Various Topics on CD-ROM

.... ..lli..

Thanks for the great tip. I am glad there are few others out there who also
hate this needless noise and vibration. Unfortunately, my drive isn't
compatible with this utility.

Marc


"Art Iculos Libres" <articulos@loslibres.com> wrote in message
news:16f85yz9fqig2$.meu0dkl8ma4m.dlg@40tude.net...
> On Wed, 26 May 2004 22:25:07 -0400, Marc Collins wrote:
>
> > Why on earth would anyone not want the silent mode for playing an audio
CD?
> > ***uming this can be done, why the hell don't they build them that way
from
> > the factory? Anyway--thank you for the heads up. I will look into this
and
> > if Sony is the only one offering this feature, they just made a sale to
me.
> >
> > Marc
> <snip>
>
> Here's a generic CD-ROM "speed adjuster" that works well with many drives,
> regardless of brand. If the CD drive has the facility to be set, this
> freeware should be able to access the drive and change the speed. There is
> a list of compatible drives, but it is not exhaustive, and you should try
> it to determine whether your particular drive settings can be changed.
>
> http://cdromtool.sourceforge.net/
>
> ----------------------------
>
> From the Readme.txt file:
>
> Introduction
> ============
> A few years ago, CD-ROM drives were slow, and everyone was looking for a
> way to speed them up. Now, they are excessively fast, and it's causing
> some problems. Noise, vibrations, and short spindown times plague most
> modern drives. For quickly transferring large chunks of data, this is an
> acceptable trade-off, but those who wish to stream audio and video from a
> disc are often left disappointed by poor performance and distracting
> noise. With many drives, it is possible to set the read speed to a value
> lower than the maximum speed. This makes the disc spin slower, reducing
> mechanical noise. Many also let you set the spindown time to a value
> higher than the default. This makes the disc stay spinning and ready to
> access data for longer spans of time. Unfortunately, most CD-ROM drive
> vendors do not give you the programs you need to change these settings.
> That's where CD-ROM Tool comes in.
>
> --------------------
> Also from the Readme.txt - an interesting way to use shortcuts to the
> program:
>
> Quick Setting (shortcuts tab)
> -----------------------------
> Sometimes, it's nice to be able to quickly set a drive to a particular
> read speed or spindown time. To do this, you can create Quickset
> shortcuts. Suppose you would like to create a shortcut that will quickly
> set your drive to 1x read speed and 16 minutes spindown time.
>
> 1) Go to the "Shortcuts" tab to reveal the Quickset panel.
>
> 2) Check both the "Speed" and "Spindown Time" boxes. This will reveal
> pulldown boxes.
>
> 3) Change the boxes to the desired settings, and press the "Create on
> Desktop" button.
>
> 4) A shortcut should appear on your desktop. If you run it, CD-ROM Tool
> will start without showing its user interface, automatically set the drive
> to 1x read speed and 16 min spindown time, and quit.
>

.... ..lli..

It looks like it is a one model only utility. Not available for any other
Sony drives.

Marc

"Bill" <wsh@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%Octc.27083$zO3.20973@newsread2.news.atl.eart hlink.net...
> The drive speed utility can be found at the following link:
>
> http://sony.storagesupport.com/dvdrw/dru510adwn.htm
>
> It's called DSS Version 1.0.
>
> I did a bit of additional checking, and this utility appears to be for the
> DRU 510 drive only. I don't see a similar utility available for the
current
> DRU 530 model.
>
>
> "Marc Collins" <marc_collins@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> news:Msctc.45581$tb4.1550422@news20.bellglobal.com ...
> > Hmmmm...do you have a link for that? I can't find it at the Sony site.
> >
> > Marc
> >
> > "Bill" <wsh@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> > news:8Z9tc.871$Yd3.689@newsread3.news.atl.earthlin k.net...
> > > My Sony DRU-510A drive, by default, also spins at a high rate of speed
> > when
> > > reading audio CDs. However, Sony offers a free drive speed utility at
> its
> > > website (in exchange for filling out a short questionnaire) that
permits
> > > three modes of operation: Silent, Automatic, and Overdrive. In the
> Silent
> > > mode, the drive is virtually inaudible when playing audio CDs.
> > >
> > >
> > > "Marc Collins" <marc_collins@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
> > > news:FS8tc.30954$sr3.868538@news20.bellglobal.com. ..
> > > > Is there one--that doesn't spin up to ridiculous speeds when playing
> an
> > > > audio CD? The needless noise and vibration of this drives me
bonkers.
> > I
> > > > have an early Pioneer that is almost silent when playing or burning
> > DVDs,
> > > > but spins madly with an audio CD. I have tried setting the playback
> to
> > > > analogue and that doesn't help.
> > > >
> > > > Thanks,
> > > >
> > > > Marc
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
************************************************** **************************
> > > > Marc Collins
> > > > marc_collins@sympatico.ca
> > > >
> > > > Your mouse has moved. Windows must be restarted for the change
> > > > to take effect. Reboot now?
> > > >
> > >
> >
>
************************************************** **************************
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
>
>

.... ..lli..

By the way, the A07 and 107 appear to be exactly the same drive with exactly
the same "Ultra Dynamic Resonance Absorber"--one is retail, the other is
OEM.

