attn: Web Gurus / Programmers

COSM · Post by **COSM** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 2:27 am

I've been on the hunt for a long time to try and find some way of allowing people to burn a CD from within their browser by visiting my website... but I can't find anything.. information..code...software...or if it's even possible.

Does anyone have any leads I could follow? I'd love to lean and program this myself, but resources are so scarce that my noobness would dominate, but am willing to either pay for software, or pay someone to develop the script.

A few people have said the think this idea is impossible, but I am still hunting just in case, because the ability to do this from my website would be a huge asset to me.

Any ideas would be most appreciated

j2j · Post by **j2j** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 2:33 am

a cd quality cd?

or a cd of mp3?

Metaphreaq · Post by **Metaphreaq** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 2:34 am

I hate to be like, a naysayer, but this is impossible for the simple fact that CD burning generally requires (or people like to use) another software package, that everyone may not have.

For this type of distribution (multiple tracks at once) you could always put a zip file on your site containing all the tracks, with PDF cd cover artwork that folks can print.

So many people are using portable MP3 players and similar devices, that a CD is not the holy grail, most people are happy to have an MP3 in high quality (320kbps CBR)

COSM · Post by **COSM** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 2:51 am

A CD quality CD,

And I appreciate the note that people are happy to have 320kbps, I do already offer this and am looking at this angle for something outside the square.

Thanks!

-Tom

j2j · Post by **j2j** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 2:58 am

Your best bet is to set up a way for people wanting a cd quality cd, to connect to your website via ftp.

When they are connected via FTP, the software you have developed will burn your music onto a cd in their disk drive.

Have fun writing the software,

Its not a javascript, but I bet it can be done with A.S.P.

j2j · Post by **j2j** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:02 am

BTW, when you are done writing this FTP AUDIO CD Creation Software,

myspace.com is looking to buy it, for about 1 or 2 million dollars

membrain · Post by **membrain** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:34 am

Metaphreaq wrote:I hate to be like, a naysayer, but this is impossible for the simple fact that CD burning generally requires (or people like to use) another software package, that everyone may not have.

For this type of distribution (multiple tracks at once) you could always put a zip file on your site containing all the tracks, with PDF cd cover artwork that folks can print.

So many people are using portable MP3 players and similar devices, that a CD is not the holy grail, most people are happy to have an MP3 in high quality (320kbps CBR)

Both Windows and OS X have the ability to burn CD's without additional software.

j2j · Post by **j2j** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:42 am

yeah but he needs to write a program that allows the cd to be burned via ftp

sweetjesus · Post by **sweetjesus** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 4:36 am

j2j wrote:yeah but he needs to write a program that allows the cd to be burned via ftp

+1

Hi Tom,

You will need to write an app which burns CDs. This app can download the tunes off your website.

Using Visual Basic it's not hard to extend web browsing and even ftp functionality as an extension of the current site you may have with the current login system etc..

you can use the Webbrowser object (to do web navigating) or a Winsock object (for FTP) with loads of code ready to go around the place.

peace

COSM · Post by **COSM** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 5:36 am

Hey!

Thanks, some interesting stuff...

Is there a way.. to automate functions already in the system? so lets say XP... I write an installer file that...

a) extracts a list of tunes to a folder
b) finds out what their CD drive is and cues them up
c) executes the windows inbuilt CD burning wizard and automates it appropriately.

I like the idea of programing an application which connects to the net and downloads recent files to burn to CD. I think this would be a realistic option for me as I could take the time to learn this...

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions guys.. I'm heaps closer to what I want now!

Any more suggestions are much appreciated!

-Tom

j2j · Post by **j2j** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 5:52 am

Metaphreaq wrote: but this is impossible

I didnt catch this the first time around...

Nothing is impossible.

slicedbread · Post by **slicedbread** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 1:46 pm

i'll be the jerk and say what everyone's thinking: do you really think cds or any removable media for that matter will even be relevant in 1 year? 5 years? i don't know anyone who even buys cds anymore. you'd be better served to spend your energies on open standard syncing programs for portable mp3 players.

mikemc · Post by **mikemc** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 1:48 pm

COSM wrote:Hey!

Thanks, some interesting stuff...

Is there a way.. to automate functions already in the system? so lets say XP... I write an installer file that...

a) extracts a list of tunes to a folder
b) finds out what their CD drive is and cues them up
c) executes the windows inbuilt CD burning wizard and automates it appropriately.

I like the idea of programing an application which connects to the net and downloads recent files to burn to CD. I think this would be a realistic option for me as I could take the time to learn this...

Anyway, thanks for the suggestions guys.. I'm heaps closer to what I want now!

Any more suggestions are much appreciated!

-Tom

One thing to note is that if you are planning to use .wav files for 44.1kbps CD quality, it will take a while to download files for a full 'album length' CD.

Also, take a look at this player:

http://www.songbirdnest.com/

hoffman2k · Post by **hoffman2k** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 1:53 pm

Why not just upload an ISO of the cd. That should work on both (and more) platforms.
Its cool to have it all automated, but clicking a link wont put an empty cd in a tray.
And besides, who uses cd's these days anyway?

shaffer · Post by **shaffer** » Fri Dec 14, 2007 3:31 pm

COSM wrote:Any ideas would be most appreciated

$ man hdiutil (for Mac)
[and the are other ISO creators for each variety of UNIX]

This could be done quite easily through PHP, Java, or whatever.

FYI.. you can even create DVD images with hdiutil..

And you don't have to make it available through FTP. You could use HTTP to allow a download as well. (Or even use WebDAV... etc.. lots of options)

Now, if you are wanting the CD to be physically burned, the burning process would have to take place on the server (and then you'd have to mail the CD). You'd need to create a mutex around the burning process. There's not a unique filename type solution to a physical drive.

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