Windows 7: CD plays on Hi-Fi but not computer!

pincushion · 19 Oct 2011

This is a first for me - it is usually the other way round. Just bought the Joni Mitchell Hits CD and it doesn't play on CD drive and is not recognised at all although plays normally on Hi-Fi. Is this some sort of protection or am I missing something, a driver perhaps? It's a standard multi-drive DVD/CD/etc.

Corazon · 19 Oct 2011

Depends. What are you using to play audio CDs on your system? (I mean PC, not your hifi system)

My first guess, without having more info available, would be your disc contains both audio tracks and a data session (mp3 versions of the tracks, bonus content like photos, etc.) - by default, your computer sees only the data when the disc is opened in Explorer.

A proper disc playback app should still see the audio tracks, of course.

Can you describe in more detail what happens/what you see when you insert this CD?

ignatzatsonic · 19 Oct 2011

Following from CD Universe regarding that CD:

Joni Mitchell - Hits music CD album $11.19 in stock at CD Universe, All tracks have been digitally remastered using HDCD technology,

I dunno what "HDCD"means. Maybe something coo-coo, non-standard playback?

seavixen32 · 19 Oct 2011

HDCD stands for High Definition Compatible Digital and it would appear it is owned by Microsoft.

High Definition Compatible Digital - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Windows Media Player 9 and above can play these discs on computers with a 24-bit sound card.

pincushion · 19 Oct 2011

The disc is not recognised at all, not by Explorer or WMP which is what I'm currently using and my settings are to automatically play audio CDs. It appears to be just like any other CD with just music tracks. I have NoDriveTypeAutorun set to 0x8D which allows autoplay for CDs I presume and blocks all others and has worked for every CD so far. This is the first CD ever not to show up in Explorer too. I wondered if it had a virus or other nasty, it was bought via Amazon though. Scans with Norton, Spybot and Sophos showed nothing but Sophos might have problems with x64 as some failures appeared in the event logs.

ignatzatsonic · 19 Oct 2011

The implication of Seavixen's link is that HDCD will not automagically play on all players.

Since Windows Media Player 9 for Windows XP, PCs are capable of decoding and playing HDCDs on personal computers with a 24-bit sound card installed.[6][7] Media Player 9 indicates the presence of an HDCD by flashing the logo in the control bar at the bottom of the application window. This was changed in versions 10 and 11; if an HDCD is inserted into a drive with WMP 10/11 running, the HDCD logo appears only if the HDCD feature is disabled, thus, signalling that it should be enabled for proper decoding.

seavixen32 · 19 Oct 2011

If it is an HDCD disc, you might find this article useful, as it includes a link for the HDCD codec.

Handling HDCD - MeridianWiki

pincushion · 19 Oct 2011

I saw his bit about HDCD immediately I posted my reply. It is one and although I've enabled the settings for 24 bit nothing so far. Surprised it doesn't show in Explorer. I'll chase that codec!

No success, perhaps is the drive.

fireberd · 19 Oct 2011

Could be the drive. You never filled out the "My System Specs" so we are stabbing in the dark in reference to your specific hardware.

Corazon · 19 Oct 2011

I'm curious what ISOBuster would have to say about the disc...

Windows 7: CD plays on Hi-Fi but not computer!

CD plays on Hi-Fi but not computer! problems?