itunes and windows

[mrtristan]

I posted a similar topic a while ago and I'm wondering if anyone else has since experienced the same problem with itunes. I figure there are more people using the software now, so maybe I'll have better luck diagnosing the bug.

When I rip cds, I often get skipping or crackles, but only with itunes. I prefer to use itunes, because it adds all of the extra information to the ID tags, which make managing my ipod playlists easier. The problem has persisted from itunes version 3.X-6.0, on two different computers, windows 2000/XP SP2, and three different drives. I'm sure it's a software problem, not hardware related.

I was ripping a sample cd from one of the artists who play our instruments tonight and I tried three times, with different settings, to no avail. One thing that was consistent it that the same song was getting distorted in the same place. The disc is new and unscratched and the same thing has happened with a lot of other cds.

I finally gave up and used cdex, while manually inputing all of the information. The rip took a little longer, but it was perfect. No hissing or crackles.

Something that I find odd is that the cpu usage when I'm ripping with itunes goes up to 100% and makes my computer very sluggish. This happened with my dual processor box as well. When I use cdex to rip, the cpu usage barely goes above 10%.

Any ideas as to what's wrong?

[vitualis]

It's likely that iTunes just uses a crappy ripping algorithm...

Now, CDEX is able to use CDDB no? It should be able to tag your MP3s correctly and automatically.



Regards.

[shelbyGT]

CDex does use CDDB, and it comes with my approval (whatever that means!)

[mrtristan]

Yes, cdex uses CDDB, but I can never get it to work right. It's not really that big of a deal, just that itunes is more convenient.

I like the player and all, but it seems like bloatware to me.

[shelbyGT]

I don't know why you're having those problems with iTunes. I rip with iTunes a lot (although less than CDex) and the speeds are pretty much the same, no problems like you've mentioned.
Sorry!

[Conquest10]

I usually get that problem only with scratched discs.

[vitualis]

The thing with CDEx is that it has a superb ripping algorithm. No problems even with scratched discs... or if there is an uncorrectable error, it tells you rather than giving you a distorted file on the other end.

Regards.

[mrtristan]

I finally figured it out. I had error correction enabled, which was causing the distortion.

[vitualis]

I finally figured it out. I had error correction enabled, which was causing the distortion.

Oh the wisdom of Steve...



Regards.