|
Author
|
Topic: Copy protected cd's article in ComputerBild - (Read 53 times)
|
Jackie
Administrator   From:Moonbase Alpha
Registered:
Posts: 1735
|
Germany's largest computer magazine ComputerBild had an article last Friday about copy protected music cd's and tested various computer programs, drives and cd's. Audiograbber 1.82 came up on top and was the program that could copy most of the discs! 
The tested programs were:
Alcohol 120%, Audiograbber, CDEX, Clone CD, Easy CDDA Extractor, Exact Audio Copy (EAC), Jukebox 7.5 Plus, Media Player 9.0, Nero and Softdiv CD-Ripper.The conclusion reads (translated from German):
Testresults:
"No program could completely copy all disks with each burner. In the test Audiograbber and Jukebox 7.5 was noticeably successful and Clone CD particularly successful. A combination of Audiograbber and Clone CD or Jukebox 7.5 is the best choice." Hurray! The absolutely best way to copy copy-protected cd's is probably to get a Plextor drive and use PlexTools ( http://www.plextor.be ). In their latest PlexTools (1.19) they have an option to let the drive read only the first session of a cd. With this option turned on the drive will not even attempt to read a second session from the disc and you will be able to rip the music tracks with any cd-ripper program. Copy protection works usually in the way that a second session is appended to the cd and this second session contains deliberate errors that fools the drive to get all sort of problems. Regular cd-players do not care about second session on the disc so that is why they can play the discs. CD-manufacturers basically takes advantage of this difference between computer CD-ROM drives and regular cd-players. Now with this new option for Plextor drives a Plextor drive can act more like a regular cd-player than a CD-ROM drive in a computer and thus it will not be possible to protect cd's. Well, there are still tricks they can do but I suspect that they want the discs to be playable, at least in some regular cd-players 
Your Plextor drive may need to get the latest firmware to support this new feature (It did not work with firmware 1.04 for my drive but when I upgraded to firmware 1.05 it worked). New firmwares can also be downloaded without cost from Plextors Belgium site. This PlexTools 1.19 will only install if you already have an older version of PlexTools on the computer. PlexTools is delivered with Plextor drives, at least when you buy a boxed one. Unfortunately Plextor drives in the US are not shipped with PlexTools as far as I know. I have always told that copy protection should in the first hand be handled in the firmware of a CD-ROM drive so it is good to see that now finally the firmwares are getting modified to fix this little problem.
|
reiko
Member From:USA
Registered: Aug 2001
Posts: 169
|
Congratulations, Jackie. Thanks for the info on PlexTools also. You are correct- U.S. version comes with inferior PlextorManager. But of course- if one can 'find' the original PlexTools- you can upgrade from that -reiko
|
moonroy
Administrator From:Sweden
Registered: Jan 99
Posts: 2158
|
You might want to read this:
http://forum.cdfreaks.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=57441 Maybe you can get hold of a download link to some older plextools and then upgrade it. Ehrm.  ------------------
moonroy www.mp3.com/enuresis
|
NeoRenegade
MP3 Addict From:Canada, eh?
Registered: Oct 2001
Posts: 1049
|
Interesting - I just checked out Plextor's site - they don't have PlexTools under their software downloads, but they have something called CD Res-Q, and the latest firmware for my drive is 1.04 - there is no 1.05.
|
moonroy
Administrator From:Sweden
Registered: Jan 99
Posts: 2158
|
http://www.plextor.be/English/technical/downld_util.html That is the official download of PlexTools. Note that it is only update files for the program. The full version is something you have to find at other sites. Also, firmware might be found at: http://www.plextor.be/English/technical/technical_download.html ------------------
moonroy www.mp3.com/enuresis
|
reiko
Member From:USA
Registered: Aug 2001
Posts: 169
|
moonroy, I think NeoRenegade is correct regarding the version available for his model. My Plextor PX-2410TA (USA) has 1.04 listed as the latest firmware. However, with the update to PlexTools 1.19 (if you happen to 'find' an older original full copy somewhere) and using 1.04 firmware; the 'first session only' box is available to be checked and appears useable- just haven't had to try it yet. But one record company recently announced all cd's shipped in USA will be copy-protected by end of this year- sorry, forget which one- so will likely need to try it. Is it only the European models that can acquire 1.05, or am I missing something? Look under my model on the site- you won't see 1.05. Thanks- reiko[This message has been edited by reiko on 18 February 2003 @ 20:14]
|
Jackie
Administrator From:Moonbase Alpha
Registered:
Posts: 1735
|
Well, I have a Plextor PX-W1610TA drive and for that drive the latest firmware is 1.05. For the Plextor PX-2410TA the latest firmware is 1.04. I don't think these numbers can be compared in any way.
