---
name: "cdcontrol"
section: "1"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/cdcontrol"
---

# cdcontrol(1)

compact disc control utility

## NAME

**cdcontrol** – compact disc control utility

## SYNOPSIS

**cdcontrol** \[**-sv**\] \[**-f** *device*\] \[*command* *...*\]

## DESCRIPTION

The **cdcontrol** utility is a program to control audio features of a CD drive. The device is a name such as *cd0*.

If no *command* is given, then **cdcontrol** enters an interactive mode, reading commands from the standard input.

The following options are available:

- **-s**

  Silent mode. Do not print table headers and human readable comments.

- **-v**

  Verbose mode. Print as much information as possible.

- **-f** *device*

  Specify a device, such as */dev/cd0*. Both absolute path and relative to */dev* filename are possible. The **-f** option overrides CDROM. If neither CDROM nor the **-f** option is specified, **cdcontrol** tries opening first */dev/cdrom*, then */dev/cd0*.

The available commands are listed below. Only as many characters as are required to uniquely identify a command need be specified. The word **play** can be omitted or the characters **+** and **-** can be used in the place of **next** and **prev**.

- **play** *first\_track* \[*last\_track*\]

  Play from track *first\_track* to track *last\_track*. The first track has number 1. Can be omitted in all cases.

-

  **play** *start\_m*:*start\_s*.*start\_f* \[*end\_m*:*end\_s*.*end\_f*\] Play from the absolute address (MSF) defined by *start\_m* in minutes, *start\_s*, in seconds and *start\_f* (frame number) to the absolute address defined by *end\_m* in minutes, *end\_s*, in seconds and *end\_f* (frame number). Minutes are in the range 0-99. Seconds are in the range 0-59. Frame numbers are in the range 0-74.

- **play** \[#*start\_block* \[*length*\]\]

  Play starting from the logical block *start\_block* using *length* logical blocks.

- **next** \[*tracks*\]

  Skip forward a number of tracks (default 1).

- **prev** \[*tracks*\]

  Skip backward a number of tracks (default 1).

- **pause**

  Stop playing. Do not stop the disc.

- **resume**

  Resume playing. Used after the **pause** command.

- **stop**

  Stop the disc.

- **eject**

  Eject the disc.

- **close**

  Inject the disc.

- **volume**

  Same as *status* *volume* command.

- **volume** *level*

  Set the volume of both channels to *level*. Allowed values are in the range 0-255.

- **volume** *left\_channel* *right\_channel*

  Set the volume of left channel to *left\_channel* and the volume of right channel to *right\_channel*. Allowed values are in the range 0-255.

- **volume** **mute**

  Turn the sound off.

- **volume** **mono**

  Set the mono mode.

- **volume** **stereo**

  Set the stereo mode.

- **volume** **left**

  Play the left subtrack on both left and right channels.

- **volume** **right**

  Play the right subtrack on both left and right channels.

- **info**

  Print the table of contents.

- **status** \[**audio** \| **media** \| **volume**\]

  Print the information about the disc:

  - **audio**

    the current playing status and position

  - **media**

    the current media catalog status

  - **volume**

    the current values of the volume for left and right channels.

- **cdid**

  Display the serial number of the CD using the method used by the CDDB project (*http://www.cddb.org/*).

- **help**

  Print the list of available commands.

- **debug** **on**

  Enable the debugging mode of the CD device driver.

- **debug** **off**

  Disable the driver debugging mode.

- **reset**

  Perform the hardware reset of the device.

- **set** **msf**

  Set minute-second-frame ioctl mode (default).

- **set** **lba**

  Set LBA ioctl mode.

- **speed** *s*

  Set the highest speed that the drive should use for reading data. The units are multiples of a single speed CDROM (150 KB/s). Specify “max” to use the drive's fastest speed.

- **quit**

  Quit the program.

## ENVIRONMENT

The following environment variables affect the execution of **cdcontrol**:

- CDROM

  The CD device to use, if one is not specified with the **-f** option.

- CDPLAY, CD\_DRIVE, DISC, MUSIC\_CD

  These variables have been deprecated in favour of CDROM.

## FILES

- */dev/cd0*

  ## HISTORY

The **cdcontrol** command appeared in FreeBSD 2.1.

## AUTHORS

Jean-Marc Zucconi Andrey A. Chernov Serge V. Vakulenko