How to grab DVD-Audio? Options

[GoaTrancer]

Okay I have a copy of Dave Tippers Surrounded and I was wondering how I could copy and convert the DVD-Audio part (NOT THE ONE IN THE VIDEO_TS THE REAL DVD-AUDIO PART, I already know how to extract ac3 from vob and convert it!).
Also it seems to have some copy protection called MMCP or something like that, is there a way to get rid of that ?
note: if i asked something stupid, or asked something wrong please don't flame me, as I'm totaly new to DVD-Audio!

[Hamman]

Now that's really cool!
Does it rip the MLP streams directly do the HD? In that case, is there any software capable of decoding MLP streams?

[skamp]

Does it rip the MLP streams directly do the HD? In that case, is there any software capable of decoding MLP streams?

DVDARipper.exe decrypts the AUDIO_TS files to the hard disk. You then have to burn them to a DVD-R, thus producing an unencrypted copy of the DVD-Audio.
Then you insert that DVD-R instead of the original DVD, and use PPCMRipper.exe. It actually launches WinDVD. There, you select the track(s) you want to play (you also often have the choice between 5.1 and stereo content). You need to play the tracks in real time, and in the mean time PPCMRipper.exe extracts the audio to .wav files on the hard drive. I noticed that you need to set up WinDVD properly in order to extract the right audio (check "24bit/96kHz output" and set up the target audio system to 5.1 in the "audio center").

In the end, the whole process is quite inconvenient (rip, burn, record), but at least we can finally rip our DVD-A's.

DVDAExplorer_a7.exe can extract the original .mlp files out of the unencrypted copy of the DVD-A. The trouble is, I don't know of any software that is capable of decoding them. Even WinDVD refuses to open such files. And btw, WaveLab doesn't support that codec either, so even though you pass the unencrypted DVD-A to it, it will fail saying that the audio is in an unknown format.

I will post a sample of the ripped audio shortly for anyone to review. I'm very curious to see if it is indeed the original 24bit/92kHz audio, or a 24bit/92kHz upsample of a 16bit/48kHz downsample of the original 24bit/96kHz audio (!), since apparently WinDVD refuses to output the full resolution to anything else than the sanctionned Creative Labs Audigy soundcard (see the thread Digital copy of DVD-A Tracks about the issue). I'm hoping that the tools bypass that restriction somehow.

The software is still very alpha-quality, but at least it seems to work, and that's a first. Thank you very much rjamorim for providing us those tools, and a big thank you to the author.

Edit: I actually use the word "actually" way too often...

This post has been edited by skamp: Jul 5 2005, 14:43

[rjamorim]

In the end, the whole process is quite inconvenient (rip, burn, record), but at least we can finally rip our DVD-A's.

DVDAExplorer_a7.exe can extract the original .mlp files out of the unencrypted copy of the DVD-A.

I suspect you can mount the audio_ts in Daemon Tools and the like. Maybe that'll fool WinDVD?

The trouble is, I don't know of any software that is capable of decoding them. Even WinDVD refuses to open such files. And btw, WaveLab doesn't support that codec either, so even though you pass the unencrypted DVD-A to it, it will fail saying that the audio is in an unknown format.

Yes, unfortunately, MLP is a completely closed and proprietary format.

I will post a sample of the ripped audio shortly for anyone to review.

Excellent, thanks

I'm hoping that the tools bypass that restriction somehow.

I suspect it does, but testing it would be indeed the best way to know for sure.

Thank you very much rjamorim for providing us those tools, and a big thank you to the author.

Glad you found this useful

Now let's start the countdown until a RIAA registered letter arrives at my mailbox...


OBS: There's a caveat, according to the guy that suggested these tools for me. WinDVD won't play unencrypted and watermarked DVD-As. The logic is this:

you can play encrypted with watermarking (original)
you can play encrypted without watermarking (original)
you can play unencrypted without watermarking (home)
you can't play unencrypted with watermarking (pirate)

Strangely enough, PowerDVD will play unencrypted + watermarked streams fine.