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Southwest Spirits
and also:
Harley's Help Hut

Things are much nicer there!

Please come and visit and give me a bookmark!

Hey Native American Style !

Once again I am locked out of your blog.

I miss You !!! Happy Thanksgiving and HELP ME !!!

Love to all of you

Harley

First download and install Utorrent

These tutorials will show you how to:


How To Create A Torrent With Utorrent


How To Forward Ports


How To Create A Demonoid Torrent

More coming

This tutorial was created by DVSDMN

Extracting & Combining RAR Files

Many Files including CD / DVD “Images”, Movies and TV shows are uploaded in “RAR” Format (.rar).

One of the main advantages of “RAR” files, is the ability to easily create multiple volume sequences (Archives). The purpose of splitting
a file, or image, is to make the files easier to upload / download. These multiple volume sequences may have extensions such as
[.part1.rar (the first volume), .part2.rar, .part3.rar,... etc.], [.rar (the first volume), .r00, .r01,… etc.],or [.000, .001, .002,… etc.]

To view “File Extensions” in Windows XP, open “My Computer” > “Tools” > “Folder Options” > “View” Tab >
Un-check “Hide extensions for known file types” > Click "Apply" > Click “OK”





The Example above shows the three common forms of "RAR Archives". Presently the files are "Unrecognized".


To extract and combine “RAR” formatted files you will need a program such as WinRAR, a powerful archive manager.
It can backup data and reduce the size of email attachments, decompress RAR, ZIP and other files downloaded from
the Internet and create new "Archives" in RARand ZIP file format.

Download and install WinRAR



1 ) Go to the RARLAB Web Site and download the newest stable version of WinRAR.
2 ) "Double Click" or "Run" the WinRAR Installation Program



3 ) "Enter", "Browse" to, or accept the default installation location.
4 ) Click "Install"




5 ) Wait for WinRAR to extract and install



6 ) "Check" "RAR" and any other Archive Types to associate with WinRAR,
leaving "ISO" "Unchecked". Having "ISO" associated with WinRAR becomes problematic.
After extracting a RAR Archive, you may then extract an "ISO" image, thinking it is still "Archived".
These settings can be accessed at any time...
WinRAR > Options > Settings > Integration Tab > "Associate WinRAR with"
7 ) "Check" the "Interface" Items as desired.
8 ) "Check" all the "Shell Integration" Items to enable Context Menu Integration.
9 ) "Click" "Context menu items..."



10) "Check" the Context Menu Items you wish to integrate.
11) "Click" "OK".
12) "Click" "OK" in the "Setup" window.



13) You have now successfully installed and setup WinRAR.
14) Click "Done" or "Run WinRAR" to Open.



Extracting & Combining RAR Files

Now that WinRAR is installed, the RAR Archive can be extracted and combined.



1 ) Open “My Computer” and browse to the location of the RAR Archive. Now that WinRAR is installed,
the multiple volume sequences, Type "A" [.part1.rar (the first volume), .part2.rar, .part3.rar,... etc.]
and Type "B" [.rar (the first volume), .r00, .r01,… etc.] are "Recognized" and "Associated" with WinRAR.

Multiple volume sequence Type "C" [.000, .001, .002,… etc.], while not "Recognized and Associated"
with WinRAR, can still be "Extracted". Type "C" RAR Archives, will be explained later in the guide.




2 ) "Right Click" a file in the RAR Archive > Choose “WinRAR” > “Extract Here”



3 ) Wait for WinRAR to extract and combine the Archive




4 ) You are now done! The extracted Movie (or .iso, .bin /.cue, .mdf /.mds,...etc.)
is now combined and ready for use. At this point the RAR Archive can be deleted,
or saved for back-up in a secure off-site location.



Extracting & Combining Unrecognized RAR Files


Multiple volume sequence Type "C" [.000, .001, .002,… etc.], while not "Recognized and Associated"
with WinRAR, can still be "Extracted".



As you can see in the above example, multiple volume sequence, of Type "C" [.000, .001, .002,… etc.], is "Unrecognized",
so the option to "Extract" is not available in the Context Menu.


1 ) To "Extract and Combine" multiple volume sequences, of Type "C" [.000, .001, .002,… etc.], manually open WinRAR.
"Start" > "All Programs" > "WinRAR" > "WinRAR" .... by default.




2 ) In WinRAR, Click "File" > "Open Archive" (Ctrl + O) and "Browse" to the location of the desired RAR Archive.



3 ) When the "Unrecognized" multiple volume sequence ( Type "C") is "Open" in WinRAR, select the first (or any) file and Click "Extract To".



4 ) In the "Extraction path and options" Window, enter the destination path and Click "OK"




5 ) Wait for WinRAR to "Extract and Combine" the Archive.



6 ) You are now done! The extracted file of "Unrecognized" type (.iso, .bin /.cue, .mdf /.mds,...etc.),
is now combined and ready for use. At this point the RAR Archive can be deleted,
or saved for back-up in a secure off-site location.



