Copyright: GEAR Software Copyright ©1998  Help by .DOC
Citation: GEAR help by .DOC Den Haag


What's new in GEAR?
What is new in GEAR?

Erasing your CD-RW

GEAR now lets you reuse your discs after a click on the erase button. Check your recorder information if it is able to erase CD-RWs.

Context sensitive help system

GEAR’s help system provides you with context sensitive help. Just press F1 or the help button.

Disc at once recording

Want to create professional Audio CDs? Creating a disc for mastering? You can now use GEAR’s Disc At Once recording feature to create picture perfect discs.

Cyclic Buffering System

GEAR’s was already a reliable product, but it just got better. Our new cyclic buffering system increases recording performance and reliability dramatically.


Need more help?
Technical Support

GEAR Software offers a wide variety of information on our web site to help you fully benefit from your GEAR products. Please refer to our web site (www.gearcdr.com) for complete on-line help, support and contact information, or you are welcome to e-mail us at support@gearcdr.com (United States) or gear.support@gearcdr.nl (Europe).

Important: We recommend that you try contacting your local supplier for assistance before calling GEAR Software. Please have your Support form completely filled in and within easy reach before calling.


Support form
 Support form (Please fill in this form before calling for assistance.)

Customer information:

Name	:

Company	:

Tel.	:

FAX	:

Product:

Operating system	:	Win NT Server / Client   Win 95, 95a or 95b

Reg. no.	: G

Product version	: 	Click ‘About GEAR …’ in the Help menu for version information

: v.A.          GA-           -OE  	Check the sticker on the back of the CD Box

Recorder:

Manufacturer	:

Model & type	:

Firmware	:

SCSI controller:	   (Controller card 1)	  (Controller card 2)

Manufacturer	: 	:

Model & type	: 	:

Driver version	: 	:

System information:

Mainbord type	:

CPU brand & speed	:

Project information:

Project size in Mb	:

No. of tracks / files	:

Recording speed	:

Reading speed	:

Error:

Error message text	:

Error code	:

Occurences	: 	How often the error has occurred

When did it occur	: 	GEAR function being performed when the error occured

Description	: 	Description of the problem.

CD-R brand & type	:

CD-R color	: 	Color of the unlabeled side (green, gold or blue)


Credit where credit is due...

Paul ‘The Master’ Braat

Ron ‘No it doesn’t!’ Manders


About GEAR Release 4
About GEAR

This is the GEAR about box and provides specific information about your version of GEAR as well as the registration information.


How do I create a CD project ?
How to . . .

•	create a project

•	load the project contents

•	change the recorder settings

•	test a project

•	write a project

To create a CD project:

1.	Select a CD type in the CD Type & Settings panel.

2.	Click Create.
The Create Project window appears.

3.	Enter a name for the project.
GEAR automatically provides the extention.

4.	Select the disc size .

5.	Click Create to close the dialog and create the new project.
If you choose a Non ISO name, GEAR prompts you to translate to ISO standards.

You are now ready to load the project contents.

Prefered Working Directory Selection


How do I load the CD project contents ?
How to . . .

•	create a project

•	load the project contents

•	change the recorder settings

•	test a project

•	write a project

To load the project contents:

1.	If necessary click [image] in the toolbar to open a project.

2.	Click Edit in the Workbench.
The Editor window appears.

3.	In the Drive Window, select the files you want to load, then drag them to the GEAR Project window.

4.	Continue to select and load files for the project until your project is finished.

Before you continue to test and write the project, you must first check the recorder settings.


How do I change the recorder settings ?
How to . . .

•	create a project

•	load the project contents

•	change the recorder settings

•	test a project

•	write a project

To change the recorder settings:

1.	Click the Settings button in the Device panel.

2.	Select recording settings you want to use:
Single-session CD-ROM
Multi-session CD-ROM
ISO/UDF CD
CD-ROM XA
Audio in one session
Audio in several sessions
External image

3.	Click OK to confirm the selected settings.

You are now ready to test and write the project to CD.

Multi-Session Discs

Virtual Image vs. Physical Image

Recording methods


How do I test before writing?
How to . . .

•	create a project

•	load the project contents

•	change the recorder settings

•	test a project

•	write a project

Note:	Make sure the recorder settings are correct:

To test before writing:

1.	If necessary click [image] in the toolbar to open a project.

2.	Choose your recorder in the Device panel.

3.	Insert a CD-R in your CD-recorder.

4.	Click Test.
A GEAR dialog appears.

5.	Click Yes if you want to write the project after a successful test.
If the test fails, GEAR displays a warning and does not begin recording.


How do I write a project?
How to . . .

•	create a project

•	load the project contents

•	change the recorder settings

•	test a project

•	write a project

Note:	Make sure the recorder settings are correct.

To write a project:

1.	If necessary click [image] in the toolbar to open a project.

2.	Insert a CD-R in your CD-recorder.

3.	Choose your CD-recorder in the Device panel.

4.	Click Write.


CD-ROM settings
CD-ROM,  CD-ROM XA recorder settings

Make sure the following settings are used:

•	Recording method - Track At Once

•	Verify after Write - enabled

•	Multi Session - disabled

•	Fixate Disc After Write - enabled


Audio one session settings
Audio written in one session - recorder settings

Make sure the following settings are used:

•	Recording Method - Disc-at-Once

•	Use Physical Image -disabled

•	Multi Session - disabled

•	Fixate Disc After Write - enabled


Audio several sessions setttings
Audio written in several sessions - recorder settings

Make sure the following settings are used:

•	Recording Method - Track-at-Once

•	Multi Session - disabled

•	Fixate Disc After Write - disabled until last session

Note:	Writing Track-at-Once can result in an audio CD with sharp clicks between the tracks. You should only write audio in more than one session if you do not have enough hard disk space for all the tracks.


Multi-session settings
Multi-session recorder settings

Make sure the following settings are used:

•	Recording Method - Track-at-Once

•	Verify after Write - enabled

•	Multi Session - enabled

•	Fixate Disc After Write - enabled


External image settings
External image recorder settings

Make sure the following settings are used:

•	Multi Session - disabled

•	Fixate Disc After Write - enabled


CD type
The options commonly used are:

•	CD-ROM for data

•	Audio for music

•	CD-ROM XA for multi-media

•	Mixed Mode for CD-ROMs with audio and data tracks

•	External image for images made with other formatting software


Disc size
Which disc size?

Choose the disc size that matches the CD-R you will be using. The disc size you choose here is also the maximum size of the project you are about to create.

When writing to CD-R(W) you can choose between 18, 63, 74 and 80 minutes.


How to create a multi-session CD?

You create a multi-session disc the same way as you would create a CD-ROM, but with one exception: Multi-session must be enabled in in the Recorder Settings.

1.	Create a CD-ROM project.

2.	In the GEAR Workbench, click Settings.
The CD Recorder Settings window appears.

3.	Set the Recording Method field to Track-at-Once.

4.	Enable the Multi-session checkbox.

5.	Click OK. The Workbench reappears.

6.	Click Test to start testing and writing. GEAR will ask you if you want to write to CD-R(W) after the test has been successfully comlpleted.

7.	Click Yes. Once the writing session has been completed, the Mult-session CD-R(W) can be used in a CD player capable of reading Multi-session CDs. You can add new data by appending a new session to the disc.

Multi-session vs. Single-session

How do I create a CD project ?

Multi-Session Discs


How do I change the append mode for multi-session recording?
How to change the append mode for multi-session recording?

1.	Choose Preferences in the Options menu.

2.	Select the Append tab in the Preferences dialog.

3.	Select an Append mode and click OK.
GEAR asks if you want to save the changes to the gear.ini file.

4.	To use the settings in future sessions, choose Yes.


Append modes

•	Automatic Append
GEAR uses the settings of the CD project you want to append to.

•	Manual Append
You may select the track you want to append to and the type of track you want to append.

•	New append
This mode will append an empty track. All previous sessions will become inaccessible. A disc lost due to a write failure can be used again after the writing of a new empty track.

•	Multi volume Append
In this mode you will be able to create a multi volume disc. To enable the reading of the separate volumes, you will need special drivers for the CD player.


Appending data to a multi-session disc automatically
How to append data to a multi-session disc automatically

To append data to a multi-session disc:

1.	Insert a multi-session capable disc into the recorder.

2.	Select Multi Session in the CD Type & Settings panel.
The button immediately below the panel changes to Append.

3.	Click Append.
The AutoAppend Track window appears. The last recorded session is automatically selected.

4.	Click OK.

Note:	If the same recorder has been used to create or append to the disc, it could be that the image file still exists. In that case GEAR will display a message.
Click Yes to overwrite the volume.
The GEAR information window appears. Note that the buffer indicator in this window will only be active if cyclic buffers are used.
When GEAR has finished reading the track data, the GEAR workbench appears.

5.	Start the data editor to select the files you want to add and/or remove. Be aware that by removing a file, you only delete the entry. Although the data are not erased, they cannot be retrieved.

After selecting the session contents, you can close the Data Editor and proceed to Testing and Writing . Only changes will be written to the CD-R disc. Every time you write a new session, an additional 15MB is added to the CD-R disc. This is known as overhead.

How to change the append mode for multi-session recording

How to append data to a multi-session disc manually


Appending data to a multi-session disc manually
How to append data to a multi-session disc manually

If the append mode is set to AutoAppend, GEAR automatically selects the last
session/track on the CD to append the new data to. In order to be able to select the appropriate session/track yourself, you must set the append mode in the GEAR Preferences to Manual Append.

To select a session/track:

1.	Insert a multi-session capable disc in the recorder.

2.	Click [image].
The Disc Information window appears.

3.	Select the appropriate session/track.

4.	Click OK. The GEAR information window appears. Note that the buffer-indicator in this window will only be active when writing with cyclic buffers.

5.	Click Append to
The Advanced Append Track dialog appears.

6.	Select the appropriate values for the track.

7.	Click OK..
When GEAR has finished reading the track data, the GEAR Workbench appears. You can now edit the project contents and then proceed to Testing and Writing .


How do I copy a CD-ROM (virtual image) ?
How to copy a CD-ROM from CD reader to CD recorder

Note:	Do not use this method if your CD-ROM player is slow ( less than 6x speed) or if your system does not run well with cyclic buffering. In that case use a physical image to copy the CD-ROM.

To copy directly from a CD in a connected CD player:

1.	Insert the source CD in the CD-ROM player and the empty CD-R(W) in the recorder.

2.	Select CD-ROM in the CD type & settings panel.

3.	Click Create.

4.	Enter a name for the project.
You must use the same name as used in the original CD (watch out for capitals).

5.	Click Create.
The Create button changes to Edit.

6.	Click Edit.
The Gear Data Editor window appears.

7.	Select your CD-ROM drive in the pulldown menu for source drives.
The contents of the original CD-ROM are displayed in the drive window.

8.	Drag and drop the files you want to copy from the Drive window to the GEAR Project window. Then close the Data Editor window. The Workbench reappears.

Now you are ready to check the recorder settings and write the project to CD-R(W).


How do I copy a CD-ROM (physical image) ?
How to copy a CD-ROM using a hard disk copy of your CD

Note:	Make sure you have no project open and you have enough free space on your hard disk. If not, use the virtual image to copy the CD-ROM.

To copy the CD-ROM using a hard disk copy:

1.	Insert the source CD-ROM in your CD recorder.

2.	In the Workbench window, click [image]. The Disc Information window appears.

3.	Click the Copy button to copy the track to your hard disk. If you see more than one track the source CD is Mixed mode or Audio .

4.	Enter a name for the project and click OK.
A GEAR information window displays the percentage of the track written to your hard disk.

