Track Names

[jbrad453@yahoo.com]

I hope I didn't miss this in the forum. When I burn my recorded CD's it does not burn the track names but instead burn with track numbers. Can someone point to what I am doing wrong?

[Paul Sanders (AlpineSoft)]

Not all players read the track names that we burn to CD (so-called CD-Text).  It's annoying but that's just how it is, sorry.

You should, of course, ensure that that that box is checked n the CD Burning Options dialog, but it's on by default so it probably is.

If your player supports it, you might have better luck burning an MP3 CD.  Visit the MP3 File Options dialog first (which you can get to from the CD Burning Options dialog) to increase the quality setting - the default is rather low.  Also, you might have to switch from VBR to CBR before the disc will play.

[Jerrysnb]

I'm having the same issue. I tried using CyberLink's PowerDVD and the Windows Media Player. I'm running Windows 11. If I look at the disk in file manager, all I see are cda files with the track numbers. I've made CDs with text before, using other programs.

Thoughts?

[Paul Sanders (AlpineSoft)]

> I've made CDs with text before, using other programs.

Um, OK, how did you do that please?

[Jerrysnb]

> I've made CDs with text before, using other programs.

Um, OK, how did you do that please?

CyberLink's Power2Go has the option to create them. When I rip a vinyl album to CD, I like to include a scan of the liner notes. Their terminology is "CD Extra." They play fine; an audio player just ignores the extra file(s), but you can use print them or whatever.

That's neither here nor there. It's been a long time since I've used VinylStudio (something weird with my previous computer). I'm trying to use the

Code Select Expand

Include album and track information on audio CDs ("CD Text")
option in VinylStudio. The track listing shows the name of each track.

You cannot view this attachment.

The Windows 11 Media Player app doesn't show the text information. None of my players do. Nor is it in the file properties. It doesn't seem to be on the disk. I must be misunderstanding something.

You cannot view this attachment.

[Paul Sanders (AlpineSoft)]

OK, I see that Power2Go burns a type of audio CD that we don't support.  I don't know how many players can read the extra information they put on there though.

VinylStudio does indeed write out CD-Text but Windows Media Player ignores it.  There used to be a plugin that could read it but Microsoft broke it.  So I guess there are a few ways forward here:

1.  Save your tracks as audio files and play those in Media Player instead of burning CDs.

2.  Burn data CDs instead of audio CDs.  Suitable formats are WMA or MP3 (and maybe others).

3.  Burn audio CDs with CD-Text and play them with an app that supports it (such as MusicBee, which is freeware).

HTH

[Edit]

A couple of other free audio players that support CD-Text are:

  - foobar2000
  - MediaMonkey

In fact, probably pretty much anything except Windows Media Player!

[Jerrysnb]

OK, I see that Power2Go burns a type of audio CD that we don't support.  I don't know how many players can read the extra information they put on there though.

Media players can't see that text, but something like Explorer will. That means you could put a PDF on there and open it in Acrobat. In fact, back when CDs were first being used for data, our lab used to publish a database monthly. The sneaky little geeks had a garage band, and they used to put an audio track on each CD. Computers of the time wouldn't see it, but a regular CD player would. 

VinylStudio does indeed write out CD-Text but Windows Media Player ignores it.  There used to be a plugin that could read it but Microsoft broke it.  So I guess there are a few ways forward here ...

In fact, probably pretty much anything except Windows Media Player!

That explains why Media Player wouldn't see the data, but I'm surprised that Explorer can't. It sees each .CDA track, but even if I look at the file properties it isn't there.

Foobar2000 does indeed show the information, so obviously VinylStudio is putting it there. I'll bring this up with CyberLink, but they may respond that PowerDVD isn't intended to be a full-featured audio player.

Thanks for your help.

[Paul Sanders (AlpineSoft)]

That explains why Media Player wouldn't see the data, but I'm surprised that Explorer can't. It sees each .CDA track, but even if I look at the file properties it isn't there.

My best guess would be that Microsoft aren't interested in handling CD-Text, period.  The burning APIs built into Windows (IMAPI) can't handle it either (i.e. you can't use these APIs to write CD-Text).  Bah humbug.