Get annoyed with inserting Multiple CDs? CD emulator is what you need - a solution in payment of your harddrive space.

With CD emulator, all your favorite CDs and DVDs are immediately accessible without constantly inserting and ejecting media. Just insert your favorite discs in the virtual drives – the physical discs can stay safely tucked away in a drawer. You no longer have to worry about CDs or DVDs getting lost, stolen, or damaged. Duplicate discs work just like the originals, and your entire collection can be archived safely.

Lets get some review about some popular CD emulators:

ALCOHOL 120
($39.00)

Alcohol 120%, is a powerful Windows application that makes it easy to create backups of DVDs and CDs. In addition, the program lets you store your most used CDs as images on your computer, so you can call them up at the click of a button.

Minimum Requirements:
Windows 2000/XP/Server 2003/Vista RC2
32MB RAM

Supported Images:
BWT (BlindRead images)
CCD (CloneCD images)
CDI (DiscJuggler images)
- CUE (Cue sheets)
- ISO (Standard ISO images)
- MDS (Media Descriptor Files)
- NRG (Nero images)
- PDI (Instant CD/DVD images)

Supported Copy Protections:
- CDCOPS
- Laserlok
- ProtectCD
- RingPROTECH / RingPROTECH+
- SafeDisc
- SecuROM
- Starforce

Pros:
- Easy-to-use user interface.
- Image Finder helps you to look CD Images within your harddrive.
- Capable of CD burning
- Hotkey feature

Cons:
- No auto-insert

ALCOHOL 52
(freeware)

This version of Alcohol 52% is for private, non-commercial, single home computer use only. The license is provided personally to you and for that reason it does not allow you to make any duplicate (copy) to be sold, borrowed, assigned, leased or transferred.

Minimum Requirements:
- Windows NT/2000/XP/Vista
- 32MB RAM

Supported Images:
- BWT (BlindRead images)
- CCD (CloneCD images)
- CDI (DiscJuggler images)
- CUE (Cue sheets)
- ISO (Standard ISO images)
- MDS (Media Descriptor Files)
- NRG (Nero images)
- PDI (Instant CD/DVD images)

Supported Copy Protections:
- CDCOPS
- Laserlok
- ProtectCD
- RingPROTECH / RingPROTECH+
- SafeDisc
- SecuROM
- Starforce

Pros:
- Easy-to-use user interface.
- Image Finder helps you to look CD Images within your harddrive.
- Free (no time-trial limit)

Cons:
- Ability to create 6 virtual drives only
- No auto-insert
- No CD burning capability

DAEMON TOOLS PRO
(€34.90)

DAEMON Tools Pro is an advanced application for Microsoft Windows which provides THE best optical media emulation in the industry.

Minimum Requirements:
- Windows 2000/XP/2003/Vista

Supported Images:
- B5T (BlindWrite images)
- B6T (BlindWrite images)
- BWT (BlindRead images)
- CCD (CloneCD images)
- CDI (DiscJuggler images)
- CUE (Cue sheets)
- ISO (Standard ISO images)
- MDS (Media Descriptor Files)
- NRG (Nero images)
- PDI (Instant CD/DVD images)
- ISZ (Compressed ISO images)

Supported Copy Protections
- CDCOPS
- Laserlok
- Lockblocks
- ProtectCD
- SafeDisc
- SecuROM
- Starforce

Pros:
- More flexible Image Finder
- Comprehensive Details and new GUI design

Cons:
- No CD Burning capability

DAEMON TOOLS LITE
(freeware for Private, €14.9 for Commercial)

DAEMON Tools is an advanced application for Microsoft Windows which provides THE best optical media emulation in the industry.

Minimum Requirements:
- Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP/.NET

Supported Images:
- B5T (BlindWrite images)
- B6T (BlindWrite images)
- BWT (BlindRead images)
- CCD (CloneCD images)
- CDI (DiscJuggler images)
- CUE (Cue sheets)
- ISO (Standard ISO images)
- MDS (Media Descriptor Files)
- NRG (Nero images)
- PDI (Instant CD/DVD images)
- ISZ (Compressed ISO images)

Supported Copy Protections
- CDCOPS
- Laserlok
- Lockblocks
- ProtectCD
- SafeDisc
- SecuROM
- Starforce

Pros:
- Easy-to-use. Just plain CD emulator

Cons:
- Ability to create 4 virtual drives only
- No Graphical User Interface (GUI)
- No Image Finder
- No CD Burning capability

POWER ISO
($29.95)

PowerISO is a powerful CD/DVD image file processing tool, which allows you to open, extract, create, edit, compress, encrypt, split and convert ISO files, and mount these files with internal virtual drive. It can process almost all CD-ROM image files including ISO and BIN.

Note: DAA (Direct-Access-Archive) is an advanced format for image file, which supports some advanced features, such as compression, password protection, and splitting to multiple volumes. It can be handled directly just like other formats, such as ISO, BIN, etc.

Minimum Requirements:
- Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista
- 64MB RAM

Supported Images:
- Ashdisc (Ashampoo images)
- BWI/B5I (Blindwrite images)
- BIN/CUE (Cue sheets)
- C2D (WinOnCD images)
- CDI (DiscJuggler images)
- CIF
- DAA (Direct-Access-Archive)
- FCD (Virtual CD-ROM)
- GI
- ISO (Standard ISO images)
- IMG
- LCD
- MDS/MDF (Media Descriptor Files)
- NCD
- NRG (Nero images)
- P01 (Toast CD images)
- PDI (Instant CD/DVD images)
- PXI
- VCD

Pros:
- Can edit an existing ISO file directly.
- Convert image files between ISO/BIN and other formats.
- Capable of CD burning

Cons:
- No Copy Protection

Public Note: These applications are not designed for the illegal and unauthorized duplication of copyrighted materials. The Author reminds you that unauthorized duplication of copyrighted material is liable to criminal prosecution. If you are not sure of your rights, please contact your local legal advisor.

As I reviewed this softwares, every application has it’s own target consumer. As for general usage, ALCOHOL 52% got the best offer from the above mentioned applications. From compatibility, performance, cost (which is free), and user-friendly interface. Daemon Tools Pro got its eye-candy GUI interface, yet all we need is compatibility and better performance.

Posted in: Software