hunter07, post: 383925 wrote: Hey, I burned a test CD using CD Architect 5.2 and made sure that I added the titles of each track and the title of the record. I flipped that CD into my PS3 and it blatantly greeted me with a message saying that it couldn't retrieve the CD information.

Bingo.

Most likely the PS3 is trying to get titles via CD-DB, not via CD-Text.

I had this problem, turned out the CD writer wasn't capable of writing CD text, might wanna check that. I wound up buying an external CD writer I knew was capable of that task, turned out great.

acorneau, post: 383927 wrote: Bingo.

Most likely the PS3 is trying to get titles via CD-DB, not via CD-Text.

That was my thought. How does it connect my burned CD with the corresponding database info online? Do I submit my info to the database online and then get some kind of data which I write to the CD, then the PS3 would refer to that and go online to find titles, etc.?

philter1, post: 383939 wrote: I had this problem, turned out the CD writer wasn't capable of writing CD text, might wanna check that. I wound up buying an external CD writer I knew was capable of that task, turned out great.

I didn't think of that. My CD burner drive itself you're saying. Do they make external ones for this purpose which plug in USB like? I didn't realize that some CD burners weren't capable of this whereas others are.

Yes, the data needs to be submitted to the proper databases. It can take anywhere from 'hours' to 'months' for it to actually propagate the databases. And from what I gather, they're trying their best to ignore 'one-offs' as they overload the databases with discs that will never be referenced.

I would *assume* the drive is capable of writing the data -- I haven't seen a drive that couldn't in a looooong time.

In any case, if it's some sort of test disc, it's best to not even submit it in the first place.

Yeah, the external writer is USB, works great. Do a Google then read the spec on the writer to make sure it's CDText capable.
John is also correct about the databases, they take a while to update. Think I used Winamp for my album. I believe iTunes has a similar option too.

Great info thank you. If I'm certain that the test CD is good and final, then I assume it would be fine to upload it to Gracenote, wouldn't it?

Secondly, what is the written CD info for? Where does it appear? Just in newer cars whose CD players can display that information?

The CD-TEXT data will only be read by programs and players designed to read it. A lot of car players -- I think iTunes will read CD-TEXT if you suggest that it does so...

The database methods are much easier to use to estimate piracy -- If an album sells 50,000 units in it's first week and the databases show 200,000 unique requests, they know they've been pirated (at least) 4:1 in the first week.

Ah good to know; thanks for clearing it up. And that's just for people who are pirating and going the extra step of burning the actual CD; digital piracy would likely add to that sum considerably.