Common Image Files Found in RAR Archive Form


.ISO

An ISO image (.iso) is an informal term for a disk image of the ISO 9660 file system. ISO also refers to any optical disc image
An ISO can can be mounted with Alcohol 120% or Daemon tools, or can be burned to disk with Alcohol 120% or Nero.


.BIN/.CUE

The .BIN/.CUE image file format, consists of two files which contain binary data and metadata, respectively.
The .BIN file contains an exact copy of all data stored on an optical disk in raw, unprocessed form.
The .CUE file is a "cue sheet" that describes the data stored in the .BIN file.
.BIN/.CUE files can be mounted with Alcohol 120% or Daemon tools, or can be burned to disk with Alcohol 120% or Nero.


.MDF/.MDS

The MDF/.MDS image file format is Alcohol 120%'s proprietary ISO file format these files can be mounted with
Alcohol 120% or Daemon tools, or can be burned to disk with Alcohol 120% or Nero.


.DAA

The “.DAA” file is a proprietary PowerISO image file, to extract these images, use PowerISO


.IMG

The .IMG is the filename extension usually used for the disk image of floppy disks, optical media and hard disks.
An .IMG file contains a raw dump of the content of a disk.


.NRG

The .NRG file is a Nero CD-Image File. Nero Burning Rom can create and burn Images of this type.

A fantastic Blog! I highly recommend it !

http://native-american-style.blogspot.com/

I will be remaking this tutorial to show screenshots in larger views soon, but for now:

1. Open Alcohol and select the Image Burning Wizard
as shown below:




2. Use the browse button to locate your image file you want to burn.
In this case the image file is a .cue.








3. After selecting the .cue, this window will appear and you should select the NEXT button:



4. Just make sure after you select the next button that your window looks like the window shown below :




5. Use the drop down box next to WRITE SPEED to select how fast or slow you want to burn.
The slower the burn, the less chance of a bad CD. Its entirely up to you.




6. You CD will begin the burn process and this window will appear.
Just let it do its thing, it will tell you when it is finished and will probably eject the new CD.



7. When your CD is finished, this window appears.
Just click FINISH and your all done!
Congratulations, you have just burned your first Bin/Cue with Alcohol
Have Fun!

CONNECTABILITY = Peer-to-Peer Communication Across Network Address Translators Without Any Restriction in Either Direction.

Note: In the diagram below it shows two computers; the top one has some NAT addressing (portforwarding) done correctly, if you are like the lower example you will not have a Green smilie in you bitTorrent client. Our goal is to get information flowing without problem in both directions! (pls disregard the ip and port numbers here it is for illustration only).



Not Connectable - Get Connectable

The following document is intended to help cover various issues related to port forwarding and port triggering. The goal is to allow unrestricted network connections between multiple clients on multiple networks. If you have more than one router(as in a campus setting) and can not access the configuration of both routers this article will not help. Some of the information may not apply to you and your OS/hrdw. So if your set-up looks like this we are ready to go.





To become clever/connectable you need to look at:

1) Setting up Static IP address for gateway from computer to router and back;
2 & 3) How your router is configured to port forward or trigger ports;
4) If you have a firewall installed, how your firewall handles port demands;
5) Correct settings in you torrent client to allow proper connection;
6) DNS and DHCP configuration.

You will need to know what port or port range to forward and what your static ip as well as DNS server address are. (thats 3 pieces of important information) Things will become a little more complicated if you have multi users on a router. Then you need DCHP address range too. Don't worry about the info for now.

In order to do this you need to understand how things work. First there are many operating systems and bitTorrent clients out there. Never mind the various routers and dsl models on the market. Know your equipment.

First, find your manuals for the router; if you do not have get from internet. All manufactures provide them in pdf format. Read them and especially important read them again!

Beginners page to some of the issues with bitorrent clients, firewalls and routers
Beginners page Some very good Linux solutions here too if you scroll down.

To understand how a router works this page is good:
Understand Your Router

So now you have some knowledge and you need to determine your port(s); I recommend something in the 49000 to 50000 range. I personally use port 49253 for Azureus. So pick one and ensure below it is ok. Then write it down. To determine if the ports you want to use are used by anything else go here, type in one port at a time and it will tell you the port usage:
Determine port usage
TCP and UDP Port Numbers Note: Paste link text in quotes below into your browser and add http: to front of link - take out the quotes of course.
" //en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_well-known_ports_(computing)"

For IANA port regristration 1-1023
IANA

Ports used by trojans Trojan Ports You will notice that a lot of the trojans are using higher port numbers now too. Make your choice carefully.
The idea is to pick a port number that nothing else will use. Also the higher port numbers may avoid traffic shaping by your isp.

1) Now you need a static ip to be setup. for any of the following : Windows XP, Windows ME, Windows 2k or 2000, Windows 98, Mac OS X v10.4
So go here and pick your operating system and follow directions:
Pick you OS and set up Static IP Address
Now write down your static Ip address. If you default DNS server address do not fill in, just call your ISP provider and they will tell you what it is. There is two of them.
Another good site for users of XP is here :
XP Static IP Setup

So we have some information, your static ip address xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx, a port number or range and you know your dns server addresses.
Now you need to portforward your router.