5.	Click OK to close the CD information window.

6.	Select External Image in the CD type & settings panel.

7.	Click Open.

8.	Select your project in the dialog that appears and click Open.
The External Image dialog appears.

9.	Select CD-ROM Mode 1 as Image type and click OK.
The Workbench reappears.

Now you are ready to check the recorder settings and write the project to CD-R(W).


How to create an Audio CD from wave files

The following procedure explains how to create an Audio CD from wave files and/or Audio tracks. Use a CD track list to create an Audio CD from Audio Tracks only.

To create an Audio CD:

1.	Select Audio CD as Type in the CD type settings panel.

2.	Click Create to create a new project.

3.	Enter a name for the new project. GEAR automatically provides the extension.

4.	Choose the maximum project size.

5.	Click Create to close the dialog and create the new audio CD project.
The Workbench reappears.

6.	Click Edit to open the Audio Editor. The Editor window appears.

7.	In the Drive Window, locate and select the files you want to load, then drag them to your project window. GEAR supports several audio file formats .
You will see that a new Audio track is created automatically for each file you drag into your Track window.

Note:	You can copy tracks from an audio CD directly into your project. To do this:

•	Click [image] in the Editor toolbar. The CD-R information window appears with all the tracks of the audio CD.

•	Drag and drop the tracks you want to copy from the CD information window to your Audio project window. GEAR will create a physical image on your hard disk of all these tracks.

8.	Continue to select and load files for the project until your Audio CD is finished.
In Windows, you can also drag files to the GEAR window from the Explorer, desktop, shortcuts, or the GEAR File Manager window.

9.	Select Close in the file menu. The Workbench reappears.

Now you are ready to check the recorder settings and write the project to CD-R(W).


How to create an Audio CD from CD tracks

To create an Audio CD from CD tracks:

1.	Insert an audio CD into the recorder.

2.	Select CD Track List as CD type.

3.	Click [image] in the toolbar. The editor appears with a new CD Track List.

4.	Click [image]. The CD-R information Window appears.

5.	Drag & drop the files you want to copy from the CD-R information window to the CD Track List window. Gear automatically reads the selected tracks and copies them to your hard disk.

6.	Click [image] to close the CD-R information Window

7.	Replace the audio CD with another one and repeat steps 3 and 6 until you have loaded all the tracks for your audio CD.

8.	If you want to change the pause between the tracks, double-click the tracks in the CD Track List window. There is always a 2 second pause before the first track.

9.	Click OK to close the Entry window.

10.	Select Close in the file menu to close the CD Track List editor. A GEAR dialog prompts you to save the CD Track List.

11.	Click Yes to save the CD Track List. GEAR creates a name automatically. The Workbench window reappears.

Now you are ready to check the recorder settings and write the project to CD-R(W).

CD Track List Entry Dialog


How do I create a physical image?
How to create a physical image?

1.	Open the project you want to create a physical image for.

2.	Select Convert to physical in the Device panel.

3.	Click the Write button.
As GEAR creates the physical image, the status is reported in the GEAR information window.
If physical files already exist for the project, you are prompted to overwrite them.

Note:	To use a physical image enable the 'Use physical image' check box in the Recorder Settings.

Virtual Image vs. Physical Image


How do I generate a log file?
How to generate a log file?

1.	Choose Generate Log from the File menu.

2.	Enter a name for the log file or choose one under File Name.

3.	Choose a location to save the file, then click OK.
If you select the option Show log in the Window menu, You will notice that Logging started is displayed in the Status window.

4.	Perform the actions you want to save in the log file.
Each action you perform is recorded in the Status window.

5.	When you’re finished, choose Generate Log from the File menu.


How do I edit a log file?
How to edit a log file?

You can use any text editor such as Windows Notepad to edit the log file.

Comment lines are preceded by a semicolon and are ignored when you run the batch file.


How do I run a batch (log) file?
How to run a batch (log) file?

1.	Choose Run Batch from the File menu to display the Name of batchfile dialog.

2.	Locate and choose the log or batch file you want to use, then click OK.

3.	GEAR prompts you to run the batch automatically using the default dialog values. Click Yes.
As the batch file is processed, its status is displayed in the Status window.


How do I test the transfer rate?
How to test the transfer rate?

1.	Click Show Log in the Windows menu.

2.	Open the project you want to test.

3.	Choose Test Transfer Rate from the Write menu.
The GEAR Information appears. If the test is successful, the workbench reappears.


How do I get disc information?
How to get disc information?

1.	Insert a disc into the recorder.

2.	Click [image] in the toolbar.
The GEAR Information window appears.


How do I fixate a disc?
How to fixate a disc?

Note:	You can also fixate the disc when writing the last track. To do this, click Settings in the Device panel, select the Advanced Settings tab and enable the appropriate check box.

To fixate a disc:

1.	Insert the disc into the recorder.

2.	Select Fixate Disc from the Tools menu.


How do I create a CD-RW?
How to create a CD-RW?

To create a CD-RW you need a recorder that supports this feature and CD-RW.

Otherwise the production process is exactly the same as for creating a CD-R .


How do I erase a CD?
How to erase a CD-RW?

Note:	Once erased the contents of a CD-RW cannot be recovered.

1.	Insert the CD-RW you want to erase.

2.	Click [image] in the toolbar.

The complete CD-RW will be erased. You can now reuse the CD-RW for new projects.


How do I create a project using an external image
How to create a project using an external image

1.	Select External image as CD type.

2.	Click Open.
The Open External image dialog appears.

3.	Locate the external image you want to open, then click Open.
The External Image Parameters dialog appears.

4.	Choose a format from the Image Type drop-down list.
You can select one of the predefined formats or choose User-defined image type from the Image Type drop-down list.

5.	Click OK. The Workbench reappears.

Now you can test and write the project to the CD-R(W).

Predefined formats


How do I create a project using a track list
How to create a project using a track list

1.	Select CD Track List as CD Type.

2.	Click [image] in the toolbar.
The Track List Editor appears.

3.	Drag & drop the files you want from the Drive window to the Track List window.

4.	Double click the file names in the Track List window to specify the track type and the pause after the track.

5.	Close the Track List Editor.
A GEAR dialog appears, prompting you to save the Track list.

6.	Click Yes to save the Track list.
GEAR provides a name automatically.

Now you can test and write the project to the CD-R(W).

CD Track Lists

CD Track List Entry Dialog


How do I copy a track?
How to copy a track to hard disk?

GEAR lets you extract tracks from a CD and store them on your hard disk for recording on a CD-R.

Note:	Not all recorders support copying digital audio tracks.
For more information, visit our website www.gearcdr.com

1.	Insert a CD in your CD recorder.

2.	In the Workbench window, click [image] to display a window containing information about the CD, such as the track types used.

3.	Choose the track you want to copy and click the Copy button to copy the track to your hard disk.

4.	In the GEAR dialog that appears, choose a name for the file and click OK.
A GEAR information window displays the percentage of the track written to your hard disk.

5.	Click OK to close the CD information window.
You can now load the files in a project and write them to CD-R.


How do I verify a project
How to verify a project?

1.	With the project you want to verify open, choose Verify from the project menu.

2.	Update the project by reloading the reported files and directories.
As GEAR verifies the track or project, the status of the verification is reported in the GEAR information window.


How to copy a Mixed Mode CD

1.	Insert a Mixed mode CD into the recorder.

2.	Select CD Track List as CD type.

3.	Click [image] in the toolbar. The editor appears with a new CD Track List.

4.	Click [image]. The CD-R information Window appears.

5.	Drag & drop the tracks you want to copy from the CD-R information window to the CD Track List window. Gear automatically reads the selected tracks and copies them to your hard disk.

6.	Click [image] to close the CD-R information Window

7.	If you want to change the format of the tracks, double-click the tracks in the CD Track List window.

Note:	Make sure the formats of the tracks in the CD Track List are the same as on the source disc.

8.	Click OK to close the Entry window.

9.	Select Close in the file menu to close the CD Track List editor. A GEAR dialog prompts you to save the CD Track List.

10.	Click Yes to save the CD Track List. GEAR creates a name automatically. The Workbench window reappears.

Now you can start testing and writing the project.

Combining track types

CD Track List Entry Dialog

How to create a project using a track list


Glossary

A

3DO

access time

ActiveAudio

address

ADPCM

AIFF

alias records

ANSI

ASCII

authoring

average seek time

AVI

B

BER

bit

BLER

block

blown session

buffer

byte

C

cache

caching

CD-I

CD Plus

CD Recorder

CD-ROM

CD-ROM XA

CD standards

central processing unit (CPU)

D

DAT

data capture

data compression

data error

data transfer rate

DDP

device driver

directory, folder

disc at once

drive, CD drive

drive, hard disk

DVI

dynamic

dynamic RAM cache

E

ECC/EDC

electronic publishing

encryption

enhanced CD-ROM

F

firmware

Form 1

Form 2

fragmentation

G

Gb

Green Book

H

hard disk

HFS

High Sierra

I

input/output (I/O)

intelligent

image

index

Interactive media

interface

ISO-13346

ISO-9660

J

JPEG

K

Kb

kb/s

L

LaserVision

latency

M

mastering

Mb

Mb/s

media

megabyte

MMF

Mode 1

Mode 2

MPC

MPEG

multisession

N

O

OEM

Orange Book

OSTA

overhead

P

partition

PCM

peripheral

physical image

platter

premaster tape

proprietary

Q

R

read ahead

Red Book

replication

retrieval

S

SCSI ID

SCSI interface

sector

seek time

session

SGML

single-session

stamping

standards

static

subcode

T

thermal recalibration

track

track 1 problem

transfer rate

U

UDF

unicode

V

Virtual image

virtual track

volume

VTOC

W

White Book

X

Y

Yellow Book

Z


3DO

A CD-ROM-based system in the same market segment as CD-I. Based on a RISC processor for optimum graphical performance.


access time

The time a CD-ROM drive or hard disk needs to read and transfer data from disc to the target computer.


ActiveAudio

A type of Enhanced CD. ActiveAudio is one of the approaches developers have taken to solve the problems that occur when you combine digital and audio data on one CD-ROM. ActiveAudio information is organized in this way:

Digital data occupies the silence preceding track 1 (so called track 0)

Audio data occupies track 1 and up


address

The ID number of a device on the SCSI bus, or the location of a block of data in storage.


ADPCM

Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation. A method of compressed audio data storage. Instead of storing the signal, the difference between signals is stored. This means that only four bits per sample rather than 16 bits per sample are needed.

For CD-I, levels A, B, and C are recognized. B and C are also used in CD-ROM XA. The sample frequencies used to measure the audio signals are 37.8 kHz and 18.9 kHz for levels B and C, respectively. This brings the band width (the maximum frequency to be reproduced) to 17 kHz and 8.5 kHz. For level A, these figures are 44.1 kHz and 20kHz. Using ADPCM, a 16-fold reduction in storage requirements can be achieved (level C, mono).


AIFF

Audio Interchange File Format. It is a full-featured audio file specification that allows many programs on multiple platforms to share standards for audio storage. Electronic Arts published the AIFF specification in 1985. It started as a digital music instrument specification. Over the years it has been enhanced to provide compressed digital sound (AIFC).


alias records

The stored information that tracks the locations of a file and its alias as well as the pointers to those locations.


ANSI

American National Standards Institute. ANSI is a private, nonprofit membership organization that performs two functions:

Coordinates the United States’ voluntary consensus standards system

Approves American National Standards

If you wish to contact ANSI, write or call: ANSI, 1430 Broadway, New York, NY 10018; (212) 354-3300.


