What is CD “Ripping”?

Converting (or “ripping”) a CD takes each individual track and transforms it into a digital file that can be played by a whole host of devices. This file can also be “tagged” with information about the artist, album, genre, etc. that adds the ability to search for specific tracks based on your requirements at the time

What is the difference between lossless and say MP3?

The most common digital music format is MP3 but this is termed as “lossy” because it has bits missing to make the file smaller – this is usually OK for an MP3 player but you can hear the loss in fidelity when played on a quality stereo system. We therefore recommend a lossless format such as FLAC to retain as much of the original recording as possible. For your convenience, we can convert to both formats.

Can a DVD be “ripped”?

A DVD can be similarly converted to digital files but it requires the circumvention of an encryption algorithm used by the movie industry to prevent piracy. In the UK, there is a “fair use policy” that permits individuals to “backup” their own personal DVDs but it would be illegal for us to offer DVD ripping as a service.

How do I rip a DVD?

The media servers that we provide are configured to automatically “rip” a DVD on insertion into the DVD drive. It takes around 20 minutes to convert and the DVD will be ejected when it is finished. If you do one or two a day you will soon have your entire DVD collection available on the server to stream to any TV in the house.