I dumped some prototypes

Most of the time, most people can't distinguish MP3s at such high bitrates from the original CD (in fact, in many cases anything above about 160 kbps VBR sounds the same). This is defined as transparency, and is the purpose of MP3 and other lossy codecs: sounding the same while reducing file size, by masking frequencies that the listener (hopefully) won't miss. However, IMO saying point-blank that they are "CD Quality" is misleading, although Microsoft did much worse when they applied this label to 64 kbps WMA files in the past!

Also, if you rip the audio to WAV, compress it with a lossless codec first; this will save space. That said, ripping to bin/cue (including audio) and including the audio tracks as separate files is already redundant.

 

That makes me wonder if there is another program that can rip to BIN/CUE as accurately, does not have consistent performance, and is freeware/open source.

Nope. dsrb and Overlord explained it. Here's another good quote about the benefits of lossless over lossy:

Let's not turn this into a debate between WAV and MP3.

That is true, but the point is to generate a "very accurate" rip without TOSEC and redump.org levels of insanity.

Thanks.

 

Clonecd, when doing bincue, will read and include pregap sectors in the image, last time I checked. Clonecd in its native format can do more (rip multiple sessions, handle PC copy protections). Last time I checked, anyway.

You can rip a bincue, then use EAC to compare the audio between the original cd and the bincue, to see if the audio was ripped fine.

But if you rip to bincue multiple times, with all files matching crc, then the audio was probably already ripped fine.

 

Doesn't it also read some subchannel data (the .sub file)?

 

Oh yeah, that too. But as far as Sega related games go, the only disc that needs it is the CD+G sampler.

And maybe the Saturn protection, once people figure out how to read the security ring(s).

 

Yeah, in the case of non-enhanced CDs, the subchannel doesn't contain any (edit: useful/sensical) data that can't be stored in and reconstructed from the cue sheet (e.g. timing information, ISRC, FLAGS, etc.)

We can continue hoping! I haven't heard of any recent developments. I remember some purported rips floating around, but nothing very 'concrete'.

 

Well there's already a lot of info on it (http://www.crazynation.org/SEGA/Saturn/cd_tech.htm), we'd just need someone to figure out if it's possible to burn a disc with the required info.

 

I wasn't aware any rip was verified, but comparing them to modchip output makes sense. Though the graphics in the security ring are constructed from the arrangement of 0x59 and 0xA8 bytes*, it looks like the modchip sending them in a simple alternating pattern is sufficient to pass the security check.

I agree that burning the data would probably be the biggest challenge. AFAIK writing data beyond a CD's table of contents (without it being included in the same) is difficult, never mind when it extends to the edge. Also, is it known at what address the data begins, and how strictly the drive seeks for it?

Sorry for the ramblings; I'm just remembering how intrigued (and equally clueless) I was about this a few years ago! It's interesting. Off to read the few massive threads on this, I guess!


* For anyone interested: These are the two bytes that look most visibly different from each other when burnt to CD.

 

http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=85193

Find the "Split into volumes/bytes" and type out the filesize you want each chunk to be. If you're upping to Megaupload like before, I'd suggest edging towards but not going over 100mb.

 

Further to my earlier post, someone made a very interesting post at Club MyCE (formerly CDFreaks) about examining, ripping and even burning (though not to the Saturn's liking) the ring data.

 

That's the outer security ring, the modchip data likely checks the data in the inner security ring.

 

There are two rings? I don't recall that, and don't have any games here to check. Anyway, I guess we've spent long enough off-topic; I just thought some other users may be interested in that post. It's a shame a crack is less likely due to the Saturn's unique protection and relative unpopularity, and issues like CD writers' refusal to write data without putting it in the TOC.

 

Yeah, there's an inner ring. Most people just try recreating the ASCII printed on the most outer rim, but the few REAL developers I talked to all agree that the actual protection is on the inner ring, and the outer one may not be used at all.

The misconception probably arose because the ASCII ring is similar to what is used on the Dreamcast, and because it's the only apparent difference on the disc itself on first look (if you have a read lamp or a flashlight, put a saturn disc under them, it's easier to see it that way). Also, it's close to the outer rim, so people may have thought that the Saturn is reading the ASCII pattern when it moves the laser so much out.

 

Awesome.

Where's the CUE file?

 

seems he forgot to put it up. Perhaps SegaCueMaker can make one?