ASCII

American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A coding scheme that represents characters numerically. Almost every manufacturer uses the same coding for the first 128 symbols in the ASCII table. Different tables exist for ASCII numbers 128 through 255.


authoring

Working method for modeling information. Examples of authoring systems include word processors and spreadsheets on a PC, and multimedia workstations for combining sound, video, images and text for real-time audiovisual presentations.


average seek time

The average time it takes to locate data and position the drive head to that location. Average seek time is measured in milliseconds.


AVI

Format for audio/video files defined by Microsoft for use under Windows. The limited compression means a fast computer system with a fast storage medium is required. AVI is not well suited for use with CD-ROM.


BER

Bit Error Rate. Defined as the number of correctly processed bytes before an erroneous bit is detected. For CD-ROM, the bit error rate is 10-12.


bit

The smallest unit of information. (Bit is a contraction of binary and digit.) A binary digit has a value of 0 or 1.


BLER

Block Error Rate. Compares the number of blocks with at least one error against the total number of blocks measured.


block

The smallest “chunk” of memory accessed or transferred by a disk drive. Usually 512 bytes in size, it can be larger in multiples of 512. The number of bytes in a block is the same as block size.


blown session

A CD-ROM recording session that is disrupted such that the recorder literally loses track, rendering the recording medium, a writable compact disc, unusable.


buffer

A temporary storage area for data being transferred from one place in the computer system to another.


byte

A symbol or character that consists of eight bits.


cache

A temporary storage area for information used frequently by your system. You can set up cache in RAM or on your hard disk. Using cache speeds up system response by reducing the time it takes to locate requested information.


caching

Used to store recently-requested information. On the next request for the same information, the system retrieves it from fast cache memory rather than from the slower medium.

CD

Compact Disc. A non-magnetic, polished metal disk with a protective plastic coating. Used to store digital information, which can be read by an optical scanning device that uses a high-intensity light source—a laser—and mirrors.


CD-I

Compact Disc Interactive. A system for presenting information such as text, images, and video, on a television screen. The standard is defined by Philips and Sony and described in the Green Book.


CD Plus

A type of Enhanced CD. CD Plus is one of the approaches developers have taken to solve the problems that occur when you combine digital and audio data on one CD-ROM. CD Plus takes a multisession approach:


Audio data occupies session 1

Digital data occupies session 2


CD Recorder

These drives, along with specialized mastering software, allow users to make their own compact discs.


CD-ROM

Compact Disk, Read-Only Memory. Data is stored as pits on a disc surface, which are read by a laser in the CD-ROM drive. The data can be read and copied; data cannot be erased; new data cannot be added.


CD-ROM XA

Compact Disc Read Only Memory Extended Architecture. The standard for CD-ROM to which a number of options from CD-I have been added. These include audio compression (ADPCM), multi-channel audio, file interleaving, user data (2336 bytes/sector), image compression, and so on.

A CD-ROM XA disc is a Mode 2 disc in which the data in located in Form 1 (2048 bytes/sector) or Form 2 (2336 bytes/sector).


CD standards

The physical aspects of different CD types defined by Philips and Sony. The logical file format used on CDs is described in the ISO-9660 standard. See Green Book, ISO-9660, Orange Book, Red Book, White Book, Yellow Book.


central processing unit (CPU)

The brains or “central switching station” of any computer.


DAT

Digital Audio Tape. A 4mm tape format used for data storage.


data capture

A method of converting data from non-electronic data carriers—paper, microfiche, artwork, and so on—into a form that allows processing by computer.


data compression

A technique for removing unnecessary information from data. For example, a repeating sequence can be stored as a value and the number of times it’s repeated.


data error

Any discrepancy between the data recorded and the data read back.


data transfer rate

A measure of how quickly data is supplied to the computer from the CD-ROM drive.


DDP

Disc Description Protocol. A CD sector level protocol designed to adequately describe a compact disc. A CD described using DDP can be reliably mastered. Some mastering and replication companies prefer the premaster tape with DDP.


device driver

The software program that translates commands between the operating system and the SCSI Manager. It makes it possible for your system to talk to the devices attached to it.


directory, folder

A file that contains information (name and location) about the files on a disk. Used in almost every storage medium (floppy, hard disk, CD-ROM).


disc at once

A method by which a disc is written. A CD recorder first writes the lead in, then the track data, then the lead out. Link blocks are not inserted. Useful for audio-only discs that must be an exact copy of an image.


drive, CD drive

The physical components necessary to read data from a CD.


drive, hard disk

A data storage device that employs one or more rigid disks as the medium of storage.


DVI

Digital Video Interactive. A technology, developed by RCA and sold by Intel, that makes it possible to store compressed real-time audio and video, then play it back decompressed at the correct speed.


dynamic

Marked by continuous change or activity. The data held in dynamic RAM cache is swapped out as new data is accessed. It is marked by continuous change and activity.


dynamic RAM cache

A RAM cache that grabs and holds information as it is read by a computer. When full, dynamic RAM swaps out the oldest data with the newest data.


ECC/EDC

Error Correction Code/Error Detection Code. Information used by the drive hardware to detect and correct data errors caused by scratches or dirt on a disc. Optimizes data integrity.

CD-ROM uses only 2048 bytes of a sector of 2352 bytes for data storage. Header and synchronization information uses 12 and four bytes, respectively. The remaining 288 bytes are used for ECC and EDC information.


electronic publishing

Publishing process in which electronic media such as CD-ROM, floppy disk, and so on, are used rather than printing on paper.


encryption

A complex reordering of information so that it becomes illegible. Encryption and decryption are used together. some of the algorithms used are symmetrical, which means that double encryption restores the data to its original state.


enhanced CD-ROM

Compact discs that combine digital and audio data on a single disc in a way that allows trouble-free use of the same disc on both an audio CD player and a CD-ROM drive.


firmware

An often-used microprogram or instruction stored in ROM. Usually refers to the ROM-based software that controls a drive.


Form 1

A subformat of Mode 2. Defines the structure of a CD-ROM sector as follows: sync (12 bytes); header (4 bytes); subheader (8 bytes); data (2048 bytes); EDC (4 bytes); ECC (276 bytes).

This subformat is used for normal data files including Photo CD and Electronic Book.


Form 2

A subformat of Mode 2. Defines the structure of a CD-ROM sector as follows: sync (12 bytes); header (4 bytes); subheader (8 bytes); data (2324 bytes); EDC (4 bytes).

This subformat is used for files where error correction is impossible due to real-time characters, that is, compressed audio or moving images.


fragmentation

With use over time, the sectors of a file are written in different areas across the storage surface. This slows access time because the drive head must move to non-contiguous locations to read the contents of a file.


Gb

A Gigabyte according to ISO standards is 1000.000.000 bytes. In computer terminology a Gb is reffered to as 1024 x 1024 x 1024 = 1,073,741,824 bytes


Green Book

Defines the physical aspects of CD interactive (CD-I). See also standards.


hard disk

A permanent storage medium for computer data based on a rotating disk with a magnetically sensitive layer. Information can be written on this and read again using a read/write head. Information can also be deleted.


HFS

Hierarchical File System. Used by Apple for floppy and hard disk and for CD-ROM. Apple also supports the ISO-9660 standard.


High Sierra

The predecessor of the ISO-9660 standard. Published by the CD-ROM Ad Hoc Advisory Committee, also known as the High Sierra Group, on May 28, 1986. Use of this standard is no longer recommended. ISO-9660 is preferred.


input/output (I/O)

The communication flow between a computersystem and the devices attached to it.


intelligent

Refers to a device capable of processing commands on its own.


interface glossary term
interface

The go-between that provides a common basis for communication between two otherwise incompatible devices.


image

A virtual copy of the future CD-ROM disc stored on the hard disk. It is used for  writing the final premaster tape and/or CD-R disc.


index

A separate list of words or keys, sorted alphabetically or numerically along with a reference to their location in the text or the data base.


Interactive media

Media with which you interact to find information.


interface

The point of contact between two systems. Interfaces can be items of equipment (e.g., SCSI interface between computer and CD-ROM player) or software modules (user interface).


ISO-13346

The new ISO standard for optical media based on a file system for write-once and rewritable media using non-sequential recording.


ISO-9660

The international standard defining the CD-ROM data format. The aims of the standard are to achieve interchangeability of discs and to optimize performance. It is the official standard to which all CD-ROM applications should conform.


JPEG

Joint Photographic Experts Group.


Kb

A Kilobyte according to ISO standards is 1000 bytes. In computer terminology a Kb is reffered to as 1024 bytes.


kb/s

Kilobytes per second.


LaserVision

Video disc system.


latency

The time, in milliseconds, it takes for the spinning disk platter to bring around the desired sector to where the read/write head can access it. Does not include head positioning time. Contributes to access time. (See Interleaving.)


mastering

The process in which a glass master is produced for production of the stampers which are in turn used for replication of the CDs. The glass master contains photosensitive lacquer that’s illuminated on a laser beam recorder (LBR). The data for mastering comes from a premaster tape.


Mb

A Megabyte according to ISO standards is 1000.000 bytes. In computer terminology a Mb is reffered to as 1024 x 1024 bytes.


Mb/s

Megabytes per second.


media

Another term for the CD platter, but more specifically the surface of the platter that holds the data.


megabyte

One million bytes (actually 1,048,576).


MMF

Multimedia file.


Mode 1

Defines the structure of the CD-ROM sector as follows: sync (12bytes); header (4 bytes); data (2084 bytes); reserved (8 bytes); ECC (276 bytes); and EDC (4 bytes).


Mode 2

Defines the structure of the CD-ROM sector as follows: sync (12 bytes); header (4 bytes); subheader (8 bytes); remainder (2312 bytes) dependent on whether Form 1 or Form 2.


mount

To appear on the Desktop. To show an icon on-screen.


MouseHelp

A form of online help in CDT, available only in Setup. Turn MouseHelp on by selecting it from the Help menu in the menu bar. Point at something within the Setup window you want to know more about, and relevant information appears in a box in the lower portion of the application screen.


MPC

Multimedia PC with a CD-ROM drive. Defined by Microsoft. An MPC application will work on an MPC computer.


MPEG

Motion Picture Experts Group. A standard compression method for motion video. The ISO standard used by Philips in their CD-I players. The algorithm used (discrete cosine transform) makes an extremely high rate of compression possible (200:1). MPEG video and audio encoding form the basis for video-CD.


multisession

An ISO standard CD-ROM format often referred to as “Orange book” that allows additional information to be added to a writable CD-ROM disc that has already been written to once.


multivolume CDROM

A CD-ROM with more than one mountable volume on it. In the instance where some of the volumes are in formats other than Apple’s HFS, using the Mounting feature in CDT will allow you to see the icons of all mountable volumes.


OEM

Original Equipment Manufacturer. A company that manufactures a piece of hardware or software that is modified or reconfigured by a value-added reseller and sold (usually) under the reseller’s brand name.


Orange Book

Specifies the physical aspects of CD-recordable media. The first part of the book describes CD-MO (magneto optical) system and the second part describes CD-WO (write once) system. The CD recorders and CD-R media are all based on the CD-WO standard. See also standards.


OSTA

Optical Storage Technical Association is a non profit corporation that is promoting the use of optical technology, optical drives, media and peripherals. GEAR Software is an OSTA associate


overhead

The incidental command processing time that is necessary to complete a task.


partition

A portion of a storage area allocated to a particular use or user.


PCM

Pulse Code Modulation. A technique for converting analog audio into CD digital audio.


peripheral

A device that is attached to the computer, either directly or via the bus.


physical image

The actual bit-to-bit copy of the future CD-ROM disc, without ECC and EDC information. Usually a physical image can be as large as 600MB and will demand a lot of hard disk space (all data will be present in the original files and once more in the image file).

