Sunday, April 10th, 2005 at 3:32 PM
Once in a while you run across CD images in the format of a .bin file and .cue file. These are CDRWin images which can’t (as far as I know) be easily read on the Mac. A little shortcut I found is to open the .cue file with Toast as if you were going to burn it, which Toast can do , but choose File -> Save As Disc Image instead. Toast will prompt you for the location to save the disc image, then dump the file there. Drop the resulting .toast file into Toast’s Disc Image section and hit Mount, and the data from the disc image (and thus the original .bin/.cue image) will be mounted on your Mac without burning them to a CD or DVD first. It’s a bit of a long way around, but it works, and might save you a CD-R.
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hi there
i dont have the cue file, but is there a way of creating one (like cueator on windows) for my mac?
thanks
Thanks! Saved me a buunch of web trawling. Your trick worked a charm. Cheers.
Worked perfectly, great tip!
If the content of the disc is a movie, opening up the cue file in VLC plays the movie with no problems – so no need to burn or mess around with toast.
There is no need to go through the toast image format. Toast is able to mount directly the .cue/.bin image to let you access it’s files (Toast menu: Tools/Mount a physical image…)
What if the disk image has two tracks? VLC only plays the first track for me.. any solution oliver?
hi. Ive been having a problem with a 3 part piece of software and it’s .cue/.bin inhabitants. Ive saved and mounted the .cue file for the first image, and its working fine. However, now when i try to open one of the other two files, Toast titanium says its not a correct .cue/.bin file. I had a look at the files, and it turns out that they are now all 0 Kb! Even the one i mounted before! And they used to all be around 680 mb! Can anyone provide any help?
Thanks for excellent tips. Toast 6 mounted my .bin file and did not seem to need the .cue
From my finds, Toast will only mount 1 track if you choose Utlities, Mount Disc Image. So, for example, if you have a cue/bin of an Audio CD, ther resulted mounted disc will be one long file, there will be no tracks. Therefore, you have to first convert the bin/cue combo into a Mac image, and then mount it, to get the proper tracks.
Just an update, Toast 7 Titanium support bin/cue files now.
To copy a BIN/CUE file to a CD or DVD:
1 Click the Copy tab at the top of the Toast window.
2 Click the Formats tab in the left drawer and choose Image File.
3 Drag the BIN or CUE file from your hard disk into the Content Area, or click Select to add either file. Regardless of whether you add the BIN or the CUE, Toast adds the other automatically.
4 Insert a blank recordable CD or DVD.
5 Click the red Record button and choose a recorder from the list and optional recording settings, such as “Number of Copies.” Click Record to continue.
Toast displays a progress bar and status information as it copies your disc.
Hope that helps
awesome! worked like a charm, thanks!
How would I go about converting this to something more maleable?
Wanting to throw the vid on my iPod but not much info on how this can be achieved.
Your tip worked!! thanks so much…people like you make all the difference in this world!!!
:-)
hi,
i’m a bit unfamiliar with all of this so please bear with me…
i have a .cue and a .bin file (they are 2 files that together make up a movie. i have no idea why part 1 is in one format and part 2 is in another but whatever).
i downloaded and installed vlc but it won’t let me open it. when i clicked on vlc icon, it gives me “you cannot oppen the application vlc because it is not supported on this architecture.”
i am running on mac osx 10.4. i read that vlc should work so can anyone help me and tell me why it’s not working??? :(
thanks!!
–kayla
Kayla,
You seem to have two issues here. .Bin and .cue files together make up a CD image, or a set of files that is a clone of a CD. The .bin file contains all the raw binary data (hence “.bin”), and the .cue sheet tells your software how to interpret the .bin file. I’m not entirely sure VLC can open a .bin/.cue set, but it might.
