Sun CD? (A user report)

[Mark Saum]

> I'd like it better with output suitable for amplification and an X11 CD
> player interface.  (Yah, yah, write it yourself you say...) Is it possible
> to pull the audio out of the audio jack on the SPARC?

No, you can't pull the CD out of the audio jack.  The problem (other than
the lack of direct software support) is that the Sun CD generates a stereo
signal, and the audio output on the Sparcstation is mono 'telephone
quality' output.  There's a second problem as well.  You could pull the
data off the CD, then buffer it to the sound device.  The problem you run
into is that the sound tools encode the incoming data off of the chip, and
so when you send the data back, it requires it in the same encoded form.
If you want to send the cd data to the input, then buffer it back out the
headphone that would be fine...  but why?  You'd loose stereo & CD
quality.

I imagine with a Next (doesn't it have stereo sound??) with a CD-Rom it
would be possible to copy CD's onto a MO, compress them and put a couple
CD's per MO.  You could then call them back and copy them onto tape, or
have it drive your stereo with a program to recall them.  Right now
storage is a bit too steep to handle, but it's an interesting concept.
Very similar in implications to the DAT squabble.  Not to mention that
said CD's could be sent over the net.

Mark Saum
msaum at rsgis3.tamu.edu