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Topic: Are there companies that will rip your CDs? (Read 16270 times) previous topic - next topic
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Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

I was curious to know of any companies that are out there that offer CD-Ripping services and audio extraction services, because I'm interested in knowing the techniques that they can use, and what they charge.  I know that Slim Devices offers such a service, and you can get virtually any codec you'd like.

They charge $129 + $28.50 shipping for 100 cds.  There is a 20% surcharge for lossless.
https://secure.slimdevices.com/order/ripping.cgi

Any one know of other companies or websites that offer services such as this?  It's an interesting business idea, as lots of people probably want to use digital audio, but don't want to bother spending the time (or learning the expertise) to rip all their cds themselves, especially for particularly big collections.

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #1 –
http://www.ripdigital.com/
"You can fight without ever winning, but never win without a fight."  Neil Peart  'Resist'

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #2 –
Thanks, dreamliner77.  That looks like an interesting company.  I wonder how they can do it efficently.  Would anyone know if there are actually hardware devices that will rip CDs, as opposed to using dedicated computers?

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #3 –
Sigh... and there probably are people out there using such a service. In fact, if the company simply archives a copy of any new album that comes their way, they theoretically (although not legally, unless they've also purchased the album) save themselves a tremendous amount of time with future customers.

    - M.

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #4 –
I can imagine that that's really the only viable way of doing it.  Otherwise it'd cost more to hire someone at minimum wage than you'd make from ripping each CD.  But again, the cost and time savings right there would actually justify purchasing the CD, not to mention the fact that you would not have to deal with people's abused, scratched up CDs.

There would likely be a lot of overlap between customers, no doubt.

You just have to pluck the albums out of a database, and tell software to transcode it overnight.  But yeh... that may not entirely be legal.

[EDIT]
Perhaps in the future, this kind of thing could be offered as some sort of a web based service where you could listen to music that you owned online.  In fact, wasn't there something like that years ago, where you could confirm you owned certain CDs, and pay a subscription fee to listen to highly compressed MP3s of music you already owned... was that music locker or something??

(Not that that's a GOOD idea, but it's an interesting one...)

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #5 –
Quote
(Not that that's a GOOD idea, but it's an interesting one...)
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=282863"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

There may be civic penalties to pay for mistakes but with proper
accounting and lisencing it might get grants or adventurous capital.
If licence options make the scheme uneconomic that seems
unfortunate ... 
no conscience > no custom

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #6 –
I had actually contemplated a business like this a year or two ago.  I was eventually disuaded by a family member that works for the SBA.  There were just too many legal issues to deal with.
"You can fight without ever winning, but never win without a fight."  Neil Peart  'Resist'

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #7 –
mp3.com tried to offer a service allowing you to listen to your own discs on-line. You load in the original CD and type in the bar code - this verifies to their software that you actually have the original CD. From then on, you can access it anywhere by going to my.mp3.com. They don't rip your CD - it just acts as the initial key to allow you to listen to their copy on-line.

Record companies brought legal action against mp3.com. A judge ruled that mp3.com had acted illegally in building and allowing access to the music library that allowed this service to operate. So it closed down.

A shame - it was a good idea.


I'd assume that the rip CD service has some kind of automated jukebox system - note that you provide your CDs on a spindle, so the actual labour cost of the process for them could be minimal. I'm sure they're not sat there putting individual CDs into a standard drive and clicking "rip"! Rather, they drop them into some industrial CD changer and let it do the job automatically. With very little manual labour, and 1 DVD per 50 CDs, the only cost is the initial hardware. They make a profit, while offering a service which looks cheap (for some) in terms of the number of "man hours" it saves the customer.

Cheers,
David.

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #8 –
There is iPodLoad in Germany http://www.ipodload.de/

< 100 CDs: €139,- and €19,- shipping
< 250 CDs: €269,- and €29,- shipping
< 500 CDs: €489,-
< 750 CDs: €649,-

You can order almost any codec you like.