2) First ensure you are hardwired to the router and that you do not make changes to router setup wirelessly. Next, open browser window and login to router. Type in 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 if these addresses do not work of course your manual will have told you to correct one to use. Usually username: admin password: admin if out of the box, if you have changed it and forgot it, reset your router - little button on back, you may need a pin. If this does not work call their support number for help. The support number will be in the pdf document I asked you to read twice for your router.

3) Now assuming you logged in to router,stop and open second browser window (you now have two open)
go here Router Index scroll down and pick your model. They have written very good procedures for almost all routers. If for some reason you have a router that is not on the list - the manual will have detailed instructions under topic of portforwarding; follow the instructions.

Then pick your torrent client that you use. You will need the static ip address and port number/range too. It is simple, just follow directions and move back and forth in your browser from Router page to portforward com page.
Important once the settings have been entered remember to SAVE and close browser window the router was open in. Note: Some routers require you power cycle the router for new setting to take effect. Turn off or un-plug router for 15 sec. and power up.

4) If you have a firewall and you should. You must allow 2 things the bitorrent client and the port to receive traffic within you firewall. There are may firewalls out there I will give only one example.

For example: Norton 2007
goto firewall --> configure --> programs --> scroll to you bittorrent client (now if not there do a program scan)
--> select your bittorrent client --> modify --> in drop down menue select Manual configure --> if you have one rule
select it and --> Modify, other wise select --> Add --> now you have several tabs:
Tab
Action ---> permit
Connections --> to and from
Computers --> any
Communication --> tcp and udp note : make sure radio button is clicked for all ports local and remote.
Description --> give your rule a name
Locations --> all
Click OK now till your out (3 times) thus Nortons will allow port demands to your program in both directions and to local and remote traffic.

5) Open your BitTorrent Client and enter the port or port range in to the appropriate options window.


6) Once you have made router changes, setup static ip address etc.
remember to flush dns cache
XP, mac and linux go here for instructions:
How to flush DNS
Vista users go here: Vista DNS flush

If you have multipule users on your router the DHCP servers settings on the router need to be configured to avoid the router handing out your static ip to another user.
Thanks to my peer Opal for this diagram. Please note the various ip addresses for each computer. These connection can be hardwired or wireless.



In our example static ip = 192.168.0.2 so our range would be 192.168.0.3, up to what you need number of users plus 1 So the range here would be 192.168.0.3 to 192.168.0.5

The static ip must be outside of the DHCP server range. Thus not to hand out your static ip to another user on you Local area network - LAN
Wipi DHCP server range setup

At this point you should be able to start you torrent client and show connectable/green. In the event your still getting red or NAT error. Do the following:
Open your web browser and type:
Google
or in other words http://64.233.187.99/
if you connect to google you have a dns problem if no google then start over (hee hee) Don't panic. Check your DNS (remember setting static Ip) and ensure they are correct. Double check your ports in the client and router. In you router ensure that the port you forward is the static one you set up and also double check you have the correct port entered. Cycle off the router, DSL modem if you have one, and re boot your computer.
You should be good to go!

Good resource and information re: UPnP
for Azureus users: Disable UPnP Azureus

An excellent guide too:
Azureus Setup

With Azureus ensure your update Java to as this causes downloads and uploads to start then stop. Thus giving you a NAT error.
Wiki Java

A good site to probe ports to see if they are open: Probe Ports or you can use this one to Probe Ports CanYouSeeMe

In the event you are concerned that you isp may be restricting traffic.
Check here to see if you ISP providers is not a good one: Bad ISP's
If your isp is bad one go here; Bad ISP Solutions

Articles on Traffic Shaping with some possible solutions: Traffic Shaping News1
Traffic Shaping News2

VOIP Ports can be used to circumnavigate traffic shaping by ISP

Here is a list of ports commonly used for H323 your ISP may not throttle them.

1300 TCP & UDP h323hostcallsc H323 Host Call Secure
1503 TCP & UDP imtc-mcs (multipoint conference server) T.120 application sharing in a
multipoint server
1718 TCP & UDP h323gatedisc Gatekeeper discovery
(Must be bidirectional)
1719 TCP & UDP h323gatestat Gatekeeper RAS
(Must be bidirectional)
1720 TCP & UDP h323hostcall Q.931 call setup
(Must be bidirectional)
1731 TCP & UDP msiccp Audio Call Control (VoIP)
(Must be bidirectional)
2979 TCP & UDP h263-video H.263 Video Streaming
11720 TCP & UDP h323callsigalt h323 Call Signal Alternate


Technical description of bitTorrent protocol encryption is here:
Protocol Encryption


If you still have not luck I highly recommend IRC

IRC for Utorrent folks go here: irc://irc.utorrent.com/utorrent
IRC for BitTornado go here: irc://irc.freenode.net/bittornado
Azureus has built in IRC Tech suport; Plugins --> IRC - Online Technical Support

In the event you are looking at changing your bitTorrent Client, I recommend you look here to help you decide: BitTorrent Comparison

For those of you who wish to know the how and why of Peer-to-Peer Communication Across Network Address Translators

To make the sample we are going to be using a program called VirtualDubMod. NOT VirtualDub, but VirtualDubMod.
You can download it from the virtualdubmod homepage below.
Virtual Dub Mod
OR
VirtualDubMod
Once you download and install it you want to run it.



