and MSCDEX understands 9660 on an Intel-based system. If the data on the disc is standard graphics, or text files, they can be accessed by either system, if the disc is 9660-compliant. The key question here is whether the software used to retrieve the information is compatible with both Mac or pc (or, additionally, to another operating system). If the retrieval software is runnable only on one system, then the CDROM content is available only to that system. If the disc publisher uses on the Macintosh's HFS file structure exclusively, the disc will not be useable on a pc, just as a Mac floppy is not readable on a pc. If the publisher uses only DOS files, the information may be accessible to the Mac through the ISO 9660 driver. Some publishers include parallel data and software on each disc, so that the content appears to be compatible with both computers. Most publishers of products for the MSDOS environment comply with ISO 9660 standard. Perhaps 50% of Macintosh developers do, although the number is growing. The same rules apply for products compatible with a UNIX, or other, operating system. @ENDNODE @NODE "8" " What are the Red, Yellow, Green and Orange Books? " When Philips and Sony defined the proprietary standards that became CD-audio and CDROM, the documents were bound in different color covers. By tradition, then, each color represents another level of standardization. The Red Book defines the media, the recording (and mastering) process and the player device for CD-audio. The Yellow Book defines additional error correction in recording the media, and additional error detection hardware and firmware in the reader to enable computer-based CDROM. The Green Book defines additional format requirements for data recording, and a specific computer system (hardware and operating system) that describes CD-I. The Orange Book extends the basic Red and Yellow Books to enable both re-recordable (magento-optic) products and write-once CD, or CD-R. When a product's literature refers to "Red book audio," this means that the disc contains standard CD-audio material (which may be integrated with other types of data). Generally this also means the sound will be available directly from the output jack of the CDROM drive. Compressed, or other non-Red book audio, must come via the computer and its audio board or device. This last point is really the only distinction necessary to deal with CDROM products regarding the color books. If you feel you really need access to the standards, different documents are available from different sources. The High Sierra specs are downloadable from the CDROM Forum, Library #1. Red and Yellow books ("CEI IEC 908" and "ISO 10149:1989" respectively) are available from ANSI (212/642-4900), or for better service, from Global Enginerering Documents (800/854-7179). Note that owning the documents does not necessarily give you the license to use them. That is available from Phillips for some $5-6000 for a multi-year agreement. Information about ISO 9660 is available in an excellent article from Dr. Dobbs Journal, December 1992. The standard itself can be purchased from ANSI and Global. A variety of other sources and information about standards is found among the listings in BIBLIO.TXT and NEWBIB.TXT in Library #14 of the CDROM Forum. @ENDNODE @NODE "9" " Why is CDROM so slow? " Accessing data on a CDROM is different than accessing data on magnetic disks. Two major factors impact the speed with which a drive works. First, the physical mechanism that reads data is somewhat more cumbersome in a CDROM drive than a magnetic drive. The CDROM drive spins at a variable speed, meaning that data toward the outside of the physical disc can take longer to reach than data toward the center. A magnetic disk spins at a constant speed, and the length of time required to reach any point is not perceptibly different. Secondly, data are recorded on CDROM in a spiral, just like the old long-playing records. Finding a specific address on a CDROM requires the system to estimate the approximate location on the spiral (which is calculated mathematically), and then refine the estimate to the actual location. A magnetic disk uses an addressing system that pinpoints a location directly. Magnetic disks can access a specific address in the range of 20-40ms or less. The current generation of CDROM drives can access a specific address at average speeds of about 300-400ms, while new drives are being announced with average seek times approaching 200ms. To a large extent, however, the access speed alone is a trivial measure of the usefulness of CDROM. If you are looking for reference information, 300ms is far faster than looking up the information in a book, assuming you have the book on hand. Furthermore, hardware providers and product developers have evolved several ways of cutting the time required to find and present data on the screen. On the hardware side, there are multi-speed drives which can transfer information at twice the standard rate. On the design and software side, there are a number of techniques that can reduce access time, ranging from data compression, to caching indexes, to the physical arrangement of data on the disc itself. As a consumer, you are certainly wise to seek out the superior hardware product. On the other hand, you should recognize that hardware specifications are only one category that defines the performance and usefulness of a system or application. The design of software, and the type and arrangement of content are also important factors. @ENDNODE @NODE "10" " What CDROM drive should I buy? " There is a wide variety of CDROM hardware products available, and vendors often compete on the basis highly technical specifications. CDROM drives are generally named by arcane combinations of letters and numbers. And it is simply difficult to sort one's way through the forest to find the best tree. Key to acquiring CDROM and multimedia capability is 1) an examination of your system as it stands today, and 2) a consideration of what you plan to use the new capability for. As for your 1) current system, remember that a CDROM drive is but one component of many required to access electronic information. Just as a good hi-fi system is defined by the quality and performance of its various parts, so is multimedia today. If you have a 10-year-old pc, the best new CDROM drive will not make it better. And if you have the hottest pc in the world, scrimping on the CDROM will inhibit its performance. In thinking about 2), consider whether you plan to use the capability primarily for heavy database research, or primarily for productivity support (such as accessing clip art for desktop publishing), or for lighter, general reference and entertainment uses, or strictly for games. Each of these represents, to some degree, levels of required sophistication for types of tasks. CDROM is a mechanism for delivering information to the heart of your computer and your work with the computer. Don't ignore these issues in selecting a new system, or a new CDROM. Much of the decision about which product to buy will be defined by a few basic considerations. First of all, where are you going to use the drive? Do you use a Macintosh, or an Intel-based pc or something else? In the Macintosh world, the drive must be SCSI-compatible because that is the interface scheme used by the whole system. If you are operating a UNIX system, SCSI is also almost a requirement. In the DOS world, you will have a choice of a drive with a proprietary ("dedicated-use") hardware interface, or SCSI. The SCSI interface may be important if you have other SCSI peripherals attached to your system, or plan to. Otherwise, the hardware interface doesn't matter. Next, performance characteristics should be considered. Average seek time is a measure of performance. The newest generation of drives have average seek times rated at somewhat below 300ms, some as low as 200ms. The most common drives from the last generation have seek times in the range of 300-400ms. Transfer rate can also be important. The CDROM standard mandates a transfer rate of 155 K/second (sometimes abbreviated to 150 K/second). Some multi-spin drives (see below) deliver twice that rate, and Pioneer drive delivers four times that rate. If you plan to use your drive for multimedia applications, advanced desktop publishing, etc., these features may be important to you. Some drives (or their interface boards) also come with "caching" capability, which enables your drive to feed the computer information in a "just-in-time" way. Cache in ranges of 32-128k is now available in some drives. This is a key consideration for MPC-compatible drives. Finally, you will want to consider format compatibility. Data can be recorded on CDROM in different ways for special applications or hardware, and this opens the subject of CDROM formats. Examples of such formats are ISO 