Path: utzoo!attcan!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!mcnc!ecsgate!ecsvax!ruslan
From: ruslan@uncecs.edu (Robin C. LaPasha)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: CD-ROM and the Amiga
Summary: Data formats MAY allow crossover use
Message-ID: <1990Jul1.150251.891@uncecs.edu>
Date: 1 Jul 90 15:02:51 GMT
References: <3347@crash.cts.com> <441@hal.CSS.GOV>
Organization: UNC Educational Computing Service
Lines: 66

Train of the topic - Can the new Amiga CDTV use currently existing
CD ROMs, in terms of accessing their data?

In article <441@hal.CSS.GOV>, stevem@hal.CSS.GOV (Steve Masters) writes:
> seanc@pro-party.cts.com (Sean Cunningham) writes:
> 
> >In-Reply-To: message from stevem@hal.CSS.GOV
> > 
> >That, and many of the other databases on CD-ROM, are more than likely MS-DOS
> >format...let's get real here, it's just like software.
> > 
> >You can't just put in an MS-DOS 3.5" disk in an Amiga and have it work, just
> >like you won't be able to use their CDs.
> > 
> I'm not talking about software (binary) compatibility, but the ability
> to read DATA.  In fact, my Amiga CAN read IBM MS-DOS 3.5" disks by using
> Cross-Dos.  I guess what I am asking for is not that C= necessarily use
> the existing formats for their products, but I can use their hardware
> and software to read the large number of CD-ROMs already out there and
> the many more appearing all of the time.  As a scientist excited about
> the potential of CD-ROMs storage capacity combined with the power of
> my Amiga, I hope C= will not force me to make my Amiga look like an
> IBM-PC to take advantage of this resource.
> 
First, we're talking about the Amiga already, when the only "announced"
CD ROM product is the CDTV.  So, although we all expect a CD ROM drive
for the Amiga soon, it's not out yet.

Second, in terms of reading CD ROMs, there are several variables
involved.

A)  What is the format of the Mac or PC CD ROM?  If it is ISO 9660,
then it should be readable by the CDTV.  If it's just a straight
Mac or PC data format, well, it's not transferrable anyways.

B)  Are there images as well as numbers and ASCII text?  Well,
if it's a Mac-specific or PC-specific format, then any attempts
at conversion will slow things down (and possibly look bizarre too.)
(If it's not anybody's particular format, then I guess we'll all
slow down equally for conversion ;^).)

C)  Do you need particular software to access the data?  Or
do you want to use pre-developed software?  Can you write the
software yourself?

D)  All of this assumes that the CD ROM hooks being developed
for CDTV will eventually be brought into the Amiga's OS...

E)  Well sure the CDTV can play audio CDs.  And those goofy
ones with the pictures, too.  Why would audio CDs have any
compatibility problems?

The CD ROM issue now seems to be that graphics are still an
item in flux.  (CD ROM XA has been introduced, but I don't
know if it's being adopted.)  But data?  ISO 9660 (which _is_
or is somehow related to "High Sierra") seems to be a
standard that's being used, and it can be read by CDTV.

The real "can we read them" tests will be when we get the
hooks in the OS to read the drives.  Then we can hope that
the hooks will be clever enough that software to read the
disks will soon come out (one vote here for good AmigaVision
hooks!  Rah!)
-- 
Robin LaPasha              |Keeper of the Amiga
ruslan@ecsvax.uncecs.edu   |Hypermedia Mailing List