***** Making a sample from an AVI file *****
Now that you have VdubMod open you want to click on File>Open Video File

Now navigate to your AVI file and open it.

Once you open your AVI you may get one the following errors.....

If you receive the error in the picture below, just click no and continue.
(This error just means that VirtualdubMod has detected an improper bitrate and would like to fix it for you with the negatives being it will encode it into a different audio format.)



If you receive this error, just ignore it. (This error just means that VirtualdubMod is just lagging a bit on detecting the video information. Your video will show once you continue with the tutorial)




Ok, so we have your video open and if you wish to you can
drag the slider around to make sure your video is displaying.



Before the next step make sure you have dragged the slider back to the begining of your video file. If you didn't know most samples created by the "scene" are one minute long.We will be following "scene" standards below.

Now we are ready to weed out the 1 minute from your AVI file. Most people like samples from the begining or middle as the end tends to give away the rest of the video.

Your going to now click on "Edit", now displayed is a drop down menu. Move down the menu and click on "Go To".



Before the next step make sure the "Jump to frame at time:" is selected.



We will now choose the time interval in our video file where we want to start the one minute sample from. The time you choose depends on your video file. For most movies you would choose somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes as your starting point. But because my video file is only two minutes long i will be choosing the first minute as my start point.

So now choose your time interval and type it into the "Jump to frame at time" text box.


Shorty's Shortcuts
For 1 minute type 1:00.000
For 5 minutes type 5:00.000
For 10 minutes type 10:00.000
For 20 minutes type 20:00.000



You should now understand where to place your number.



VirtualdubMod should have moved the slider to the desired time.

Click on the icon that is stroked in red below.
(by clicking this you are defining what part of the video you want to keep)



You should notice a black arrow under your slider as shown in the above image.

Now again click on "Edit", and move down the menu and click on "Go To".




Change the number from 1 minute and increase it to 2 minutes




VdubMod should have moved the slider to the spot you choose.
Now you should click on the below icon.



You should now have a blue bar in between the chosen
spots. You can tell the file size and amount of time chosen if you look in the box below.



Were almost done.
Now click File> Save As
and choose the directory and the filename.





Now you can click Save and it should start processing.



The processing session shouldn't take longer than a few minutes or a few seconds at the least. Depending on the length of sample you choose.



Once the sample is saved you should open it in your media player of choice and make sure its length is 1:00.

NOW YOUR DONE!!

You can choose whatever length of a sample you wish. I just went by how the "scene" makes their samples. You can choose a 1 minute sample or a 5 minute sample.
I suggest the 1 minute because the more minutes the bigger the sample.

Labels: "Direct Stream Copy", AVI, Install Virtual dub Mod, sample, Virtualdub-MPEG2

How to Install and Mount "Images" with DAEMON Tools by DVSDMN




DAEMON Tools is a Virtual CD & DVD optical storage media emulator. It is able to emulate nearly all known copy protections on the market today, enabling the user to "Mount" CD & DVD images as if they were already burned to disk! DAEMON Tools works with Windows9x / ME / NT / 2000 / XP along with all types of CD & DVD-ROM drives (IDE/SCSI) and supports nearly any CD protection.

DAEMON Tools supports the following image files:


* bin / cue
* iso
* ccd (CloneCD) * mdf / mds (Alcohol 120%)
* bwt (Blindwrite)
* cdi (Discjuggler) * nrg (Nero)
* pdi (Instant CD/DVD)
* b5t (BlindWrite 5)


Download & Install DAEMON Tools

Download the appropriate version for your system; both 32 and 64 bit versions of DAEMON Tools are available.

Double Click or "Run" DAEMON’s installation executable “daemon409-139-x86.exe” (or the newest version)



Click "Next" to continue.



Click "I Agree" to continue.



If the "SCSI Pass Through Direct (SPTD) Layer" is not installed on your computer, it will be added at this time.
Several other programs use SPTD, including Alcohol 120%. Click "OK".



A system restart will need to be done before continuing the DAEMON’s installation. Click "OK" to reboot the computer.



Select the Components to install as you wish, but Do Not Select "DAEMON Tools Search Bar".
The DAEMON Tools Search Bar will install Adware on your system




Choose a "Destination Folder", or accept the default, then Click "Install".



Wait for the installation to finish.




Click "Finish" to complete the installation. You have now successfully installed DAEMON Tools



Mount an Image with DAEMON Tools

Launch DAEMON Tools from the "Start" menu or "Desktop" shortcut.



When run, the DAEMON Tools icon will appear at bottom right of the screen, in the Windows System Tray.



Right-click the "DAEMON Tools icon", select "Virtual CD/DVD-ROM", select 'Set number of devices..."
and select the number of Virtual Drives desired ("1 Drive" in the above example).