If an image consists of multiple tracks, a separate image file is created for each track. However, GEAR allows you to make an application without the need for so much hard disk space by using a virtual image, which is just an administration of the image structure.


platter

The rigid disk that is used for storing data on hard disk drives.


premaster tape

The tape that CD manufacturers use to create the CD-ROM master, which is used to make the actual CD-ROMs. The premaster tape is written from the image in the format as specified by the CD-ROM manufacturer (possibly in DDP format).


proprietary

Vendor-unique technology or devices that are incompatible with other products in the industry.


read ahead

Similar to buffering, except Read Ahead can read ahead to the next expected data. This prepares data for the CPU’s next request, speeding up access time.


Red Book

A book (with a red binder) that defines the physical aspects of digital audio CDs (CD-DA). See also Green Book, Orange Book, standards, White Book, and Yellow Book.


replication

The process of producing identical copies of a CD-ROM from a stamper or matrix.


retrieval

Term for locating information in databases. Retrieval takes place on the basis of indexes present.


SCSI ID

A device’s unique address on the SCSI bus, referred to as its ID, or identification.


SCSI interface

Small Computer Standard Interface. (Pronounced scuzzi.) An industry standard for the interface between computers and peripherals.


SCSI manager

The SCSI Manager is part of the Operating System that provides the interface between a program, such as a driver or formatter, and the actual hardware SCSI port.


sector

A piece of data (a number of bytes) on disc. The size is 2352 bytes. CD-ROM uses 2048 bytes for data storage. Header and synchronization information uses 12 and 4 bytes, respectively. The remaining 288 bytes are used for ECC and EDC information.

The 2 KB of data in every sector can be divided into logical blocks of 512, 1024, or 2048 bytes. Every sector on a CD-ROM disc has a unique address by which it can be accessed.


seek time

The time it takes the read/write head to move back and forth in search of the appropriate track. Seek time does not include latency or command overhead. (See Access Time.)


session

One contiguous, spiraling string of data written to, or stamped into, a disc. There may be more than one session on a disc. A track is a portion, possibly all, of a session. A session may contain many tracks, but a track may not contain a session.


SGML

Standardized General Markup Language. An ISO standard that uses tags to add structure to information, usually text. Various structural components are indicated within the information, e.g., title, subtitles, paragraphs, footnotes, and cross references.


single-session

Refers to standard CD-ROM discs where multisession format is not present.


stamping

Manufacturing data into a disc (as opposed as writing data to a writable disc).


standards

Green Book: The CD-I, CD interactive, standard. Operating system and playback hardware specifications for mixed mode CD-ROMs.

Orange Book: Standard for write-once (multisession) CD. A Sony/Philips collaboration that details physical and optical characteristics of Compact Disc Write Once media, and hybrid ROM/WO discs, which have read-only and write once areas on the same disc. This technology is becoming increasingly cost effective. Discs for recording use gold as a substrate metal instead of the aluminum employed by mass-market stamped discs, but may employ both.

Red Book: Standard for normal audio CD. Refers to the specifications for the compact audio disc format developed by Philips and Sony. It is the standard format of commercial audio CDs. When a disc conforms to the Red Book standard, it will usually have “digital audio” printed beneath the disc logo.

In 1983 a consortium of Philips (N.V.) and Sony drafted a comprehensive document to thoroughly define the Compact Disc Digital Audio standard. This document, named for the color of its cover, describes the physical dimensions, optical characteristics, and logical organization, including the table of contents, track, and audio stream formats of a compact disc. This is the seminal compact disc document, from which all subsequent standards are derived.

White Book: Standard for Video CD. JVC, Matsushita, Sony, and Philips coauthored this specification, also known as the “Video CD Standard.” This remains a nascent technology, waiting for CD-ROM technology and the right marketing approach.

Yellow Book: Standard for CD-ROM. A standards document that builds on the Red Book Standard allowing for the presence of data tracks on a CD. The Yellow Book standard specifies that CD-ROM must encode the first track as data. In addition to the two layers of error correction outlined in the Red Book, data is further protected by a third layer of error detection and correction for added security.

When a disc conforms to Yellow Book standard, it usually will say “data storage” beneath the disc logo.


static

Having no motion. Being at rest. The data held in Static RAM cache is the first data accessed up to the limit of the cache. It does not change as new information is accessed. It has no motion. It is at rest.


subcode

Information (time, text, graphical, or MIDI) stored together with audio on a CD and spread across eight channels (PQRSTUVW). P and Q contain the time information shown on the display of an audio CD player.


thermal recalibration

The process of recalculating the positions of data on a hard disk platter as those positions shift due to the platters expansion under the heat of operation.


track

A CD-ROM disc can contain more than one track. Tracks are implemented sequentially (like a CD audio disc). If a CD-ROM contains multiple tracks, the data part is always stored in the first track and the audio parts (in the case of a mixed mode CD-ROM) are stored in the following tracks.


track 1 problem

An audio player, when given digital data on track 1, might do a number of things:

•	Skip it

•	Refuse to play it

•	Play silence

•	Play the data (sounds like static)

When you attempt to play data on your audio equipment, you are likely to damage your speakers


transfer rate

The speed at which information can be transferred. Usually expressed in terms of KB per second. A standard CD-ROM drive is rated at 150KB/second. A double speed player can handle 300KB/second.


UDF

The Optical Storage Technology Association (OSTA) has defined the Universal Disk Format (UDF) as a subset of ISO13346 in order to maximize data interchange, creating a flexible format that is eminently suited for incremental write (see below). Although UDF is not an official standard, it has since become a de-facto standard for the industry.


unicode

Coding of character sets making use of 2 bytes. ASCII is a subset of unicode.


Virtual image

Making a CD-ROM image usually requires an exceptional amount of hard disk space; all data is present in the original files and duplicated in the CD-ROM image. GEAR lets you make an application, without the need for so much hard disk space by producing a virtual image that is just an administration of the image structure.

The software keeps a record of the files to be included in the final application. Simulation and writing of the final premaster tape or CD-R is done using this volume administration, thereby eliminating the need for a lot of expensive hard disk capacity.

A CD-ROM can contain multiple tracks in which case multiple virtual tracks are created; an administration is kept for every track of the CD-ROM.


virtual track

See virtual image.


volume

The CD-ROM term for a complete CD-ROM disc. In case of very large databases, multiple discs can be issued forming a volume set. When a mixed-mode disc is made, a volume will contain multiple tracks.


VATIC
VTOC

Volume Table of Contents. This is the portion of the CD-ROM disc that contains basic information about the disc, such as its name, copyright information, pointers to various blocks of data, whether the disc is a member of a multi-volume set, dates, version, numbers, etc.


White Book

Specifies the physical aspects of video CDs. See also standards.


Yellow Book

Defines the physical aspects of CD-ROM. A special extension of this book describes CD-ROM XA (compact disc extended architecture). See also standards.


Selecting the appropriate CD type for your project

Type of project	CD type	Settings
Archiving & backup of data	CD-ROM	Multi Session preferred
Audio only	CD Audio	Disc at Once preferred
Audio collection	CD Audio or CD Track List	Disc at Once preferred
Multi Media	CD-ROM XA
Combining ISO/XA and Audio	Mixed mode 1 (ISO) or 2 (XA)
Photo CD	External image	predefined format= XA mode 2 (type 4)
CD-I	External image	predefined format= CDI mode 2 (type 10/7)
Video CD	External image	predefined format= XA mode 2 (type 4)
External Image	Ext. image (1 file) or  CD Track list (>1 file)	Track list requires  Disc at Once
Replicating a CD	depends on track type(s) of original	Disc at once preferred
Project Data Capacity


Project Data Capacity

The following table shows the data capacity for each disc size and track type:

Type		ISO and ISO/UDF	XA and CD-I	CD Audio
CD-R(W)	18 min.	158 Mb	180 Mb	181 Mb
CD-R(W)	63 min.	553 Mb	631 Mb	635 Mb
CD-R(W)	74 min.	650 Mb	741 Mb	746 Mb
CD-R(W)	80 min.	703 Mb	802 Mb	807 Mb

The following table shows the sector data capacity for each track type:

Track Type	Sector Data Capacity
ISO	2048 bytes
XA and CD-I	2336 bytes
CD Audio (DA)	2352 bytes


CD-ROM projects

The CD-ROM type is used for recording computer data and always consists of one ISO track. A GEAR CD-ROM project is created to ISO standards with error-checking capabilities. This is referred to as MODE 1 format (yellow book).

When you create a new project, several volume administration files are created in your current working directory/folder. Do not delete or edit the files in this directory/folder manually; this might result in a corrupt and useless project.

Disc sizes CD-ROM

CD-R	18 minutes	158 Mb
CD-R	63 minutes	533 Mb
CD-R	74 minutes	650 Mb
CD-R	80 minutes	703 Mb
Note	When writing computer data to CD you are advised always to enable Verify after Write to make sure the files can be read.

How to create a CD

Copying a CD-ROM


Copying a CD-ROM

There are two ways to make an exact copy of an existing CD-ROM:

From CD reader to CD recorder
This method can only be used if you have a CD-ROM drive which is fast enough (6x speed or faster). The advantage of this option is that you do not need much free space on your hard disk. If a buffer underrun occurs during writing, you can try lowering the recorder speed. If that does not help you must first copy the CD to your hard disk.

Using a hard disk copy of your CD
Copying your CD to hard disk is only possible if you have enough free space on your hard disk. The advantage of this option you do not need a separate CD-ROM player. Also, if your CD-ROM player is rather slow you can still use the full speed of your CD-recorder.

How to copy a CD


CD-ROM XA projects

XA (eXtended Architecture) is a format that allows you to interleave two or more different CD track types, such as audio and video. Interleaving is necessary if the recorded tracks need to be synchronized during playback, as is the case in multi-media applications.

For example, with a mixed mode disc, the laser-reading head has to jump back and forth between widely separated tracks to play back audio and video data. This slows down the application significantly. When you use interleaving, the laser-reading head can pick up video, then move smoothly to the next amount of audio and so on, providing real-time playback.

Choose XA to write the following formats: CD-ROM XA, EB, MMCD, Photo CD, and VideoCD.

Disc sizes CD-ROM XA

CD-R	18 minutes	180 Mb
CD-R	63 minutes	631 Mb
CD-R	74 minutes	741Mb
CD-R	80 minutes	802 Mb
Note	Playing XA interleaved files requires an XA decoder card.

Pre-interleaved files


Pre-interleaved files

GEAR assumes that the selected files are pre-interleaved. Make sure the files you are loading are pre-interleaved files. Non-pre-interleaved files you load this way are useless on the resulting CD-R disc. A pre-interleaved file must have a 2336 byte sector size with a subheader field filled in. This subheader field is copied, together with other information, to the GEAR administration file. Normally the subheader is not included in a file and the subheader information is generated by GEAR.


Audio projects

To create an Audio project, you need hard disk files that represent audio.

GEAR supports the following formats:

•	Red Book audio

•	.wav

•	AIFF

•	Sound Designer II

Depending on the audio package you are using, the audio file may or may not contain a sound header. However, audio files should not contain sound headers when written to CD. If sound headers are not removed or cleared, they will cause a sharp click in the resulting audio track on the CD. For .wav, AIFF, and Sound Designer II files, GEAR removes the header automatically.

Disc sizes Audio

CD-R	18 minutes	181 Mb
CD-R	63 minutes	635 Mb
CD-R	74 minutes	746 Mb
CD-R	80 minutes	807 Mb
Audio file requirements

How to create an Audio CD


Audio file requirements

The files must always fulfill the following requirements, which are specified in the Red Book:

•	The sample frequency must be 44.1kHz.

•	Audio must be stereo (one sample for the left channel and one sample for the right channel) sampled on 44.1kHz.

•	Each sample must contain 16 bits.

