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Topic: DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8 (Read 97206 times) previous topic - next topic
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DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

I've barely seen this posted anywhere: a good month ago, a new version of DVD-A Explorer (the infamous dvd-a ripping tool) was "released".

changelog says:
Quote
Changes since Alpha 7:

1. Indexed tracks supported.
2. Multiple tracks extraction.
3. Extraction from protected media with libdvdcpxm library.
4. MLP stream decoding with libavcodec (part of FFmpeg project) library.

With this version, the tool can finally rip to WAV files directly from a DVD-Audio disc, regardless of encryption. It also decompresses MLP files correctly, which was impossible before (with the exception of extremely long hacky processes).

I'm not posting a link due to the questionable legal status of the application, especially with the fiasco at rarewares.org at the time the last tools were released. But, it should be fairly easily obtainable with google, including the libdvdpcxm source code.

It is now possible to back up listen to DVD-Audio discs on a computer.

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #1 –
Ideally mplayer would end up with a dvda:// option...

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #2 –
It has been released up to Alpha 11 and 12 is in the works, or so some tiny bird has told me.

Quote
Alpha 8 => Alpha 9:

1. Multiplatform, open source project.
2. MLP decoder has been moved into the main code.

Quote
Alpha 9 => Alpha 10:

1. Bug in extraction of 16 bit MLP tracks fixed.
2. New wave format added.
3. Channel remapping when "Mergre groups" option checked.

Quote
Alpha 10 => Alpha 11:

1. "Run program" option added.

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #4 –
I just tried, it works great! I'm re-ripping my few DVD-Audio discs (hopefully for the last time).

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #6 –
I fail to see for what reason would you want to keep MLPs for playback.

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #7 –
Quote from: j7n on
I fail to see for what reason would you want to keep MLPs for playback.

I wouldn't keep them, but Foobar2k could convert them in mere seconds to a format I intend to keep - including resampling, replaygain, etc.. without first having to convert all tracks to wav, then fix channelmapping, then processing the wavs with fb2k.

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #8 –
Quote from: Borisz on
Quote from: j7n on

I fail to see for what reason would you want to keep MLPs for playback.

I wouldn't keep them, but Foobar2k could convert them in mere seconds to a format I intend to keep - including resampling, replaygain, etc.. without first having to convert all tracks to wav, then fix channelmapping, then processing the wavs with fb2k.


You got point about this. I thought the fb2k developer(s) would be also interested in adding this feature. Any chances we can see this implemented in a future release?



Peace
SACD/DVD-A are useless, because...

"I am not a bat to hear the 100Khz frequency response of SACD technology :D;" - Gray Wolf

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #9 –
Works great so far as a ripper, except I can't get flac to run from the Run line, using

flac -f %filepath%

as recommended in the readme.  And my FLAC directory , containing flac.exe is definitely in my PATH env variable...  Am I missing something obvious?

It's not a biggie, because I can flac the files 'manually'.  It would be nice to automate the handoff as advertised though.

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #10 –
I got it to work using: flac -f "%filepath%".
Surf's Up!
"Columnated Ruins Domino"

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #11 –
That worked.  Thanks!

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #12 –
anyone else have a problem where some of the tracks have artifacts in the latest alphas (10 & 11)? i just re-ripped one of my dual-discs and noticed 5 of the tracks have an artifact. i went back and re-ripped the effected tracks with beta 8 and there were no artifacts.

and i tried using the 'old wav format' option and it made no difference.

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #13 –
Quote from: randal1013 on
anyone else have a problem where some of the tracks have artifacts in the latest alphas (10 & 11)?

Yes, I can confirm that. Beginning with Alpha 9 these glitches occur. I analyzed one track and found only the two left channels (front and rear) of the 5.1 mix to be affected. Could someone inform the author at Doom9 about the issue? I've just registered there but I have to wait 5 days until I can post.

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #14 –
Do you hear those artifacts on stereo content? I only ripped stereo tracks, and didn't hear anything wrong.

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #15 –
Yes, I also found those glitches in stereo tracks.

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #16 –
What kind of artifact am I looking for? Does it show in an editor such as Audacity?