Right-click on the DAEMON Tools icon, Select "Virtual CD/DVD-ROM",
Select "Device 0 [ J:]" (in the above example) and Click "Mount",



"Browse" to and open the desired image and Click "OK".




Checking "My Computer" you will see the new drive, "Virtual Drive (J:) "
and that "Virtual Drive (J:)" is Mounted with the "Image", "Movie (2007) LRC R5 DVDRiP KvCD Hockney(TUS Release).cue"



As you can see in the example above, "Virtual Drive (J:) " can be "Explored" and used just as a "Physical" drive.
This holds true for all supported Image files. Some images will "Auto Start" and others will have to be "Explored".




To "Unmount" an Image, "Right Click" the DAEMON Tools tray icon, Select "Virtual CD / DVD-ROM",
Select Device 0 [ J:] (in the example above) and Click "Unmount" or "Unmount all drives".



Useful Links

DAEMON Tools Home
DAEMON Tools Downloads
DAEMON Tools Help
DAEMON Tools Forum
DAEMON Tools Game Database

How do I add an e-mail link?


This is called a "mailto" and this is how you do it


(substitute your own info where you see bold text):





To add a mailto link



(centered) with an image this is what you do:

This is what it would look like:

Labels: HTML, MAIL TO:

This Complete Photoshop File can be downloaded

To begin, a picture of a magnifying glass is needed. I used

it's 1,600 x 1,200 pixels.



Remove the background from the image using Photoshop. To accomplish this, I used the Quick Selection Tool along with a selection mask.
Remember to remove the "Glass" section as well as the background.

The Photoshop .psd file of the Magnifying Glass can be downloaded

(1.07 MB)



Open the background image, then Cut, Paste and Resize (Scale) the Magnifying Glass image to fit as desired.

Photoshop > Edit > Transform > Scale



Make a selection using the Marquee Tool, on the Background image, staying as close as possible, to the Magnifying Glass Frame.



Cut the "Selection" from the background and "Paste" the "Magnification Area" selection on its own layer.
"Scale" the selection to the desired magnification (150% in this example).

Photoshop > Edit > Transform > Scale




Add some distortion (Spherize...), giving the "Magnification Area" selection a more realistic look (25% in this above example).

Photoshop > Filter > Distort > Spherize...



Move the "Magnification Area", Layer below the Background Layer



Using the Blending Options, I added an "Inner Glow" of 20% & 20 pixels with the default color



To finish just add the Magnifying Glass drop shadow. Depending on how much time you put into the project,
you can get some very realistic effects.



If you are familar with Photoshop and Photoshop Filters, you can use the

filter to get fast, easy & dramatic results.


The Complete Photoshop File can be downloaded

The Photoshop for the Chrome Layer Style & the Screen Shots below can be found

Thanks for this tutorial belongs to DVSDMN, so thanks !

This guide will show you a quick and easy way to convert your
DVDs and / or video files into a format that can be played back
on the new iPod which is capable of playing video files.

Step 1.

First off download ImTOO DVD to iPod Converter
(this is the program that we will use).
You can get a free trial by going here: DVD TO IPOD CONVERTER
Next, if you are going to convert a DVD you need to copy the DVD files
to your hard disk using a program like DVD Decrypter or DVD Fab.
Download DVD Fab here: DVD FAB
When you are done ripping the DVD in your hard disk open ImTOO DVD to iPod Converter.

Step 2.

Open your local DVD by clicking "Add DVD Folder" butto n under "File" menu and selecting the folder you put the DVD files you copied from the DVD using DVD Decrypter before.




Step 3.

Click the Show Chapters button to see all the chapters
within the file. You can unselect the ones you don't
want to convert from the small box in the left of their name.
If you are unsure about what to keep you can see the
small preview area in the right bottom to see what each chapter contains.



Step 4.

Set output format: In Profile drop down list box,
you may select output format.

The software allows setting different output formats according to
different files.

By selecting iPod MPEG-4 Movie format (*.mp4) in Profile drop down list box,
the software will produce iPod mp4 files



Step 5.

In "Destination" you can select the folder the new files will be put.
You can also set conversion mode (optional).
After selecting certain output format, the right column will show its
general standard. By clicking certain settings such as 'Zoom', 'Split',
'Destination'and Title etc, you may set it.
Please note: You can set "Bit Rate" by choosing the rate given,
such as "512".
Certainly, you can keep all the above options default without
any change, so no need to worry what to change if you are not sure,
keep the defaults!

Step 6.

Now, select all the chapters and click the red "Record" button
or right-click and select "Rip Selected".
If you want to convert a single chapter, select it and
start conversion by right-clicking the chapter name and
selecting Rip Selected under the menu as well.



Step 7.

After a short while, you will get a file that is ready to be played
on your iPod. But how do you add it to your iPod? Here is the way.

Click the Open button after the conversion is completed.



Step 8.

Find the converted file in the destination folder and pull it to your iTunes.

If you don't have an iTunes yet, you can download it here:
Apple iTunes
Pull the file list under the iTunes to your iPod.
Then you will see the file name under the Recently Added list of your iPod menus.

Finally, you are able to enjoy the movies on your iPod !