9660, CDROM-XA and so forth, and are each described in their own sections below. (There are technical distinctions in this definition of "format," but for the sake of simplicity, I will lump these capabilities together in this way.) The ability to access different formats is a function of the combination of the CDROM drive itself, its hardware interface, and special software drivers which may be required by your operating system to recognize and use discs. - All consumers should expect that every CDROM drive should have CD-audio and ISO 9660 compatibility. These are fundamental and minimal. Beyond ISO 9660, the formats that will be important to you are defined by the applications for which you use your computer and the kinds of titles will use in your drive. - CDROM-XA is becoming increasingly important, especially for those customers interested in accessing Photo-CD discs. Also, Sony's new MMCD portable CDROM drive uses XA format, so your drive should be compatible if you expect to purchase one of these and use the disc in both places. - Multi-session capability is also important if you plan to use Photo-CDs in your system. In addition, this capability may become increasingly important for CD-R data discs that are recorded in multiple sessions, such as may be produced in a corportate archiving environment. So what is the best drive to buy? Each additional feature may add cost over and above the minimal configuration. You may want to consider a minimal configuration to be the standard transfer rate of 150K/second, the fastest seek time (probably no slower than 400ms), and ISO 9660 compatibility. Beyond these minimums, you can expect that the drive will cost some dollars more. For the greatest potential for the future, consider buying the the drive that offers the greatest performance, with the most features and format compatibilities. In today's market (Fall, 1992) the least expensive drives cost about $200, those with the greatest flexibility and compatibility can cost from $600-1200. As pure speculation, over the next year we may find greater functionality at a lower price, but not likely below $200 at the low end, or $4-500 at the high end. @ENDNODE @NODE "11" " Can I upgrade my CDROM drive to read other formats? " It depends on the manufacturer of your drive. If your drive has a SCSI interface to the computer, it may be possible to find alternate SCSI controllers (other than the one provided by the drive maker) which can add to your performance. Where the interface is proprietary it may be possible to upgrade your drive to XA-compatibility by acquiring a new interface board. There are a few manufacturers who claim they can upgrade a non-XA drive to XA compatibility through new driver software, but ... CAUTION: In general, enhancing transfer rate, speeding up seek times, acquiring multi-session capability and other features require a replacement of the drive. Watch for industry announcements to see if this changes significantly in the future. Some "upgrades" enable your drive to read data from an XA disc, but not necessarily to perform the XA functionality of audio/data interleave. See the discussion under "What is CDROM XA?" for more. @ENDNODE @NODE "12" " What is a multi-spin drive? " Standard CD-audio (as defined by the Red Book standard) flows from the player to the amplifier at a rate 155K/second. This was defined based on the way the music was recorded and the speed necessary to take the music off the disc for its truest reproduction. This data transfer rate was carried over to the definition of CDROM as well (the Yellow Book standard). Since the transfer of data is not bound by a recording convention, the data transfer rate can theoretically be made higher. Some companies are now producing drives that have the ability to transfer Red Book music data (so you can play CD-audio through your CDROM drive) at the original standard rate, while also being able to move non-Red Book information faster. Thus they have multiple spin rates for the disc: multi-spin. The most common multi-spin technology available today is twice the standard rate (known as "2X"), just over 300 K/second. If the CDROM contains Red Book audio (and many do), the drive automatically falls back to the standard 150Kb/sec rate. This increased transmission can make a real difference in the performance of the CDROM system. Data appears more rapidly on the screen. For applications which include video, the presentation is much less jerky. At least one vendor - Pioneer - is now selling a product with the ability to transfer data at four times the standard ("4X"), with a six-disc changer. As this capability finds its way into the mainstream of the CDROM drive market, it will make digital video production more realistic and more common in CDROM titles. When Pioneer introduced the original 2X capability, its price was about $1200, but other vendors soon began offering this feature for less (as low as $600). Pioneer's new 4X product has a list price of about $1700, street prices in January 1993 appear to be in the $1300-1400 range. Be advised, however, that recent tests both by publications' labs and by independent benchmark test developers indicate that increasing the data transfer does not necessarily increased the overall performance of a multimedia production. Unless the cpu and the presentation software - and possibly other components - are prepared to adjust to increased throughput, the CDROM data is in a "hurry up (to get through the wire) and wait (at the buffer)" situation. @ENDNODE @NODE "13" " What is a single session/multi-session CDROM drive? " When data are recorded on a CDROM, whether by mastering or by CD-R, there must be a header, called a volume-table-of-contents (or VTOC) that tells the computer where data is on the disc, the name of the disc and other information. This header must be present for the disc to be useable. When the header is written, a "session" is concluded. Thus all discs are, essentially, single-session discs. Standard ISO 9660 drives can recognize only one VTOC, or session. Kodak's Photo-CD system is designed to write multiple sessions on a single disc. For example, the customer brings in a roll of film which is recorded on the Photo-CD. This is the first session. The following week the customer brings in a second roll of film and his original disc. The second roll is recorded on the same disc, along with a VTOC for the new information. This is the second session. Thereafter, each additional group of pictures recorded is another session, with another VTOC. Kodak's Photo-CD player contains a disc drive and software which enables the system to find each VTOC, and read all the sessions recorded on the disc, and thus is a multi-session CDROM drive. Other drives can have this capability, but require either new software, or new firmware (chip set), or both. Many CDROM drive manufacturers have announced plans to introduce a new generation of drives which have multi-session capability, as early as fall, 1992. Multi-session issues also apply to discs created in write-once CD systems, or CD-R. In a corporate environment, for example, where CD-R might be used for archiving purposes, a user might need to create multiple sessions as data are recorded over days or weeks. Thus, multi-session drives may well become increasingly important in these markets also. @ENDNODE @NODE "14" " What is caching? " The performance of many CDROM titles can be enhanced by a caching product. These products, essentially, download more information from the CDROM than is needed for the original request, place the extra information either in memory or on the computer's hard disk, and thereby provide faster access to CDROM data. In a sense, they provide a "look-ahead" capability, enabling the CDROM system to continue transferring information in anticipation of its use, when it would otherwise be at rest awaiting the the user's request for more information. This capability is available through software products that provide a variety of services to enhance system performance. Three products which receive prominent mention in this category are CD Speedway, Speedcache+ and Lightning. These vendors are active in the CDROM Forum. @ENDNODE @NODE "15" " Where can I buy CDROM drives? " There are an increasing number of retail outlets selling CDROM drives, particularly computer stores that carry other hardware. Because retailers look for simple packages, you will most often see the Sony LaserLibrary or the NEC Gallery products on display (they come neatly wrapped in colorful boxes with titles bundles, etc.). Similarly you will also find the Mitsumi drive in some retail outlets, and, of course, the Sega CDROM enhancement to their Genesis game system. It still appears, however, that the bulk of sales takes place through mail order outlets, and other direct sales locations. Advertisements for outlets can be found in the