•	The byte order must be the same as the byte order used by your computer; if it is not, you can use the generic option MSBAudio (in gear.ini) to make GEAR swap the audio bytes for all tracks.

Note	The Philips CDD522 reads audio in MSB format while the Yamaha CD-R100 reads audio in LSB format.

For example, LSB audio is the default for DOS and Windows. If you want GEAR to swap byte order, set MSBAudio=True in the gear.ini file.
The default for Macintosh is MSB Audio. To have GEAR swap the byte order, set MSBAudio=False in the GEAR preferences file.

You can load up to 99 audio tracks in your project. If audio tracks are combined on a disc with an ISO or XA track, you can create up to 98 tracks. The CD audio type is suited for CD Digital Audio.


External/foreign Images

The following project types are always processed as external images:

•	CD-I Most CD-I authoring tools generate a complete CD-I image, including EDC/ECC pregap and scrambling (GEAR type 10). This is done because these tools need to emulate the CD-I image. The second best optimal format is CD-I mode 2 with sector size 2336 (GEAR type 7).

•	Photo CD Photo CD images are always in XA format—CD-ROM XA mode 2 size 2336 (GEAR type 4) for external photo CD images.

•	Video CD Video CD images are always in XA format—CD-ROM XA mode 2 size 2336 (GEAR type 4).

An external/foreign image refers to any image you have created using another authoring or formatting package, such as CD-I, 3DO, or VideoCD. You cannot edit an external image in GEAR. However, you can use GEAR to write an external image to a CD-R disc or a premaster tape. Before you write an external image, you must select it and define its parameters.

Predefined formats

Things to Remember

How do I create a project using an external image


Predefined formats

When working with external images you must indicate which type of image will be used. You can choose any of the following predefined formats

Type #	Image Type Format	External Volume Type
1	CD-ROM Mode 1 (ISO etc.),  sector size 2048	Standard ISO, HFS, or CDTV image
2	CD-ROM Mode 1 (ISO etc.),  sector size 2352	Standard ISO with EDC/ECC codes
3	CD-ROM Mode 1 (ISO etc.),  sector size 2352,  scrambled sectors  with 2 seconds pre-gap	ISO with EDC/ECC codes,  pre-gap, and scrambled
4	CD-ROM XA Mode 2,  sector size 2336	Standard XA or EB XA
5	CD-ROM XA Mode 2,  sector size 2352	Standard XA with EDC/ECC codes
6	CD-ROM XA Mode 2,  sector size 2352,  scrambled sectors  with 2 seconds pre-gap	XA with EDC/ECC codes,  pre-gap, and scrambled
7	CD-I Mode 2,  sector size 2336	Standard CD-I without EDC/ECC codes
8	CD-I Mode 2,  sector size 2352	Standard CD-I with EDC/ECC codes
9	CD-I Mode 2,  sector size 2352  with 2 seconds pre-gap	Standard CD-I with pre-gap,  and EDC/ECC
10	CD-I Mode 2,  sector size 2352,  scramble sectors  with 2 seconds pre-gap	CD-I with EDC/ECC codes,  pre-gap and scrambled;  uses the same output format as  that of most CD-I authoring tools
11	Standard CD digital audio	Red Book audio (44.1kHz, 16 bit, stereo)
Things to Remember


Things to Remember

Keep in mind the following about image types:

•	The size of the pre-gap should always be two seconds (150 sectors). Scrambled images must contain sync, header, and EDC/ECC code information.

•	Unscrambled images can be accepted with a 2,352 sector size without the sync, header, and EDC/ECC filled in.

•	The byte order of audio files must be the same byte order used by the computer running the GEAR software. If this is not the case, you can use the generic option MSBAudio= in the Gear Preferences file to make GEAR swap the audio bytes for all tracks.

•	With LSB audio default, if MSBAudio=TRUE, each track will be swapped by GEAR. Audio files should not contain any sound header. If sound headers are not removed or cleared, they will cause a sharp click in the resulting audio track on the CD. Audio files should contain only 16-bit samples and must be stereo (one sample for the left channel and one sample for the right channel) sampled on 44.1kHz.

•	The external image files option lets you select one file only. If the external/foreign image consists of more than one file, use track list files.

External/foreign Images


Track Lists

If you have a Disc at Once compatible recorder you can create a CD using a CD Track List.

The CD Track List should contain all the tracks you want to record.

You create the CD Track List in:

•	the GEAR CD Track List editor

•	any plain ASCII editor.

Note	Place the track list and track contents in the same folder.

The track list file contains one or more lines where each line specifies a track of the CD-ROM (you can use a full path). Each line should contain a file specification and a track type specification. You can also specify the length of the pause between two tracks.

For example, to write a mixed-mode image—one that contains mode 1 or mode 2 data—you can specify the following lines in a track list file

/IMAGE.DAT 	/1

/AUDIO.2 	/11

/MUSIC/AUDIO.3 	/11	{No return after last line.}

||

track path name 	image type number

The following few lines is an example of a track list file (EXAMPLE.TLF) with user-defined track types:

/MYIMAGE/DISCTRAX.001	DA

/MYIMAGE/DISCTRAX.002 	DA	 -P:0

/MYIMAGE/DISCTRAX.003 	DA	-P:300

/MYIMAGE/DISCTRAX.004 	DA 	+P:150	L:1000

/MYIMAGE/DISCTRAX.004 	DA	 	-P:0	O:1000

{No return after last line.}

Note	Be sure to leave a space between the track name and image type.

GEAR CD Track List Editor

CD Track List Entry Dialog

How to create a project using a track list


Multi-Session Discs

By appending a multi-session disc, you can do the following:

•	Add data to the disc

•	Recover data from older sessions

•	Skip the last session if there are read errors

•	Create CD Enhanced or CD Plus discs

One of the sessions on the previously-recorded disc is used as the basis for a new image. The contents of the image is edited and finally, the image is written to the CD-R disc. The virtual image contains the same folder/file structure as the session and is displayed in the image window.

Before you start appending data to a multi-session disc you should check the append mode in the preferences of GEAR. The selected mode determines how your multi-session will be written.

Readability and multi-session support

Some CD-ROM or CD-Recorder drives or drivers do not support multi-session. If so, the disc is not accepted, or only the data of the first session is visible.

To check if the CD is correctly recorded, you can try to append a new track. If the data in the Data Editor is correct, either your CD-ROM driver software or your CD-ROM player does not support multi-session. Contact your dealer or search the Internet for a CD-ROM driver update.

How to create a multi-session CD


GEAR Workbench

The GEAR Workbench is the main window of the GEAR application. From here you can access all of GEAR’s functions and tools. The power-toolbar provides the quickest and most efficient way to create and record a CD project. The menu and toolbar buttons provide direct access to a number of specific functions and tools such as the disc-information dialog and the jukebox control panel. It is recommended however that the power-toolbar should be used whenever possible.

For specific information about any part of the GEAR Workbench, simply click on the area with your mouse.


GEAR Data Editor

GEAR’s primary function is to place files from your computer into a ISO9660 (CD-ROM) project that can then be written to a CD. Selecting the proper files is done in the GEAR data editor. This editor provides you with a view of your computer’s drives and a view of the CD project. From here files can be loaded into the project with a simple drag and drop from one view to the other. The editor also provides direct access to the settings used by GEAR when translating filenames and filtering lists of files to be loaded.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


GEAR Audio Editor

Creating an audio CD is a simple process of selecting the audio data files you wish to have written as a CD audio track. Selecting these files is done in the GEAR audio editor. This editor provides you with a view of your computer’s drives and a list of the loaded audio tracks. From here tracks can be added to the project with a simple drag and drop from one view to the other.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


GEAR CD Track List Editor

When creating a CD using multiple external images then it is necessary to use a CD track list. A CD track list is a list of files that are to be written to a CD as tracks. The CD track list also provides GEAR with information about the type of data the file contains. This list is then given to GEAR as a file. A CD track list can be made with any standard ASCII text editor or by using GEAR’s CD track list editor. This editor provides you with a view of your computer’s drives and a list of the files to be written to CD. tracks. From here files can be added to the project with a simple drag and drop from one view to the other.

The most common uses of a CD track list are to create Audio CD’s with user defined pauses (only in combination with disc at once recording) and to create Video CD or CDi discs.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


CD Track List Entry Dialog

Each line in your CD track list represents a track on the CD. When a file is loaded into the CD track list it is given a default type and pause. This dialog will allow you to change those values.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


SCSI Interface Settings (Hard Drive)

GEAR can allow you to place your CD project onto a SCSI hard drive and then use that project to record a CD. This method of writing provides the highest performance but requires a dedicated SCSI hard drive. GEAR can use a number of drivers and RAM buffering schemes to access your hard drive. This dialog will allow you to select a driver/scheme and to optimize your system performance.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


Advanced Append Dialog

When appending data to a previously recorded CD, GEAR may sometimes need you to provide it with information necessary to create the new project. What information is needed depends on the type of disc and the selected append setting. This dialog is used by GEAR to retrieve that information.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


Disc Information Dialog

Because there are so many different kinds of CD’s , it is often necessary to examine a disc before we append to it or copy tracks from it. This dialog will provide you with information about the CD currently loaded in your CD Recorder. It will also allow you to copy specified tracks or append data to a track.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


External Image Dialog

When copying a CD or using a CD authoring package, the result is one or more files containing the entire CD. Because it is not created by GEAR we call such a file an external image. GEAR is capable of writing any type of external image including customized images. After selecting an external image, this dialog is used to let you specify the type of image stored in the selected file.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


 How to create a CD

How to create a CD? The basic steps:

 How to create a project

 How to load the project contents

 How to change the recorder settings

 How to test a project

 How to write a project

 How to create a project using an external image

 How to create a project using a track list

Multi-session vs. Single-session


 How to create an Audio CD

 How to create an Audio CD from wave files

 How to create an Audio CD from CD tracks

 How to copy an track to hard disk


 How to copy a CD

 How to copy a CD-ROM from CD reader to CD recorder

 How to copy a CD-ROM using a hard disk copy of your CD

 How to copy an Audio CD

 How to copy a track to hard disk

 How to copy a Mixed Mode CD


 How to use GEAR's tools

 How to get disc information

 How to fixate a disc

 How to erase a disc


How to use a batch
 How to use a batch file

 How to generate a log file

 How to edit a log/batch file

 How to run a batch (log) file


 How to work with CD-Rewritable

 How to create a CD-RW

 How to erase a CD-RW


How to create a multi-session CD idx
 How to create a multi-session CD

 How to create a multi-session CD

 How to append data to a multi-session disc automatically

 How to change the append mode for multi-session recording

 How to append data to a multi-session disc manually


 How to test and write a project

 How to test before writing

 How to write a project

 How to test the transfer rate

 How to create a physical image

 How to verify a project


What you should know about . . . ?

CD the basics

Virtual Image vs. Physical Image

CD Rewritable

Tracks

Multi session versus Single session

Recording methods

Cyclic buffering vs. Double buffering


 CD the basics

A mass-produced CD (recognizable by its silver color), for example an Audio CD or a CD-ROM, is a non-magnetic, polished metal disc which is used to store digital information. Tiny indentations have been pressed in this disc, which are called pits. In a CD drive this disc is scanned by means of a laser beam. Because the pits reflect the light from the laser differently than the rest of the surface, the drive can interpret surface and pits as binary information; ones and zeros. The information on such a disc can only be read; no data can be added (or deleted) afterwards.

What makes a recordable disc, such as a CD-R, different from an ordinary CD is a layer of organic dye that has been added to a perfectly smooth reflective surface. In the CD recorder a laser beam is used to burn a pattern in the organic dye. When you place the disc in the CD-drive, these burns cause changes in the reflection of the laser light in much the same way as do the pits on a manufactured disc. Any CD-drive can therefore read the information you write on a recordable disc. Once written, these burns cannot be deleted. Each part of the disc can therefore be used only once. You can, for instance, use recordable discs to create premaster discs that can be used to mass-produce CDs in a mastering and replication plant.