For Tutorial Click The Puppy:

Outline

This is a basic guide to configure Exact Audio Copy (EAC) with preset profiles that will allow the choice of ripping Cd's and compressing the output to MP3 (190 VBR (APS), 245 VBR (APX) 256 CBR & 320 CBR (API)) and FLAC.

What You Need

1: Download and install Exact Audio Copy, the version used here is eac-0.95b4. Do not start EAC just yet.

2: Download and install FLAC, version used FLAC 1.1.2.

3: Download Lame Encoder, unpack to a folder and move the folder to your Program Files folder, version used LAME MP3 Encoder 3.97 beta 2 do not use the alpha versions these are for test purposes only.

4: Download winaspi32.dll Link= ftp://ftp6.nero.com/wnaspi32.dll and place it in the EAC directory. Note: If you are using an application like PeerGuardian you may need to temporarily allow Insoft in order to download the file.

5: A clean unscratched audio CD, do not insert just yet.

I would recommend using EAC in conjunction with Accurate Rip but for the sake of convenience I will go into this in a little more detail when the initial setup is completed.



Initial Setup

This should take no more than a few minutes and only needs to be done once.

Configuration Wizard

A: When you open EAC for the first time the Configuration Wizard window should pop up if not click EAC (Next to Edit) and select the Configuration Wizard.



Click Next, you can pretty much click next for each step with the exception of the steps below where some input may be required.

B: Extraction Preferences window.



1: Your drive model should be indicated here.

2: Make sure that I prefer to have accurate results is checked.

3: Click next.

C: Encoder Configuration window.



1: Make sure this is checked.

2: Click next.

Note: The Configuration Wizard will now search for Lame.exe

D: LAME Configuration window.



1: If the Configuration Wizard failed to find Lame.exe you can browse for the location.

2: If all settings are as shown here click next.

E: freedb Configuration window. freedb is a free database service to look up CD information which will allow EAC to automatically label your rips, EAC will need access to the internet to use this so you may need to set permissions with firewall etc..



1: You will need to enter an email address here for access to the freedb database, the address does not have to be genuine but should have the format of a real email address.

2:Click Next.

F: Configuration Wizard Done window.



1: Check the expert option as this will give you access to additional settings.

2: Click Finish.

EAC Options

Press F9 to bring up EAC Options. Note: No modification is required for the Catalog, Write and Interface so the are skipped.

A: Extraction Tab

Only two options need to be checked here.



1: Check Fill Up Missing Offset Samples With Silence.

2: Check Synchronize Between Tracks.

3: Change Error Recovery Quality to High.

B: General Tab

For the most part these settings have no part in accurate ripping and are more for personal preference, there are a couple that should be checked for automatic CD information.



1: Check On Unknown Cd's.

2: Check Automatically Access On line freedb Database.

C: Tools Tab

Just check that your settings match this image.



D: Normalize Tab

The Normalize function should be unchecked. Note: Lossless ripping is not possible with this enabled.



E: Filename Tab

This is where you set up your chosen file naming convention.

%D\%C\%N - %T
This will extract tracks to folder Artist\CdTitle\ 01 - TrackTitle.Format

%D - %C\%N - %T
This will extract tracks to folder Artist - CdTitle\ 01 - TrackTitle.Format
If a .torrent file were created from this folder the name would include Artist and CD titles.



F: Directories Tab

Use this option only if you want to extract files to a default directory, most people prefer to choose the extraction location and leave this option set to Ask Every Time.


Note: C:\Music\ is just an example and does not normally exist unless created by the user.



1: Select for default directory.

2: Browse for chosen directory.

Click OK


Drive Options

Press F10 to bring up the Drive Options you will see an information window uncheck the Show this information next time box an click OK. This stage is just a tab at a time.

A: Extraction Method Tab




1: Detect Read Features, you can manually configure your chosen drive if it is not listed in the EAC internal database or you think that the settings are incorrect. Insert a clean unscratched CD into the drive a click Detect Read Features, how long this will take depends on the drive, during the analysis you will see a window similar to the one below when finished click Apply.



2: It is very important that Secure Mode is enabled.

3: Quite alot of drives support C2 error retrieval however the vast majority are not truly accurate, if you are unsure about the accuracy of your drive with respect to C2 error retrieval make sure it is unchecked.

B: Drive Tab



Still with the disc in the drive click Autodetect Read Command Now, the read command that it finds is the one we are going to use. Move on to the next tab.

C: Offset / Speed Tab

The Read Offset Correction Value (+48) shown in point 2 is for an NEC - DVD_RW ND-2500A this is not the same value for all makes and model of drive find the value for your drive offset in the Accurate Rip Database. If your drive is not listed in the Accuraterip Database skip this part for the time being and install Accuraterip as detailed at the bottom of this post.



1: Check Use Read Sample Offset Correction.

2: Type offset value.

3: Check Allow Speed Reduction During Extraction.

Move to next Tab

E: Gap Detection Tab


1: Detection Method A should be fine but if you drive cannot detect gaps then try B or C.

2: Set Detection Accuracy to Secure.

Click OK.