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #9 –
Just out of curiousity - I've noticed that at certain music stores in the US, there are small portable-looking units mounted at various places in the store with barcode scanners attached.  Walk up to them, scan the disc you want to preview, and it'll automagically play that album.  I know they have this at Barnes & Noble bookstores as well as some other places.  Any idea who performs this service for them?

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #10 –
Quote
I was curious to know of any companies that are out there that offer CD-Ripping services and audio extraction services, because I'm interested in knowing the techniques that they can use, and what they charge. 

Any one know of other companies or websites that offer services such as this? 



Oh, I would never. Even at ridicolous prices. Slowly creating my digital store is not work, is fun! And I set the rules and the pace of it, the tagging system, the artwork... I'm not in a hurry even though it will take a long time.

No, I would never. 

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #11 –
Hell, I'll do 100 for $129 or whatever it is.

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #12 –
Quote
Oh, I would never. Even at ridicolous prices. Slowly creating my digital store is not work, is fun! And I set the rules and the pace of it, the tagging system, the artwork... I'm not in a hurry even though it will take a long time.

No, I would never. 
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=283024"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Oh god... you obviously haven't been in my shoes then.  I have a real use for such a service, because I am a DJ.  I have collections of hundreds of discs that are from DJ compilations, so each disc has multiple artists, and different types of music.  Not only that, but do you know what a CD looks like after a DJ has used it four times a week for ten years?  To simulate it, put it on the highway and let several cars drive over it during the day... you'll get the idea

Ripping these CDs is extremely time consuming, partly because of the data entry time, and the actualy struggle to accurately read through all the scratches and topside etching. 

I am now in the process of taking my DJ CD compilation and ripping them to lossless images, then tagging the cue files with all the pertinent genre, year, and BPM info.  It's a daunting task, and I have so far completed almost 300 CDs.  It's taken many weeks (months even) of my spare time.

Of course, Treefingers, I'm sure you wouldn't be in this scenario.  No doubt you'd own commercial CDs that would actually be in the FreeDB, and you actually take care of your CDs, so that it's a much more simple matter to rip them.  I guess I used to feel the same way, until I started buying used DJ compilation discs!

Anyways, thanks so far for the tips.  I have thus far been in touch with RipDigital.  Would anyone be interested in me posting any details that I have learned from them?

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #13 –
Quote
...
I'd assume that the rip CD service has some kind of automated jukebox system - note that you provide your CDs on a spindle, so the actual labour cost of the process for them could be minimal. I'm sure they're not sat there putting individual CDs into a standard drive and clicking "rip"! Rather, they drop them into some industrial CD changer and let it do the job automatically. With very little manual labour, and 1 DVD per 50 CDs, the only cost is the initial hardware....
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=282927"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Does anyone know where I would be able find such a machine... an "industrial" audio CD ripper?  I'd love to have one!

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #14 –
An update:

from http://www.ripdigital.com/about.htm:
Quote
RipDigital actively encourages responsible use of digital music by including unique and traceable information on each file that identifies the music as yours.


What can people here tell me about this sort of watermarking?  How is it implemented, and can it be removed or bypassed?  What If I get them to do CD images (I'm not sure yet if they will), then transcode them to individual files with foobar2000?  Will the watermark still be there.  Any links on the likely watermarking technology they use, and how this could affect my music would be appreciated.


Also, some other alternatives to ripdigital:

from http://www.beatmixed.com/2004/01/ripdigital_offe.html

Quote
QuickDigital.co.uk in th UK do this too. I used them to get my rippping out of the way. I'd recommend them.

Posted by: Omni1 | July 2, 2004 04:12 AM


I used quickdigital.co.uk to convert my entire CD collection, i couldn't believe how quick the process was. excellent service and very friendly staff. 10 out of 10.

