Is this drive listed on the Drive list page?

Refer to this page: CD+G Drives List

If not you must first verify that it is CD+G Compatible - refer below for instructions. If it is listed, verify the table in which it is located, the recommended mode, and the program compatibility.

How do I Check Capabilities?

Run CDG Ripper^® and ensure that the drive is listed (refer below for instructions if not).

Select the drive using Left-Click (you must select the drive), and click the Show Drive Capabilities. The dialog will explain the capabilities with three messages; 1. Drive appears to NOT be Compatible, 2. Drive appears to be Compatible, 3. Drive appears to be Compatible but requires Deinterleave mode to work.

If message 1 appears then there is a 99% chance it's not useful in CD+G - there are minor cases where the drive simply does not return the correct capabilities information, but you are welcome to ignore the warning and try extracting at your own risk - you may find that Deinterleave or MMC Standard works.

If message 2 appears then you have no problem, extract away in MMC Standard mode (convert to MP3+G^® , KMF, or BIN). This also means that Swift Elite, Mimic Audition 2, and WiNCDG Pro 2 can all play directly from the CD+G Disc.

If message 3 appears you must select the Drive (Left-Click) and select the mode MMC Deinterleave - this must be selected to ensure the data can be deinterleaved (corrected in software) after being extracted, if you use MMC Standard for this type of drive you will see garbage and flashing colors on the screen (but you will still hear audio). Swift Elite was designed to also accept and play directly from Semi-Compatible drives (the miracle of advancing technology).

What can I do now with the Capabilities?

Deinterleave Only: If your drive only supports deinterleave then you can only use the Deinterleave method to extract using your drive. Use CDG Ripper^® or Elite Conversion Tools to convert to MP3+G^® s, play them back in any of our Media Players. You can also use the Swift Elite Solution to play directly from CD+G Discs.

Full CD+G Compatible: If your drive supports CD+G then you can use the MMC Standard (Standard) or Deinterleave method (either one) to extract using your drive (Deinterleave may give you a cleaner extraction). Use CDG Ripper^®, Elite Conversion Tools, WinCDG Pro 2, or Mimic Audition 2 to convert to MP3+G^® s or play them directly (this would ofcourse be no problem in Swift Elite either way).

I Can't See the Drives Listed, What do I do?

You Require ASPI installed to view the drives (this is to interface them not to change their compatibility - the compatibility depends on the hardware itself). To install ASPI simply visit the link below and save the file into the CDG Ripper^® folder:

ASPI File

How do I duplicate CD+G Discs?

To duplicate the discs exactly it is best to use GoldenHawks CDRWin - If you wish you can first extract each track to BIN using CDG Ripper^® (which may require Deinterleave) and then burn them back using CDRWin in the order preferred by yourself (you must also ensure that your drive is capable of burning CD+G).