AnalogWhole, an Alternative To FairUse4WM

Squidmarks writes, "AnalogWhole is a free application that allows any file that can be played in Windows Media Player to be transferred to iTunes as an MP3. It uses, you guessed it, the 'analog hole' to re-record any DRM'ed song as an MP3. Because the analog signal doesn't actually leave the computer, but is simply looped back in the sound card, sound quality of the re-recording is excellent. All meta data is transferred as well. The MP3 file is automagically added to iTunes. Just show it where you store your DRM music and walk away."

Comments

Still loss of quality

[amplusquem]

It is still looped through the sound card, so while quality may still be "excellent", there is still loss. I would rather use a program such as QTFairUse which doesn't lose any sound quality.

Re:Still loss of quality

[omeomi]

It is still looped through the sound card, so while quality may still be "excellent", there is still loss.

There's also loss do to re-compressing an already compressed file as an MP3. Overall, it's not the best of option...especially given the horrid quality of most consumer-level ADC's.

Re:Still loss of quality

[Threni]

> It is still looped through the sound card, so while quality may still be "excellent", there is still loss.

mmm...but just listen to that lovely analog warmth! I'll take that over digital accuracy anyday...

Re:Still loss of quality

[gameforge]

I know a number of audiophiles who detest MP3s. I've tricked them into saying that the actual CD was an MP3 and the MP3 I ripped from that CD was the real CD. They couldn't actually tell a difference and were taking guesses.

If you use LAME, set your Q to 9. A 320kbps MP3 with Q=1 and 320kbps mp3 with Q=9 are WILDLY different, while both the same bitrate and same size. Whatever garbage MP3 files you have, re-encoding them as 320kbps/Q9 files isn't going to make them sound any worse to 99.9% of humans. Of course it takes more time to encode them this way.

Another point, not for you, but for some of your parent posts - think about a soundcard with a digital out. That means, the bits get decoded and sent to the amp - if the amp (or whatever you plug the digital line into) can capture the bits, you've got a perfect/lossless rip - no DAC was involved. Volume controls and DSP's may change the bits somehow, and it will take playing-with to get it right... but it will produce satisfactory results once you do.

I would test this for people, but I own (and will always own) absolutely ZERO DRM content.

I own a Creative SoundBlaster Audigy... I know even a cheap SBLive! can do this... I would try the following to get a pure digital copy, in this order:

1. Play a DRM'd file, set the recording channel to "What U Hear", and record. If that doesn't work...
2. Get a LiveDrive (plugs into SB Live's & Audigy's) cheap on eBay, and an optical cable... then plug optical out into optical in and try to record the optical in. If that doesn't work...
3. Get two computers, one with a digital out and one with a digital in. Try it that way. If that doesn't work...
4. Uninstall iTunes or whichever thing is giving you this unplayable worthless crap to begin with, and tell their distributor to go to hell. Then take your stereo equipment and hurl it at Sony-Poo's nuts, and sing to yourself until a better solution comes along.

I can actually guarantee positive results with that last one.

Re:Sound quality

[kiwimade]

Considering its targeting stuff like ipod playback, this shouldn't be a problem.

Secure Audio Path is in Windows ME, XP, and Vista

[tepples]

what are the chances that Vista could block off access to mixer output except for low-level (driver) access

Very high. Windows Millennium Edition and Windows XP operating systems already support the Secure Audio Path, which places the (WHQL logo approved) decrypter, (WHQL logo approved) decoder, and (WHQL logo approved) audio output driver in kernel space. Part of the WHQL logo requirement is that no driver may mix Secure Audio Path audio into any cleartext digital output, and no driver without a logo is a valid Secure Audio Path playback device. However, few if any WMA files that require the Secure Audio Path are in the wild yet. However, record labels will begin to change their requirements as WMA stores' customers replace their computers that came with Windows 98 or Windows 2000 with newer computers that come with Windows Vista.

For WMA files that use Secure Audio Path, you'll need a $5 audio cable and Audacity.

If you don't want to lose quality...

[gregorio]

...build your own USB "converter". Companies like Texas Instruments have lots of devices like PCM2704, that allow access to an unprotected sound bitstream. It's pretty simple to build a fake digital speaker that just redirects the data to a fake digital line in. Some microcontrolled usb sound devices contain both input and output devices on the same IC, so you can software redirect the output (coming from the computer) to the input (going back to it).

So you don't even need an "Analog hole". You can use a digital hole and don't lose any quality at all. And this kind of device is perfectly accepted by any "content protection" driver schemes.

It's impossible to protect sound files.

Not with good files.

[lindseyp]

Most people who say this are used to mp3s being low quality. I too can easily tell the difference when quality is that low.

But for "LAME --preset insane" quality files, which tend to be about 2x the filesize, I've done my own blind tests on high end equipment: i.e.:

Winamp

->Audiophile24/96 sound card

-> Benchmark DAC1

-> Decware Zen Triode Integrated Amplifier

-> Gallo Nucleus Reference II speakers

Or replace the DAC and amp with a Denon AVC-A1SE amplifier (that's a ref. quality $5000 a/v amp)

I've also listened with Sony MDR D77 headphones, and Shure E3 studio monitor earphones with both of these amps.

In my own conclusion I couldn't tell the difference.

I coded the files back to WAV, a mix of high quality recordings of classical, rock, techno and Clapton, and invited a self-professed bunch of audiophiles to volunteer their opinion on which were the true WAVs and which had gone through the mp3 coding process. Nobody volunteered an opinion.

Since then I always code my music to mp3 using that setting. I've DJd using that quality of file with Virtual DJ with no pitch correction (important, this affects quality a lot) and had other DJs tell me they couldn't believe I was not using Vinyl.

I wish I still had the files I prepared, I would post them here for your enjoyment, but I don't doubt some slashdot genius would come back with the correct answers by examining the files digitally.