[ShortcutToMoncton]

I'm curious...does OS X read Super Audio CDs? I've got a bunch, and want to burn them, but if I insert them nothing happens. iTunes doesn't recognize that a disc has been put in, and nothing shows up in the Finder either.

I replaced the stock Apple CD drive that came with my Quicksilver with an el cheapo LG DVD/CD burner combo drive. It's not supported officially, although I've had no problems besides some issues with the pop-out bevel piece getting in the way. I wonder if it's the drive that's not picking up on the CD?

Anyways, just curious to see if anyone else had this problem as well.

thanks
greg

[MaxPower2k3]

nope, there's no way to copy a SACD. They've got some kind of newfangled copy protection that hasn't been broken yet. My PC doesn't know what to do with them, either. I assume they use a different filesystem than regular DVDs. You'll have better luck with DVD-Audio on a computer, since those can be played (on a PC, at least. don't know about Macs. VLC, perhaps?)

[lavar78]

Originally posted by MaxPower2k3:
nope, there's no way to copy a SACD. They've got some kind of newfangled copy protection that hasn't been broken yet. My PC doesn't know what to do with them, either. I assume they use a different filesystem than regular DVDs. You'll have better luck with DVD-Audio on a computer, since those can be played (on a PC, at least. don't know about Macs. VLC, perhaps?)

DVD Audio can be played by DVD Player.

[MaxPower2k3]

Originally posted by lavar78:
DVD Audio can be played by DVD Player.

Are you sure it plays the actual DVD-Audio HD audio track and not the regular Dolby Digital track most DVD-Audio discs have to accompany the video?

[lavar78]

Originally posted by MaxPower2k3:
Are you sure it plays the actual DVD-Audio HD audio track and not the regular Dolby Digital track most DVD-Audio discs have to accompany the video?

That's not what you said at first. It probably plays the DD track, but either way you can hear the music (unlike with SACDs).

[hiddentrack]

Originally posted by ShortcutToMoncton:
I'm curious...does OS X read Super Audio CDs? I've got a bunch, and want to burn them, but if I insert them nothing happens. iTunes doesn't recognize that a disc has been put in, and nothing shows up in the Finder either.

Curious about this myself I popped in the only SACD from my collection: Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. Its part of the Living Stereo SACD series. iTunes launched and allows me to convert the tracks to MP3s. This is on an iMac G4.

The omission to this report is that the Living Stereo series are SACD hybrid discs which means the disc has both SACD and standard CD layers. So what is being read and converted is (most likely) the CD layer, not the SACD.

~ Hiddentrack

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by hiddentrack:
The omission to this report is that the Living Stereo series are SACD hybrid discs which means the disc has both SACD and standard CD layers. So what is being read and converted is (most likely) the CD layer, not the SACD.

This is correct.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
This is correct.

Ahhhhh yes, but all the SACDs I own are hybrid discs (Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde, a few early Rolling Stones albums, etc.). It still isn't picking them up for whatever reason.

greg

[mitchell_pgh]

You know it's bad when the hacking community doesn't even bother hacking the SACD format.

I wonder if it's because they can't hack it or because they don't care to...

[mitchell_pgh]

FYI: The old 12" vinyl records still outsell both SACD and DVD-Audio combined

[hiddentrack]

Originally posted by ShortcutToMoncton:
Ahhhhh yes, but all the SACDs I own are hybrid discs (Bob Dylan's Blonde on Blonde, a

It might be the drive you installed -- the Blonde on Blonde SACD I have plays just fine on my iMac, as does my Blood on the Tracks SACD.

What version of the operating system are you running? How about iTunes?

~ Hiddentrack

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
FYI: The old 12" vinyl records still outsell both SACD and DVD-Audio combined

So? Is there some worthwhile point to your posts, other than that you personally care enough about new audio formats to make sure that everybody knows you don't care?

[MaxPower2k3]

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
You know it's bad when the hacking community doesn't even bother hacking the SACD format.

I wonder if it's because they can't hack it or because they don't care to...

The problem is that you need an expensive stereo to really appreciate HD audio, so for 95% of consumers, it offers no real advantage-- plus, they cost more. High-end audio equipment isn't really getting much cheaper, like every other area of electronics/computers is, so i don't see SACD/DVD-Audio taking over in the foreseeable future. Add to that that it involves extra work on the recording studio's part for the surround mix, and it becomes even less likely that HD audio players will reach most consumers.


The best SACDs I own: Dark Side of the Moon and Beck's Sea Change.

[ReggieX]

Originally posted by hiddentrack:
It might be the drive you installed -- the Blonde on Blonde SACD I have plays just fine on my iMac, as does my Blood on the Tracks SACD.

What version of the operating system are you running? How about iTunes?

You're not hearing the SACD tracks, just the normal CD audio tracks; they're hybrids.

[ShortcutToMoncton]

Yeah, but I can't even recognize the hybrid discs.

Latest version of everything...I'm guessing it must be the drive.

greg