classified and mail-order advertising sections of computer magazines, directly from manufacturers and through resource lists available from the Optical Publishing Association, including in the CDROM Forum libraries. Some systems, particularly CD-I, are now available in a limited number of locations, and sometimes for lease or rental (Blockbusters, in the case of CD-I). This is not unlike the early days of consumer vcr's when retailers found it necessary to "seed" the interested market, so that consumers could test drive the equipment before they bought their own. Don't look for the availability of rental services for standard CDROM drives (primarily because of the complexity of installation of interface boards, etc.), but some companies do provide leasing, and other vendors have been discussing these possibilities more often. @ENDNODE @NODE "16" " Where can I buy CDROM titles? " Depending on the subject matter, CDROM titles can be easy or difficult to find. The broader the consumer interest, the more broadly available the title will be. Among the most widely available titles are games, children's titles, and general reference products. Such titles can be found in a variety of outlets, ranging from an increasing number of mail-order outlets, to a broad selection of some 4-5000 retail stores, including computer and software stores. CDROM is now found in some chains like BizMart, and some music stores. In the not-to-distant future, expect to find CDROM in bookstores (especially specialty shops), music stores, and a variety of other outlets. Titles for special platforms like CD-I and VIS will be available where the machines are sold. CD-I is currently distributed through chains like Sears Brand Central and a variety department and specialty stores. VIS will be available from Tandy/Radio Shack computer stores and other outlets. Special interest and professional titles can be more difficult to find, and you often have to go direct to the publisher. The existence of such titles is often discovered in professional magazines and newsletters, or by making queries to members of bulletin board and network systems. Two of the most comprehensive directories are Meckler's "CDROMs in Print" (203/226-6967, 203/454-5840, fax) and TFPL's "The CDROM Directory" (published in England, +44 71 251 5522, +44 71 251 8318, fax), available in the US from Pemberton Press, 800/248-8466, 203/761-1466, 203/761-1444 (fax). Both these are available in print and on disc. OPA distributes a list of direct distributors, available in print and in the Marketplace Library TTLVND.TXT file on CompuServe's CDROM Forum. @ENDNODE @NODE "17" " What is the ISO 9660 standard? " In order to be read by a computer, each disc must contain a volume-table-of-contents - or VTOC - that contains data required by the operating system to find and access the files on the disc. ISO 9660 (ISO is the International Standards Organization, based in Switzerland), defines what information is required, and a standard way to organize and write the information. By virtue of this standard, all CDROM drive manufacturers can write software drivers (and use MSCDEX in an MSDOS environment) that enable the computer's operating system to read and use the standard VTOC. It is ISO 9660 that enables the claim that any CDROM can be accessed by any computer system and CDROM drive that recognizes the standard. ISO 9660 does NOT mean that any disc can be USED by any computer system. Only that the files can be recognized. If you have a Macintosh, your computer can read the VTOC of an ISO 9660 disc designed for an MPC, if you have installed the ISO 9660 File Access file provided by the manufacturer. But the software will not run on the Macintosh, because it requires DOS (unless, of course, you are using a DOS-emulator like Soft-PC). Thus, the standard insures that a disc can be accessed, but only the disc developer has the power to assure that the software, presentation, or other content of the disc is compatible with your computer system. The vast majority of publishers of titles for MSDOS use the 9660 standard. Fewer Macintosh publishers do, primarily because they have simply found it easier to use Mac's HFS (Hierarchical File System) for products intended exclusively for Mac use. With the extension of data format standards for many types of graphics (eg., TIFF, JPEG, MPEG, et al.) and other content, increasing numbers of Mac publishers are using pre-mastering tools to comply with 9660 to enhance their access to the MSDOS market. UNIX can also access 9660, but limitations on the length of files names, and other technical attributes in the 9660 standard, have caused UNIX publishers to seek new features to extend the 9660 meet those needs. The promoters of this effort has been informally named the "Rock Ridge Group" and their proposals are currently being considered for formal acceptance in a new edition of ISO 9660 standard. If you need a copy of ISO 9660, it is available from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) for about $50 (212/642-4900), or Global Enginerering Documents (800/854-7179). Information about ISO 9660 is also available in an excellent article from Dr. Dobbs Journal, December 1992. @ENDNODE @NODE "18" " What is the High Sierra standard? " In 1984, a group of influential systems manufacturers, prospective CDROM publishers and software developers realized that the CDROM market would be severely limited if there were no standard way of reading the VTOC. They assembled for a first meeting at the High Sierra Hotel in Lake Tahoe CA, and began refining a standard. In 1985, the standard was approved by the group and by 1986 had been shepherded through the standards-making process in record time. High Sierra became the standard for CDROM access, and remained so until the standard had time to be pushed through the international standards-making bodies, and refined to meet international needs. When complete, the High Sierra standard was absorbed, with only minor changes, into the ISO 9660 standard. Today, many people use High Sierra and ISO 9660 interchangeably. This is not entirely technically accurate, but software and manufacturing vendors today are encouraging the use of ISO 9660 as a baseline of compatibility. @ENDNODE @NODE "19" " What is CDROM-XA? " The XA stands for "extended architecture." It was developed to enhance the ability of CDROM to deliver mixed-media. Consider that a standard file - say, a text database - is written serially on the CDROM, one byte after the other. When data is retrieved, the software generally finds the requested data and transfers it to the computer for presentation on the screen in one operation (or however many serial operations are required). Mixed media presentations, on the other hand, are frequently time-sequenced, requiring that two different types of data be synchronized for the presentation. The classic example is the graphic data of a person talking, which must be synchronized with the audio data of the words being spoken, so that the lips move naturally with the spoken word. In standard CDROM, the picture would be transferred to the computer and then the audio data would be transferred from a different file, causing a delay in the time the audio information was delivered. The result would be a sequence of moving lips, followed by words coming out of nowhere. XA was developed to provide a standard way of interleaving these two types of data, so that the presentation can be properly synched. Using XA, on a single data track, some graphic data is read, followed by some audio data, followed by more graphic data, followed by more audio, etc. The XA processor identifies the data stream as being of two types, and sends each to its own buffer. While the data are not transferred to the computer simultaneously, the illusion is created that they are. And multimedia presentation are thus dramatically improved. In order to accomplish this, a true XA system must be able to do three things: 1 - read data from the two specially defined data track-types, one which delivers the static information (called Mode 2 Form 1), and one which delivers the time-dependent information (called Mode 2 Form 2). 