David Ayers Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 (edited) Ever tried to rip a CD that sounded fine on your CD player but, uhh, came out all electronically 'scuffed' if you played it on your PC or tried to rip it? The answer is yes, isn't it? Unlike some of you guys I haven't gone in for ripping so much. When I do rip though I notice a good proportion of CDs, some old, some new, which won't play or rip that well. They aren't viable. This is because CD players are designed to disguise errors but PC software mostly doesn't. This I think means that CDs are defective by design. Which insight, I think, has tipped me over the edge. No more CDs. Tell me if I'm wrong. Who is going to replace all the CDs I have which won't play properly on my PC - lots of them of course several years old? Edited March 16, 2008 by David Ayers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gould Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 Ever tried to rip a CD that sounded fine on your CD player but, uhh, came out all electronically 'scuffed' if you played it on your PC or tried to rip it? The answer is yes, isn't it? Unlike some of you guys I haven't gone in for ripping so much. When I do rip though I notice a good proportion of CDs, some old, some new, which won't play or rip that well. They aren't viable. This is because CD players are designed to disguise errors but PC software mostly doesn't. This I think means that CDs are defective by design. Which insight, I think, has tipped me over the edge. No more CDs. Tell me if I'm wrong. Who is going to replace all the CDs I have which won't play properly on my PC - lots of them of course several years old? David, I never use it, but in the trading community, Exact Audio Copy (EAC) is considered the gold standard for ripping flawless copies of CDs that don't have scuffs in the first place. The error checking is supposed to be second to none. Myself, when I have ripped copies I use Goldwave's extraction program and I've never had problems, even with CDs that look less than perfect. As for your other points, I don't know, but I think there are ways to get better results than you've been getting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeline Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 It may well be that your drive needs to be replaced - it shouldn't be *that* touchy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDK Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I agree: check your computer/drive. I've played and/or ripped hundreds of CDs on my computer with no problem at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 I've gone through my entire collection over the last three years and had problems in transferring music to itunes with only a couple of CDs. The problem is presumably in your computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted March 16, 2008 Report Share Posted March 16, 2008 REPLACE YOUR DRIVE!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Swinging Swede Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I've not had any problems playing or ripping CDs on my computer. I too think that something else must be wrong. Are you sure some of those aren't "copy-protected" discs? They will often behave just like that, play on the regular CD player, but not be rippable on the computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosco Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 I use EAC, have ripped hundred of discs for use on my mp3 player, etc without a single significant problem. (Twice EAC has told me that there were errors, but they weren't even audible). 'Copy control'? Pshaw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alexander Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 The only CD I've ever had trouble ripping from (aside from the few copy protected CDs I own) is an "in-store-play" disc that I got while working as the Assistant Manager of the B&N music department. It was badly scuffed. Everything else plays fine, and rips fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalupa Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 EAC. :tup :tup Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John L Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 A faulty drive can indeed by the problem. I once did some ripping on a drive with poor results. The overall sound quality left a lot to be desired, but there were also complete dropouts of sound accompanied by loud static. Once I replaced the drive, I had no more problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 ok ok, but can one your smartasses tell this long-time EAC user how to rip those effing yurpeen EMI cactus craps? I've never been able to do that, my computer simply doesn't even notice there's something in the drive it should read... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeline Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) Have you tried holding down the CTRL key (or is it the "Shift" key?) when the disc is loading? (Keep pressing the key until the loading process is finished.) Edited March 17, 2008 by seeline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Bresnahan Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 ok ok, but can one your smartasses tell this long-time EAC user how to rip those effing yurpeen EMI cactus craps? I've never been able to do that, my computer simply doesn't even notice there's something in the drive it should read... Hold down the shift key as you close your CD tray to disable autostart. Once the disc is in there, any ripper will "see" it. I agree with everyone that a failing CD drive can cause read failure. If you are a newbie, be aware that Windows Media Player is not a great ripper and comes with a default setting to normalize the audio. It also defaults to .wma file format, which is copy-protected. Download CDex from www.download.com. Very easy to use and makes for nice rips. Set the LAME encoder for VBR Q2 and you'll make .mp3 files indistinguishable from the source CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A Lark Ascending Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) I had similar problems on the PC I gave up on in September - I've had no trouble with the new one. I suspect drives have greatly improved in a short space of time. I use Winamp which can be downloaded in basic form for free; upgrading to get a choice of burning speeds is inexpensive. Its big advantage is that it doesn't leave gaps between tracks. You still get a space between discrete tracks - but where music flows continuously from track to track the join is inaudible. I'm sure there are many other alternative programmes. Edited March 17, 2008 by Bev Stapleton Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeline Posted March 17, 2008 Report Share Posted March 17, 2008 (edited) Rippers: I'm now using MediaMonkey, which I like far better than anything else I've tried (including Winamp - though there are similarities). It's great for organizing a lot of files, comes with the ability to rip to Ogg and FLAC, and is very easy to use. It's free, with a few nice but inessential "extras" for the paid version. (Liked it so much that I bought a license after a week or so.) Edited March 17, 2008 by seeline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 ok ok, but can one your smartasses tell this long-time EAC user how to rip those effing yurpeen EMI cactus craps? I've never been able to do that, my computer simply doesn't even notice there's something in the drive it should read... Hold down the shift key as you close your CD tray to disable autostart. Once the disc is in there, any ripper will "see" it. Hm, I have autostart disabled anyway - the computer sees no disc, neither does EAC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 The Autostart disabling trick only works with the Sunncomm copyprotection (briefly used by BMG in the US). The Cactus Datashield system (used by EMI Europe in 2003-2006) affects the CD data structure itself. Whether you're able to rip it mostly depends on the drive. EAC should be used in any event, it's the most reliable software. If you have a scratched disc that EAC cannot fully rip (it aborts due to too many errors), you can reduce the error sensitivity in the general EAC setting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 So if my drive just doesn't recognize the discs, that's it until I have my next computer... fine - can I get replacement CDs from EMI yurp? Isn't it my right to be able to rip my legally bought CDs to my ipod? And what's even worse, one of the Freddie Hubbard RVGs I only bought because the cover had no signs of copy protection, but when my CD wouldn't read it, I had a closer look, and right there on the CD itself is that effing copycrap logo. Nice one, folks! I should have brought it back, problem was it had been a year or so since I bought it, so what's one going to do, except utter some nasty words about the music business dicks? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 (edited) Unfortunately, even if copying is allowed under certain circumstances, there is no enforcable right to copy (except for some very specific situations, like enabling blind persons to circumvene copyprotection to make documents machine-readable). You are allowed to copy the CD for personal use, but if it doesn't work because of copyprotection, you can't force the manufacturer to make it possible In any event, a copyprotected CD can still be copied by recording it throught the sound card, just like an LP. So it's not uncopyable. Some copyright laws contain a provision that copyprotection must be indicated on the packaging, as well as by online merchants on the product page. I don't know if that's the case in Switzerland. Another situation where you have the law on your side is when a copyprotected CD is unplayable on regular equipment (CD or DVD player). That means the product is flawed and can be returned. Edited March 18, 2008 by Claude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kevin Bresnahan Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 I have never had any CDs that I could not rip to mp3. I even kept two of Sony's "root kit fiasco" CDs for future reference. I was able to copy those as well. Try Exact Audio Copy and see if it works. It seems able to ignore copy protection without any trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 Unfortunately, even if copying is allowed under certain circumstances, there is no enforcable right to copy (except for some very specific situations, like enabling blind persons to circumvene copyprotection to make documents machine-readable). You are allowed to copy the CD for personal use, but if it doesn't work because of copyprotection, you can't force the manufacturer to make it possible In any event, a copyprotected CD can still be copied by recording it throught the sound card, just like an LP. So it's not uncopyable. Some copyright laws contain a provision that copyprotection must be indicated on the packaging, as well as by online merchants on the product page. I don't know if that's the case in Switzerland. Another situation where you have the law on your side is when a copyprotected CD is unplayable on regular equipment (CD or DVD player). That means the product is flawed and can be returned. As far as I know there's no such law in Switzerland... but I don't really know. Anyway *all* the discs had the copy thing in the inside tray plus on the outside tray, too - this Hubbard one (the one with sextet/septet sessions, three dates in all, some additional/not on lp tracks) had the "new" layout, normal outside tray, empty space (or rather just black) on the inside of the spine where the copy protection logo was located - that "non-disclosure" was what annoyed me most. I'm sure the store would have taken it back without even trying not to, but I simply didn't notice in time... I have never had any CDs that I could not rip to mp3. I even kept two of Sony's "root kit fiasco" CDs for future reference. I was able to copy those as well. Try Exact Audio Copy and see if it works. It seems able to ignore copy protection without any trouble. I use EAC - as I said, the drive doesn't even notice there's a disc in it... and as Claude pointed out above, it seems EMI's european cactus thing was different from what was used in the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claude Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 I managed to rip the EMI CDS200 CDs without a problem with an old CD burner drive. The drive simply ignored the copyprotection. But when I replaced it with a DVD burner, I could not longer rip the CDs entirely. The first or last track (don't remember) could not be copied. Since I avoided those CDs, it didn't matter anyway. I have just one copyprotected CD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 I generally avoid them, too - except for some Conns that I found in sales for good prizes. That RVG I'd never have bought, would I have been aware that it was a copy crap disc, I'd not have bought it at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seeline Posted March 18, 2008 Report Share Posted March 18, 2008 (edited) EMI Brasil had that nasty rootkit thing on their discs for a while, but I got around them via the Shift key and J River Media Center. Edited March 18, 2008 by seeline Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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