The second issue is that the version of VLC you got sounds like it might be for the wrong Mac. Since the Mac OS at least recognized that what you clicked is indeed a program, I’m inclined to believe that you simply got a Mac version of VLC that goes with Apple’s “other” computers. If you have a new Intel-based machine, you’ll want to look for either an Intel Mac version of VLC or a Universal Binary. Or, if you have a slightly older machine like a PowerBook, you’ll want to get the PowerPC version of VLC. More info on Apple’s architecture switch can be found here:
http://www.apple.com/universal/
ok, so how about this:
I have a .cue file, but no .bin file. The .cue file looks like this:
FILE Track-01.wav WAVE
TRACK 01 AUDIO
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE Track-02.iso BINARY
TRACK 02 MODE1/2048
PREGAP 00:03:00
INDEX 01 00:00:00
FILE Track-03.wav WAVE
TRACK 03 AUDIO
PREGAP 00:02:00
INDEX 01 00:00:00
as you can see, its a mix of .mp3 files, and a few .iso files. This will ultimately be a data disc. Any hints on how to burn this, as Toast seems to not like a .cue file without a .bin file. I think CDRWin will handle this, but I recently made the switch so I dont have access to a win box. Thanks in advance!
Jeff, your .cue file is different than those discussed in this post. Your .cue file details how to cut up the files you have into their constituent pieces. For the .wav files listed, any “cue splitter” program will be able to break them up.
I got one for you, I tried point#10 – for toast 7, and it gave me a message:
“CD-ROM XA or audio tracks cannot be written to dvd.”
I know the file is bin/cue, all I wanted was to convert/burn the file to dvd so I can play it on my standard dvd player. Is there any software for mac that can do that? See, not all SVCDs can play on standard dvds. I tried that using a windows software – plays on one dvd player, doesen’t on the next one. Got any suggestions?
Gio, are you dragging-and-dropping the file onto Toast? Sometimes it tries to be smart about handling dropped items, and gets it wrong. If you are dropping it in, try click the Select or Browse button and navigating to it instead.
I have a bin/cue that Toast says ‘cannot set up the tracks correctly’
I belive this might work with Nero on a pc, but not on a Mac. Is there any way to get it to work with toast on a mac?
How about bin/wav? Thanks!
I’m not sure why your specific bin/cue files aren’t working in Toast. Perhaps they’re corrupted or broken, or they’re of some non-native .cue sheet format. As for .bin/.wav (do you mean .cue/.wav?), those are different than the binary files for CD images. See my earlier reply to Jeff’s comment about audio files for the answer to this.
I also tried point#10 – for toast 7, and it gave me a message:
“CD-ROM XA or audio tracks cannot be written to dvd.�
:(
Ok I got it to work! Just try point #10 but with a CD.
It will make a DTS CD! My living room dvd player recognise it as a DTS CD and its really DTS!!! Amazing!!!!
IS there any mac program that would enable me to convert .bin/.cue in to a more playable format suck as .avi, .mp4, .wmv.
very good solution, tried with firestarter but had problems. thanks a bunch
Worked like a charm (and saved me a bunch of CDR’s!) Thanks!
you can all just open the bin file with vlc player. dont mind the cue file when you do this. Just open the bin file with vlc and you are there……
How do I break-up cue files in Mac OSX? I did some searching on the web and found a program “Cue-Splitter”. Sounds exactly what I need to use to break up this long soundtrack into it’s individual songs! Well, when I go to use it, I have problems. Here’s what happens. . . . I open the program and then the opening screen comes up. I am then prompted to “select cue-file” which I have no problem doing from the drop-down menu. Once I do that, I notice that the various tracks of the large cue file and the corresponding track lengths appear. Neat! I also notice that it fills in “destination” automatically. BUT, here’s where the problem occurs. . . . I cannot fill in the “select audio-file” from the drop-down menu. It simply won’t allow me to put anything in that box. Everything I select from the “select audio-file” drop-down menu is grayed out! If I try hitting the “split” button without having anything in the “select audio-file” box, I get an error message. I’m stuck! Help! What am I doing wrong? I have an iMac G5 1.8 GHz with 1.5 GB DDR2 SDRAM and running Mac OSX v.10.4.8. Please help. Thank you!
If you do as the man suggests and use Toast to mount the disc image from the bin/cue files, you should be able to use your normal ripping software to pull the files into a QuickTime or iTunes format (if anyone hasn’t tried it yet, you’ve got to get Handbrake for film rips).
