Help with cdrecord

[Jeff Vian]

Andrew Robinson wrote:

> Mads V. Pedersen wrote:
>
>> Hi Andrew,
>>
>> Andrew Robinson wrote:
>>
>>> I'm trying to teach myself how to use mkisofs and cdrecord. I'm a 
>>> little ahead on mkisofs, though that is like saying my verbals 
>>> skills are better than my math skills because I can say "Ma Ma" but 
>>> I cannot add 2+2.
>>>
>>> Anyway, I wrote a script that uses mkisofs to create an iso of mp3 
>>> files from an m3u play list. The size of the iso file is 747200512 
>>> bytes. When I try burning it with gnome toaster, it refuses because 
>>> it says the track is too large. The CDR is supposed to hold 700 MB, 
>>> which according to my calculator equates to 786432000 bytes. So 
>>> either there is overhead in burning the iso to disk or the CDR maker 
>>> is figuring megabytes the way hard disk manufacturers do.
>>
>>
> --snipped--
>
>>>
>>> My question is this. Is there a way to determine exactly how large 
>>> an iso file a CDR will hold? I looked at the man page for cdrecord 
>>> and found options that will tell me about the recorder, but not the 
>>> media. But I'm pretty sure Nero and Toast on other OS's will tell me 
>>> how much space is available on the CDR.
>>
>>
>>
>> check the -atip option of cdrecord.
>>
> I've copied the output of  'cdrecord dev=2,0,0 -atip'  below. There is 
> a blank CDR in the drive. I don't see where it is telling me how much 
> space is available on the disc. Can you help me some more?
>
I did a  " cdrecord -v -v -v dev=0,0,0 speed=16 -eject <filename.iso> " 
and got the information below on the disk. (note: output trimmed for space)
In general, each -v increases the verbosity by one level until it gets 
to max.  Also, cdrecord -help gives a lot of useful information for 
using the command.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Device seems to be: Generic mmc CD-RW.
Drive current speed: 40
Drive default speed: 40
Drive max speed    : 40
Selected speed     : 16
Using generic SCSI-3/mmc CD-R driver (mmc_cdr).
Driver flags   : MMC-2 SWABAUDIO BURNFREE
Supported modes: TAO PACKET SAO SAO/R96P SAO/R96R RAW/R16 RAW/R96P RAW/R96R
Drive buf size : 1806336 = 1764 KB
FIFO size      : 4194304 = 4096 KB
Track 01: data   699 MB
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
this is the iso size
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
track: 1 start: 0 pregap: 150
Total size:      803 MB (79:38.21) = 358366 sectors
Lout start:      804 MB (79:40/16) = 358366 sectors[root at bluebird 
knoppix]# dc
358366 2048 * p
733933568

 --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
There are a total of 358366 sectors of 2Kb each.
Total space is thus:

358366  * 2048  = 733933568 bytes

This is the total available disk data size. Data size is less since 
formatting and burning overhead is involved.  Unless some other options 
are used (overburning, etc), the data is limited to 700mb. NOTE: these 
CDs are 700mb, 80 min.  and look at the listed time above.  The time is 
audio format, the sectors are data format.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Disk type:    Short strategy type (Phthalocyanine or similar)
Manuf. index: 27
Manufacturer: Prodisc Technology Inc.
Blocks total: 359848 Blocks current: 359848 Blocks remaining: 1482
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
this is the image size and remaining sectors on the disk after writing 
is done.  1482 * 2k = <3mb.
Nothing in relation to thte full size of the disk
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BURN-Free is ON.
Turning BURN-Free off
Performing OPC...
Starting new track at sector: 0
Track 01:  699 of  699 MB written (fifo 100%) [buf  95%]  19.5x.
Track 01: Total bytes read/written: 733929472/733929472 (358364 sectors).
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I did not use BURN-Free, and it reports 699mb with 733929472 bites.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


I think in general, you are confusing the formatted capacity with the 
raw physical size.  Yes, these CDs are 80 minute CDs, and they report 
803mb of space (unformatted).  CD audio is burned in a different format, 
and not subject to the same space loss associated with a formated 
filesystem as we see with data so audio can use the entire space.  A 
filesystem is different, For example, a 20GB hard disk usually only gets 
about 19GB of filesystem space.  The same occurs on a CD with data. 
 Thus 700MB is the limit for data on this size CD.