Posted by: Will Parkinson | July 12, 2004 07:15 AM


I used shrinkdigital.com. Some very cool extras including all the cover art pictures encoded into the files. They even repaired several of my scratched CDs!

Posted by: Bob Macaskill | July 13, 2004 07:21 AM


I'm going to check these guys out too.

[EDIT]
Here are more: http://www.ripmedia.net/
This company doesn't seem quite as professional...

http://www.dmp3music.com/
This company apparently will actually send a rep to your house to help you with the process... I think you must live in San Francisco for that to apply

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #15 –
"Does anyone know where I would be able find such a machine... an "industrial" audio CD ripper? I'd love to have one! "

Funny thing is (sort of co-incidence), I have in that last few weeks contacting a whole bunch of autoloader manufacturers to ascertain if such an item can be created, I am after adding such automated ripping support to my stuff. Not only for the pure batch ripping to audio formats, but also to cater for those who offer a service of ripping direct to portable mp3 player (we are lucky to support almost all popular players, so can offer that too). Add on DVD burning - it should be quite a nice system, at least interesting to create.

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #16 –
Quote
I have a real use for such a service, because I am a DJ.  I have collections of hundreds of discs that are from DJ compilations, so each disc has multiple artists, and different types of music.   Not only that, but do you know what a CD looks like after a DJ has used it four times a week for ten years?
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=283655"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

a DJ that uses CD's? 
--alt-presets are there for a reason! These other switches DO NOT work better than it, trust me on this.
LAME + Joint Stereo doesn't destroy 'Stereo'

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #17 –
Jojo:
CD's interestingly enough, are a popular format for music distribution, and DJs thus will play music from them.  It is far and away the most popular way to DJ -  even for DJs who actually play *nightclubs*, and beatmix, which is a small part of the industry (think wedding DJs, teen dances, corporate christmas parties, etc, which comprises the bulk of a mobile DJ's income.)

Turntables are still embraced by purists who DJ raves using a small subset of a genre of techno, but the same kinds of control can be achieved using CDs, and perhaps now, with computers using digital audio.

So, although personally I have virtually always DJed using a computer (and on a few occasions CDs), the music must come from somewhere.  The only legal way, really, is to get musc from CDs that you own (and preferrably have in your vicinity, because even still, with such DJ compilations as I speak of, it's not legal to rip a copy for yourself... the AVLA licenses DJs can acquire don't apply to them because the music media is technically leased for 99 years for a fixed price, and not purchased).

(I suppose if you were determined enough, and had plenty of time, you could convert your vinyl to digital audio as well... have fun!)

I wasn't sure what you meant Jojo, so does that clarify things?  Note that I can only really speak of my experiences within Canada... perhaps the situation is different, say, in Europe (where computer-based technology is way ahead), or the US (where there are virtually NO laws that allow you to use computers to DJ).

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #18 –
Quote
Turntables are still embraced by purists who DJ raves using a small subset of a genre of techno, but the same kinds of control can be achieved using CDs, and perhaps now, with computers using digital audio.


And by every single one of the 150 or so DJ's I am in contact with.  If you hire a DJ, you don't want him to bring 2 shitty CD decks and a hole bunch of burnt CDs.  Also, promos are usually release first on vinyl.

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #19 –
Funkstar De Luxe:
I notice that you are from Scotland, and as I said, I can only really speak for Canada.  I know that in the UK, techno & house music is far more popular, and I'm guessing that your background is more of the club environment.  If you are in contact with 150 DJs, however, I'd like to know what it is that you do... I'll try to contact you through your website.

[edit]
As for the "2 shitty CD decks and a hole bunch of burnt CDs", well, there are many, many very high quality CD players out there that are suitable for turntablists... such as the CDJ-1000 by Pioneer, that is popular with club DJs here.  Personally, I wouldn't rely on the quality of burned CDs, and I think that any DJ who has reasonable expectations of success, and more money than time, would not have an entirely burned collection (although sometimes rare tracks are more easly downloaded and burned than purchased... especially those 0-day promo releases

But again... the culture is a bit different here.