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #17 –
Quote from: skamp on
What kind of artifact am I looking for? Does it show in an editor such as Audacity?

yes i just used audacity. what i heard was a quick little static click. when i opened the track in audacity, i saw a perfectly straight, vertical line that did not look like it belonged in the waveform. listening to the oddity confirmed it was the artifact i heard earlier. re-ripping the track yields the same artifact in the same place.

as i said earlier, beta 8 rips do not have the artifacts, its just that beta 8 puts the 4 surround channels in the wrong order, which i have to fix with wavewizard.

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #18 –
If you use foobar2000 to convert from WAV to FLAC you can use the Matrix Mixer to fix the channel order. That way it's not really a disadvantage to stick with the old version.

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #19 –
For now, how about ripping the MLP tracks and then decoding to WAV/transcoding to FLAC with eac3to, with which you can remap the channels very easily?
There's also a GUI available (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=135095) which can allow you to convert multiple MLPs at once (while adding whatever parameters you want).

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #20 –
I've only done stereo DVD-A rip-->FLAC-->playback, is there a primer anywhere for ripping, storing (FLAC) and playing back multichannel tracks  with foobar2k?

Btw, it's kind of sad how many DVD-A (checking stereo only so far) are turning out to be 'loudess wars' victims.  Queen's 'Night at the Opera' looks better on the recent anniversary  CD, than on the DVD-A from 2002.  The recent Talking Heads dualdiscs are also quite dynamically limited  as is Yes 'Fragile'  and the Who's 'Tommy'.  DVD-A tracks from Billy Cobham, Neil Young, and Deep Purple, however, display 'natural' , expansive waveforms.  I can post screencaps if anyone's interested.

Curiosities: The Queen NatO stereo tracks are stored on the DVD-A as one gigantic LPCM file.  Interesting 'authoring' there.  The  Talking Heads 'Speaking in Tongues' Dualdisc has the L/R channels reversed in the DVD-A stereo version compared to the CD track.

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #21 –
Quote from: krabapple on
is there a primer anywhere for ripping, storing (FLAC) and playing back multichannel tracks  with foobar2k?

Not sure what you mean by that.
Quote
I can post screencaps if anyone's interested.

I am, please post!

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #22 –
Quote from: krabapple on
Btw, it's kind of sad how many DVD-A (checking stereo only so far) are turning out to be 'loudess wars' victims.
That's why I rip the 5.1 tracks and downmix them to stereo afterwards. Here's an example: Open Car from Porcupine Tree's album Deadwing.

Stereo Mix:


5.1 downmix:


I don't buy DVD-Audio media because of the higher sample rate and bit-depth. It's the 5.1 mix I'm after.

DVD-A Explorer Alpha 8

Reply #24 –
Quote from: Hancoque on
Quote from: krabapple on
Btw, it's kind of sad how many DVD-A (checking stereo only so far) are turning out to be 'loudess wars' victims.
That's why I rip the 5.1 tracks and downmix them to stereo afterwards. Here's an example: Open Car from Porcupine Tree's album Deadwing.



I don't buy DVD-Audio media because of the higher sample rate and bit-depth. It's the 5.1 mix I'm after.



I'm after a surround mix, and a possibly better stereo mastering than what was previously available.

Downmixing is nice but

1) sometimes the surround mix is also compressed all the hell (e.g. Fragile).  A downmix of that won't improve it. 

2) it doesn't give you the 'original' stereo mix.  It's basically a remixed stereo track.


Btw, just to be clear,  is that unhappy looking stereo waveform a rip from the DVD-A or the CD?

Quote from: frenchglen on
Quote from: krabapple on

is there a primer anywhere for ripping, storing (FLAC) and playing back multichannel tracks  with foobar2k?

Not sure what you mean by that.


I'm familiar with ripping stereo tracks; ripping 5.1 tracks is new territory for me.  I know how to find and select the tracks using  DVD Explorer,  but after that I'm fairly clueless.  I basically want to archive the surround mix as a FLAC file and stream it from an external hard drive to my AVR, using foobar2k as the player...just as I do with my stereo files. I've never played multichannel music except from discs in a DVD player, sent to AVR via HDMI, ilink, or analog cables.  The laptop/HD setup that I use with foobar, however, uses either USB or wireless connection to the AVR. 


Quote
I am, please post!


OK....when I get home....