I have a .bin file for a game… but no .cue file :(
I’ve tried Gumby but it says it needs the .cue file… why is there no .cue file? :S
Any help welcome!!
Why is it so complicated to burn a cue+mp3 in mac?
The only program that does that is Burn but is doesnt support CD Text!
Have you got a single album as single mp3 file and a .cue file in the same folder …?
Get this –> http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/19389
It’s called CueSplitter & it does exactly that – Splits one long continuous .mp3 file into invidual tracks via the provided .cue file – works a treat on both PowerPC & Intel Macs …
i have downloaded some software and there are two folders, one for each cd(cd1, cd2). there is both a bin. and cue. file in each, now im running mac os x 10.4 or watever and im trying to get these files to install without using any cds if possible which program should i use and what steps should i take? i used a program called burn and i tried using the same tip you gave as the one you gave for toast, managed to get a disc image but when i open the disc image the bin file and the cue file pop exactly the same as they were before.
really apreciate any help,
thanks-morgan
well i fixed this by my self, funnily enough, using toast i saved it as an image then mounted the image, after this i used the disk utility provided by mac os x and repaired the cue files within the image file, then using gumby 50c i created an iso image, thus being able to finnaly use the bin. cue. files that were prooving to be quite impossible to use, thanks for the tip guys,
-morgan
Yeah, mounting the disc image is by far the most expedient way of doin it. thanx for the tip man. life saver
HI,
I downloaded a .cue and a .bin file. I can open the .cue in VLC but i want to put the movie on my ipod. Is there a way to convert it. Im running 10.4.9 on a macbook.
thanks,
jake
[...] BIN/CUE files are disk image files, typically of a CD. For the Mac, you can try these links: Command-Tab » Dealing with Bin/Cue Files on a Mac Help2Go – Home [...]
Hey
Using toast 8, i keep the getting the same
“CD-ROM XA or audio tracks cannot be written to dvd”
error message.
it doesn’t matter whether i drap a drop or navigate through toast, and averythins iv tried has had no effect, any tips?
cheers
Kroob
I too am having this issue with “cd-rom ca or audio tracks cannot be written to a dvd”
I know the files are good because I have played them using VLC but I’m looking to burn a copy to play on my dvd player.
What am I missing?
i too am getting this error from Toast 7
“CD-ROM XA or audio tracks cannot be written to dvd�
any ideas on how to burn bin/cue files to a dvd?
I was able to mount the disc image and it now appears as a disc on my desktop but what do i do with that disk? it won’t play in quicktime, it doens’t contain an mpeg that i can copy off of the disc, so im very confused. Any help?
regarding the error message CD ROM XA AUDIO TRACKS CANNOT BE WRITTEN TO DISC: i believe the clue was in the message! i too tried burning a dvd of a .bin file using toast 7, and everything was cool until this message – then i realised that the file extension included the information that it was a VCD-CD ROM image, so yes all you have to do is burn it to a CDR instead! plays fine on set top dvd player, takes only a few minutes as toast doesn’t have to do any additional converting i guess…
thanks to everyone for their assistance on this ;)
For the people who get the error “cd-rom ca or audio tracks cannot be written to a dvd”, read carefully it’s exactly what it says. CD tracks cannot be written to a DVD. You must use a CD. Took me forever to figure that out.
Now my problem is that my bin file is 802 MB, which will not fit on a CD. So I’m screwed I guess. Anyone know how to deal with that??
ok. i downloaded an album. in the RAR file were the mp3 file and the cue file. no bin. the mp3 is just one long track, being the entire album. co how do i go abut using the cue file without a bin?
i tried creating my own bin file and then using the cue fil i downloaded. however, Toast says that the cue file is not supported. oddly enough, if i close toast and try to re-open that same bin fil that i created, it also says that it is not a supported file.
help???
Is Toast the only app that will let me mount bin/cue files in osx???
Man thanks for this tip. Spent 2 days trying to get my bin/cue file to mount on my mac and this worked sweet :)
To eavesdrop:
Excellent fix! Good going!
Great tip, was getting annoyed with mounting an audio CD bin in toast and just having one long file fill of white noise!
