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Burn a DVD-AC3 Compatible CD-R
grant+harris writes "This interesting article shows how it is possible to burn AC-3 audio onto a normal CD-R.
Will this technology usher a new type of online piracy when DVD-Audio and surround sound systems become more commonplace?" While this is only audio, it is a good step in the right direction.
What does AC-3 have to do with DVD-Audio? DVD-Audio uses Meridian Lossless Packing, not Dolby Digital. The DVD-Audio disc may also have an AC-3 or (preferably) DTS track for backward compatibility, but the main mode is MLP.
* As is generally the case, my opinions do not reflect those of my employer.
At this point, where everyone with a computer and a CD burner are considered potential thieves, I don't think it changes the light in which anti-piracy advocates view computer users. It couldn't possibly get any worse!
Calm down, it's *only* ones and zeroes.
Will this technology usher a new type of online piracy when DVD-Audio and surround sound systems become more commonplace?
Then we have the comment from chrisd:
While this is only audio, it is a good step in the right direction.
Yeah, finding new ways to easily pirate software is a step in the right direction. Wrong. Getting the manufactures and owners of such technology to start believing that not all people are theives and they can allow open standards to exist to allow copying for backups, personal use such as having a copy of said music in my car player; while in my house; or at work is a step in the right direction. All this will do is piss off the RIAA/MPAA, they'll lobby for stricter laws, and we're back here again.
..There's a-dooin's a-transpirin'
If you want to refer to violation of copyright law, then please call it what it is.
ACing because, well I'm being careful.
There's a whole subscene of people taking old Quadraphonic, C4, Fostex Q8, and Ambisonic records, and remastering them into Dolby AC3. I've only been playing with this for about 4 months now, but this has been around for a bit.
Yes, yes, they don't sound as good as audiophile equipment, but it's not like my Mcintosh amp supports quad, neh? Besides, digital sucks anyways. (Sorry, couldn't resist the typical high-end audio rant, and it is getting more and more incorrect as processing power increases)
You should probably note that a lot of the stuff out there in this format is NOT from "live" shows--it is music originally recorded to take advantage of multi-channel recording. This music is DYING due to the increasing rarity of the equipment and the media. Don't underestimate the importance of the historical aspect of such preservation. There's some really neat recordings out there that are being lost as musical artifacts. Sure, they also released these albums as stereo recordings, but the albums were conceptualized for one form of quad or another. (And before you go on about the 70's quad tech being so inferior to the surround of today, realize that much of Dolby's surround sound tech comes out of their acquisition of the original Sansui quad matrix)
And lastly, I hate that typical stuck-up audiophile attitude. It's kinda like gourmets who attribute social status to fine food; all you are doing is alienating people who don't already agree with you, people who are mostly unimpressed by you, your attitued, or your toys. Who knows what you could have learned from them or taught them had you not pushed them away from something you enjoy. Besides, both music and food are waaaay too important experiences to limit other people's chances to learn to appreciate them better--they're two of the three things I can think of that humans can share that aren't subject to the shackles of semiotics