How to burn the image file created by the Philips
Video CD 2.0 Toolkit
Default Build Folder
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If you built your project using the default folder settings, your image file will be in the same folder you installed Toolkit in. You do have the option of setting your build folder someplace else, and I would recommend you do so. In fact, I would recommend you create separate folders for both your build files and your asset files for each VCD project. You can change your build folder from the dialog box you start your build from, namely Project -> Build -> Set Build Folder.
There are times when you will need to delete all of your build files and start another build from scratch. This is a lot easier to do if the build files are in a separate folder. There are other reasons why you’ll want a separate build folder, so create one now. If you don’t, then don’t say you weren’t warned.
Burner Software
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It appears, at least for now, that only WinOnCD and Gear can burn tracks from the Toolkit image. If anyone can make another product work, like Nero or EZCD, please let the rest of us know how you did it.
Unfortunately, WinOnCD has been discontinued in the U.S. A German version is still available, but I don’t know for how long. Here’s the link to the German language website:
http://www.roxio.de/german/products/winoncd_og.html
Gear is still available. Here is the link to their website:
Gear wants a bunch of personal information before they will email you the URL needed to download their demo. Here is the URL they sent to me:
ftp.gearsoftware.com/pub/demos/windows/gearpro_demo_english.exe
The CD-i Association’s website has instructions for burning the Toolkit image file with either WinOnCD or Gear. There’s a gotcha, though. The Gear directions were written for an older version, and don’t work with the current version. (I don’t know how accurate the WinOnCD instructions are since I haven’t used that program.) However, there is still useful information contained in the instructions, so you should read through them:
http://www.icdia.org/cdprosupport/vcd/vcd2x/vcd_burn.htm
Sector Formats
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There are two reasons why other burner programs cannot read or burn a Toolkit image. They either do not support the White Book sector formats used by the Toolkit image, or they do not support the White Book sector formats correctly.
Many VCD programs only read and write the Yellow Book Mode 2 sector format. Complete VCD 2.0 compliance requires the use of White Book Mode 2 sector formats, which are slightly different, and can be scrambled.
The image Toolkit creates is known as a CD-i Bridge image. Within this image are tracks that will use one of the following sector formats:
- CD-ROM XA Mode 2/Form 1 scrambled
- CD-ROM XA Mode 2/Form 2 scrambled
- CD-DA
As far as I know, only WinOnCD and Gear can read and burn scrambled Mode 2 Form 1/2 sectors. Nero 5.2.2.4 supposedly can read and burn scrambled Mode 2 sectors, but I could never get it to work. As for your favorite burner software, you’ll just have to try it and see.
If you want to know more about sector formats, try these links:
http://www.icdia.org/faq/cdifaq3.html - 3.6
Toolkit Disk Images
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The first track in the Toolkit image will always use Mode 2/Form 1 scrambled sectors. VCD 2.0 compliant MPEG A/V files will normally be written to separate tracks using Mode 2/Form 2 scrambled sectors. CD audio tracks will use CD-DA sectors and will always follow any MPEG A/V tracks.
The build process creates an image file with a *.cd extension. It also creates a text file with a *.toc extension which describes the tracks used in the image file. This TOC/CD file pair is similar in concept to the more widely known CUE/BIN file pair. However, you can’t read in a *.toc file like you can a CDRWin cue sheet file. Philips used to sell it’s own burner software that could read the *.toc file, but I don’t know where you can get a copy of it, or if it would even work with today’s CD burners.
Converting Toolkit Disk Images
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The Toolkit zip file contains another zip file, TOCS10.ZIP. This zip file contains a utility program that can split the Toolkit disk image into separate tracks. It also creates a track list file that Gear can use. Extract it from the VCD2TK.ZIP file you downloaded, and then extract the TOCSPLIT.EXE file and the readme file. Copy or move the files to the folder you installed the Toolkit in, and create a shortcut to it.
You can also download this utility directly from the utility author’s website:
http://freespace.virgin.net/robin.burrows/cdiutil.htm
Read the readme file, and then double-click on the TOCSPLIT.EXE file or it’s short cut. The program is pretty simple:
- Press the “Open TOC” button.
- Load the *.toc file.
- Press Go!
The utility will create separate track files from the original *.cd image, so be sure you have enough free space! The track and track list files will be created in the same folder your image file is in.
Although this utility creates a track list file with a *.cue extension, it is NOT a CDRWin cue sheet file. This track list file only works with Gear. In fact, the current version of Gear no longer uses the *.cue extension for it’s track list files. Instead they use the *.tlf extension. Luckily, the format hasn’t changed, so if you want, you can just rename the *.cue file to *.tlf.
If your VCD project only uses menus, still images, and MPEG files, then the TOCSPLIT utility is all you need. However, if you later decide you want to add CD-DA files to your projects, then things are a little more complicated. This is because the TOCSPLIT utility does not split out CD-DA tracks.
There is another utility that can split out CD-DA tracks, but it’s cumbersome to use. See the guide for using CD-DA audio in your project for more details.
Using Gear 5.02 to Burn Your Disk Image
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Download and install the Gear 5.02 demo. You can downloaded it using this link:
ftp.gearsoftware.com/pub/demos/windows/gearpro_demo_english.exe
Once you have installed it, fire it up and under the Options menu, select Preferences, and then select the Options tab. Change your working directory to your Toolkit build folder. If you don’t do this, you will have to copy your track files to the folder you installed Gear in. (Of course you did create a separate build folder for your project, right?)
Next, under the Recorder menu, select Settings, and then select the CD Settings tab. Make sure the recording method is Track At Once. Also, be sure Fixate disc is selected.
Load a CD-RW into your burner. (Of course CD-R works too, but you may want use something you can reuse until you have everything working like you want.)
Next under the File menu, select “Run GEAR Command”
The GEAR command you should use is:
writecd tracklist.cue X 12
( “tracklist.cue” is the name of the file created by the TOCSPLIT utility.)
Press Execute and wait for the burn to complete.
You can also create a Gear batch file that can run multiple Gear commands. Create a text file using Notepad with these entries:
SETCDRPARMS WRITEENABLE TRUE
WRITECD TRACKLIST.CUE X 12
Save the file in your build directory as a .gbf text file. You can do this in Notepad by saving as type “All files” then saving as “filename.gbf”. (If you save as type “Text Document”, you’ll end up with the filename “filename.gbf.txt”).
To use this batch file in Gear select File -> “Run Batch File”, load the batch file
Press Open and wait for the burn to complete.