2 - buffer the data from each stream (Form 1 and Form 2), and deliver the required information to the cpu and then on to the display as required 3 - decode, decompress and send the appropriate audio signal to speakers for playback (translating the ADPCM-encoded audio signal). This capability is dependent on a chipset, embedded in the peripheral itself, which controls the disc drive, and software drivers that give the proper instructions to the drive and the cpu for reading and using the data read from a disc. All CDROM drives are capable of reading Mode 0 (CD-audio), and Mode 1 (ISO 9660 CDROM). Some manufacturers are providing an upgrade to enable their drives to read the "static" half of the XA spec., Mode 2 Form 1. They are doing this primarily in order to enable their drives to read Photo-CD, which puts the photo image in this format. This upgrade is sometimes accomplished with an update of the software driver, and sometimes it requires the customer to send the drive itself in for a chip-switch. The costs of these upgrades ranges from $20-70. Although these manufacturers will say their drives are now "XA," they in fact are not, unless they can also also read Form 2. If full XA compatibility is important to you, you should ask if they can read MODE 2, Form 2. If the answer is yes, then you know you have an "XA-ready," or "XA-compatible" drive. If the answer is no, you will probably have to acquire a new drive to get full XA-compatibility. In any case, the ADPCM translation capability does not come embedded in the drive, and may require the acquisition of a new interface board when XA CDROM titles begin to appear in large numbers. There are few fully functional XA systems on the market. As of January 1993, there are four: Sony's Data Discman, Sony's Multimedia CD Player (PIX-100), Sony's XA interface board (which contains the ADPCM translator), the CDBX10, and the IBM UltiMedia Workstation. In addition, although the CD-I format is not readable by any computer drive other than a CD-I player, the underlying format and processor is, indeed, CDROM-XA. CDROM-XA drives are backward compatible, meaning that they will play standard CDROM and CD-audio discs. And since the multi-session capability is closely tied to Photo-CD as well, it can be expected that many of the new generation of drive products will be both XA- and multi-session compatible. The current interest in XA is being driven primarily by Kodak's Photo-CD, which uses Mode 2 Form 1 formats to store all the image data. Kodak's announced plans are to provide the ability to add music, voice narration and special effects to a Photo-CD disc which will require use of Mode 2, Form 2, and the ADPCM translator. CDROM drives which have created a quick-fix simply to read the images, will probably not be able to access this additional functionality. But this is an issue that can't be addressed completely, until more publishers actually have a chance to explore the potential of this publishing approach. @ENDNODE @NODE "20" " Where does Apple Macintosh stand on CDROM? " The Macintosh is natively multimedia. Many of the features that must be added to make a DOS machine multimedia-ready, are built in to the Mac. Apple almost peaked too early in the multimedia field, promoting its potential before the market was ready, and thus the company was playing catch-up in the news media, with all the focus on the developments making DOS machines capable of multimedia (MPC, etc.). Apple has been an early and consistent supporter of CDROM , making drives available and producing large volumes of its technical data intended for developers on disc. Apple's substantial presence in the desktop publishing and graphics markets has lead to the acceptance of CDROM in those communities for type libraries, clip art and the like. Apple has played an active role in forming and conforming to Kodak's new standard formats for high-resolution photographs in the Photo-CD environment. QuickTime, the first truly practical software-based video delivery scheme (now complemented by PhotoMotion on the DOS side of the world), is well-suited to CDROM delivery. And, as per usual, Apple staff have supported the developers of ground-breaking multimedia publications, especially in education. Because Apple is a SCSI-based system, any SCSI CDROM drive can work in the Macintosh environment, with the proper drivers supplied by the drive manufacturer. The new SC CD 300 is a multi-spin drive, and is currently presumed to be available in March 1993. @ENDNODE @NODE "21" " What is MPC? " A fundamental problem in writing software for DOS-based computers is the vast variability in the possible configurations of individual machines. The array of Intel microprocessors, versions of DOS installed, and the broad spectrum of available memory levels, screen resolutions, hard disk drives and other peripherals, make the idea of writing to a standard configuration very difficult. Generally software developers in this market specify a base, or minimal, configuration required to run the product. This problem is multiplied for emerging developers of multimedia CDROM publications for DOS (and now Windows) machines. To help resolve this problem, Microsoft assembled a dozen or so systems manufacturers, and created a minimal specification for a Multimedia Personal Computer, or MPC. This specification enabled developers and consumers alike to plan for the minimal capability required to run multimedia products. Both CDROM publishers and hardware producers can buy the right to use the MPC logo from a group called the MPC Marketing Council, a unit of the Software Publishers Association, for those products that conform to the MPC spec. Some vendors do not buy the right to use the logo: they simply specify the minimal system required for their product, which matches the MPC spec. The vast majority of commercial multimedia products that run under Windows conform to the MPC spec, but the consumer must check the system requirements (or look for the logo) to know for sure. The MPC specification requires, at minimum: a 386 pc running at 20 mhz with at least 2 mb of memory, hard disk, VGA color monitor, DOS 5.0/Windows 3.1 and Microsoft Extensions, an audio interface board delivering at least 8-bit PCM sound, and a CDROM drive. Experience has shown that performance is enhanced with a faster cpu, at least 4 mb of memory, and more than minimal CDROM drive. Vendors sell upgrade kits for those who own the basic system but require a sound board, CDROM drive etc. Often these kits can be broken up if the user already owns a CDROM drive or sound board. Often the complete kits come bundled with a sampling of CDROM titles. An increasing number of manufacturers are also selling MPC-complete systems. Detailed information about the MPC specification, and lists of registered products, can be obtained from the MPC Marketing Council. The phone is 202/452-1600. @ENDNODE @NODE "22" " Must I have a sound board for my DOS pc? " The MPC specification utilizes 8-bit audio, as opposed to the scheme used by regular CD-audio. The purpose of this spec was to allow developers more flexibility in the amount of audio resource available for production. The net effect, however, is that MPC audio will not be interpreted by the CDROM drive as standard audio, but as unknown data, which is sent to the computer for processing. The sound board provides the DOS-based pc with the capability to interpret and output the audio for the production. You can use an MPC disc without a sound board, but you will not be able to access the audio portion, which can be a major element of any multimedia production. Sound boards also provide access to MIDI and other multimedia functions. LATE NOTE: A company called Audio Visual Technologies Inc. (headed by CD-ROM Inc.'s Roger Hutchison), has demonstrated a product called Soft Audio which purports to eliminate the need for a sound board. The software product resides in memory, and utilizes the sound processing capability/hardware built into the CDROM drive. The first iteration of the product will deal with playback only, so if you want the MIDI and other capabilities of many sound boards, the device will still be necessary. But the cost of an estimated 30-40K of memory may be less than the hassles of installing a board if the intended use is primarily for multimedia publications. No price has been released, and the developer is targeting the end of 1st qtr 1993 for delivery. For more info contact AVT at 303/238-1894, 303/231-9581 (fax). @ENDNODE @NODE "23" " What is Photo-CD? " Photo-CD describes both a disc format and a specialized player, developed and marketed by Kodak. The Photo-CD player is a self-contained consumer device that is installed in conjunction with a tv and, optionally, stereo system (it also plays CD-audio discs). There are currently several models with street prices ranging from about $350-500 (Kodak officially lowered their list prices in January of 1993). The key to the product, however, is the disc and what it does. Kodak has created a hierarchical range of high-resolution, high-quality standards for the capture of digital photographic images. At the highest resolution (requiring the most storage space) a Photo-CD has capacity of about 100-125 photos. At lower resolutions, the capacity increases to hundreds of photos. Here is how it works: After taking pictures with any 35mm camera, the consumer takes the roll of film to one of the Photo-CD dealers for developing, and requests a Photo-CD. The film is first processed in the usual way, and then the photos are also scanned onto a Photo-CD disc. The