CD EXTRA
Everything you need to know ...

What is CD EXTRA ?

CD EXTRA is a new CD format that combines CD Audio and CD-ROM data on the same disc. Even though so-called Audio Combined CDs already exist, the CD EXTRA has several advantages.

The combination of digital audio and data on a CD EXTRA is based quite simply on the creation of a multisession disc. This means that there are actually two discs on one CD. The first session holds the digital audio according to the Red Book, and the second session contains the data. Playing such a CD on an audio player won't cause any digital noise or mutes because audio players will only play the first session. They won't touch the second session on a CD.

On the other hand, multisession CD-ROM drives with CD EXTRA compatible firmware can access the digital audio on the first session and the computer data on the second session as well. This means that you can play the audio and run multi media applications off the same disc on your computer.

Furthermore under Microsoft's© Windows 95 a CD EXTRA will automatically start any application that has been specified in a short file named AUTORUN.INF.

On existing Audio Combined discs the data track has to be track #1 in order to be able to read the computer information with your PC. In the best case, playing this disc on your CD Audio player will result in muting of the data track. In the worst case the ROM noise could even damage your speakers.

CD EXTRA a format with new features!

The Enhanced Music CD standard offers a wide range of new features with additional information (which are packed in separate files).

The feature of this new standard is to combine the audio tracks with a visual component, such as album or track credits.
Some of these features, such as album and track titles, credits, composer, pictures, lyrics... can be displayed in different languages on each track by a compatible CD EXTRA player or a software tool like the Apple CD Player.
Because this additional information has to meet certain CD EXTRA specifications, DADC has developed a so-called helpware tool to help create these files in the right format.

i.e.:

 On every CD EXTRA there has to be at least an "INFO.CDP" file and a "SUB_INFO.lc" file, which describes the contents of the audio session.
Furthermore, a so-called Frontpicture "Jacket01.nnx" (encoded once as JPEG and three times as MPEG ) has to be on the database of a CD EXTRA.
DADC's CD EXTRA Helpware holds up to 8 language codes and up to 90 tracks.

AUTORUN:

 Any application that has been specified in a file named "AUTORUN.INF" in the root of the CD-ROM will automatically start up when inserting the disc in a PC running Win 95.

 

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