CD Studio+ CD Recording System

CD Studio+ consists of the Studio Intelligent Controller, MakeDisc premastering software and a high speed CD recorder. The Studio controller connects via SCSI to your host computer. It offloads recording tasks, and thus consumes only minimal host resources. The controller-based design lets you record data from anywhere you can access on the network, without disrupting the recording process. You can continue using the host for normal workstation or network server tasks, even while burning CD-R discs (download PDF - 35KB).

"Plug and Play" Installation

The Studio Intelligent Controller appears as a standard tape device to the host. The CD-R drive does not connect directly to the host; rather, it connects to a dedicated SCSI chain that is directly controlled by the Studio Controller. This eliminates the need to install custom drivers for the CD-R drive on the host and simplifies installation.

High Speed Recording - No Data Underruns

Using a dedicated controller eliminates all of the environmental variables that can result in producing unreadable discs. The Studio Controller does not use an operating system internally, and does not perform any tasks other than storing disc image files and streaming data to the recorder. Even with a 16x drive and bringing data from a remote location, there is no chance of a data underrun that would result in a bad disc. No software-only CD-R system - even those that use a hard drive buffer - can make that claim (buffers are subject to OS lock-up; even momentary pauses will wreck a CD-R).

Direct control by CD Studio+ of the recording process eliminates operating system interference and I/O conflicts with other processes. The result: no bad discs ("coasters"), no wasted time, and no worries whether a disc containing valuable data will actually be usable.

Low Total Cost of Ownership

With its broad capabilities, CD Studio+ provides a lower total cost of ownership than software-only CD-R products. Unlike some competing products, CD Studio+ includes one year free technical support. Simple installation and simple integration lets most users get up and running in less than an hour. Compare that to many software packages, where installation, subsequent troubleshooting, hardware tuning requirements, and other issues often yields less than satisfactory results. This alone often pays back CD Studio+'s entire cost in the first month - and more.

Platform Neutral

CD Studio+'s ability to understand Unix/Posix file system attributes provides assurance that the discs you record will be useful and readable across all platforms. CD Studio+ is available for Solaris, AIX, HP-UX, IRIX, Linux, Windows NT, Tru64, UnixWare, and other operating systems.

Future-Proof

Like all Young Minds' CD-R and DVD-R solutions, CD Studio+ is based on the Studio Intelligent Controller. The controller is your insurance against obsolescence. As your computing environment evolves, and your production requirements change - and even as CD-R technology changes - your CD Studio+ solution allows you to easily accommodate these changes through its transparent upgradeability. Changing host platforms, adding DVD recording capabilities, network integration, and increasing disc production through automation can all be accommodated without rewriting your core CD-R applications or reconfiguring your OS.

What the + Means

The original CD Studio (without the plus) was introduced in 1992 and immediately established itself as the market leader for CD-R production on UNIX systems. CD Studio received numerous enhancements throughout its lifetime, and remained a product ahead of its time. CD Studio+ is a completely new product that retains the attributes that made the original such a success, but adds many new capabilities and features to accommodate the data storage revolution that is now occurring.

Features and Benefits

• Dual SCSI Bus Architecture -- The Studio Controller contains two independent SCSI busses. The first lets you quickly download data from the host computer to the internal hard drive. The second provides direct connection to the CD-R drive to ensure fast, sustained data throughput.
• Tape Drive Emulation -- The Studio Controller appears as a standard tape drive to the operating system, and installs without the need for custom software drivers. This simplifies installation and makes CD Studio+ portable across different platforms and OS versions.
• Shell Script Integration -- CD Studio+ includes, MakeDisc, the industry's best premastering software. MakeDisc can be used through a Motif or Java GUI, or through its command line interface (CLI). It is simple to wrap a shell script or batch file around the MakeDisc CLI to integrate CD Studio+ into your applications.
• Writer OverDrive™ -- Just plug a new drive into the external connector in the event the CD-R drive stops working. There is no need to take your CD Studio+ out of service for writer failures.