Special capabilities of Alcohol120%?.

[TL7]

Hello.
I am not indending to question or criticize Alcohol120%, but I am just wondering, why exactly it was selected for images on BetaArchive.

For example: DPM Information. Other software can also provide DPM measurement. I am not suggesting using anything else. I am just curious about what features make Alcohol120% the most considerable software for contributing to the FTP Archive.


EDiT 20171115094929 Because posting ”thank you for clarifying“ is forbidden by the forum rules, I am thanking right now to the users for clarifying the reasons to me. It was interesting to know.
Edit 201711150951: Formatting edits.

[AlphaBeta]

It supports the MDF+MDS image format, which is preferred for CD/DVD dumps uploaded to the BA FTP, at least that's how I understood it.

[TL7]

It supports the MDF+MDS image format, which is preferred for CD/DVD dumps uploaded to the BA FTP, at least that's how I understood it.

I see. But what is technically superior about MDF/MDS? There are other formats such as IsoBuster IBQ/IBP managed images or open source AFFLiBrary.
I am just asking, not complaining.

[DBlake]

It's most likely a widely used CD/DVD archival format. I don't really know myself, but I do know it is much better than ISO for archival purposes.

[Edness]

But what is technically superior about MDF/MDS?

If I recall correctly, MDF/MDS format stored how many sessions a disc has, can read sub-channel data on a CD (which some programs/games depend heavily on, e.g. PSX games), store certain disc copy-protection information etc., whereas ISO just more or less copies all the files it sees and calls it a day.

[voidp]

Who is to decide what we should store or not? Should every dumper dump stuff in every format available and then make an educated guess? or should every title be stored at the lowest format possible and then re-dump it until it "works"? This is why we want to avoid all the different formats: We want a single format that works with everything. One tool, one format to bother with, and just make it as simple as possible. Then any member can downgrade their formats to their hearts desire if they want an ISO, CDR, BIN, IMG, DMG, NRG, CCD or whatever they want. Even your own tests showed that A120 seems to be able to do the best copy possible. Sure an MDF dump may be excessive for a Windows ME disc, but why bother with all the formats? Let's have it in a single format and be done with it, and let the members convert it to whatever they want. Sure there are some exceptions, such as if you're on an Linux or OSX platform only. But if you're on a Windows platform I don't see any reason to allow other formats than the one made by A120.

KISS. Keep it stupid simple. One program that dumps all data, is able to recreate it, virtualize it, create a log and even detect and manage copy protections. Why dumb it down and create circumstances where we may lose data because someone decided to use a lesser format? Then we need a fresh redump and time is wasted for both me and the owner of the title.

https://www.betaarchive.com/forum/viewt ... 72&t=33708