Topic: Ripping High-Bit and Multi-channel Audio

[av_phile1]

Hi guys,  I just recently bought a PC built from scratch and meant as a gaming PC for my son (and me ).  It has the Asus P4 2.4Ghz motherboard, 512mb RAM, ATI Radeon 128 video card, Soundblaster Audigy sound card, 80G HDD and a LiteOn DVD+-R writer.  The monitor is a Samsung LCD 15" panel.

I am not as interested as you guys in making it an HTPC.  But as an audio freak, apart from games, I am quite interested to use the PC as a ripping station for CDs, HDCDs, DVD-As, DADs, DTS-CDs and SACDs so I can compile my favourite tracks in 5.1 or stereo into the hard drive and burn a DVD+R on the fly.  I only have experience ripping CDs and burning CD-R.  I have some questions like:

(1)  Is it true there's no ripping software available for multi=channel audio?  Otherwise, what is the best and preferrably FREE software to rip HDCD, DVD-A, DAD, DTS-CD and SACD in terms of capturing identical tracks without introducing noise or jitter.  In CD, there is this Exact Audio Copy (EAC)  freeware that I use to rip CDs. And I use NERO 6 to burn CD-Rs.   Is there a counterpart or similar software for HDCD, DVD-A, DAD, DTS-CD and SACD?

(2)  I've been reading some articles on the net that say decoding in AC3 or DD format on the hard disk will take hours for an entire DVD+R.  Is this true, even with a P4 and 512 RAM?  How about ripping DTS tracks?

(3)  Connected to a coax digital terminal in my Denon AVD2020 pre/pro, the Soundblaster Audigy doesn't seem to output in 5.1 digitally (I don't use the 5.1 analog outs), only stereo.  Is this really the case or do I have some settings done wrong?  What audio card do the gurus recommend? 

(4) I have partitioned the 80gb HDD into 20G for system OS/utilities and  programs, 20G for pictures and games and 40G for datafiles that include ripped WAV files.  Should I get another 80G for ripped DVDs (audio tracks only) ? 

These are top in my head at the moment, more to come. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

[bayonic]

Hello av_phile

did you succeed in ripping tracks from a hybrid SACD to mp3 ?

my laptop's combo drive would not even read the hybrid SACD disk.


thanks

[av_phile1]

Well, no such luck. 

I found out that there is as yet no software that can rip those hi-resolution tracks on a DVD-A.  Also with an SACD.   I recall looking for ways to transcode DTS files into WAV, but only found Surcode DTS which retails for about $600!!!  It would be nice if I can get hold of this software as it can convert 6 channel wav files into a DTS stream.  PRoblem is, it's quite tedious coverting a 2-track stereo file into 6 wav channels.  Though it can be done using Goldwave.

My liteon DVD writer can read Hybrid SACD.  So they get ripped like ordinary CDs.  That's the most I can do.  I can also copy DTS files from DTS-CDs. But I can only write them as DTS files, not transcodable to wav. 

I was also curious about ripping HDCD's 20-bit files, so I can write HDCDs too.  Again, no luck.  Unless someone out there has some suggestions.

[klernie0521]

sir you can try this freeware for dvdaudio

http://www.digital-digest.com/dvd/downloads/showsoftware_dvd_audio_extractor_343.html

Sent you pm regarding SurcodeDTS for cd and dvd

[bayonic]

My liteon DVD writer can read Hybrid SACD.  So they get ripped like ordinary CDs.  That's the most I can do.  I can also copy DTS files from DTS-CDs. But I can only write them as DTS files, not transcodable to wav. 

so I guess it's just my drive's problem .... thanks for the reply.

[KEN]

Any Luck ?  also interested...even HDCD only.


TIA

[JT]

Any software that can create 5.1 audio from stereo input?

[av_phile1]

Any software that can create 5.1 audio from stereo input?

I experimented last year on this using a method that extracted 6 wav files upsampled to 48k using a wav editor like Nero and Goldwave and then compiled to DTS files using a hacked DTS compiler like Surcode.  I think there are new ways of doing this today.  Check this out:

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=83752

[rascal101]

For ripping audio, the best I've see so far is ExactAudioCopy (www.exactaudiocopy.de)

[reggein]

can anyone tell me where can i buy dts-cd?