Sometimes, if you’re burning an image of a cd or dts cd, you will have a .cue and .wav file. Toast will see the cue file as not valid. If you open the cue in text edit, you will see, a couple of lines down from the top, next to the name of the wav file that it points to, a capital WAVE. Change that to BIN. Save and close text edit. Toast will now recognize it as a valid cue file, and burn correctly. No cue splitting necessary.
Good tip!
So what if i have a full length aiff file at 80 mins (dj mix) and i wanna make it become a gapless project ( even getting rid f that 2 second pause in the firs track… what would be the best way possible to do that,and will toast 9 be able to read cue files to make this happen. what would i have to do.
thanks for the advise, never would have have thought of that XD
Another option is to convert the bin/cue pair of files to an iso and then use the native Mac OS X DiskUtility to burn the image. You can create an iso from a bin/cue pair of files with the command line utility bitchunker. Get bitchunker from Darwin Ports (or Mac Ports) using “sudo port install bchunk” or download from http://he.fi/bchunk/ and compile.
After installation, use the command:
“bchunk “
Worked like a charm, cheers.
Max is really perfect for extracting cue files (http://sbooth.org/Max/)
I am nw to Mac so please bear with me! I have used Daemon tools before on my old PC but haven’t got a clue what to do on my Mac Mini. I have Toast 9 and a .bin and .cue file for a video game. I want to be able to play it without having to burn a DVD. I tried the method given at the top of the page but the mounted Disc Image I get only seems to contain a .cue file again! I don’t understand??!!
Please help! Thank you
Ok guys, don’t know how i did it but it worked in the end. Now I end up with a folder full of files I can’t run! .inf and .exe… Grrrrr!
Hey,
I’m new with the dvd burner aand having problem when i try to burn the movies on my hard dick to DVD, Error msg:”CD-ROM XA or audio tracks cannot be written to dvd.”
1) have tried Save As Disc Image and mount it but still does work on Toast 8
2)Cant convert the bin/cue pair of files to an iso and then use the native Mac OS X DiskUtility to burn the image.(anynone how to use the DiskUtility?)
3) how to use the MACripper?
I have a lot of movies in my hard disk any taking up a lot of space. Thought that DVD burner could help but now having problem. Help anyone.
Thanks
thx dude, I was about to borrow a win laptop in the house…
all the best
taktomat
Changed a few weeks ago from Vista to OS X. When receiving an APE and CUE file, in Windows I just click the CUE file and Nero burns the complete CD to an image. Then double-click the image in Alcohol 120 and the CD is mounted and iTunes imports it. Four clicks and ready. Easy.
But now with the MAC: no problem to convert the APE end CUE to WAV files, no problem to drag-and-drop these files in Toast, but then… I managed to save an image in Toast, but how can I convince iTunes to open that image? (I don’t want to import the single WAV-files because I want iTunes to collect the correct tracknames and covers from the internet.)
Great tip!
Thanks!
G.
HOW TO MOUNT WAVE/CUE FILE
You need these apps.
X Lossless Decoder (Preferences > General > Output format > PCM (little endian))
Toast 10 Titanium (Preferences > Audio&Video > Default Pause for New Tracks > 00:00:00)
Your favorite texteditor
Instructions
1. Convert audio file (APE, FLAC, TTA, WAVE, AIFF, etc) to PCM (little endian) with X Lossless Decoder. (Just drug&drop)
2. Change the PCM file extension from .pcm to .bin
3. Open CUE file with your favorite texteditor.
4. Replace [FILE "image.wav" WAVE] to [FILE "image.bin" BIN], and save it.
5. Filename of CUE must be the same as BIN. (ex. image.bin image.cue)
6. Raunch Toast and select “Disc Copy” tab.
7. Drug & Drop the CUE (or BIN). (if you drug & drop CUE on “Audio CD” tab, you can see tracks and pregap)
8. “Save As Disc Image”
9. You can mount the .sd2f file. (Select the .sd2f file in Finder > Right Click > More > Mount It)
10. Raunch iTunes and import mounted CD!
Thank you. It really helped.
