CloneCD author talks about future plans
Here are the plans for CloneCD 3.x (and note - these are "plans". No promises!):
Clone 2.x is still too complicated. Too many settings. Too many problems with hardware. Therefore, there will be some radical changes:
1) It doesn't make sense, to offer settings, the devices can't perform.
2) It doesn't make sense, to disable settings, if the device performs perfectly.
In Clone 3.x, the settings will be divided in "drive capabilities" and "user settings". CloneCD will get a "Test Mode". With this mode, you can burn a "Calibration CD", and use this CD to calibrate all your reading equipment automatically. The CD will contain all "difficult" combinations, and the reader will be calibrated automatically. This includes reading of Subchannel data, Best Error Skip settings, best numbers of retries, etc. The results will be stored in the registry, so the calibration only needs to be done once for every reader.
This is the major change.
Here are some others:
1) Burning "on the fly" (important for "Burn Proof")
2) Verify of created CD
3) Pausing of reading. It can be continued later, even if CloneCD was closed.
4) User settings can be saved in "Sets" (e.g., Audio CD, SafeDisk, SecuROM, etc.) Loading a Set for a device uncapable of a required feature will cause an error, e.g.: "Device TEAC CD-ROM 532S can't perform requested settings for Set SecuROM". 5) Sounds can be selected (This will actually be in the next CloneCD release 2.x)
6) Windows NT/2000 Kernel Mode driver, so CloneCD doesn't need to run in Admin mode.
7) Analysis of Source CD with User Setting suggestions.
8) (Hopefully) simpler user interface.
CloneCD 3.x is scheduled around Novmener 2000, so all registered CloneCD users will get this update *for free*. The following features might become a seperate product, or an option, I don't know yet:
- VirtualCloneCD allows you to mount your CloneCD images as a "Virtual CD drive". VirtualCloneCD will have at least the same capabilities as CloneCD, probably even more (CD-Cops shouldn't be a problem). The image file can be on a Network or locally.
- CloneDVD is probably *not* what you expect (or does anybody has a DVD-Burner yet?), and the working title is misleading, too. In fact, CloneDVD will mount your DAT Tape Drive (!) as a "Virtual DVD-Drive". You can play your movies directly from the tape. Just like the "good ol' VCR", only digital and the cartridge is much smaller. Depending on DAT/DVD-R media prices, the project might be cancelled/changed...
Some other goodies (freeware):
- RegionKiller:
This nice little tool installs itself in the Windows driver stack, and reports any DVD inserted in your drive as region free. The result is basically what DVDGenie does today, but my tool is "cooler", as it works with every player, even those which use Windows region settings. (You will still need a RPC-1 DVD drive). NULL
Clone 2.x is still too complicated. Too many settings. Too many problems with hardware. Therefore, there will be some radical changes:
1) It doesn't make sense, to offer settings, the devices can't perform.
2) It doesn't make sense, to disable settings, if the device performs perfectly.
In Clone 3.x, the settings will be divided in "drive capabilities" and "user settings". CloneCD will get a "Test Mode". With this mode, you can burn a "Calibration CD", and use this CD to calibrate all your reading equipment automatically. The CD will contain all "difficult" combinations, and the reader will be calibrated automatically. This includes reading of Subchannel data, Best Error Skip settings, best numbers of retries, etc. The results will be stored in the registry, so the calibration only needs to be done once for every reader.
This is the major change.
Here are some others:
1) Burning "on the fly" (important for "Burn Proof")
2) Verify of created CD
3) Pausing of reading. It can be continued later, even if CloneCD was closed.
4) User settings can be saved in "Sets" (e.g., Audio CD, SafeDisk, SecuROM, etc.) Loading a Set for a device uncapable of a required feature will cause an error, e.g.: "Device TEAC CD-ROM 532S can't perform requested settings for Set SecuROM". 5) Sounds can be selected (This will actually be in the next CloneCD release 2.x)
6) Windows NT/2000 Kernel Mode driver, so CloneCD doesn't need to run in Admin mode.
7) Analysis of Source CD with User Setting suggestions.
8) (Hopefully) simpler user interface.
CloneCD 3.x is scheduled around Novmener 2000, so all registered CloneCD users will get this update *for free*. The following features might become a seperate product, or an option, I don't know yet:
- VirtualCloneCD allows you to mount your CloneCD images as a "Virtual CD drive". VirtualCloneCD will have at least the same capabilities as CloneCD, probably even more (CD-Cops shouldn't be a problem). The image file can be on a Network or locally.
- CloneDVD is probably *not* what you expect (or does anybody has a DVD-Burner yet?), and the working title is misleading, too. In fact, CloneDVD will mount your DAT Tape Drive (!) as a "Virtual DVD-Drive". You can play your movies directly from the tape. Just like the "good ol' VCR", only digital and the cartridge is much smaller. Depending on DAT/DVD-R media prices, the project might be cancelled/changed...
Some other goodies (freeware):
- RegionKiller:
This nice little tool installs itself in the Windows driver stack, and reports any DVD inserted in your drive as region free. The result is basically what DVDGenie does today, but my tool is "cooler", as it works with every player, even those which use Windows region settings. (You will still need a RPC-1 DVD drive). NULL