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #20 –
Quote
Of course, Treefingers, I'm sure you wouldn't be in this scenario.  No doubt you'd own commercial CDs that would actually be in the FreeDB, and you actually take care of your CDs, so that it's a much more simple matter to rip them.  I guess I used to feel the same way, until I started buying used DJ compilation discs!


Correct about my situation. Most of my collection is classical music and in pristine condition (no children or dogs around here till now ) so every once in a while it's a pleasure diggin' out a bunch of cd and do the backup while re-listening to them, reading notes, refreshing memory on performers etc...

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #21 –
@ Supacon

I guess it depends what kind of DJ you are (I don't consider people that play "Now That's What I Call Music" compilations on some teen b/party as real 'DJs'). No offense though. Therefore, the only 2 options for a real DJ are to use turntables or a computer. I mean, it's all about good transitions and stuff and I don't know any label that releases their stuff that's relevant for DJ's on CD's instead of Vinyl...

Also, there are some advantages but also disadvantages for a DJ using a computer...but there are some DJ's that digitize all their records...anyway, I fail to see the point why someone would use CD's instead of turntables or a computer...why would someone put all of his records on CD's? Or why would someone bring "2 shitty CD decks"  and a bunch of CD's that will get scratched and makes it hard to find a song...if the stuff is already on CD it would make more sense to use a computer instead...
--alt-presets are there for a reason! These other switches DO NOT work better than it, trust me on this.
LAME + Joint Stereo doesn't destroy 'Stereo'

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #22 –
I've checked on many sites and couldn't find an answer.
When you put your order, they assume you know exactly what's the condition of the cd's being sent to the ripping service and many have the option to repair scratched cd's.

But one could intentionally send a badly scratched cd and later claim the cd was in perfect conditions and ask for a... let's say "refund due bad handling".

It's your word against their word? How the company can prevent this to happen?

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #23 –
JPL:
I'd like to know the answer to this...  the collections of CDs that I've got are in pretty bad shape, which is the main reason I'm considering sending them off in the first place.  Some of these discs take about four days with EAC to rip, and they still have many clicks in certain spots.
(see the bottom of http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....showtopic=26203 for more about that)

I'd guess that most of these places have some facilities to fix scratched CDs.  I actually own an industrial polishing machine, because I rip so many bloody scratched CDs, but it doesn't work when there is topside damage.  Nonetheless, it would only be reasonable for these companies to repair scratched CDs for you as a courtesy... if you send them 100 badly scratched CDs, however, then it would take them enough extra time that they would be obliged to charge extra.  It appears that nobody says anything about this, however.

Are there companies that will rip your CDs?

Reply #24 –
JoJo:
Hmm... about the DJ thing...  I guess the popular (romanticized, almost) conception of what DJing is about is the stereotypical rave DJ creatively beatmixing, scratching, spinning vinyl records for hundreds of excited, happily dancing ravers and such.  As much fun as this is, it has, unfortunately not been the paradigm for much of my career as a DJ.  For me, it's placating angry drunk people by playing the songs they know and love, in an order that flows well and makes each person wait an acceptable amount of time to hear their song.  Occasionally I get a dance floor, and play fairly predictable sets of "dance" songs that are played on the radio enough to make people with the least disriminating tastes gag.

For the vast majority of what I do, I don't even need to beatmix, and I've gotten lazy enough about it that 90% of the time, the continuator component in foobar2000 works just fine.  I can spend more time conversing with the patrons, discussing and finding their requests, and chatting it up, and less time fiddling with a mixer and such.  This is a big advantage of the computer for me.

But *could* I be an energy-pumpin' beatmixing rave DJ with this technology?  Oooooh yeah! You better believe it.  And it'd be damned fun too!