The information on a Rewritable disc (CD-RW) can be erased to make place for new data. The surface of such a disc can be smoothed by means of a separate, high intensity laser beam in the recorder, preparing the disc for reuse. In this way a CD-RW can be used many times.


 Virtual Image vs. Physical Image

Before you can write data to CD-R you must first collect and order the data that need to be recorded. There are several ways to go about this.

Virtual Image

Whenever you create a project in GEAR, a virtual image is created. This is an administration file which contains all the necessary information about the files you want to store on disc. This includes the directory structure to be used on the disc and the location of the files on your hard disk. When you start copying your data onto the CD-R, the virtual image controls the actual recording process by loading the files from your hard disk in the correct order and by writing each file to the right place on the compact disc.

Physical image

Sometimes you may want to use a physical image, a bit-to-bit copy of the disc you are about to write. You should use this method when the transfer rate for recording has to be increased. The obvious disadvantage is that you need a lot of free disk space.

External/foreign image

GEAR also enables you to write external or foreign images to CD. This is an image produced by a software tool other than GEAR. For some CD formats, GEAR has to make use of foreign images. It is not possible within GEAR to create an image for the following types of CDs: CD-I, CDTV, HFS and 3DO. These types can only be processed by means of an external/foreign image.

How to create a physical image


CD Rewritable

GEAR supports writing to CD-ReWritable discs. CD-Rewritable (CD-RW) is a new CD technology enabling you to erase recorded information and write new data in its place. You can use a CD-RW recorder to write both CD-RW discs and CD-R discs. Only CD-RW discs can be erased, however.

With GEAR you can erase the whole CD-RW, a feature every CD-RW drive supports. Erasing the last track or overwriting a specific packet of an incrementally written disc will be supported by GEAR as soon as these features are implemented in CD-RW recorders.

To read a CD-RW disc you need a CD-RW recorder or a multi-read drive, which can read CD-ROM, CD-R and CD-RW discs. The multi-read specifications which will set the standard for the multi-read drives were close to completion at the time of this release.


Tracks

Track types in GEAR

Combining track types

Data is written to CD in tracks. Each track contains a separate set of data. For example, a track on a CD-ROM usually consists of different files. An Audio track, on the other hand, always contains one single audio file. The maximum number of tracks a CD-R can contain is 99, regardless of the number of sessions or the type of tracks on the disc.


Track types in GEAR
Tracks

Track types in GEAR

Combining track types

For the various CD-formats that GEAR supports, a few basic track types are used:

•	ISO a track type pre-eminently suited for recording computer data (CD-ROM). This format always consists of 1 track.

•	XA a track type used for CD-ROM XA, EB, Photo CD, Video CD and multi-media applications. It always consists of 1 track.

•	DA a track type for digital audio. This format allows for 1 - 99 tracks. If audio tracks are combined on a disc with an ISO or XA track, a maximum of 98 audio tracks can be used.


Combining track types
Tracks

Track types in GEAR

Combining track types

When you are creating a disc, you might want to combine different track types.

This is called Mixed Mode.

The following track combinations are possible:

•	1 ISO track and up to 98 Audio tracks

•	1 XA track and up to 98 Audio tracks

•	1 - 99 Audio tracks

The first two combinations can be repeated for each session (Multi Volume or Multi Session), although the maximum number of tracks for the whole disc is always 99. When loading files in a Mixed mode project you should use the Data Editor for the data files and the Audio Editor for the Audio files.

If you add an audio track to a multi-session disc, only a multi-session player can play this audio track. Most audio CD players cannot handle multi-session audio discs. To get round this problem you can use a structure called CD Extended or CD Plus. The first session of such CD-Rs have multiple audio tracks and the subsequent sessions are used for data. An audio player only recognizes the first session (i.e. the audio tracks) whereas a multi-session CD-ROM player recognizes both audio tracks and data tracks.

Note	When recording multiple audio tracks only, you should not create a multi-session disc.

How do I create a CD project ?

How to copy a Mixed Mode CD


Multi session versus Single session

A session is a recorded segment of a compact disc that contains one or more tracks (data or audio) preceded by a lead-in and closed by a lead-out. When you record a session, the lead-in and lead-out contain information about the recorded data, such as a table of contents.

You can record a disc either in one or in several sessions. The method you decide to use depends on the capacity required and the function of the recording. Single Session recording uses the available CD-R space much more efficiently. Multi Session, on the other hand, is much more flexible and enables you to use your disc more than once:

Single Session

Single-session refers to discs that contain data written during one session. When all the tracks are written, the disc is fixated by writing the lead-in and lead-out. Once you fixate a single-session disc, you can add no more data to the disc. The following illustrates a single session CD.

(TOC)
Multi-Session

If you want to write only limited amounts of data at a time you need to create a multi-session disc. The data recorded in each session is linked, allowing a newer session to refer to data in an older session. When you want to append a session to a multi-session disc, GEAR reads back the last session on the disc and creates a virtual image of it. This image can then be used like any other image to add, delete and update data. If you delete information from a session, the old data is not actually deleted, but only the reference to the data. This means the old file can no longer be read. When you write the new session to the disc, only the changes are written.

The structure of a multi-session disc may look like this:

A true multi-session CD-ROM drive will automatically skip to the most recent session and present all linked sessions as one. As a user you will never be aware of the number of sessions on the disc. This makes Multi Session especially suitable for document archiving or regular updates of catalogs. A drawback of this method is the large data overhead required for each session: 15 Mb.

Multi-Volume


Multi-Volume

Multi-volume writing is a variation on multi-session writing. When you write a multi-volume disc, each session or project on the disc is independent and has no reference to other projects on the disc. Only on a Mac OS, you can read each project as a separate CD. Windows based operating systems do not support the reading of multi-volume discs.

GEAR fully supports the creation of multi-volume discs. If you want to add a volume to a disc, you can create the volume as you do any other project. When the project is ready, you put the CD-R disc you want to add the volume to in the recorder and start writing.

Multi session versus Single session


Recording methods

Track At Once and Disc At Once

Incremental Write

Cyclic vs. Double buffering

When a recorder is writing data to a disc, it cannot wait for the data like a tape unit can, for example. The data buffer of the recorder must always contain data.

You can stop the transfer of data to the recorder at specific points only. These points are determined by the method used to write the disc—disc at once, track at once, or in incremental write. At these points—end of disc, end of track, or end of packet—the recorder finalizes the writing of data and you can resume writing at a later time.

Note	If the recorder cannot finalize the disc because it runs out of data unexpectedly, the CD-R disc is wasted and cannot be reused. This is referred to as a buffer underrun. Therefore the data transfer rate to a CD recorder is very important.


Track at Once and Disc at once
Recording methods

Track At Once and Disc At Once

Incremental Write

Cyclic vs. Double buffering

Nearly all CD recorders on the market support Disc at Once and Track at Once writing of CDs. When you use a track-at-once recorder, the recorder first writes the track data and then finalizes the disc by writing a lead in and lead out. Track at once is particularly useful for multi-session writing. Only track-at-once recorders can write multi-session discs.

When you use a disc-at-once recorder, the recorder starts by writing the lead in, then the track data, then the lead out. Link blocks are not inserted. Disc at once is useful for audio-only discs and discs that should be an exact copy of the original.

Disc At Once recording

A compact disc consists of one or more ‘tracks’. On an audio CD, each song on the CD is placed in a separate track. On a CD-ROM the data is placed in a single track. Some CD’s (called Mixed Mode CDs) contained a single data track followed by a number of audio tracks.

The first CD Recorders were only able to write an entire disc in one go from beginning to end. This method of recording is called Disc At Once (DAO). The disadvantage of this method of writing is that no data can be added to the CD at a later date (Multi Session). For this purpose, Track-at-once recording was created.

Track At Once recording

A compact disc consists of one or more ‘tracks’. On an audio CD, each song on the CD is placed in a separate track. On a CD-ROM the data is placed in a single track.  Some CD’s (called Mixed Mode CD’s) contained a single data track followed by a number of audio tracks.

When CD-R was created, a method was devised to let users add more data to a CD. This is called Multi-Session recording. To be able to do this, one must be able to write a single data track to a CD and at a later date write another. For this purpose, Track At Once recording was created.

The major disadvantage to Track-at-once recording is when recording CD’s containing audio tracks. Although a CD recorders laser is very precise, it is not precise enough to start recording at an exact spot on the CD. The result is that there is a overlap where the laser stopped writing one track and started writing the next. The place spots on the CD where this overlap occurs is called a link-area. These link-areas are unreadable. On a CD-ROM, this is no problem because a CD-ROM drive will never attempt to read in this area. However this is not the case with an audio CD resulting in a ‘tick’ during playback. To avoid these ‘ticks’ one can use Disc At Once recording.


Incremental Write
Recording methods

Track At Once and Disc At Once

Incremental Write

Cyclic vs. Double buffering

Incremental write allows you to divide a data track into small amounts of data called packets (typically 64 Kb - 1Mb) and write each data packet separately to CD-R disc. Each packet will use some extra disc space for data overhead. The amount of overhead depends on the size of the packet an is on average about 15%.

The following illustration shows the difference between writing Track at Once and incrementally:

In between the writing of packets, there are virtually no data rate constraints. This means that writing can be interrupted for an unlimited amount of time, which decreases the risk of buffer underruns when writing large amounts of data to CD.

Incremental write can be used in different ways:

•	on the logical level, fixed packet writing can either be combined with UDF, which is eminently suited for incremental writing or it can be combined with another file system such as ISO 9660, or a combination of both.

•	on the physical level, the Orange Book standard offers you the option use a fixed packet size or a variable packet size. The advantage of fixed packets is that they eliminate the risk of buffer underruns. Variable packet size, which differs with the size of the files to be written, offers more backward compatibility. GEAR uses fixed packet writing as the formatting process for this method is the same as with the other writing methods. Fixed packet writing can also be used in combination with multi-session writing.

Note	A special driver is required to read incrementally-written discs. Currently, most CD-ROM readers on the market cannot read an incrementally-written disc. This means that in all probability a disc written in fixed packets can only be read with the recorder type that was used to write it.


What is Buffering (Cyclic, Double)?
Recording methods

Track At Once and Disc At Once

Incremental Write

Cyclic vs. Double buffering

Writing a CD is a continuous process. That means that once the process has been started it cannot be stopped without ruining the disc. In our case that means that when burning a CD, the recorder must always have some data to write. If the system were to ever run out of data the recording will fail. CD Recorders do not accept the data directly but read it from a built in memory buffer. This buffer is usually about 1MB in size. When writing the disc, the recording software must continuously fill this buffer. It can be compared to keeping a bathtub full of water after the plug has been pulled. If at any time the buffer should ‘run dry’, the recording will fail. This is called a Buffer Underrun .

To increase the reliability of the recording process, GEAR has two options:

•	Double Buffering.
Two large buffers are created in memory. While one of the buffers is being filled by GEAR, the other buffer is being emptied into the recorders own buffer. The major drawback is that the total buffer size is limited to 128Kb (2x 64Kb).

•	Cyclic Buffering
In this scheme, a much larger amount of buffers are created (approximately 96 buffers of 32Kb on a 16Mb system). The advantage is that each buffer can be filled more quickly and that GEAR no longer has to wait for the recorder to fill a buffer. This dramatically increases the reliability of the recording process.


Use this combo box to select the type of CD project you would like to create, open or edit.


Use this combo box to select the type of output device you would like to write to.


Press this button to create, open or edit the selected CD project.


