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Topic: EAC: Read/Sync Errors -- Secure or Burst? (Read 9172 times) previous topic - next topic
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EAC: Read/Sync Errors -- Secure or Burst?

I'm just starting to rip my CD collection, but it seems EAC don't like me.

Nine out of the first ten CDs I've ripped have had read/sync errors to the point where EAC's ripping speed has dropped to 0 in secure mode. What I've tried doing is setting EAC to skip the track if it gets a read error (so that it doesn't stall forever), and then ripping that track in Burst mode, which appears to kind-of work.

Now, I know that burst mode is terrible, and probably leaving all kinds of nasty pops and gaps in my songs. Problem is, pretty much all of my CDs are scratched pretty terribly, as I've used them all to DJ with.

Now, the process of ripping in secure mode and waiting for 1-10 tracks per CD to error out, changing the rip mode, and then reripping those tracks is getting kind of tiresome. Considering how many hundreds upon hundreds of CDs I have to rip, this is pretty frustrating.

So, should I just rip them all in (HORRIBLE) burst mode, should I keep trying to rip each CD first in secure, then look at the logs and select the tracks that didn't rip right, change the rip mode, re-rip, and then change it back for the next CD? Should I try something else?

I've installed a 2nd CD drive in my computer to help with the ripping, and it has the same problems, so I know it's not a faulty drive. (FWIW, DJ/Club equipment can read the CDs fine.)

I'm desperate, here.

EAC: Read/Sync Errors -- Secure or Burst?

Reply #1 –
Quality takes time and effort; this is a principle. If you want secure copies, you, of course, must use secure mode whenever it's possible. Try to do something else while EAC reads and reads.
You can read what I've written in this post for more tips.
I know that I know nothing. But how can I then know that ?

EAC: Read/Sync Errors -- Secure or Burst?

Reply #2 –
1)  You fail to mention which drive(s) you are using for ripping.  The quality of the drive has a large impact on the quality of the rip.

2)  It is imperative that EAC is set up correctly.  It is possible for it to still rip, albeit slowly, if it is set up incorrectly.

3)  A device like the Skip DR.  can help repair your scratched cds.  Sometimes Brasso or toothpaste works too.
"You can fight without ever winning, but never win without a fight."  Neil Peart  'Resist'

EAC: Read/Sync Errors -- Secure or Burst?

Reply #3 –
precisionist: EAC reads and reads, and then stalls out, or errors out, or what-not. If I could just leave it running in Secure mode, that'd be great -- but it fails on the discs.

dreamliner77: I have EAC set up properly. I'm trying two different drives, a Sony CDU5211 and an HP CD-Writer+ 9500b. These, sadly, are my two best drives. I asked my partner this morning to get some brasso on her way home from work just in case I had trouble with the rips, so I'll be trying that later on.

EAC: Read/Sync Errors -- Secure or Burst?

Reply #4 –
Every once in a while I run into CD which EAC can't deal with. With all symptoms similar to those you've described. It just stops, then retries to read the same sector, stops, tries again, etc, etc. Eventually it gives up and moves to the next sector. On playback, there is a pop or gap, always something audible.

Yet - ripping the same CD with Easy CD/DA somehow works! I have Easy CD-DA configured for error correction. So in a few cases - the same CD I can't rip with EAC, I actually *can* rip with Easy CD/DA. When I listen the same spot EAC fails, it sounds flowlessly. Of course, I undestand, Easy CD/DA did some kind of error correction, but after all why should I care if it sounds virtually problems-free to me?

Still, in a few cases, both EAC and Easy CD-DA fail, and no other utilities like Audiograbber can handle it either. But it happens only occasionally.

If you have this condition on a regular basis, either something is wrong with the way EAC interacts with your CD-ROM, or something is wrong with the whole batch of CDs you are trying to rip.

I don't use the burst mode, only secure mode.

EAC: Read/Sync Errors -- Secure or Burst?

Reply #5 –
This issue has been discussed several times. You can spend some money and get a Skip Doctor device to clean your discs from scratches. EAC could already do any ordinary ripper (like Audiograbber) could do in Burst Mode -> no need to try rippers focused for mass consumption. For such discs the best solution based on my experience (if you don't have the Skip Doctor) is: Burst Mode EAC -> DeGlitch utility. Those persistent glitches on the disk frustrate the secure mode and produce rips full of pops otherwise. The naive burst mode thus is affected less by those, and the lesser pops are corrected by the DeGlitch utility. All the information you'll find in previous threads...

Edit: Links:
similar thread 1, thread 2, thread 3, scratch cleaning thread 1, scratch cleaning thread 2.
The object of mankind lies in its highest individuals.
One must have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star.

EAC: Read/Sync Errors -- Secure or Burst?

Reply #6 –
Twiin, you could try to find (or buy  , or burn) a new, unscratched CD and rip it to make sure that the problem are the scratches and not what dreamliner said.
I know that I know nothing. But how can I then know that ?

EAC: Read/Sync Errors -- Secure or Burst?

Reply #7 –
I'm in the same boat. Many of my CDs are "well loved."  Most I have been able to rip using EAC in secure mode, but for those that I cannot I have a Skip Doctor to resurface the discs. It saves maybe 40%-50% of them. After resurfacing I am able to get a secure rip. For the other 50%-60% I can only rip in burst mode and deglitch or find another copy of the CD. It sucks, but I guess I don't have any other options aside from purchasing the CDs again and I definately won't do that.

EAC: Read/Sync Errors -- Secure or Burst?

Reply #8 –
Quote
I have always found brasso to work magic on original (pre-pressed) cds. I used to rent a lot from my local library and they would invariably be in a horrendous condition, sometimes not even being recoginised in cd player. A small amount of brasso on a brand new duster applied in small circular motions, left for thirty seconds, and then wiped off with a clean area of duster would 9 times out of 10 result in a trouble free recording.

I can confirm this: metal (or copper) polish works "like magic", as the person above says.  I've done tens of CDs this way and success should be guaranteed, as long as the label side of the CD is intact. I have a bit of a different way of rubbing, but that is IMO not very important: the point is that you wear off some plastic from the CD (enough to remove the scratch partially or entirely). In theory "radial" motions would be best for the CD (from inside to outside).
Drawback of this method is that many badly scratched CDs may take a lot of time, so 'SkipDoctor' might be a more convenient alternative (i have no experience with it).