customer gets back the standard collection of negatives and prints (or slides), plus a disc on which the same images are recorded. The processing cost for this entire service - for a typical 24-exposure roll of film - should be about $25, or about twice the cost of normal processing for negatives and prints alone. The customer then places the disc in the Photo-CD player, and the photos can be viewed on a tv screen. They can be sequenced in any order, and sometime in 1993 products will be available allowing the addition of audio and text to create complete still photo presentations. The disc format has attracted a great deal of attention from computer users who want access to the high resolution offered by the graphics formats. It may play an increasingly important role in desktop and professional electronic publishing applications. The high quality images are suitable for creating 4-color separations, for multimedia presentations and a host of other uses. At the highest resolution, there is even discussion of digitizing X-ray images for medical purposes. Each image is/can be stored on disc in 24 bit color at five resolutions. The lower the resolution, the more pictures that can be stored per disc: Base/16 128 lines by 192 pixels Base/4 256 lines by 384 pixels Base 512 lines by 768 pixels 4*Base 1024 lines by 1536 pixels 16*Base 2048 lines by 3072 pixels The Photo-CD platform may lend itself to the publication of commercial products that consumers can purchase for education and entertainment. As a first example of how this capability can be used, Rick Smollen's book "From Alice to Ocean" is packaged with a Photo-CD containing more than 100 photos not in the book, and an audio narrative track. Computer-based CDROM drives can also access Photo-CD if they are CDROM-XA and multi-session compatible. Two things are required to access Photo-CD with a computer. First is a CDROM-XA drive, or a drive capable of reading XA encoded material. Second is Kodak's Photo-CD Access software (available from Kodak and other software dealers for about $40), or commercial software - like Adobe's PhotoShop, that incorporates access funtionality. For typical computer access, images are read into the system and converted to PICT file format. Drive manufacturers are expected to respond to increasing demand for these capabilities with upgrades for existing drives and new products to be ready for sale in early 1993. CAUTION: To be truly XA, a drive must contain a special chipset, firmware and/or software to perform the XA functions. Many drives can be made ready, or upgraded, to read XA CDROMs without this functional capability, and, in fact, this is the case for most of the drives on Kodak's current (January 1993) list of certified drives. Buyers beware: Vendors may tell you their drive is XA-capable, meaning that it will indeed read the current generation of image-only Photo-CD discs. However, if the drive is not truly XA, it will be able only to read the images, not multimedia Photo-CDs to come. The good news is that these upgraded drives provide an inexpensive fix for reading the current generation of Photo-CD discs that contain only images. The bad news is that, without full XA-compatibility, your drive may not be able to read/process the time-synched, mixed-media Photo-CD products Kodak expects to be in circulation in late 1993. Even for truly XA-ready or -compatible drives, you will likely have to acquire, in the future, a new interface board that translates ADPCM audio (another part of the XA specification). But you won't have to buy a new drive. There is confusion even among the sales staffs at drive vendors about this issue. The way to assure the drive you are buying is fully XA-compatible, is to ask "Will it read and process Mode 2, Form 2?" If the answer is yes, and backed up with perhaps a written guarantee from the vendor, with a money-back or trade-out remedy, you know you are ready for XA. For more information about Photo-CD, certified-compatible drives and ancillary products, call Kodak at 800/242-2424, extension 53. @ENDNODE @NODE "24" " What is UltiMedia? " IBM must be considered an important factor in any market in which it sells products, and UltiMedia is IBM's entry in the CDROM/multimedia platform market. UltiMedia describes a family of products, based on the PS/2 line of computers, specifically the model 57 family and the model 77 family. While UltiMedia products do not all require OS/2, the company would certainly prefer it. The system also comes loaded with DOS and Windows. Hardware includes and audio adapter, CDROM-XA compatible drive, microphone, speakers, etc. The UltiMedia concept incorporates a collection of multimedia publications, like the now famous "Columbus," and a collection of titles known as "Illuminated Book Manuscripts." (Get it? IBM!) These products combine multiple CDROM's and videodiscs to deliver an advertised (and very believable) 150-200 hours of viewing content. They are quite sophisticated and have caused a stir among the multimedia development community for their approach to hypermedia and creativity. IBM is promoting these systems for use in everything from multimedia publishing, to retail kiosks, to video-conferencing and networked multimedia access. IBM has also invested heavily in the Digital Video Interactive (DVI) technology from Intel, for the delivery of full-motion digital video. DVI requires a relatively expensive board (about $1000) to be installed in the customer's machine for decompression of the content on a DVI-formatted disc. There are only a few DVI titles on the market, and the boards are not yet generally available. For more information about UltiMedia, call 800/426-9402. There are also two UltiMedia forums for tool vendors on CIS (GO IBM). @ENDNODE @NODE "25" " What is Sony's Bookman and Data Discman ? " Sony has introduced two hand-held CDROM "players" in the last year or so. The first was Data Discman, first sold in the US in mid-1991. About the physical size of a WatchMan portable tv unit, Data Discman plays mini-CDROM's (about 3-1/2" or 8cm), that are specially authored for Data Discman using proprietary Sony tools. When introduced in Japan a year or so earlier, Data Discman did rather well, primarily - it is assumed - because the Japanese have a great need for products like dictionaries and other language tools to read the bulk of material produced outside their country. These publications represented a large proportion of the original Discman titles. Data Discman's introduction in the US was less than tremendous. Apparently our need for language tools is not as pressing, and the titles available for Discman here were less compelling. The so-called "Bookman" is really the MMCD - MultiMedia Compact Disc reader (also carries the model number PIX-100). For some apparent legal reasons, Sony itself avoids the term "Bookman." It is more the size of a portable CD-audio player, and somewhat heavier. It is based on a full-size CDROM, and a ROM-based version of MSDOS, and contains 640K of memory. The drive is fully XA-implemented and also plays standard CD-audio. Sony is actively pursuing development partners. For more information call Sony Electronic Publishing at 408/372-2812. For product and dealer information about the devices themselves, call 800/937-SONY, ext 333. @ENDNODE @NODE "26" " What is CD-I? " Short for Compact Disc - Interactive, CD-I is a proprietary format, not a generic description of a style of CDROM product. In one way or another, all CDROM is interactive. CD-I is a trademark of the Philips consumer electronics giant, with interests also held by Sony and Matsushita. The CD-I product is based on the CD-audio and CDROM standards, and is a stand-alone, self-contained appliance, intended to be positioned as part of the consumers' home entertainment center, and as a convenient tool for the delivery of education and/or training products, for example, in corporate environments. CD-I is a closed standard, meaning that the formats in which data are stored on the disc, and the player on which the disc is played, are self-contained, and not compatible with other systems. A CD-I player can display photos from a Photo-CD, and play CD-audio discs. Note that, while a CD-I player will play audio and Photo-CD, there are only minimal front-panel controls similar to straightforward audio and Kodak players. All the detailed control of the discs is handled by the CD-I controller, through selections appearing on your tv. The system is capable of delivering photo-based animation, but full motion video is projected to be available in the near future only with the additional purchase of a $200 device. CD-I player models to be introduced mid-1993 are expected to have the FMV component built-in. CD-I has been promoted by its creator, Philips, as the latest generation of a new category of digital interactive products. While it can