Rip DVD-A on Mac

[Lars]

Chris,

 

How were you able to rip a DVD-A on your Mac? What software did you use?

 

Thanks

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hey Lars - The software is called DVDAExplorer. The Mac version is just ported over from the Windows version by someone other than the original developer(s). So, the Mac version has a few issues. I ended up using the Windows version more frequently.

 

Try these links

 

Windows Version.

 

Mac Version.

 

[Lars]

Thanks for the help Chris. DVD-A Explorer worked great.

 

[curious_george]

Can all DVD-A be ripped as 24/96? Sorry newbie when it comes to media other than CD...

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

All DVD-A is a very broad statement that I won't make :-)

 

I will say that 99% is a good number. There are some weird ones that won't rip, some that will only rip at low resolution or higher resolution etc... But for the most part you they rip at 24/96. Some multi channel downmixes don't come out very well while others come out great.

 

[audiozorro]

I'm not having any luck with using DVDAExplorer or Mac The Ripper. Maybe I'm tired and it's just too late in the night/early morning for me or maybe I'm just used to easy cd ripping software. This is too much work without any progress and thus I am going to swear off buying any more DVD-As since this is worthless to me for easy computer audio. The only benefit of DVD-A to me is that I can play the files using my univeral player and DAC, something I wish I could do with my SACDs. But at least with SACDs I can rip the hybrid cd layer to my computer music server with ease. In fact I just bought a dozen Telarc SACDs priced $7.98 or $13.98 each. Seeing that my recent high res digital download were costing $20-45 and my new vinyl purhcases were often $25-50, these low priced SACDs are quite a bargain.

 

[poop]

Sorry to dig up an old post, but I had been trying to figure out DVD-A rips. Found links to the new versions that I thought others might appreciate:

 

Mac Version

PC Version

 

This is Beta3 which is the most up to date I could find.

 

[dimsal]

These are not new, they've been around for some time, but thanks anyway.

 

[poop]

I understand that they may not be new in the sense that they were not released a few days ago, but they are newer than the files linked to at the start of the thread, and the latest versions released at this time as far as I can find. Just thought it would save others searching for them as I did.

 

[Audio_ELF]

Does anyone have any form of tutorial on how to use DVD-A Explorer. I can get it (on the Mac) to read my DVD-A, however I get the message "MLP decoder failed during extraction" ... does anyone have any ideas?

 

Eloise

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

That problem only exists on the Mac version. You're using the program right however. I use this program on a PC.

 

[Audio_ELF]

Sounds like I need a PC then... Will have to try to sort the PSU in my old Dell. Under windows I just need the DVD-A Explorer download, is that right?

 

Thanks Chris

Eloise

 

[The Computer Audiophile]

Yep just the download.

 

You can also use boot camp on your Mac instead of using and older one.

 

[georgef]

You can easily do so with the help of DVD CD Duplicator. This will help you in burning DVDs from your PC on MAC OS.

 

[Eric2]

Hi, I’m having trouble finding the latest copy of DVD-A Explorer for the Mac. The Beta 3 link is no longer working.

 

Is this the correct software:

http://rapidlibrary.com/index.php?q=dvd+a+explorer+mac

 

How are users of the Mac version finding it?

 

Thanks

 

[poop]

^ I just searched around using google. The Mac version isn't going to work though, so don't spend too much time searching...

 

[Eric2]

Thanks for looking.

 

So does this mean the only real option for Mac users is to use boot camp and download the PC version?

 

[dancremeans]

I've downloaded DVDA Explorer for the MAC. I was able to do an extraction on a DVD-A track, but what I get (and it says it was successful) is an .mlp file. Don't know what it is? Mac system doesn't recognize it.

 

[poop]

Meridian Lossless Packing Audio File is a lossless audio compression technology designed for use with DVD audio discs. The format was developed by Meridian but has been licensed by a number of different vendors, including Dolby. VLC (or winamp on PC) will supposedly play it, not sure what you would use to transcode it to something more useful though...

 

I'm very curious as to how you got it to work at all to be honest; I tried for quite a while with no success. What version did you download? I'm happy to upload the Beta 3 version again if it's of interest (assuming I can find it again)

 

[sandyk]

In the DVD-A Explorer 2008 Windows version, there is an option right at the top to"Convert to .wave"

(Just below the "Output Directory") in the File>Extract stage.The 2nd group of files are normally the

L + R stereo files.

SandyK

 

[dancremeans]

I really don't have it working. I was able to apparently decode and get an .mlp file, but it's relatively useless. I've tried to find an .mlp to "something usable" converter, to no avail. It seems there is no option on the MAC version to decode to anything other than an .mlp file.

 

Frustrating because I can see the tantalizing files listed @ 24/96 rez. Sure wish someone could fix this for the Mac side, I'd even be happy if I could get CD quality. It's too bad because it seems that DVD-A is a defunct format, at least let us recover our investments.

 

[sandyk]

dancremeans

 

It's a shame you can't get it working, because those DVD-A 24/96 and 24/192 files can sound absolutely stunning when played back via a PC and a good DAC. The SQ is far in excess of what you will ever hear via a typical DVD-A/SACD player.However, not all DVD-As meet those standards. 2 that sound absolutely sensational are "Fleetwood Mac-Rumours" in 24/96, and "Carly Simon-No Secrets" in 24/192. The track "You're So Vain" is a fine example of just how good 24/192 can sound. (even at my age )In the case of "Rumours" there is evidence of a little hard limiting on some tracks though. At least with a PC, you are also able to burn downloaded files from Linn Records etc. to your own DVD-As using the inexpensive DVD-Solo. Many DVD-As are watermarked, and if used in your own compilation DVD-A may play for only a few seconds in some DVD-A (but not all) players before the digital ID of the watermarking is detected.

 

SandyK

 

[dancremeans]

We're on the same wavelink. "Rumors" was exactly the DVD-A I was able to decode to .mlp (one track).

 

Am I understanding you to say that the "decoded to a PC DVD-A" sounds better than when it's played from the DVD itself?

 

I have an Intel Mac. I suppose I could install Windows on it & try what you're describing, because, at least for now, the MAC side seems unable to do any decoding of DVD-A.

 

Dan

 

[sandyk]

dancremeans

Both ripped CDs and DVDs CAN be made to sound far better from the PC/Mac than directly from an optical drive, whether in the PC or a CD/DVD player.

After all, that is the goal of the founder of this forum. I feel sure that Chris believes this is the future of music playback.

If you want more info, feel free to send me an email or message.

 

SandyK

P.S.

An extract from a recent post in another forum after test purposes ONLY upload:

"Currently listening to them Fleetwood Mac tracks again. Bloody stunning "

 

[dancremeans]

Very interesting. Thanks a lot for "the food for thought" info.

 

I'm already fully in "this camp," as of a few years ago, after I got my first DAC (PS Audio's DAC III, which I'm still using, but would like to go higher in rez, but that's another topic) and compared against the Ayre CD player I had at that time, & could detect "no difference." I knew then (at least for me) that CD players were a thing of the past, and promptly sold mine on ebay. I've been enjoying the convenience & quality sound since.

 

Dan