If the first session only box is available then the firmware will handle this.
I also have a PX-S2410TU (USB drive) and for this drive there is no firmware upgrade (it has firmware 1.00). For this USB drive the first session only checkbox is grayed out and not available.I also have a Plextor PX-40TS (SCSI) but that one is on another computer and I have not yet tested PlexTools on that computer. Plextors Belgium site seems a little better than the US one when it comes to firmwares and PlexTools. Now they announce a PlexTools 1.20 on their site but on the download page it still says 1.19. Nevermind, 1.19 works fine for me! (And all I need is to be able to enable first session only on the drive).
|
reiko
Member From:USA
Registered: Aug 2001
Posts: 169
|
Thanks, Jackie. The different model numbers for USA and European models- not to mention USB, etc. can get mighty confusing. Belgium site is best- since USA site offers only the inferior PlexManager. Thanks again- reiko
|
moonroy
Administrator From:Sweden
Registered: Jan 99
Posts: 2158
|
Yeah, isn't that strange that they have an ad at http://www.plextor.be/default.asp for the PX-504A DVD+R/RW drive that is shipped with the 1.20 of plextools when there is no download available of it? Also, I can't find any info what the differences between 1.19 and 1.20 is.Btw, I would really love to have a DVD+R/RW drive myself! ------------------
moonroy www.mp3.com/enuresis
|
reiko
Member From:USA
Registered: Aug 2001
Posts: 169
|
Well, hate to admit it, but picked up a Sony DVD burner-DRU500A- so can do both dvd +/- r/rw. I wanted a Plextor- but couldn't seem to wait. I'm sure I'll regret it, sooner than later; assume Sony will figure out how to screw things up with a so called firmware update and put in copy protection before I realize it. Then I'll get the Plextor!
-reiko
|
stolichnaya
Junior Member From:australia
Registered: Oct 2000
Posts: 6
|
congrats on the rave reviews...i'm in australia using Lite-on DVD and writer , trying to rip copy protected discs from a dj service so that i can use on laptop. While 1.82 can rip the tracks i need using my Dvd rom , once i go through the wave , i find little spikes at irregular intervals which make them totally unusable.What are the spikes and is there a way around this problem. Is this common world wide and will we have to check each and every track that we rip.
|
AgentR2
Member From:
Registered: Feb 2001
Posts: 45
|
I have the PlexWriter PX-W1210TS and paid f**king 420 € (840 DM) for it 2.5 Years ago - now i know it was a good decision
|
chevysales
Member From:
Registered: Mar 2000
Posts: 117
|
jackie,so what was this mag actually comparing?
the "ripping" qualities of nero vs. audiograbber? thats the way it sounds above because last i new audiograbber doesn't "copy" cds, but it does rip tracks which i always thought was a bit different than a "disk copy". and if i get your post correct than your ripping capabilites were better than neros? or neros disk copying ability against audigrabbers ripping to wav or whatever? which exactly is it?
|
moonroy
Administrator From:Sweden
Registered: Jan 99
Posts: 2158
|
The article was about which program can rip copy-protected discs the best. They compared a bunch of programs with different protected albums using some different CD-Roms. AG had better features to go around the protection and was able to rip more than the other programs.------------------
moonroy www.mp3.com/enuresis
|
chevysales
Member From:
Registered: Mar 2000
Posts: 117
|
ok i get it they just compared each programs ripping abilities.thats cool ag coming out on top, did they try eac? cause if they did i would love to sednthe results to some over the top eac advocates thanx
|
UBBFriend: Email This Page to Someone! 
Click here to bookmark this thread!
Audiograbber Forums
posted 17 February 2003 17:54 
posted 17 February 2003 19:38 
posted 18 February 2003 20:13 
posted 20 February 2003 19:33