theoretically be used to deliver traditional CDROM types of applications (as long as they have been created specifically using CD-I authoring tools), the primary applications so far focus on multimedia fare used for games, entertainment, and the like. Of course, the effective use of multimedia can make the usual reference product quite entertaining, And this goal is one of the driving forces in CD-I and other multimedia CDROM development. CD-I discs are playable only on CD-I players. Players have a list price of $699, with street prices somewhat lower, in the $550-599 range. Typical discs cost between $20-60. In addition to Philips' CD-I player, a number of other manufacturers have announced plans to begin selling CD-I players in 1993, and this competition may lower the player's price. However these vendors have yet to announce firm plans, only "intentions." Both Philips and Sony have introduced portable CD-I players, with built-in CD-I drives, color LCD screens, and other features. At introduction, prices were rather high (around $2000), but the assumed consumer acceptance - targeted at corporate customers - will certainly bring those prices down over time. There are serious controversies over the superiority of CD-I technology (as claimed by Philips), the viability of this kind of product in the marketplace, and the effectiveness of Philips' relationships with developers, resellers and the trade news media. Without getting into these controversies here, suffice it to say that the products are available in thousands of locations, and consumers should evaluate them for themselves. LATE NOTE: The original Philips CD-I player, the model 910, has been replaced by a newer model 220, which began appearing in stores in early 1993. There have been rumors of incompatibilities between the new player and the old. According to Lex van Sonderen of PIMA, Philips has been able to identify no problems with Photo-CD. Further, the incompatibility problems were apparently limited to products based on one version of a single authoring product. Consumers who might run into this difficulty should contact their dealer. But the likelihood of coming up with the problem appears to be negligible. My thanks to Lex van Sonderen, Manager Knowledge Transfer, Philips Interactive Media, CompuServe: 71552,2204 for his comments in correcting and updating this information. For more information about CD-I sales locations in North America, or to get the current number of the developer's hotline, call 800/532-6363. @ENDNODE @NODE "27" " What is VIS? " Developed by Tandy, the Video Information System, or VIS, is a direct competitor of CD-I. The device itself appears physically similar to Photo-CD and CD-I. Its market and anticipated use is also very similar to (virtually indistinguishable from) CD-I. The key distinction in the system is that it's based on a version of Microsoft's Windows, making product creation a bit easier for developers. VIS is backward-compatible with MPC titles. In other words, titles produced expressly for VIS will also work in a computer-based MPC system. However, titles produced just for MPC will not necessarily operate in VIS. The product shipped in late 1992, retailing for about $699, and titles will be priced generally below $100, as are most MPC titles. About 50 publishers have announced plans to have as many as 100 VIS-compatible titles for sale shortly after it was available for sale. VIS will play CD-audio, but apparently Photo-CD compatibility will be added later. The same controversies over the viability of this type of product in the marketplace exist for VIS as they do for CD-I. Perhaps the greatest advantage of VIS is its high level of compatibility with DOS, Windows and the MPC specification, permitting developers, theoretically, to produce titles more quickly and for less money. This means the consumer might see more titles at low prices. The greatest disadvantage is that the product will be merchandised only through Tandy's stores, meaning less visible access to the product. But all this is speculation until the product has a chance to perform. @ENDNODE @NODE "28" " What is CDTV? " CDTV is Commodore's entry in the home-based CDROM appliance market, just like CD-I and VIS. It is based on the hardware design and operating system of the Amiga 500. It is also designed to be attached to a tv, and will also play CD-audio discs. It is controlled by a hand-held remote device, and peripheral devices are available to enable the system to serve as a more traditional computer. Commodore has been changing their products and marketing plans recently, and the status of CDTV may change. For the time being, where players can be found, their street price is about $600-800. CDTV discs are generally not compatible with other formats or drives. A number of good articles exploring the unique features of CDTV, and CDROM on the Amiga in general, by John Foust, have appeared in AmigaWorld magazine in 1991-2. For more information about CDTV, call Commodore Business Machines at 800/66-AMIGA, or, in Canada, 800/661-AMIGA. @ENDNODE @NODE "29" " What are CDROM-based games machines? SEGA and NEC have introduced CDROM components for their game machines (Genesis and TurboGraphix, respectively). Nintendo has announced plans to sell a similar unit for their NES units later in 1993. CDROM added to these products makes a number of options available to games developers and customers. Where a cartridge allowed only limited numbers of paths, scenarios, "worlds" and other game elements and options, CDROM adds many times more capacity. Further, video can now become a game element, simulating live action as a part of the game experience. NEC's system has been available for some time, but the company's small market share has made it difficult to assess consumer acceptance of the CDROM component. SEGA's recent introduction has been selling out, but supplies have been limited. NES's (Nintendo) reported strategy involves a new "Super FX" chipset that will be integrated in game cartridges. While not specifically for playing games CDROM-based games, it is expected to add additional capability when NES introduces their CDROM attachment. The price of games with the advanced capability is expected to remain in the $40-60 range, removing the need purchase a complete new system, while acquiring new technology. If this strategy plays out, Nintendo will be in a good position to take their existing 16-bit game systems beyond SEGA at a low cost, while achieving at least the gaming benefits of 3DO without acquiring a relatively expensive new system. The future of CDROM for sophisticated games and simulations seems great, but more time is needed to tell for sure. @ENDNODE @NODE "30" " What is 3DO? " 3DO is a company headed by Electronic Arts' Chairman Trip Hawkins, one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the cartridge- and pc-based game industry. 3DO is offering yet-another CDROM-based platform for delivering high-quality graphics in a new generation of electronic game styling. But 3DO enters the market with (at least) two major differences from competitors like Sega and Philips' CD-I. First the design of the hardware has been ground-up, with state-of-the-art components specifically designed for its intended applications. It also promises to provide an interconnection with other elements of the home entertainment center, including, reportedly, serving as a cable-tv controller, video editor and other functions. These features may make the product stand above the the other, more-limited-functionality devices. Secondly, Hawkins has formed alliances with major players across a broad spectrum of the entertainment and delivery industries. These partners include, reportedly, Time-Life, MCA, and AT&T. Steven Spielberg is known to be a major supporter, and a game version of the up-coming "Jurrasic Park" is being prepared for 3DO. Hawkins coterie includes other well-known figures in the entertainment and communications industries, who will serve as potent spoke-people for his approach. The product is expected to be initially available in late 1993, after the announced release date of Nintendo's entry into the CDROM-based game market, and a year after Sega's entry. Price for the device is rumored to be about $700, but may be less (to the consumer) if major cable-tv vendors accept it as a controller and subsidize the price. @ENDNODE @NODE "31" " Can CDROM run in a UNIX environment? " Yes, if 1) you have a properly configured CDROM drive attached to your system and the appropriate UNIX software drivers (from your vendor), and 2) if the content of the disc (and the retrieval or working software) is compatible with UNIX. Remember that while the disc may be readable by your system, it is the retrieval and/or presentation software provided by the disc developer that defines its usability in any particular system. Systems vendors