[linux-help] Re: Burning music CD's

[John Goerzen <jgoerzen@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, Oct 07, 2003 at 07:41:22AM -0500, Jeff Vian wrote:
> >Multi-session generally means that you can add more data to a CD-R even
> >after it's been burned already.  Multi-session is a lot less common on
> >CD-RWs.
> >  
> CDRWs are actually entirely multi-session.  The cdrw is used like a 

No.  You can burn a CD-RW exactly like a CD-R, no special multi-session. 
You can also burn it with multi-session.  You can also burn it like a CD-R
and then do the same thing again.  And you can use packet writing, which is
another beast altogether -- and that may be what you're referring to here.

> standard data disk and may get written  to once or many times before it 
> is finalized, including the ability to edit files stored there, which 
> cannot be done on a CDR disk.
> 
> >Multi-session requires support in the reading device (all modern CD-ROMs
> >have this support) since the disk actually gets fixated more than once.
> >Fixating is the process that finalizes a CD session.
> >
> Multi-session CDs are usually burnt in different sessions.  The disk is 
> not fixated until the last session is recorded, then when fixated the 

No, it is fixated after each session, but the fixation is done in a special
way.  You can fixate the last session differently, and then you will not be
able to add to it.  From the cdrecord manpage:

       -multi Allow  multi  session  CDs  to  be  made.  This flag needs to be
              present on all sessions of a multi session disk, except you want
              to  create a session that will be the last session on the media.
              The fixation will be done in a way that allows  the  CD-Recorder
              to  append additional sessions later. This is done by generation
              a TOC with a link to the next program  area.  The  so  generated
              media  is  not  100%  compatible to manufactured CDs (except for
              CDplus).  Use only for recording of multi session CDs.  If  this
              option  is  present,  the default track type is CD-ROM XA mode 2
              form 1 and the sector size is 2048 bytes.  The  XA  sector  sub-

> data becomes permanent and no additional sessions can be added.   A CD 
> can only be fixated once. Multi-session CDs are left open until the last 
> session is written, and most systems cannot use the cd (except int he 
> burner) until after it has been fixated.

Whenever I burn a multi-session CD with cdrecord -multi, it is usable
everywhere (it has indeed been fixated) and I can add more sessions later
(and they are usable everywhere too).

> With xcdroast I often burn music CDs.  If the data is a wav file, and 
> you select them in the order you want it will automatically create the 
> music CD.
> 
> The options of how to write the disk allow multiple tracks with no gap 
> (DAO),  multiple tracks with the standard 2 second gap (TAO), or even in 
> data format.

It is worth noting that DAO recording can also put down tracks with the
pregap in exactly the same manner as TAO.

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