Q: Can the CD recorder be used as a reader while it is attached to, or installed in, CD Studio?

A: No. Since the CD recorder is attached to a separate SCSI chain within the CD Studio, it is not possible to access a disc in the CD recorder from your host. The only communication possible between the CD Studio and the CD recorder takes place when your premastered image is being recorded onto the CD in the CD recorder. This operation is called by the MakeDisc software, and is controlled by the CD Studio's firmware.

Q: How can I make an exact duplicate of an existing CD?

A: Place the source CD into an external CD reader. Use dd, defining the input file to be the raw CD reader device name, and the output file to be the Studio's tape device name. This will cause all of the information on your source CD to be transferred to CD Studio's hard drive. You may then use the mt fsf command for your platform and OS to cause the data to be recorded onto a blank CD in your CD recorder. A sample command line using dd might be:

Q: After I use dd to try to copy a source CD I get a Read I/O error. What happened?

A: The I/O error is normal, and simply indicates that the last of the information from the source CD has been read. You should compare the numbers reported for records in and records out; if they are the same, or they are within one record of each other, there is nothing to worry about. Some versions of the UNIX OS will not report an error.  

Q: What kind of tape device does CD Studio emulate?

A: CD Studio emulates an ATT type, auto-rewind style, high density 8200 exabyte tape device.  

Q: Can I mount the premastered image once it has been dumped to the studio?

A: Some UNIX platforms and OSs support this mountback feature. If reference to your platform and OS are not listed in the manual, call YMI Technical Support at (800) 496-4237 for more details. Mountback is also possible under Windows NT. If your UNIX OS supports multiple LUNs, chances are you will be able to take advantage of mountback.  

Q: How do I purge the Studio?

A: Make a note of the settings of the switches in the 8-position DIP switch block on the back of CD Studio. Turn all switches on, then press the "RESET" switch on the front panel, or power-cycle the Studio. You should hear the Studio beep once, and the hard drive LED indicator should flash, then come on solidly. Let the Studio run in this mode for about 20 minutes. Return the switches to their original positions, and power-cycle or reset the Studio once again. Your Studio should now have been purged.  

Q: When I try to purge, my hard drive LED does not come on. What's wrong?

A: Your level of firmware may not support purging. Check the back of your Studio. If you do not have a firmware of at least 0.97a, then your Studio will not purge.  

Q: What does purging the Studio do?

A: Purging your Studio will reset the Studio CMOS, clear the data pointers of the Studio's hard drive, and will write a test pattern to each and every block on the hard drive. Any premastered image that was present on the hard drive will be destroyed.  

Q: Will the purge test pattern interfere with the validity of my next premastered image?

A: No, your next image will not be affected by a purge.  

Q: Sometimes when I premaster and then cut the image, the information on the CD is not the same as what I thought I had premastered. It looks like the image from the previous job. What happened?

A: Your host system may not have sent the rewind command to the Studio properly. If your OS supports the mt tape erase command, you can try erasing the image, rewind, then premaster again. If you cannot use the erase command, try sending the mt rewind command a time or two, then premaster and cut again.

Another possibility is that the tape device that you are using is not an auto-rewind style tape device. If not, then send the mt tape rewind command to the Studio before and after any operation involving the Studio.

You may also want to veryify that your data set is REALLY what you think it should be. Go to the path specified as your MakeDisc Base Directory and double check.

Finally, if all of the above does not work, put the Studio into purge mode, wait 20 minutes, return the studio to normal operating mode, then premaster again.

  Q: My CD Studio is not in purge mode, but the hard drive LED is constantly lit. What's wrong?

A: Check the cabling, termination, and SCSI IDs of all equipment on your SCSI chain. Verify that cables are connected and seated properly. If the light stays on, try disconnecting all external devices from your host except CD Studio. Also disconnect any peripherals attached to the Studio's "WRITER" port. Power-cycle the Studio. If the light stays on, disconnect Studio from your host completely and power-cycle it again. If the light is still on, call YMI Technical Support at (800) 496-4237.

If the light goes off at some point in the above procedure, start reconnecting the other devices one at a time. It's possible that one of your other pieces of equipment attached to Studio, or the cable used to attach it is damaged.  

Q: When I try to send my premastered image to the Studio I get an error message saying that I cannot write the buffer to the output device. What's wrong?

A: Sometimes system glitches can cause this problem. The best way to recover is to halt your host; bring down all external Studio peripherals such as disc transporters/autoloaders, printers, and CD recorders; power-cycle the Studio; wait 45 seconds after hearing the Studio beep; restart the Studio peripherals; reboot your host; bring up MakeDisc and try premastering your image again.

Another possibility would be that you are using the wrong device name for Studio. Check your tape device nodes and insure that you are giving MakeDisc the correct tape device.

Q: While premastering, I get a message that says, "Finished with media 1; insert new media and press return." What does this mean?

A: Check to make sure that you have indicated your Output Device/File Size to be set to 650 Mbytes, the maximum amount of data able to be recorded on a standard 74-minute piece of media. If you were to set this number to 400 Mbytes, for example, and your image size was actually 450 Mbytes, you would see the above error message. Likewise, if you have set your Output Device/ File Size to 650 Mbytes, and you see the error message, you are probably trying to premaster an image that is too large to fit onto a single CD. You should check the size of your data set, modify it by making it smaller, and try premastering again.  

Q: Can I premaster an image that is larger than 650 Mbytes?

A: Yes. The hard drive in CD Studio is over 1Gbyte in size. It is theoretically possible to premaster an image that is up to 1 Gbyte in size. However, doing so would not be practical because the image could not be split to fit onto multiple CDs. The maximum, practical, usable image size, therefore, is 650 Mbytes.

Q: What CD recorders does my Studio support?

A: As of June 2, 1997, Studio supports the following CD recorders:

Sony CDW-E1/W1
Sony CDW-900E

Philips CDD-521
Philips CDD-522
Philips CDD-2000

Plasmon RF-4000
Plasmon RF-4100

Kodak PCD 200
Kodak PCD 225
Kodak PCD 600 (with 6x firmware installed)

Yamaha CDR-100
Yamaha CDR-102
Yamaha CDR-400
Yamaha CDR-400AT
Yamaha CDR-4260

Teac CD-R55S

Pioneer CD-WO DR-R504X
Pioneer CD-WO DW-S114X

Plextor CD-R PX-R24CS

Hewlett-Packard HP6020 CD