why cant i read a gc disc on my pc - THE TRUTH

ABCMan · 16th September 2002

ok guys this explains a whole lot of why you cant read a gc disc on your pc these are the patents used in the drives and discs on the gamecube, maybe someone can figure something out (like has anyone tried reading these discs on a dvd-RAM drive?)

http://www.delphion.com/details?&pn10=US06009057 is about the drive used :

Title: US6009057: Disc drive equipped with identification indication reader provided in an optical disc

Country: US United States of America

Inventor: Furukawa, Ken'ichi; Tokyo, Japan
Igarashi, Takayuki; Yamagata, Japan

Assignee: Mitsumi Electric Co. Ltd., Japan
other patents from MITSUMI ELECTRIC CO., LTD. (approx. 346)
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Published / Filed: Dec. 28, 1999 / Sept. 25, 1997

Application Number: US1997000936988

IPC Code: G11B 7/00;

ECLA Code: G11B23/40;

U.S. Class: Current: 369/052.1; 235/462.25; 369/053.2; 369/075.1;
Original: 369/053; 369/075.1; 369/054; 235/462;

Field of Search: 369/52,54,58,53,75.1,75.2,195,199 235/454,462

Priority Number: Sept. 26, 1996 JP1996008275469

Abstract: A disc drive is provided with an optical pick-up for reading data recorded in a program area of an optical disc; and a photo-interrupter for optically reading out bar information of a bar code which is arranged in an arc shape within at least a part of an annular bar code area provided on the optical disc between the program area and a clamping area of the optical disk so as to be readable from either side of the top and underside surfaces of the optical disk, wherein the photo-interrupter is located on the opposite side of the optical disc relative to the optical pick-up when the optical disc is loaded in the disc drive to read the information of the bar code from that position. Preferably, the photo-interrupter is provided on a clamper support which is provided for supporting a disc clamper for holding the optical disc between the disc clamper and a turntable for rotating the optical disc. This arrangement makes it easy to provide the photo-interrupter for reading the bar code.

More details regarding the dual barcodes (the big printed one and the one on the disc surface) one is for the drive, the other is for the cube to identify the disc once the main one is read by the drive.

http://www.delphion.com/details?&pn10=US05382776

Title: US5382776: Combination of an optical-disk and barcode memory medium for use with an optical disk playback apparatus, having control programs stored in the optical-disk and specified by barcodes stored in the barcode memory medium

Country: US United States of America

Inventor: Arii, Kouji; Takatsuki, Japan
Maeda, Testsuo; Neyagawa, Japan
Tomimoto, Tetsuo; Ibaraki, Japan
Akiyama, Ryo; Hirakata, Japan

Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
other patents from MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. (approx. 16,481)
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Published / Filed: Jan. 17, 1995 / April 30, 1993

Application Number: US1993000054272

IPC Code: G11B 27/28; G06K 7/10;

ECLA Code: G11B7/00E; G11B19/00; G11B19/12; G11B27/10A1; G11B27/30C2; G11B27/32D2;

U.S. Class: Current: 235/375; 369/030.3; 369/052.1; 386/126;
Original: 235/375; 369/047; 358/335;

Field of Search: 235/375,419,462,472 369/32,47,48,59,275.3 358/335

Priority Number: Sept. 14, 1988 JP1988000230413
March 29, 1989 JP1989000078842

Abstract: An optical-disk playback apparatus plays back an optical-disk on which control programs defining the operations of the optical-disk playback apparatus and other information are recorded. Such optical-disk playback apparatus is operable by a combination of an optical-disk, such as a laser disk or CD, and printed materials on which barcodes are printed. Predetermined programs are recorded defining the operation of the optical-disk playback apparatus corresponding to the barcodes. As a result, variable, complex and yet flexible optical-disk playback operations which are not fixed at the initial system designing stage can be accomplished by simply tracing the printed barcode. The operation of the optical-disk playback apparatus is controlled by the control programs recorded in the optical disk. Difficulties which might occur when an optical-disk and barcode of different systems are combined can be prevented since a one-to-one correspondence between the barcode and the optical disk code is established beforehand.

and the biggest one

http://www.delphion.com/details?&pn10=US05250787

US5250787: Optical-disk playback apparatus, method of optical-disk playback and combined memory medium, having control programs stored in the optical-disc and specified by barcodes stored in a barcode memory medium

