Dealing with Bin/Cue Files on a Mac

Collin Allen

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.

Dealing with Bin/Cue Files on a Mac

99 thoughts on “Dealing with Bin/Cue Files on a Mac”

  1. baseimpulse says:

    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.

    Liked by 1 person

  3. ericson1970 says:

    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 “

    Like

  6. Gaelle says:

    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

    Like

  7. Gaelle says:

    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!

    Like

  8. nfactor says:

    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

    Like

  10. Sonar says:

    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.)

    Like

  12. satoshi says:

    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!

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  15. Aaron says:

    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?

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  21. Patchy says:

    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?

    Like

  22. Patchy says:

    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!

    Like

  25. Snik says:

    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.

    Like

  29. Anker says:

    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.

    Like

  32. Camel says:

    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.

    Like

  38. ethanj says:

    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..

    Like

  43. Philip Cowan says:

    Good advice lasts a long time! Just used your post after hours of messing about — and it works a treat. Thanks mate.

    Like

  44. Gordon says:

    so i did this and it seemingly worked great, the only problem is when i mount the disc and try to open it, it just shows the bin/cue files i used. suggestions?

    Like

  45. mark says:

    man. what a nightmare!

    SOLUTION:

    for me, it’s mounting the *.bin* file in toast that’s working (NOT mounting the .cue file).

    ymmv.

    Like

  47. yuri says:

    hi
    i have a problem opening the cue file that has a bin file with it
    i got these 2 files after opening a rar file
    the file i am trying to open is a video file
    i have read some of the answers above but i can not apply it because i have a toast titanium 10.
    also., i have never used toast
    to open the original rar file i was told to use the unarchiver because it was better.
    so i did.
    please help
    can some one show me step by step on how to open the cue file with its bin file?
    i would greatly appreciate it

    i also want to open an iso movie file and dont know how to do it
    thanks

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  48. Stefan says:

    If you whould burn cue and wav or mp3, be noticed that the tag PERFORMER=”” not supported, toast needs a space, like PERFORMER=” “.
    Iv spend a lot of time to understand this

    Like

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