Press this button to change the settings for the selected CD project.


Press this button to change the settings for the selected output device.


Press this button to have GEAR perform a writing test.


Press this button to have GEAR write your data to the selected output device.


This field displays the number of sessions and tracks in the current project.


This field displays the amount of free space left in the current project.


This field displays the selected writing speed.


This field displays the selected writing method.


Press this button to create a new CD project.


Press this button to open an existing CD project.


Press this button to append data to an existing multi-session CD-R disc.


Press this button to delete an existing CD project.


Press this button to close the currently selected  CD project.


Press this button to call the disc information dialog.


Press this button to write the selected project to a CD-R.


Press this button to call the GEAR Data Editor.


Press this button to call the GEAR Audio Editor.


Press this button to call the GEAR CD track list editor


Settings PVD volume identifier
The volume descriptor is the CD’s label or name.


Settings PVD system identifier
The system identifier describes the computer system for which the CD was created.  No entry is necessary for a CD created for a DOS/Windows environment.


Settings PVD publisher identifier
The publisher identifier field contains the name of the person or company that published the CD title. This field can also contain the name of a file, in the root of the CD, that contains the information about the publisher.


Settings PVD data prepared identifier
The data preparer identifier field contains the name of the person or company that prepared the data to be placed on  the CD title. This field can also contain the name of a file, in the root of the CD, that contains the information about the data preparer.


Settings PVD application identifier
The application use field identifies the language to be used on a Electronic Book disc. No entry is necessary for a CD created for a DOS/Windows environment.


Settings PVD copyright file identifier
The copyright file identifier is the name of a file, placed in the root of the CD, containing a copyright statement for the CD title. No entry is necessary for a CD created for a DOS/Windows environment.


Settings PVD abstract file identifier
The abstract file identifier is the name of a file, placed in the root of the CD, containing an summery of the CD title’s contents. No entry is necessary for a CD created for a DOS/Windows environment.


Settings PVD bibliographic file identifier
The bibliographic file identifier is the name of a file, placed in the root of the CD, containing bibliographic records. No entry is necessary for a CD created for a DOS/Windows environment.


Settings volume max nr directories
This filed displays the maximum number of directories that can be loaded into the CD-ROM project. This value cannot be changed.


Settings volume max dir nest level
This field displays the maximum directory nesting level of the project. The ISO9660 standard demands a nesting level of no larger that 8. GEAR will allow you to go to a maximum of 24. However it is recommended that you should not go beyond a nesting level of 12.


Settings volume non iso name handling
This combo-box will let you choose out of a number of filename conversion schemes. These can be used to ensure that the loaded files all have name that comply to your chosen standard. You can choose out of the following options.

1. 	Ignore non ISO names:  The filenames are kept as is. The maximum length of the names is 64 characters.

2. 	Prompt user:  The user is asked if the file should be translated to ISO or kept as is.

3. 	Upper case only:  The filename is converted to upper case.

4. 	Translate to ISO:  The filename is translated to an ISO9660 Level 3 compatible filename.

5. 	Translate to DOS:  The filename is translated to an ISO9660 Level 1 compatible filename.


Settings volume make files hidden
When this option is set, all files that are loaded into the project will have their ‘hidden’ flags set.


Settings volume specify start sector
When this option is set, you  will be prompted to enter the sector at which the file is to be loaded.


Settings volume load archived files
When this option is set, all files without a ‘archive’ flag set will be removed from the list of files being loaded. In combination with the ‘reset archive bit’ option, this filter will provide you with basic CD backup capabilities.


Settings volume reset archive file bit
When this option is set, all file loaded will have their ‘archive’ flags reset. In combination with the ‘Load archives only’ option, this tool will provide you with basic CD backup capabilities.


Settings volume load hidden files
When this option is set, files with a ‘hidden’ flag set will not be removed from the list of files being loaded.


Settings volume load system files
When this option is set, files with a ‘system’ flag set will not be removed from the list of files being loaded.


Settings CDR common recording speed
With this combo-box you can select the recorder’s recording speed. Depending on the type of recorder being used, you can choose to write at 1x, 2x, 4x or 6x speed. This means that a 74 minute disc can be fully recorded in about 74, 37, 18, or 12 minutes. However recording at high speed increases the chance of a bad write.


Settings CDR common recording method
With this combo-box you can select the manner in which the CD is written. Depending on the recorder type used, you can choose between ‘Track at once’, ‘Disc at once’, or ‘Incremental Packet’ recording.


Settings CDR common verify after write
When this option is set, GEAR will compare the data written to the disc with the original data on the computer. This option may not available for certain disc types/recorder combinations.


Settings CDR common use physical image
When this option is set, GEAR will search for a physical image file and use this for recording instead of using the virtual image of the project.


Settings CDR common multi session
When this option is set, any disc written will be capable of having data added to it at a later date (multi-session).


Settings CDR advanced nr or writers
The Sony CDW-E1/W1 and CDW900E recorders are capable of writing multiple disc’s simultaneously by ‘daisy-chaining’ a number of recording unit’s to a central control unit. This field will allow you to specify how many recording units are being used.


Settings CDR advanced reading speed
This combo-box will allow you to specify at which speed data is read from a disc when a track is being copied. One can select either 1x, 2x or 4x reading. When reading digital audio tracks, some recorders will automatically switch to 2x.


Settings CDR advanced nr of copies
This field let’s you specify how many CD’s are to be created. When a stand-alone recorder is used, GEAR will prompt you to place a new disc into the recorder when necessary.


Settings CDR advanced estimate before write
When selected, gear will perform an estimate before a disc is written. The estimate function will test your file transfer speed, and warn you if it is too low to write at the selected speed.


Settings CDR advanced fixate disc after write
When this option is set, GEAR will fixate each disc after it is written. Fixation is necessary to make the data accessible to the computer system and therefore should always be turned on.


Settings CDR scsi driver
This combo-box will allow you to choose between the different SCSI drivers available to GEAR.  You can choose between using a NULL driver (for demo purposes), or the WinASPI32 SCSI driver in either ‘double buffer’ or ‘cyclic buffer’ mode.


Settings CDR scsi target id
This field displays the SCSI ID of the selected CD Recorder.


Settings CDR scsi host adapter
This field displays the number of the SCSI Host Adapter the selected CD Recorder is connected to.


Settings CDR scsi double buffering
When selected, GEAR will use ‘double buffering’  when the WinASPI32 with double buffering is selected. This option must be turned off when the data that is to be written is located on a SCSI hard-disk connected to the same SCSI Host Adapter as the CD-Recorder.


Settings CDR scsi buffer size
This is the size of the RAM buffer(s) being used by GEAR when recording. Take great care when altering this setting.


Settings CDR scsi nr of buffers
This is the number of RAM buffers used when ‘cyclic buffering’ is used. Take great care when altering this setting.


Settings disk scsi driver
This combo-box will allow you to choose between the different SCSI drivers available to GEAR.  You can choose between using a NULL driver (for demo purposes) or the WinASPI32 SCSI driver with ‘double buffering’.


Settings disk scsi target id
This field displays the SCSI ID of the selected hard drive.


Settings disk scsi host adapter
This field displays the number of the SCSI Host Adapter the selected hard drive is connected to.


Settings disk scsi double buffering
When selected, GEAR will use ‘double buffering’  when the WinASPI32 with double buffering is selected.


Settings disk scsi buffer size
This is the size of the RAM buffer being used by GEAR when writing to a  SCSI hard drive Take great care when altering this setting.


Advanced append track
This combo-box will allow you to select the track from the CD that you want to append to. Normally data is appended to the last data track. However by appending to another track it is possible to skip one or more added tracks.


Advanced append mode1
When selected, a mode1 track will be appended to the selected track. If the selected track is mode1 then this option is automatically selected.


Advanced append mode2
When selected, a mode2 track will be appended to the selected track. If the selected track is mode2 then this option is automatically selected.


Advanced append audio
When selected, an audio  track will be appended to the selected track.


Advanced append volume name
When appending to a data track, GEAR will extract the CD’s project name and use this for the new project. If the track contains audio, you must then supply GEAR with a project name.


Advanced append image filename
This field displays the filename that GEAR will use to save the new project on your hard drive.


Discinfo disc type
This field displays the disc’s type and if it’s recordable or mastered.


Discinfo nr of sessions
This field displays the number of sessions that can be found on the disc.


Discinfo nr of tracks
This field displays the number of tracks that can be found on the disc.


Discinfo total disc size
This field displays the total amount of data written to the disc. The size is given in minutes, seconds and frames.


Discinfo free space on disc
This field displays the total amount of space still free on the disc. The size is given in minutes, seconds and frames.


Discinfo track list
This is a list of all the tracks on the CD. By selecting a track in the list, specific information about the track and the session it is in can be displayed. Also the selected track can be copied or appended to.


Discinfo session starts at
This field displays the location at which the selected session starts on the CD. The position is given in minutes, seconds and frames.


Discinfo session nr of tracks
This field displays the number of tracks in the selected session.


Discinfo track starts at
This field displays the location at which the selected track starts on the CD. The position is given in minutes, seconds and frames.


Discinfo track track size
This field displays the size of the selected track. The size is given in minutes, seconds and frames.


Discinfo track packet size
If the disc was written using ‘incremental packet writing’, then this field will display the size of the packets used while recording the disc.


Discinfo button copy
Press this button to copy the selected track to your hard drive.


Discinfo button append to
Press this button to append new data to the selected track.


Default settings gen max nr dirs
This filed displays the maximum number of directories that can be loaded into the CD-ROM project.


Default settings gen max dir nesting level
This field displays the maximum directory nesting level of the project. The ISO9660 standard demands a nesting level of no larger that 8. GEAR will allow you to go to a maximum of 24. However it is recommended that you should not go beyond a nesting level of 12.


Default settings gen non iso name handling
This combo-box will let you choose out of a number of filename conversion schemes. These can be used to ensure that the loaded files all have name that comply to your chosen standard. You can choose out of the following options.

1. 	Ignore non ISO names:  The filenames are kept as is. The maximum length of the names is 64 characters.

2. 	Prompt user:  The user is asked if the file should be translated to ISO or kept as is.

3. 	Upper case only:  The filename is converted to upper case.

4. 	Translate to ISO:  The filename is translated to an ISO9660 Level 3 compatible filename.

5. 	Translate to DOS:  The filename is translated to an ISO9660 Level 1 compatible filename.


Default settings gen make files hidden
When this option is set, all files that are loaded into the project will have their ‘hidden’ flags set.


Default settings gen specify start sector
When this option is set, you  will be prompted to enter the sector at which the file is to be loaded.


Default settings gen load archived files
When this option is set, all files without a ‘archive’ flag set will be removed from the list of files being loaded. In combination with the ‘reset archive bit’ option, this filter will provide you with basic CD backup capabilities.


Default settings gen reset archive bits
When this option is set, all file loaded will have their ‘archive’ flags reset. In combination with the ‘Load archives only’ option, this tool will provide you with basic CD backup capabilities.


Default settings gen load hidden files
When this option is set, files with a ‘hidden’ flag set will not be removed from the list of files being loaded.


Default settings gen load system files
When this option is set, files with a ‘system’ flag set will not be removed from the list of files being loaded.


Default settings label system identifier
The system identifier describes the computer system for which the CD was created.  No entry is necessary for a CD created for a DOS/Windows environment.


Default settings label publisher identifier
The publisher identifier field contains the name of the person or company that published the CD title. This field can also contain the name of a file, in the root of the CD, that contains the information about the publisher.


Default settings label data prepared identifier
The data preparer identifier field contains the name of the person or company that prepared the data to be placed on  the CD title. This field can also contain the name of a file, in the root of the CD, that contains the information about the data preparer.


