BlindWrite
Encyclopedia
BlindWrite, the successor to BlindRead, is a computer program
that writes to recordable CDs. The Blindread software, which reads CDs and writes CD image files, has been discontinued as a separately released product, but BlindRead's code is included in the newer BlindWrite suite of software that also code to control CD writers. BlindWrite's most distinctive feature touted over other pre-existing CD writing software was to use the CD images BlindRead made. BlindRead's main features were the use of Sub codes and its willingness to be "blind" to errors and continue the copying process, rather than quitting when encountering reading errors often caused from hardware trouble or disk damage (such as scratches or even intentional "damage" created by the manufacturer as a form of copy protection) that would often cause many other software packages to terminate the reading process.
Support for "Sub codes", also known as "Sub Channel Data"
, distinguished the files created with BlindRead from other software that created CD image files. The "Sub code" data could be written in *.SUB files added to either of two already-existing popular formats (ISO image
and Cue sheet), or the Sub code data could be written in *.BWS files in BlindRead's native format that consisted of writing a CD image in a group of three files. This format, which has become known more widely as the BlindWrite native format (now that BlindRead is not maintained and distributed as a separate product anymore), has two or three files for a proper image. The *.BWS Sub code image is optional and may or may not get created depending on an option selected in the software that created the image. The *.BWT control file is another relatively small file (that may be a very small number of kilobyte
s when part of a multi-file CD image for a full-sized 650MB CD) that is typically the file referred to in the user interfaces of software that supports this format and chooses just one file extension per CD image for the purposes of filename selection. (This includes VSO's software and Daemon Tools
.) The *.BWI file is the large image file.
BlindWrite version 5 has been found using new native files that come in pairs. The files use the extensions *.B5T (a relatively small file) and *.B5I image files.
The BlindRead format has been supported by software other than BlindRead and BlindWrite, including Daemon Tools, which was some of the earliest supporting software (capable of using *.BWT files even before Blindwrite was released). The format was embraced by enthusiasts who were interested in making "more perfect" copies of CDs by using a process that used the Sub code data that other computer software did not support (and so ignored, instead of used).
Computer program
A computer program is a sequence of instructions written to perform a specified task with a computer. A computer requires programs to function, typically executing the program's instructions in a central processor. The program has an executable form that the computer can use directly to execute...
that writes to recordable CDs. The Blindread software, which reads CDs and writes CD image files, has been discontinued as a separately released product, but BlindRead's code is included in the newer BlindWrite suite of software that also code to control CD writers. BlindWrite's most distinctive feature touted over other pre-existing CD writing software was to use the CD images BlindRead made. BlindRead's main features were the use of Sub codes and its willingness to be "blind" to errors and continue the copying process, rather than quitting when encountering reading errors often caused from hardware trouble or disk damage (such as scratches or even intentional "damage" created by the manufacturer as a form of copy protection) that would often cause many other software packages to terminate the reading process.
Support for "Sub codes", also known as "Sub Channel Data"
Compact disc subcode
Besides digital audio, a compact disc contains digital data called subcode or subchannel data, which is multiplexed with the digital audio. The data in a CD are arranged in frames. A frame comprises 33 bytes, of which 24 bytes are audio , eight bytes are error correction , and one byte is for subcode...
, distinguished the files created with BlindRead from other software that created CD image files. The "Sub code" data could be written in *.SUB files added to either of two already-existing popular formats (ISO image
ISO image
An ISO image is an archive file of an optical disc, composed of the data contents of every written sector of an optical disc, including the optical disc file system...
and Cue sheet), or the Sub code data could be written in *.BWS files in BlindRead's native format that consisted of writing a CD image in a group of three files. This format, which has become known more widely as the BlindWrite native format (now that BlindRead is not maintained and distributed as a separate product anymore), has two or three files for a proper image. The *.BWS Sub code image is optional and may or may not get created depending on an option selected in the software that created the image. The *.BWT control file is another relatively small file (that may be a very small number of kilobyte
Kilobyte
The kilobyte is a multiple of the unit byte for digital information. Although the prefix kilo- means 1000, the term kilobyte and symbol KB have historically been used to refer to either 1024 bytes or 1000 bytes, dependent upon context, in the fields of computer science and information...
s when part of a multi-file CD image for a full-sized 650MB CD) that is typically the file referred to in the user interfaces of software that supports this format and chooses just one file extension per CD image for the purposes of filename selection. (This includes VSO's software and Daemon Tools
Daemon Tools
Daemon Tools is a disk image emulator and optical disc authoring program for Microsoft Windows. Daemon Tools was originally a furtherance in the development of another program, Generic SafeDisc emulator, and incorporated all of its features. The program claims to be able to defeat most copy...
.) The *.BWI file is the large image file.
BlindWrite version 5 has been found using new native files that come in pairs. The files use the extensions *.B5T (a relatively small file) and *.B5I image files.
The BlindRead format has been supported by software other than BlindRead and BlindWrite, including Daemon Tools, which was some of the earliest supporting software (capable of using *.BWT files even before Blindwrite was released). The format was embraced by enthusiasts who were interested in making "more perfect" copies of CDs by using a process that used the Sub code data that other computer software did not support (and so ignored, instead of used).
External links
- b5i2iso - open-source tool to convert BlindWrite .B5I images into ISO images