Playing Audio CDs with Metadata

Burning Software
#1

Audio CDs burned using Nero Burning ROM 6.6.1.15d or different burning applications do not seem to display album, title, and artist information when played in applications that rely on Windows 2000/XP/Server 2003’s redbook.sys to process and play the audio CDs. (An example of such as application is Windows Media Player).

When a professional pressed music CD-ROM or a CD-R 1:1 copy of the professional CD-ROM is played in an application that relies on Windows 2000/XP/Server 2003’s redbook.sys to process and play the audio CDs, album, title, and artist information is displayed.

According to Microsoft Corporation Knowledgebase article 297756 (KB297756), [redbook.sys] does not support CD Text, among other metadata. (“problem”)

It seems that the problem is worked around in the professional pressed media. The fact that the assumed workaround is able to be replicated via 1:1 copy leads me to believe that there is a way to represent usual CD Text information (album, title, artist, etc.) such that it will display for players that do not normally read CD Text (like Windows Media Player.)

How can audio CDs be burned with descriptive metadata information like album, title, artist, etc.; be playable in an application that relies on Windows 2000/XP/Server 2003’s redbook.sys to process and play audio CDs (such as Windows Media Player); display metadata information in such applications, and be playable in standalone CD players?

#2

It seems that the problem is worked around in the professional pressed media. The fact that the assumed workaround is able to be replicated via 1:1 copy leads me to believe that there is a way to represent usual CD Text information (album, title, artist, etc.) such that it will display for players that do not normally read CD Text (like Windows Media Player.)

Smoke and Mirrors. WMP (and most others that find meta data for pressed CDs) look it up on the internet. Most pressed CDs don’t have squat for info.

#3

[QUOTE=olyteddy;2467377]Smoke and Mirrors. WMP (and most others that find meta data for pressed CDs) look it up on the internet. Most pressed CDs don’t have squat for info.[/QUOTE]OK. Thanks.

I discoonected from all networks and have tested playing audio CDs that have not played in Windows Media Playe on some computers.

Information appeared as unknown.

#4

Most media players will also build a database of meta data, so if you replay a CD that was looked up once it won’t have to look again.

#5

[QUOTE=olyteddy;2467727]Most media players will also build a database of meta data, so if you replay a CD that was looked up once it won’t have to look again.[/QUOTE]Can database iformation be sotred on the disc and made available to Windows Media Player when the disc plays?

#6

IDK, I don’t think WMP supports CD Text. I know WinAmp does, I have a (pressed) Tom Petty ‘bonus’ CD that came with a DVD set that does have CD Text and I know WinAmp read it because (at the time) the CD wasn’t in CDDB.

#7

[QUOTE=olyteddy;2467736]IDK, I don’t think WMP supports CD Text. I know WinAmp does, I have a (pressed) Tom Petty ‘bonus’ CD that came with a DVD set that does have CD Text and I know WinAmp read it because (at the time) the CD wasn’t in CDDB.[/QUOTE]Windows Media Player 10.0 and older do not support CD Text (I am uncertain about the newer versions). It should be noted that Windows Media Player Player uses redbook.sys to decode and handle audio CDs. if ever redbook.sys is updated to support CD Text, Windows Media Player should support CD Text.

I was thinking that perhaps a database can be stored on a disc that does not adhere only to standard audio CD (perhaps this is called a hybrid format). In the database the metadata information would point to the disc tracks.

Perhaps if multiple file systems on multiple disc sessions were made on a single disc, one for regular CD players and one for computer software players that do not support CD Text, Windows Media player may show information obtained after reading a session of the disc. The standalone CD player would use the other disc session.

I do not know if what I was thinking is a valid, but it seems like something that might possibly work.

I have found a plug-in for Windows Media Player that reads CD Text. The plug-in appears to read CD Text and make it available to the Windows Media Player database so that CD information can be viewed. Officially the plug-in ins only for Windows Media Player 10 on Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, but it works also on Windows 2000 and Windows Media Player 9.0.
The plug-in is available at:
http://bmproductions.fixnum.org/index.htm?http://bmproductions.fixnum.org/moreprogs/wmpcdtext.htm