Country: US United States of America

Inventor: Arii, Kouji; Takatsuki, Japan
Maeda, Tetsuo; Neyagawa, Japan
Tomimoto, Tetsuo; Ibaraki, Japan
Akiyama, Ryo; Hirakata, Japan

Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, Japan
other patents from MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD. (approx. 16,481)
News, Profiles, Stocks and More about this company

Published / Filed: Oct. 5, 1993 / Sept. 12, 1989

Application Number: US1989000406281

IPC Code: G11B 27/28; G06K 7/10;

U.S. Class: Current: 235/375; 369/030.3; 369/047.54; 386/126;
Original: 235/375; 369/047; 358/335;

Field of Search: 235/375,419,462,472 369/32,47,48,59,275.3 358/335

Priority Number: Sept. 14, 1988 JP1988000230413
March 29, 1989 JP1989000078842

Abstract: An optical-disk playback apparatus is disclosed which plays back an optical-disk on which control programs defining the operations of the optical-disk playback apparatus and other information are recorded. Such optical-disk playback apparatus is operable by a combination of an optical-disk, such as a laser disk or CD, and printed materials on which barcodes are printed. Predetermined programs are recorded defining the operation of the optical-disk playback apparatus corresponding to the barcodes. As a result, variable, complex and yet flexible optical-disk playback operations which are not fixed at the initial system designing stage can be accomplished by simply tracing the printed barcode. The operation of the optical-disk playback apparatus is controlled by the control programs recorded in the optical disk. Difficulties which might occur when an optical-disk and barcode of different systems are combined can be prevented since a one-to-one correspondence between the barcode and the optical disk code is established beforehand.

Attorney, Agent or Firm: Stevens, Davis, Miller & Mosher ;

Primary / Assistant Examiners: Weinhardt, Robert A.;

INPADOC Legal Status: Show legal status actions

Designated Country: DE FR GB NL

Family: Show 12 known family members

First Claim: Show all 8 claims
We claim:
1. An optical-disk playback apparatus for use with an optical-disk adapted to be set in said apparatus and a barcode memory medium, wherein said optical-disk has recorded information thereon comprising first information including control programs specifying operations of said apparatus and second information, and said barcode memory medium has recorded thereon barcodes respectively bearing information corresponding to said control programs, said apparatus comprising:

playback means for playing back said optical-disk when it is set to said apparatus to derive said recorded information;
extract means for extracting said first information and said second information from said recorded information derived by said playback means;
memory means for storing at least said control programs included in said first information extracted by said extract means;
barcode read means manually operative to read selectively at least one of said barcodes recorded on said barcode memory medium;
control means connected to said barcode read means, said playback means and said memory means, and including means for operating said playback means to play back said optical-disk when it is set to said apparatus to derive said recorded information and means for receiving said at least one of said barcodes read-out by said barcode read means and selecting one of said control programs stored in said memory means corresponding to said at least one of said barcodes read out by said barcode read means; and
processing output means, connected to said control means and said extract means, for receiving at least said second information included in said recorded information derived by said playback means and said one of said control programs selected by said control means and processing said second information based on said one of said control programs to be played back by said apparatus.

i guess that could be our problem guys.

**maltloaf** · 16th September 2002

were you bored ABC ??

ABCMan · 16th September 2002

getting that way

but you never know it could help someone

**arrid** · 17th September 2002

Pretty sure the inside barcode is just used in the factory...

As for the other 'barcode' (that you can see thru if you hold it up to the light) - I reckon it's just there to make regular DVD drives wig out, and the TOC is read by the cube from the small gap in it.

Has anyone tried hot-swapping discs and then skipping to somewhere after the barcode but before 1.5gig, to see if there is anything readable at all (by anything other than a cube)?

**maltloaf** · 17th September 2002

well done you just volunteered

**sjunky2000** · 17th September 2002

I don`t know if this is going to be of any help to anyone but ive read other posts saying that people can only read the first 44 bytes of the gc disk, im attaching this file which allows you to see the correct size of the disk this also allows for direct audio cd ripping , just put into your windows\system\iosubsys folder and reboot for changes to take effect.

SJUNKY