CD ROM FAQ Filesystems

Information in this page updated: 07 Jan 96


6. CD-ROM filesystems

6.1 Filesystems

To access cd-roms you'll need a special drive that adapts the different layout of the cd-rom filesystem to the amiga filesystem conventions. (Just like CrossDOS does this for PC-disks). Your Driver needs to know the old High-Sierra and the current ISO9660 file systems with additional RockRidge Extensions. Reading the proprietary MacHFS is not that important for only-Amiga users. If you do not own an AGA-Amiga, support for CD³² is also not nesscassary.

 Name           Type    HS      ISO     RRIP    MacHSF  CD³²    CDTV
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 AmiCDFS           (PD) x       x       x       x       -       -
 AmiCDROM 1.15     (PD) -       x       I²      x       -       -
 AmigaCD        (WB3.1) -       x       -       -       -       -
 AsimWare 3.4     (Com) x       x       -       x       x       x
 BabelCDROM       (Com) x       x       I/G³    -       -       -
 CacheCDFS 2.7¹   (Com) -       x       I       x       x       -
 Xetec CDx 2.x    (Com) x       x       -       x       -       x

 Hardware w/ Driver     HS      ISO     RRIP    MacHSF  CD³²    CDTV
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 CD³²                   x       x       I       -       x       x
 Overdrive-CD           x       x       x       x       x       -
 tandem IDE/PCMCIA¹     -       x       I       x       x       -
 VOB                    x       x       x       -       x       -
 Squirrel               -       x       x       -       x       -

-----
 HS := reads High-Sierra Format
 ISO := reads ISO 9660 compliant disks with FAT 8+3 naming scheme
 RRIP := reads the extended architecture disks with long names
        and unlimited directory structure and file attributes. (most
        Amiga CDs come this way)
 MacHFS := reads Apple Macintosh HPFS CDs
 CD³² := comes with a CD³²-Emulator, s.b.
 CDTV := comes with a CDTV-Emulator
 ¹the bsc tandem comes with  a spezial version of CacheCDFS
 ²I=ingokal := Mixed-Case is displayed but not used (like Amiga OFS/FFS)
 ³G=gokal := Mixed-Case is displayed and used. The filename 'test.c' is
             not equal to 'Test.c' or 'TEST.C'. This may cause problems
             with amiga-based programs. Ingokal use therefore may cause
             problems with Unix where gokal filesystems are used.

Except for AmiCDROM, AmiCDFS which are PD and AmigaCD (which comes with the V40 packages) all drivers are commercial 'pay-ware' and come packed with differnt up-to-date CDs. They have several utilities like Audio-CD- player, SCSI-Inquiry tools, PhotoCD reader etc.

Beware the AmigaCD driver. it's rather old and buggy. The better choice is at all times AmiCDROM.

The special adaptors for A1200 and A4000 IDE-drives come with a special driver that interfaces the matching device directly. You don't have to buy them seperately.

6.2 Utilities

not yet :-(


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