Default settings label application identifier
The application use field identifies the language to be used on a Electronic Book disc. No entry is necessary for a CD created for a DOS/Windows environment.


Default settings label copyright file identifier
The copyright file identifier is the name of a file, placed in the root of the CD, containing a copyright statement for the CD title. No entry is necessary for a CD created for a DOS/Windows environment.


Default settings label abstract file identifier
The abstract file identifier is the name of a file, placed in the root of the CD, containing an summery of the CD title’s contents. No entry is necessary for a CD created for a DOS/Windows environment.


Default settings label biblographic file identifier
The bibliographic file identifier is the name of a file, placed in the root of the CD, containing bibliographic records. No entry is necessary for a CD created for a DOS/Windows environment.


Default settings append automatic
When selected, GEAR will automatically append to the last data track on the CD. In the case of an audio only track, an XA track will be appended (Blue Book standard)


Default settings append manual
When selected, GEAR will present you  with the Advanced Append dialog. Here you can specify which track to append to and the sort of track to be appended.


Default settings append new
When selected, GEAR will create a project based on the selected track. However the CD’s file-system will not be copied to the new project as is normally the case. This way a CD can be recycled or restored after a buffer underrun.


Default settings append multi-volume
When selected, GEAR will not take the disc’s information into account when creating the new project. If this project is written, the result will be a multi-volume disc.


Default settings working directory path
This field will display the current path to GEAR’s working directory. When you edit this field take care that a full path is entered and that the path is valid.


Cue sheet entry track type
This combo-box will allow you to select the type of track stored in the selected file. You can choose from CD-ROM, CD-ROM XA, CD-I or CD Audio.


Cue sheet entry add pause
When selected, GEAR will generate a pregap for the selected track. The size is specified in the pause size field.


Cue sheet entry pause included
When selected, GEAR will assume that the tracks pregap data is already in the file and therefore will not generate any gap. The size of the included gap must be specified in the pause size field.


Cue sheet entry size of pause
This filed allows you to set the size of the track’s pregap. Writing a track with a pregap not equal to the standard 2 seconds can only be written using the ‘disc at once’ method.


External image filename
This field displays the name of the selected project file.


External image image type
This combo-box will allow you to select the proper track type. If you are not sure please either check your authoring package’s documentation or if you copied the track use the Discinfo command.


External image image mode
When a custom image is selected, this combo-box will allow you to select the correct CD mode.


External image sector size
When a custom image is selected, this combo-box will allow you to select the correct sector size.


External image subcode present
When a custom image is selected, this will let you specify whether the tracks sub-code data is already included in the image or not. If not the GEAR will generate the images sub-code.


External image pregap included
When a custom image is selected, this will let you specify whether the file already contains pregap data or not. If not then it will be generated by GEAR.


External image frames
When a custom image is selected, this will let you specify the size of the track’s pregap. If this value is not equal to the standard gap size of 2 seconds then ‘Disc-at-once’ recording must be used to write the disc.


Data edit button new dir
Press this button to create a new directory in your CD-ROM project.


Data edit button rename
Press this button to rename the file currently selected in your CD-ROM project.


Data edit button delete
Press this button to delete the file currently selected in your CD-ROM project.


Data edit button copy
Press this button to copy the selected file(s) on your disc-drive to the CD-ROM project.


Data edit button ignore non iso
When selected, all filenames will be left in tact with no changes.


Data edit button prompt user
When selected, you will be prompted when a filename is found that does not comply to the ISO9660 standard. You must then specify is the file is to be translated or to be left in tact.


Data edit button upper case
When selected, the filename is left in tact, but all characters are translated to upper-case.


Data edit button iso
When selected, the filename will be translated to ISO level 3. All characters are converted to uppercase and all non ISO characters are replaced by an underscore ( _ ).


Data edit button dos
When selected, the filename will be translated to ISO level 1. All characters are converted to uppercase and all non ISO characters are replaced by an underscore ( _ ). The filename and extension (if any) are the truncated to an 8.3 filename.


Data edit drive list
With this combo-box you can select the hard drive you wish to view.


Data edit trashcan
Files dragged from the CD project to this trashcan will be deleted from the project.


Data edit load files hidden
When this option is set, all files that are loaded into the project will have their ‘hidden’ flags set.


Data edit ask for start sector
When this option is set, you  will be prompted to enter the sector at which the file is to be loaded.


Data edit only load archives
When this option is set, all files without a ‘archive’ flag set will be removed from the list of files being loaded. In combination with the ‘reset archive bit’ option, this filter will provide you with basic CD backup capabilities.


Data edit reset archive bits
When this option is set, all files loaded will have their ‘archive’ flags reset. In combination with the ‘Load archives only’ option, this tool will provide you with basic CD backup capabilities.


Data edit load hidden files
When this option is set, files with a ‘hidden’ flag set will not be removed from the list of files being loaded.


Data edit load system files
When this option is set, files with a ‘system’ flag set will not be removed from the list of files being loaded.


Data edit drive dir panel
This panel displays the directory tree of the selected hard drive. By selecting a directory in this list, the files can be viewed in that directory. If the directory contains other directories then a double click will either expand or close the selected directory.


Data edit drive file panel
This panel displays the files and directories in the currently selected directory on your hard drive. Files can be selected using the mouse in combination with the CTRL and SHIFT buttons and then be dragged into the CD-ROM project. A directory can be selected as the current directory with a double click.


Data edit image dir panel
This panel displays the directory tree of the new CD-ROM project. By selecting a directory in this list, the files can be viewed in that directory. If the directory contains other directories then a double click will either expand or close the selected directory.


Data edit image file panel
This panel displays the files and directories in the currently selected directory in the new CD-ROM project. Files can be loaded by dragging them onto this panel. This panel will accept files from both the GEAR Editor as well as the Windows Explorer. Files can be selected using the mouse in combination with the CTRL and SHIFT buttons and then be dragged to the trashcan to be deleted. A directory can be selected as the current directory with a double click.


Audio edit button copy
Press this button to copy all files selected on your hard drive into your CD project.


Audio edit button delete
Press this button to delete the currently selected track from your CD project.


Audio edit button CDR
Press this button to call the CD-R view window. From here it is possible to copy  directly  from your CD to your hard drive and then load them into your CD project with a simple drag and drop.


Audio edit drive list
With this combo-box you can select the hard drive you wish to view.


Audio edit trashcan
Tracks dragged from the CD project to this trashcan will be deleted from the project.


Audio edit drive dir panel
This panel displays the directory tree of the selected hard drive. By selecting a directory in this list, the files can be viewed in that directory. If the directory contains other directories then a double click will either expand or close the selected directory.


Audio edit drive file panel
This panel displays the files and directories in the currently selected directory on your hard drive. Files can be selected using the mouse in combination with the CTRL and SHIFT buttons and then be dragged into the CD-ROM project. A directory can be selected as the current directory with a double click.


Audio edit image track list
This panel displays a list of files currently loaded as tracks in your CD project. Files can be loaded by dragging them onto this panel. This panel will accept files from both the GEAR Editor as well as the Windows Explorer. Files can be selected using the mouse in combination with the CTRL and SHIFT buttons and then be dragged to the trashcan to be deleted.


Cue edit button copy
Press this button to copy all files selected on your hard drive into your CD track list.


Cue edit button delete
Press this button to delete the currently selected line from your CD track list.


Cue edit button CDR
Press this button to call the CD-R view window. From here it is possible to copy  directly  from your CD to your hard drive and then load them into your CD track list with a simple drag and drop.


Cue edit drive list
With this combo-box you can select the hard drive you wish to view.


Cue edit trashcan
Lines dragged from the CD track list to this trashcan will be deleted.


Cue edit drive dir panel
This panel displays the directory tree of the selected hard drive. By selecting a directory in this list, the files can be viewed in that directory. If the directory contains other directories then a double click will either expand or close the selected directory.


Cue edit drive file panel
This panel displays the files and directories in the currently selected directory on your hard drive. Files can be selected using the mouse in combination with the CTRL and SHIFT buttons and then be dragged into the CD-ROM project. A directory can be selected as the current directory with a double click.


Cue edit track list
This panel displays the CD track list. New lines can be created by dragging files onto this panel. This panel will accept files from both the GEAR Editor as well as the Windows Explorer. Lines can be selected using the mouse in combination with the CTRL and SHIFT buttons and then be dragged to the trashcan to be deleted. By double clicking a line, the ‘CD track list Entry’ dialog can called to allow you to change the properties of the selected line.


Erase button
Press this button to erase the CD-RW currently in you CD-RW recorder. The whole disc will be erased. This button is disabled if your recorder doesnot support CD-RW.


Buffer underrun
A buffer underrun can be caused by a number of reasons. Another program may inhibit the recording software from accessing the drive or the drive may be to slow. When such a problem occurs, the software must start writing to the recorders buffer again before it has been emptied. To extend the time the software has, most programs create their own buffers. Once the recorders buffer is full, the software will continue to fill it’s own buffers. In the event the software is interrupted, the recorders buffer will continue to be filled using the software’s buffers. This will usually provide enough extra time to avoid disaster.


eject disc pop
When this option is set, the CDR disc will be ejected after writing.


Project defaults

When loading files into a CD-ROM project, GEAR uses a number of filters, converters and constraints to make sure the project will conform to the ISO9660 or other applicable standard. They also provide you  with the means to filter out certain types of files while copying a directory tree. This dialog allows you to set the defaults for these values.  Changes made here will not effect projects created before the changes were made.

The values used for a selected project can be set in the Current Project Settings dialog.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


Default Label Settings

The primary volume descriptor is found on every CD-ROM at sector 16. This record provides computer systems access to the files on the CD by providing information about the CD’s filesystem.

The primary volume descriptor also contains a number of text fields that describe the CD and provide information necessary for using and indexing the CD. This dialog allows you to provide GEAR with default values used when creating CD projects. Changes made here will not effect projects created before the changes were made.

The  values used for a selected project can be set in the Current CD label Settings dialog

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


Append Preferences

When using CD-R, most users will use standard multi-session conventions. GEAR is designed to append data following these conventions without any user interaction. However there are moments when you may wish to have some form of control over this process. This dialog lets you select GEAR’s data appending mode.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


Prefered Working Directory Selection
Preferred Working Directory Selection

Most users will provide GEAR with a directory or dedicated drive where it can store it is project administration, copied track data and other files. This dialog will allow you to specify that drive and/or directory.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


Current CD label

The primary volume descriptor is found on every CD-ROM at sector 16. This record provides computer systems access to the files on the CD by providing information about the CD’s file system.

The primary volume descriptor also contains a number of text fields that describe the CD and provide information necessary for using and indexing the CD. This dialog allows you to edit these fields.

The default values for these fields can be set in the Default CD Label Preferences dialog

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


Current project settings

When loading files into a CD-ROM project, GEAR uses a number of filters, converters and constraints to make sure the project will conform to the ISO9660 or other applicable standard. They also provide you  with the means to filter out certain types of files while copying a directory tree. This dialog allows you to set these values. Most of these values can also be set directly in the GEAR Data editor.

The default values for these fields can be set in the Project defaults dialog.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


Common CD-Recorder Settings

CD Recorders can write CD’s using a number of different methods and speeds. This dialog will allow you to edit the most common CD Recorder settings.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


Advanced CD-Recorder Settings

CD Recorders can write CD’s using a number of different methods and speeds. This dialog will allow you to edit the more advanced  CD Recorder settings.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.


SCSI Interface Settings (CD Recorder)

GEAR can use a number of drivers and RAM buffering schemes to access your CD-Recorder. This dialog will allow you to

select a driver/scheme and to optimize your system performance.

For specific information about any part of this dialog, simply click on the area with your mouse.