like Hewlett Packard, DEC, Sun Microsystems are increasingly encouraging their customers to have a CDROM drive attached to their UNIX-based systems by delivering system software, utilities and documentation on disc. Some major software vendors - such as Mentor Graphics - also deliver programs and documentation routinely on disc. This support from the systems level increases the potential market for prospective information publishers, and this market can be expected to increase accordingly. The "Rock Ridge" recommended standard has strongly influenced the acceptance of CDROM in UNIX. Written by a group of vendors and CDROM technologists, the proposal extends ISO 9660 in some important ways that makes optical technology more accessible to UNIX, especially through the lengthening of file names, and adding other file attributes. ISO 9660 is limited to file names of 8.3 (as in DOS). Rock Ridge proposes longer names (up to 32 characters) permitting more flexibility in the Mac OS and UNIX. @ENDNODE @NODE "32" " Can CDROM be networked? " The short answer is yes, definitely. There are caveats however. First of all, be sure that the CDROM publication has been licensed to you for network access. Many publishers have developed tiered pricing structures for single-use and multiple-use. If you have purchased a multiple-use license, then it is reasonable to assume that the access/retrieval/presentation software has been designed for networks, and you only have to follow the vendor's set-up instructions. If the retrieval software has not been designed for multiple access, you may have difficulty and will have to return to the vendor for recommendations. Secondly, hardware and server requirements vary widely across systems vendors. When you purchase the drive, be sure you have the current configuration requirements and drivers for operating the disc in a network. Vendors with substantial presence in this arena include Novell and LAN-Tastic from Artisoft, and others like Meridian Data and Online Computer Systems. These vendors have representatives who frequent the CDROM Forum. @ENDNODE @NODE "33" " How is a CDROM mastered? " There are strong similarities between the making of a CD and the old LP records, but with significant differences. First the data is created, assembled, indexed and otherwise "authored" by the publisher. This data must then go through a "pre-mastering" process, which essentially breaks the data stream into blocks, adds the error correction encoding, and prepares a master tape that contains a precise "image" of the data as it is to be placed on the disc. From this master tape mother and daughter discs are prepared, to create a master from which replicates are made. This master contains the pits and lands that represent the digital data from the master tape. The plastic for each replicate is extruded into a mold. The information recorded on the master is embedded into the replicate. Then an aluminum coating is sprayed onto the surface containing the data. The aluminum serves to aid the reflectivity required by the laser in the CD reader. Sometimes gold is used instead of aluminum. A layer of plastic is added over the aluminum to seal the data in a protective plastic sandwich. Finally, labels, logos and other information is screen printed on the un-read side of the disc, and the discs are packaged with documentation and other material for shipment and sale. The fact that CDROM can be replicated in mass quantities is one of its strongest features. A master may cost $1000-1500. Replicates may cost $2-5 each depending on the services provided. Taking the worst case, with a run of 1000 discs, each disc may cost $6.50, quite a deal for delivering 650 Mb of information. @ENDNODE @NODE "34" " What is CD-R (recordable compact disc) or CD-WO? " The basic definition of CDROM has been that it is a "read-only" medium. The content of the disc cannot be purposely or accidentally changed. But new developments have added to CDROM's capabilities in a very practical way. New technology now makes possible the ability to record information on blank CD-sized media, the so-called "one-off" CDROM. With a special write-once system - comprised of a laser system capable of burning pits into the medium and special software to control the process - anyone can now create a single CDROM or a limited run. The ISO 9660 standard enables the resulting disc to be read on any standard CDROM drive, or it can be written for any of the proprietary formats, like CD-I. This means that users can archive data to CDROM, can create demo discs or prototypes, or distribute small numbers of discs to limited audiences, as in a corporate environment. The process of creating a disc is very similar to standard mastering from the "author's" or "publisher's" point of view. The material must still be created, assembled, etc. The pre-mastering process is still necessary. However, instead of mastering a disc and replicates, the data is process through a pc and written on the blank optical medium. The disadvantage to this process is that the data must be recorded serially, byte for byte, just as if you are copying data from one hard drive to another. The writing takes longer than merely recording on magnetic media, and there can be a lot of data, so making a full write-once disc can take about half an hour. But this may be a small price to pay for the convenience. The CD-R recorders can be purchased (prices range from about $8000-12,000), or there are service bureaus who will prepare discs for a relatively small fee ($200-300 for a single disc, generally with quantity discounts). CD-R system prices have already dropped more than 50% in less than two years, with greater flexibility and reliability. Certainly prices will come down as sales volumes increase. @ENDNODE @NODE "35" " How is CDROM related to optical write-once technologies? " In the late 1980's a number of products were introduced which enabled users to record their own data on an optical disc like one would record on a hard disk. The problem in the product category was "the number of products." Instead of agreeing on a single standard for recording data, the industry could only agree that there would be several standards. Thus there was no assurance that the disc written on one user's system would be accessible by another user's system. These write-once system share very little in common with CDROM, other than that they use lasers to write and read data. The discs range in size from 5-1/4" to 14" with capacities ranging from 256MB per side to 2 gigabytes per side. The way data are written to a write-once disc is completely different than CDROM. In short, there is no compatibility between these write-once systems and CDROM or CD-R, and there are severe compatibility problems within the old "write-once" category. This situation is now changing with the advent of CD-R. This new standard enables computer systems to create a standard CDROM disc, playable in any CDROM drive, on the desktop (well, virtually on a desktop, anyway). While there will undoubtedly remain a market for large-scale archiving using write-once technology (banks of high-capacity 12" or 14" discs, for example), small-scale archiving, prototyping and limited-run publishing will probably migrate full-scale to CD-R soon. @ENDNODE @NODE "36" " How is CDROM related to erasable optical discs? " Once again, data is recorded on a CD by being either pressed or burned into a surface in the disc. Once written it is permanent. Erasable optical discs work quite differently. They use one of two techniques - known as magneto-optical (MO) or phase change - to record data in such a way that it can be erased or over-written. The most common technique by far is magneto-optic, or MO. The data medium in MO is magnetic, similar to the magnetic media in a standard hard disk. Data is recorded when a laser heats a spot on the medium and changes its polarity. The read head then senses the polarity is either one way - "on" - or the other - "off." The polarity can be changed again by re-heating the spot. The medium can respond only a certain number of times, before it gets "tired" and can no longer change reliably. This is a high number, however, usually quoted in the 100,000 re-writes range. The media and its size, and the hardware, are completely different than CD-based systems. The only thing they share in common is a laser - thus the "optical" label. Some people see the inability to re-write CD's as a disadvantage. As a publishing medium, however, CD is ideal. Publishers do not want the liability of someone changing the published data without their knowledge. Imagine what would happen if data on a medical publication were changed incorrectly, and a doctor administered medications based on those changes! LATE NOTES: Sony has introduced their long-awaited mini-disc recorder that uses a 2-1/2 M-O disc for recording music