Profiles, (Encoder Configurations)

By configuring a few profiles and saving them it is quite simple to load the desired profile prior to ripping.

MP3, Lame

These steps are repeated for each mp3 profile created.

Press F11 to bring up Compression Options.

A: External Compression Tab



1: Check Use External Program for Compression.

2: Change Use file extension to .mp3 (including the dot).

3: Browse to find Lame.exe.

4: Additional command line options is where the the quality of the out put is set here are some suggested settings...

Equivalent to Alt Preset Standard (APS), variable bitrate (VBR) with a target of 190kbps, reasonable size for quality trade off.

-V 2 --vbr-new --add-id3v2 --pad-id3v2 --ta "%a" --tt "%t" --tl "%g" --ty "%y" --tn "%n" %s %d

Equivalent to Alt Preset Extreme (APX), variable bitrate (VBR) with a target of 245kbps, greater quality than above, slightly larger size and gaining popularity.

-V 0 --vbr-new --add-id3v2 --pad-id3v2 --ta "%a" --tt "%t" --tl "%g" --ty "%y" --tn "%n" %s %d

Constant bitrate (CBR) at 256kbps.

-b 256 --add-id3v2 --pad-id3v2 --ta "%a" --tt "%t" --tl "%g" --ty "%y" --tn "%n" %s %d

Equivalent to Alt Preset Insane (API), constant bitrate (CBR) at 320kbps, the best quality with a larger filesize.

-b 320 --add-id3v2 --pad-id3v2 --ta "%a" --tt "%t" --tl "%g" --ty "%y" --tn "%n" %s %d

5: Bit Rate can be ignored, the command line makes it redundant.

6: High Quality.

You can find more information about the Additional command line options at the Hydrogen Audio Forums

B: ID3 Tag Tab

Check that the options are the same as this screen shot, click OK and save the profile as shown below.



Saving Current Profile



Note: Some of the highlighted elements in this picture are off to the right, you can click This Link to view it separately.

1: Click New.

2: Choose a name for the profile, a descriptive name will be useful when you have multiple profiles.

3: Make sure All EAC Options is checked and click OK.

4: Click Save

Flac Profile

Press F11 again



1: Change the used file extension to .flac

2: Browse for flac.exe which is the external compression program being used.

3: Change the Additional command line options to read..

-8 -V -T "artist=%a" -T "title=%t" -T "album=%g" -T "date=%y" -T "tracknumber=%n" -T "genre=%m" %s

4: Selected bitrate has no impact here.

5: Click OK and save the profile as shown above.




AccurateRip

The philosophy behind AccurateRip is quite simple - each time an audio track is ripped (recorded by computer) it is compared with rips from other people, this allows a confidence report to be generated. The report might say that 4 other people had exactly the same results, this would guarantee your rip was without error, or the report could say that 3 other people disagree with your rip, the likely hood is that your CD has a scratch and should be cleaned.

AccurateRip will also set the CD drive offset value, for more info Accuraterip.com

Setup

A: Download dMC-AccurateRip.exe from This Link by clicking on the AccurateRip Function link.

B: Install

C: Copy the AccurateRip.dll from C:\Program Files\Illustrate\dBpowerAMP\ To your Exact Audio Copy installation folder.

Configuration

After initial installation AccurateRip is in an unconfigured state it will offer to configure itself when what is know as a Key Disc is inserted, there are over 100000 different Key Discs at present and you can find a list of some of them HERE



To configure AccurateRip have 2 or 3 Cd's to hand, open EAC, insert a disc and follow any on screen prompts, it's pretty much automatic.

To generate a confidence report when ripping is complete make sure that you check Show Status Dialog After Extraction in EAC under the General Tab in EAC Options (F9) prior to starting the rip.

Note: Once configured AccurateRip will remove the ability to change the drive offset and due the the way the database is structured will only work if a CD is being extracted as individual tracks as oppsed to an entire disc image.


Ripping

1: Open EAC, insert CD and load your preferred ripping profile.

Note: a FLAC profile is being used in this example however if you just want the output as WAV files any of the preconfigured profiles can be used.



2: Click Action and Detect Gaps (or F4).



3: Click Action, Create Cue Sheet and Multiple WAV Files With Gaps (Noncompliant).

Note: This is a good point to check that Append Gaps To Previous Track is checked, it should be set as default.




4: Click CTRL + A to select all tracks, Action, Test And Copy Selected Tracks and Compressed (Shift + F6).

Note: For WAV files select Uncompressed (F6).



5: During the extraction process you will see this window, when you see the Audio Extraction Complete message click OK and you are done.



Note: Remember to check the .log file for any errors.



FLAC To MP3 Via WAV

Sometimes I just need to covert my FLAC backups to MP3, this is how I do it.

What You Need

EAC configured as detailed above.

A: Decoding FLAC to WAV

Open FLAC frontend.exe.




1: Click Add and browse for the files.

2: Select the output directory.

3: Click Decode.

B: WAV to MP3.



1: Open EAC and Load the prefered MP3 profile.


2: As shown above click Tools, Compress WAVs and select the WAV files.