Dennis
Thanks a lot, this worked a treat.
Sounds great idea to me! I’ll download Toast inmediatly! But one question: I had Europa Universalis III on .cue and .bin. Is ti any chance that my Mac could run EU3 after I built the disc image?
Great tip, thanks a bunch! ^^
go with #5 (use VLC)
worked everytime, i’ve always loved toast, i love it even more now
Thanks – worked perfectly for me!!
{}o_o{}
Ty
This tip worked perfectly on my Powerbook G4 with Toast 7 Titanium, the files appeared on the desktop in the form of a CD just as described…
BUT… I don’t know how to “run” the CD.
The files are supposed to be a program installation CD (a language learning program,) but since the CD won’t run automatically most of the files I’ve mounted can’t be opened… .snd; .cxt; etc.
I’m pretty new to this, any suggestions?
I may be posting twice here, sorry… newb.
I followed the initial advice given, it worked great, and a “CD” was mounted on the desktop. Brilliant!
My problem now is that the CD is supposed to be an installation CD for a language learning program, and all I can do with it is open the basic CD folder…since most of the files are autorun files, or exotic file extensions (.ctx; .snd; etc) I can’t do anything with them. I can’t install the program this way.
Can anybody help a newb?
THANKS!
[...] BChunk BIN/CUE to ISO Converter for OSX (and Linux) [...]
Great tip.. very easy and works well with me
I am on a MacBook Pro. I got a game file from my friend who has a PC. After unpacking the file it made a .bin and a .cue file. I read point #10 and followed the steps using Toast 10. After mounting the .cue file and burning the DVD, I opened up the DVD’s file and it was empty. Is there something I’m missing here, I’m not amazing with computers and am still getting used to my mac. Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks. Good tip, which increased my knowledge of Toast.
Keep up the good work.
Pavel
Lovely.. THANKS! =)
Tried the toast image didn’t mount so downloaded VLC worked fine.
This worked for me: Open Cue-file in Toast 7, File>Save As Disk Image>Click Compress (!) and you get at dmg-file you can open in OSX.
Great tip. Simplicity in itself. Thanks.
Excellent! Worked great. Thanks for the tip.
Here is an example of the contents of a Cue File accessed with any text editor.
FILE “Filename.BIN” BINARY
TRACK 01 MODE1/2352
INDEX 01 00:00:00
Filename would be the BIN Filename you are working with. If there is anything other than the actual BIN filename between the quotes, then delete it. It was most likely a path to the the Bin File. Always check the Cue before burning, and edit and save if neccessary.
Thanks chap :)
Hello, for the guys with only a .cue file and no .bin file, who get an error using Toast I’ve got the perfect answer: http://tmkk.hp.infoseek.co.jp/xld/index_e.html
This little piece of software does exactly what we’re all looking for, split an mp3 using a .cue file, no gaps, no nonsense.
Took me a while to find it, but it worked really well.
just thaaaaaaaaaanks very much
clever easy fast tip
Thank you The only way to see what is new in 10.6.
[...] this help? Not sure if you have Toast… Dealing with Bin/Cue Files on a Mac | Command-Tab __________________ Community [...]
Hey guys
I recently downloaded a video game which is split into two CD’s. There are 4 cu/bin files in the folder, 2 for cd1 and 2 for cd2. Everything went smooth for cd1, I opened the cue file and saved as a disc image, and then mounted it. When I opened the cue for cd2 however, when I click on File the “save as disc image” selection is greyed out, I can’t click on it. does anyone know what the problem may be?
The info for the first CD says “1 CD ROM XA Data Track” while for CD 2 it says
“1 CD ROM XA Data Track
17 Audio Tracks”
by the way, Im using Toast 8..
your the mann! PERFECT!!!!
Thank you very much! Great tip!
Take care and Merry Xmas to ya, Shawn.
Work like a charm. Thanks.
That worked! Thanks for the idea; plenty of not-so-effective ideas about .bins and .cues out there, so I was happy to come across this easy fix.
Good advice lasts a long time! Just used your post after hours of messing about — and it works a treat. Thanks mate.