in a consumer environment. It is not unreasonable to expect that this approach could be transferred to data application in a computer-host environment. However, there have been no announcements to this effect, and such plans depend wholly on the plans and strategies of the Sony organization. Hitachi Chemical announced in January 1993 that they have developed a read/write disc usable on standard CDROM drives. They may be available for distribution to developers in mid 1993, while a general availability date in unknown. The announcement was unclear as to how the discs would be written or erased. Philips is also apparently working on this technology. @ENDNODE @NODE "37" " How long will a CDROM last? " Nothing lasts forever, but all evidence indicates that data recorded on CD's will be accessible for a long time. The plastic used to manufacture discs is a polycarbonate, a close relative to the material used to make bullet-proof shields. This is not indestructible, but does resist breakage and cracking. The reading surface will scratch, and while the laser focus helps avoid some problems, owners should be careful to avoid finger smudges and damage to the disc. Aside from physical damage to the disc, some concern has been raised about the longevity of the data on a CD. Essentially there is a single hazard which can effect CD data. If oxygen is permitted into the plastic sandwich, it is possible for the the aluminum to corrode and close the tiny pits that determine where information exists. There is little evidence of this actually occurring in the commercial CDROM market, and none exists as manufacturing has improved in the last five years. Vendors perform accelerated tests that stress discs through pressure and heat. Generally these tests show a minimum life expectancy of about 25 years under the worst conditions. With proper handling and care, there is no evidence relating to deterioration in less than 100 or more years. There is less research about the life expectancy of CD-R media, which are not mastered, but are physically changed by the writing laser in the system. The ultimate determination of life expectancy will be made after many years more real-life experience. @ENDNODE @NODE "38" " How is CDROM related to laserdisc (videodisc)? " In the mid-1970's a number of companies introduced a 12" disc product which could deliver movies and other graphical/video content superior to that of videotape formats. What we know now as the laserdisc, or videodisc, has been up, and it has been down, in market acceptance. It has been of consistent interest for training and educational purposes, because it provided an "interactive" capability for the use of video material that tape does not provide. Recently, videodisc has seen a resurgence in the consumer marketplace. Laserdisc is an analog format: the data are recorded on the disc just as in any other analog medium like video or audio tape. CDROM is a digital format. Laserdisc gives a superior quality video picture and high quality sound. Laserdisc is not a good medium for delivery of text, software or manipulatable data elements. Digital video technology is still being perfected, but no one would claim that CDROM can deliver as a good a tv picture as laserdisc. The advantage CDROM brings to the table is the ability to mix and match a wide variety of data elements through retrieval or authoring software. If the sole requirement of the consumer is high-quality video, then laserdisc is the right product to buy. If, however, the requirement is for random access to large volumes of mixed-format data, a high degree of interactivity, or converging published data with other computer applications, then CDROM is the right product. It is this flexibility (albeit with limitations in the video arena) that has captured the attention of many new publishers. @ENDNODE @NODE "39" " What is a blue-light laser for CDROM? " The key to CD technology is the laser used to read the tiny bits of data recorded on the disc. The laser shines on the disc as it rotates in the drive, and counts the bits as they are reflected back or not reflected (reading the lands and pits). The availability of inexpensive red lasers has made the CD-audio and CDROM industries possible. Red light, however, has a relatively long wavelength, which means, essentially, that there are practical limits to the density of the information recordable on a disc. If a laser of shorter wavelength were available, more data could be packed into the same space. For many years, scientists have been working on finding inexpensive ways to create these shorter wavelength lasers, including green and blue light wavelengths. Recently, an announcement was made that a "blue-light" laser, with the size and features required for CD products, had been created in the laboratory. Blue light is a shorter wavelength than red, and the net effect of this development is that future CD systems would be able to record data at perhaps four times the density of current product. This means that as much as 2.4 gigabytes of information could reside on a standard-sized CD. This improvement could mean that a CD-audio disc could deliver almost 5 hours of music. The impact on multimedia CDROM products is great: the improvement will vastly improve the amount of data - and especially real-estate intensive data like video - that can be delivered. In combination with improved data compression techniques, the blue-light CD could deliver a standard-length, 2-hour movie. The technology faces some challenges. Not the least of which is the development of manufacturing systems that can create these new lasers reliably and economically in mass market volumes. There will also be marketing issues as consumers are required to purchase the new drives that contain the new lasers. For these reasons, it is unlikely that blue-light lasers will be commercially available before late 1994 or 1995. But they will enable a raft of new creative potential, and profitable CDROM products. @ENDNODE @NODE "40" " Where can I find out more about CDROM? " The Optical Publishing Association is a non-profit trade and professional group dedicated to assisting CDROM publishers and evangelizing the technology (614/442-8805, 614/442-8815 fax). Best overall book about CDROM is "Guide to CD-ROM," Dana Parker & Bob Starrett, paperback, New Riders Publishing; 1992; $29.95. ISBN: 1-562-090-7. A particularly useful resource for MSDOS CDROM users is LASER3.TXT in library #4 of the CDROM Forum, which contains a compendium of experience and advice from seasoned users, compiled by Kevin Kelly. A file called BIBLIO.TXT in Library #14 of CompuServe's CDROM Forum (GO CDROM) contains an annotated bibliography of nearly 100 books, newsletters and other source dealing with CDROM use, production, and marketing, and has recently been supplemented by NEWBIB.TXT which contains info about finding and acquiring standards, as well as 40 new (or newly discovered) books, journals and other resources on CDROM, multimedia and the industry. Other sources on CIS include the Multimedia and MULTIVEN forums, Photography Forum (GO PHOTOF) with a Photo-CD message section, and a substantial number of vendor forums ranging from IBM UltiMedia, Macintosh, Microsoft and a variety of others. There are other networks that provide services related to multimedia and CDROM as well. On AppleLink, access the "Worldwide Multimedia" icon. Robert A. Bruce, who authors the CDROMF.ZIP file, also available on this Forum, reports there are (at least) two locations for such info on the Internet: cdrom.com (192.153.46.254): /pub [ maintained by Bruce ] cs.uwp.edu (131.210.1.4): /pub/cdrom GEnie and America Online also have sections sponsored by vendors. Most general computer magazines carry periodic articles about CDROM technology and applications. PC Magazine and MacWeek (Ziff), PC World, including the periodic "Multimedia World" (IDG) often include overviews and reviews of drives and publications. BYTE Magazine remains a good occasional source of technical information. Other news magazines, like InfoWorld and PC Week, carry industry happenings, but their track record for accurate information and rational interpretation, is spotty. Good rule of thumb: before building a published fact or concept into your business plan (or any major purchase), get it verified by two or three independent sources. Vendors of titles and hardware, as well as CDROM development software and manufacturers, can provide help in finding specific answers and products. Many of these are also listed in files in the CDROM Forum. The CDROM and multimedia business is extremely dynamic. Everyone is learning about what works and what works best. Keep your eyes open on both industry sources and unexpected sources, including the Wall St. Journal, Business Week, New York Times, and trade publications for your particular profession or interests. @ENDNODE