Marc

"pd@wt.com" <toad> wrote in message
news:c3ccb0tladf57guvjop6e2hnu5a98r4nat@4ax.com...
> I just bought a Pioneer DVR-A07XL, and it doesn't get any quieter...I've
had cd
> burners for about 7 years now so I'm used to the loudness of the spinup.
This
> Pioneer is unnaturally quiet, but they made it to be that way. It's
basically a
> 107D with some improved sound dampening material and anti-resonance
technology.
> I thought it wasn't working because I literally did not hear any spinup
when I
> inserted discs. Great reviews on the drive, too, so definitely check it
out. A
> few stores have a $30 rebate going til the end of the week, too.
>
> On Wed, 26 May 2004 18:28:55 -0400, "Marc Collins"
<marc_collins@sympatico.ca>
> wrote:
>
> >Is there one--that doesn't spin up to ridiculous speeds when playing an
> >audio CD? The needless noise and vibration of this drives me bonkers. I
> >have an early Pioneer that is almost silent when playing or burning DVDs,
> >but spins madly with an audio CD. I have tried setting the playback to
> >analogue and that doesn't help.
> >
> >Thanks,
> >
> >Marc
>

..t ..ul.. ..br..

On Fri, 28 May 2004 09:55:10 -0400, Marc Collins wrote:

> Thanks for the great tip. I am glad there are few others out there who also
> hate this needless noise and vibration. Unfortunately, my drive isn't
> compatible with this utility.
>
> Marc
>
<snip>

You're welcome.

Without belaboring, one small suggestion:

If you have based the lack of compatibility on the list at the utility's
website, I'd download and test the utility with the drive myself. The list
is primarily driven by user submittals, and maybe no one has submitted
results for the particular drive.

My current two drives (the latest Lite-On CD burner and latest DVD / CD
combo burner) are on the list, but they are fairly popular and ubiquitous.
However, before the Lite-Ons, the previous drive I used was obscure / was
not on the list, yet it worked with the utility.

Keep in mind two points:

1. The "guts" of your drive may be the same as one that is listed as being
compatible;
2. The basic functioning of the utility in theory is universal for all
burners; if the burner can be set, this utility should be able to access
the "settings" facility.

The utility is a small download (280K) and is an executable that doesn't
require installation.

Okay. Belabored, but I'm done.

..cha.. ..y..

"Marc Collins" <marc_collins@sympatico.ca> wrote in message
news:%rHtc.54623$tb4.2041147@news20.bellglobal.com ...
> I already noted that I tried switching back and forth between analogue and
> digital playback and it made no difference.

Then, either your media player is ignoring the setting (bug), or you're
changing the setting in the wrong piece of software. IMHO.

The reason is that if your drive is spinning fast, it MUST be playing in
Digital Audio Extraction mode, sending data and not audio. I just can't see
the drive buffering large amounts of data when required to send a continous
steady audio signal over the analogue cable.

So have another look at the settings in your media player. What media player
are you using? I use Winamp 5 and I think I had to configure the input CD
plugin.

--
Richard Boyce
Edit address to reply

..m.. ..rre..

Marc Collins wrote:
>
> Is there one--that doesn't spin up to ridiculous speeds when playing an
> audio CD? The needless noise and vibration of this drives me bonkers. I
> have an early Pioneer that is almost silent when playing or burning DVDs,
> but spins madly with an audio CD. I have tried setting the playback to
> analogue and that doesn't help.
>

The Plextor DVD writers have a Silent Mode setting which limits the
maximum speed to whatever you choose. On Plextools go to Drive Settings
and then c**** on the Silent Mode tab.

Cheers.

James.

..h

.. --------------------------------------
Mike Richter, were you born with
"Scam Artist" emblazoned on your face?
--------------------------------------
(Mike Richter, any Material Connection w/ Roxio?)

http://groups.google.com/groups?selm...mindspring.com
(Messages 10, 12 -- 34, 54 -- 69)

( No pipsqueaks have been able to prove ANY of the above is a libel )
( -- despite Mikey's supposed to have proof of misquotes !!! )


Marc Collins wrote:
>
> Is there one--that doesn't spin up to ridiculous speeds when playing an
> audio CD? The needless noise and vibration of this drives me bonkers. I
> have an early Pioneer that is almost silent when playing or burning DVDs,
> but spins madly with an audio CD. I have tried setting the playback to
> analogue and that doesn't help.

Nero DriveSpeed
http://www.cdspeed2000.com/?link=nerodrivespeed.html

..

> Is there one--that doesn't spin up to ridiculous speeds when playing
an
> audio CD?


I am a bit confused. How can the disk run at anything but 1 x? It
must run at an exact speed. That is why it changes speed as the laser
gets further to the outside edge. It has to slow down so it is
retrieving data at the same rate. The only thing I can figure is that
it is dumping everything to the hard drive and playing from there.

..cha.. ..y..

"BF" <bfor@adelphia.net> wrote in message
news:jpKdnUmaFt0em1vdRVn-jw@adelphia.com...

> I am a bit confused. How can the disk run at anything but 1 x? It
> must run at an exact speed. That is why it changes speed as the laser
> gets further to the outside edge. It has to slow down so it is
> retrieving data at the same rate. The only thing I can figure is that
> it is dumping everything to the hard drive and playing from there.

Lookup Digital Audio Extraction. Basically, in this mode the drive is told
to treat the audio disc as it would a data disk, and send the data through
the data cable to the playing software that's reading the data. That
software then sends audio data to the soundcard, and reads more data in
short bursts, as required, from the fast-spinning CD.
--
Richard Boyce
Edit address to reply