3: As shown below select the destination folder and click Save.

Set Up and Configure An FTP With Screenshots

Django Reinhardt

This album is a beautiful blend of traditional Native American flute and voice with electronic beats and textures. Fans of R. Carlos Nakai will not be dissapointed as his haunting flute and chanting is featured prominently. On "Winter Camp" Mr. Nakai's flute masterfully communicates the introspection of winter and the longing for spring. On "Plains Wind" he mimics the soaring winds and his gorgous flute playing gives way to the almost-whispered singing of Robert Tree Cody.
The electronic arrangments (skillfully and sensitively done by Cliff Sarde)bring a modern edge to the traditional singing of Robert Tree Cody, Jay Begaye, Delphine Tsinajinnie, William Horncloud and Primeaux and Mike but never trample the raw and natural beauty of their performances. The song "Retire the Colors" has the well-known pow-wow group Blackstone Singers signing a flag song against the strong pulse of a drum beat surrounded in rich textures and a dub-like bass-line. On "Lakota Love Song", Sarde creates a stirring arrangement for a 50-year old recording by legendary Lakota singer William Horncloud. Sarde's arrangements pull elements from the worlds of electronica and New Age but are always reverant and stay true to the spirit of the traditional flute and singing they accompany.
Fans of Deep Forest and Enigma will also be satisfied with this one but Enter-Tribal is unique as it does the difficult job of skillfully matching the world of electronic music with the traditional world of Native American flute and voice.

Those familiar only with Nakai's solo and new age flute work will undoubtedly be surprised by this outing from his "world jazz" quartet, a band that includes drummer-percussionist Will Clipman, who has played in a number of jazz, reggae, rock, and world music outfits; Apache/Mexican American bass and keyboard ace J. David Muñiz; and Amo Chip who has played sax and keyboards with Sun Ra, The Nigerian All Stars, and Queen Ida's Zydeco Band to name a few. Nakai's familiar use of sustained notes works well with the other players on slow jams like "Honey-Hunters" and "Primitive Seasons"; while on up-tempo tracks like "Mo'combo Gumbo," which rides the familiar Bo Diddley beat, the flautist allows his whimsical side to come through. --j. poet

Kachina
Kachina means spirit. Kachinas are the spirits of departed ancestors, of rain and clouds, of supernatural beings, and of life in its many manifestations. Lore says, they are guardians of the Hopi and carry the prayers of the people to the spirit world. Carved Kachina dolls are given to Hopi children to help them identify the various spiritual figures and their costumes.
During the annual cycle of Pueblo rituals, brilliantly costumed and masked Kachina dancers, acting as intermediaries, summon their spirit ancestors for blessings of sunshine, rain, bountiful crops, and success in hunting, and thank them for the favors bestowed upon the pueblo. Today the Kachina is an important element in Southwest jewelry.


Symbols
Long before the people of the desert Southwest communicated through written means, Petroglyphs or pictures were etched into and painted on the canyon walls and ancient dwellings. These pictures told the stories of the day, legends of the past, and prayers for the future.
Bear - sacred healing power
Turtle - wisdom and perseverance
Crossed Arrows - friendship
Rain Clouds - good prospects
Horse - journey
Arrow - protection
Arrowhead - alertness
Big Mountain - abundance
Butterfly - everlasting life
Sun Rays - Consistency
Thunderbird Tracks - Bright Prospects
Zia - the sun symbol, constancy and happiness
Mountain Range - abundance
Raindrop - plentiful crops

Moon and Star - the heavens
Lightning Arrow - swiftness
Man - Human Life
Running Water - Constant Life

Medwyn is a good solid, multi-instrumentalist,composer of new age music. He hails from Wales and as such the celtic influence is no sham and a jumping off place rather then a costume.
At his worst he's musically correct but at his best he is inspiring.


'Revered for millennia for her beauty and nurturing power, the magnificent spirit of the Moon Goddess is re-awakened in captivating splendour. Medwyn combines deep and ancient sounds with his acclaimed instrumentation and beguiling special effects, to weave a stunning and irresistible spell of unsurpassed pleasure and enchantment.'

Medwyn Goodall has completely won me over with 'Moon Goddess'. He's released at least twenty albums now and is hardly faltering in his innate sense to create some of the most breathtakingly gorgeous pieces ever composed! This entire album, from start to finish, holds a very special place in my heart, but certain songs tug at me more profoundly than others, such as the emotional "Full Moon Magic". Every time I hear this song I come close to tears--it's that beautiful! The melodies are all so incredibly lush with a subtle, uplifting source of energy that you can't help but FEEL this music as it courses through your very being. Sound melodramatic? Yeah, well, 'Moon Goddess' will have that passionate effect on you if only you let it...

'There is one spectacle grander than the sea,
That is the sky;
There is one spectacle grander than the sky,
That is the interior of the soul.'
VICTOR HUGO

Enjoy!

TRACK LISTING
1. Eyes Of Heaven
2. Full Moon Magic
3. Banquet In The Woods
4. Drawing Down The Moon
5. Deepest Secrets
6. Moonlit Whispers