Why is SACD so restricted?

[R1200CL]

Question still is unanswered after 6 years, or ?
 

Why is SACD still so restricted?

 

Anyone like to comment ?

[R1200CL]

Hi @ASRMichael

I was thinking it may not be any reason to keep the DRM etc on this format anymore. 
Releasing it and allowing for digital transfer over Ethernet, USB, AES/EBU (if possible) would be beneficial. 
 

HMDI for audio isn’t the best transfer technology from other discussions as well.

 

Sony could even earn money on selling ripping SW for SACD 😀

 

And we may even see format being used again if royalties was removed. 
 

@Norton

Maybe you have something to add ?

[R1200CL]

56 minutes ago, botrytis said:

SACD was originally designed as a way to backup masters by Sony/Philips. This was told to me in a discussion with people from DCS who helped design it.

But is it being used as that as well these days ?

[R1200CL]

I assume very few SACD players is produced today. There can’t be much royalties to collect these days.

If the same DRM etc is used in PlayStation, maybe it’s an issue ?

I was thinking maybe someone was able to get in touch with the right people as Sony, to see if the format could be “set free”. Is their plan to keep it forever? Is it for sale ?

 

I know of one product that is legally able to extract SACD out to SPDIF. Cost $1000. 

 

[R1200CL]

20 minutes ago, botrytis said:

SPDIF only allows 96/24 max for output so not sure about how good the copy would be. 

Did you read the review by Kal ?

 

BTW it’s 192/24 😀

Toslink is 96/24 

 

20 minutes ago, botrytis said:

It is not that, it is the chips (in the laser drives) to help decode the data stream are no longer made by Sony. As such, there is a limited amount of drives that can be made. Also there are few manufacturers of those drives, Esoteric is one.

Meaning you also thinking no need to comply with HDCD copy protection?

[R1200CL]

2 minutes ago, botrytis said:

The chip is used for the protection of the SACD format.

Aha. Well hopefully they can just reprogram it 😀

 

And I think AES/EBU is up to 8 channels also. 

[R1200CL]

If it became legal to output SACD digitally, either via USB or AES/EBU, I can see a marked for modifying old SACD players.

Maybe even output by fiber ethernet, but that sounds as a quite expensive modification.

[R1200CL]

5 hours ago, cab33 said:

The real question is what benefit would Sony get from changing things now.

Can’t think of anything else than goodwill, and a good reputation.  

[R1200CL]

So how can we find a way to get in touch with right department at Sony and find out what’s possible, and their thoughts about releasing the format ?

 

[R1200CL]

@sandyk

Would you like to have Sony release the format ?

Or do you think it’s not worth it ?

(Cause sounding bad, or equal to CD). 

[R1200CL]

There wouldn’t be need for any ripping, if the format was allowed to be transferred digitally. You could even stream it from a service, which I think isn’t allowed today. Or purchase SACD’s for download. 

[R1200CL]

2 hours ago, firedog said:

SACD isn't a playback format, it's a distribution/marketing format - hence restricted. DSD is actually a playback format and available for streaming if someone wants to. Needs licensing for streaming, just like PCM.

So can you download SACD’s, without restrictions? I understand you can with DSD.

What I’m asking is if an release exist as a SACD, you could actually purchase it as an DSD download?

I didn’t think so, but I could be wrong. If so, problem may be solved. And no ripping needed. 
 

[R1200CL]

27 minutes ago, Kal Rubinson said:

I have downloaded many ISOs from Pentatone.  An ISO is as close as one can get to a "physical" SACD for download.

 

Unfortunately not Pink Floyd dark side moon and similar......

 

I wanted to find previous released SACD’s offered as downloads. And DVD Audio as well.

But if this is up to the record companies, then the restrictions is purely related to players. And not the content. Not sure that’s correct. Cause then one could allow digital out without DRM when playing SACD.