One of the easiest things to do for the beginner would be screen shots of the correct options (at least the ones that don't vary with the drive.)

[...]

I like the idea of have individual articles for each option, even if it is just a definition.  Even if it is the SAME definition that is in the EAC tool tip.  I really dislike it when guides only go into more detail on some of the settings.

EAC Options
Check out the EAC options in the EAC menu. While it isn't necessary to change anything, you may want to set error recovery quality to "High".  Caution: By doing this you may increase the chances that EAC will give you bad data and not report an error without necessarily improving your odds of getting accurate data.  This setting only applies while ripping in secure mode.

Drive Features
Accurate Stream/Drive has 'Accurate Stream' feature
Drives without this feature are not capable of addressing audio data down to the exact sample in a consistent way.  In order to compensate for this problem, EAC will perform additional synchronization.

If EAC reports "Accurate Stream : Yes", it is safe to check the "Drive has 'Accurate Stream' feature" box.  This will tell EAC not to perform additional synchronization and provide an increase in speed.

Caching/Drive caches audio data
In order for secure mode to work properly, every read request made by EAC must cause the drive to seek data from the CD.  If your drive caches audio, subsequent requests for the same data may result in the drive fetching it only from its buffer, rather than from the physical disc.  To prevent this from happening, EAC has a routine to ensure previously requested data gets flushed from drive's cache.  This is done by having the drive read extra data from the disc; more data than the cache can store.

If EAC reports "Caching : Yes", it is important that you enable the cache flushing routine by checking the "Drive caches audio data" box.

If EAC reports "Caching : No", it is not necessary to enable the flushing routine.  Checking the "Drive caches audio data" box with drives that are reported by EAC as not caching will not improve EAC's accuracy.  It won't improve EAC's ability to detect errors nor EAC's ability to correct them.  What it will do however, is reduce your ripping speed and shorten the life of your drive.

Tip #1: If you're concerned that your drive caches audio data even though EAC is saying otherwise, try ripping a scratched disc (one known to produce errors easily).  Make sure you uncheck the "Drive caches audio data" setting AND uncheck the "Drive is capable of retrieving C2 error information" setting.  Make sure you also set the error recovery quality to "Low".  If EAC is capable of displaying a read error then cache flushing isn't necessary.

Tip #2: If you're still paranoid that your drive caches audio, feel free to try Feurio's audio caching test (Ctrl+Alt+P\Test device\Cache test) or spath's cache explorer.  If either determine that your drive caches less than 64 KB of data (ignore the reported buffer size), then cache flushing isn't necessary.  The reason for the 64 KB barrier is that EAC will never request less than this amount while ripping.

PS: @greynol

What about you getting a Wiki account? Wouldn't it make this whole thing easier for you?

Check out the EAC options in the EAC menu. While it isn't necessary to change anything, you may want to set error recovery quality to "High". Caution: By doing this you may increase the chances that EAC will give you bad data and not report an error without necessarily improving your odds of getting accurate data. This setting only applies while ripping in secure mode.

Check out the EAC options in the EAC menu. Most of these options do not effect the ripping process.  For those settings that would effect the ripping process, the default options are correct and therefore no changes are necessary.  The rest of the options deal with how the user prefers EAC to act.  (For example, whether EAC will automatically get information from freedb, whether it will save log files, where the resulting files will be saved, etc.) You may want to set error recovery quality to "High" although by doing this you may increase the chances that EAC will give you bad data and not report an error without necessarily improving your odds of getting accurate data. This setting only applies while ripping in secure mode.

You can find more information on each option here (link.)

• Main EAC article
  • EAC Configuration (overview)
    
    • Beginners Guide (wizard, first setup)
    • EAC options menu
    • Drive otions menu
    • Comression Options menu
      • Configuration for MP3
      • Configuration for FLAC
      • ...
    • freedb/database options menu
    • WAV editor options menu
  • EAC usage (creating CUE sheets, T&C vs. copy, etc.)
    • ...
    • ...

Check out the EAC options in the EAC menu. Most of these options do not effect the ripping process.  For those settings that would effect the ripping process, the default options are correct and therefore no changes are necessary.  The rest of the options deal with how the user prefers EAC to act.  (For example, whether EAC will automatically get information from freedb, whether it will save log files, where the resulting files will be saved, etc.) You may want to set error recovery quality to "High" although by doing this you may increase the chances that EAC will give you bad data and not report an error without necessarily improving your odds of getting accurate data. This setting only applies while ripping in secure mode.

[By the way, you have now scared me about using the High setting.  ]

That way the user can learn more about those settings that are (as you put it) "a matter of personal taste and are otherwise completely inconsequential."  Having more information about each setting would allow new users to develop their "personal taste" without worrying that they will effect the security of their rip.

You may want to see what I wrote about it in the EAC Lossless Backup Guide.)

Skip track extraction on read or sync errors: Unchecked

While I was reading the Lossless Backup Guide I was surprised to read:

Quote

Skip track extraction on read or sync errors: Unchecked

Why would you want to keep a track that had a read or sync error?

     Suspicious position 0:01:20 - 0:01:21

     Peak level 99.8 %
     Track quality 99.4 %
     Test CRC 4AB5F428
     Accurately ripped (confidence 8)  [04F4EEB9]
     Copy finished


All tracks accurately ripped

There were errors

Sounds great!

It'll be good to only have one page dedicated to compression options that don't need to change from codec to codec.  I already edited the EAC/Lame page and then noticed some of the same edits would apply to the other pages (CRC check, Check for return code).  Now we'll more easily be able to tell people not to use a compression offset.

Where's pepoluan?

• An .rtf or .doc file with your guide, properly formatted, with pictures embedded.
• Supporting picture files in .jpg or (preferably) .png format

Yes, but so many options are a matter of personal taste and are otherwise completely inconsequential. 

Quote from: greynol on 2007-08-02 07:29:41

Yes, but so many options are a matter of personal taste and are otherwise completely inconsequential. 

Not really, for those who need a guide.  The Coaster Factory had a recommended option for each setting that made sense, which was great because you could tell people to just set it up that way, and they'd learn later on what it meant.  That worked well.