3. Supported Hardware

This section lists the CD-ROM drivers and interfaces that are currently supported under Linux. The information here is based on the latest Linux kernels, which at time of writing were version 1.2.13 (latest stable release) and 1.3.35 (latest development release).

This information is only valid for Linux on the Intel platform. Some information may be applicable to other processor architectures, but I have no first hand experience or information.

3.1 SCSI CD-ROM Drives

SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) is a popular format for CD-ROM drives. Its chief advantages are a reasonably fast transfer rate, multi-device capability, and support on a variety of computer platforms. Some disadvantages of SCSI are the need for a relatively expensive controller card and cables.

Any SCSI CD-ROM drive with a block size of 512 or 2048 bytes should work under Linux; this includes the vast majority of CD-ROM drives on the market.

You will also need a supported SCSI controller card; see the SCSI HOWTO for more information on interface hardware.

Note that some CD-ROMs include a controller with a modified interface that is not fully SCSI compatible (e.g. it may not support adding other SCSI devices on the bus). These will most likely not work under Linux.

3.2 Proprietary CD-ROM Drives

Several CD-ROM drives using proprietary interfaces are available; the interface is often provided on a sound card. Simple interface cards equivalent to that provided on the sound card are also available. These drives generally tend to be lower in cost and smaller than SCSI drives. Their disadvantages are the lack of standardization and expandability.

Note that proprietary interfaces are sometimes erroneously referred to as IDE interfaces, because like IDE hard disks, they use a simple interface based on the PC/AT bus. To add to the confusion, some vendors, most notably Creative Labs, have shipped many different types of CD-ROM drives and have offered proprietary, SCSI, and ATAPI interfaces on their sound cards.

The table below lists the proprietary CD-ROM drives that are known to be supported under Linux. Drivers for additional devices are always in development and may be available as kernel patches. They can most often be found at ftp://sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/kernel/patches/cdrom/. Also check the README files included with the kernel distribution, usually installed in /usr/src/linux/drivers/block/, for the latest information.

                Proprietary CD-ROM Drives

Vendor          Model           Kernel Driver   Notes
------          -----           -------------   --------
Panasonic       CR-521          sbpcd           Note 1
Panasonic       CR-522          sbpcd           Note 1
Panasonic       CR-523          sbpcd           Note 1
Panasonic       CR-562          sbpcd           Note 1
Panasonic       CR-563          sbpcd           Note 1
Creative Labs   CD-200          sbpcd           Note 2
IBM             External ISA    sbpcd           Note 3
Longshine       LCS-7260        sbpcd
Teac            CD-55A          sbpcd
Sony            CDU-31A         cdu31a
Sony            CDU-33A         cdu31a
Sony            CDU-535         sonycd535       Note 4
Sony            CDU-531         sonycd535
Aztech          CDA268-01A      aztcd
Orchid          CDS-3110        aztcd
Okano/Wearnes   CDD110          aztcd
GoldStar        R420            gscd            Note 5
Philips/LMS     CM206           cm206           Note 6
Mitsumi         CRMC LU005S     mcd/mcdx        Note 7, 8
Mitsumi         FX001           mcd/mcdx        Note 7, 8
Optics Storage  Dolphin 8000AT  optcd           Note 9
Sanyo           H94A            sjcd            Note 9

Notes:

1. The drives may be sold under the names Creative Labs, Panasonic, Matsushita, or Kotobuki.
2. Support for this drive is new and not fully tested.
3. This drive is the same as a Panasonic CR-562.
4. May also be sold under the Procomm name.
5. May also be sold as part of a Reveal Multimedia Kit.
6. The Philips CM205 is not supported by this driver, but there is a separate Alpha release driver available.
7. May also be sold under the Radio Shack name.
8. There are two drivers available. "mcd" is the original one, and "mcdx" is a new experimental driver with more features (but possibly less stable).
9. This driver is considered experimental.

If a drive listed here is not supported by your kernel, you need to upgrade to a newer version. Some of the drivers require a 1.3.x kernel.

3.3 ATAPI CD-ROM Drives

ATAPI (ATA Packet Interface) is a protocol for controlling mass storage devices, similar to SCSI. It builds on the ATA (AT Attachment) interface, the official ANSI standard name for for the IDE interface developed for hard disk drives. ATAPI is commonly used for hard disks, CD-ROM drives, tape drives, and other devices. While relatively new, it is rapidly becoming the most popular type of interface. It offers most of the functionality of SCSI, without the need for an expensive controller or cables.

The Linux kernel has a device driver that should work with any ATAPI CD-ROM drive. Vendors shipping compatible drives include Aztech, Mitsumi, NEC, Sony, Creative Labs, and Vertos.