SACD Ripping Tool for PS3 Custom Firmware Arrives

[PS3 News]

Today PlayStation 3 developer Mr Wicked has released an SACD Ripping Tool and source code for PS3 Custom Firmware users including Kmeaw and GeoHot CFW.

Download: SACD Ripper for GeoHot PS3 CFW / SACD Ripper for PS3 / PS3 Keys / PS3 3.60 Keys / http://www.ps3sacd.com/index.html / SVN

SACD includes various copy protection measures of which the most prominent is Pit Signal Processing (PSP). The first two generations of Sony's Playstation 3 (PS3) game console are capable of reading SACD ScarletBook and bypass the copy protection.

This software makes use of the PS3 and gives you the option to backup your precious SACDs.

For those unaware, Super Audio CD (SACD) is a high-resolution, read-only optical disc for audio storage. Sony and Philips Electronics jointly developed the technology, and publicized it in 1999. It is designated as the Scarlet Book standard. Sony and Philips previously collaborated to define the Compact Disc standard (as well as the S/PDIF digital audio cable specification). The SACD medium supersedes the storage capacity, fidelity, dynamic range, and stereo imaging capabilities of the Compact Disc.

To quote from http://www.computeraudiophile.com/content/SACD-ripping-using-your-PS3-part-2: First of all my apologies for my post from half a year ago. At that time of writing I thought I had it all figured out, but I was far far away from reality. Now, a half year later I can tell you that PS3 SACD ripping is finally possible and works with a natively build PS3 application (NO linux required).

It really has been a rollercoaster ride and without the release of PS3 keys this would not have been possible. It all came together at the right time, but it required alot of reverse engineering, learning the internals of the PS3 and last but not least writing code to see code!!: (http://code.google.com/p/ida-spu) Yes, too much time of my life has gone into this, but I don't regret any of it..

Although still in alpha successful dumps are being made as we speak. But due to legal reasons I will not spread binaries and I'll leave that up to others. The user interface is simple but it will allow you to dump DSDIFF, DSF, ISO in both multi and stereo channels and it also creates the necessary ID3 tags so your track/disc information is not lost. Remember the software is still in ALPHA, but it's way more than just a proof of concept... let the testing begin!

From the ReadMe file: Make sure you have a PS3 model with SACD compatible player. For more information on what model specifically go to: http://ps3sacd.com/faq.html#_Toc180147566

You need to install a custom firmware to be able to rip SACDs. At this time of writing the PS3 firmware has not been cracked for firmware 3.56 and upwards. So in order to install the correct firmware you'll have to make sure your firmware is lower or equal to 3.55. A downgrade for a firmware higher than 3.55 is NOT available.

The custom firmware that is needed must be 3.55 and should incorporate the ever so important LV1 patch to allow access to the System Manager services of GameOS. A firmware which incorporates that is the OtherOS++ firmware. More information and download links can be found here: http://gitbrew.org/otheros/

Custom Firmware installation steps:

1: Plug a USB stick into your computer
2: Create a folder in the root of the USB stick called PS3
3: Create a folder inside the PS3 folder called UPDATE
4: Download the 3.55 OtherOS++ firmware (http://gitbrew.org/otheros/)
5: Move PS3UPDAT.PUP to the directory UPDATE that you just created on the USB stick
6: Plug the USB stick into your PS3
7: Navigate to Settings Tab
8: Choose System Update
9: Choose Update via Storage Media
10: It will say it found Version 3.55
11: Choose OK
12: Accept Conditions and Follow the instructions

If the steps above did not work for you, then you are probably on 3.55 already. You will have to do a recovery menu mode installation:

1: Plug a USB stick into your computer
2: Create a folder in the root of the USB stick called PS3
3: Create a folder inside the PS3 folder called UPDATE
4: Download the 3.55 OtherOS++ firmware (http://gitbrew.org/otheros/)
5: Move PS3UPDAT.PUP to the directory UPDATE that you just created on the USB stick
6: Plug the USB stick into your PS3
7: Power down the PS3 through the menu
8: Now press and HOLD the power button, the system will startup and shutdown again
9: Release the power button, then press & HOLD power again, you'll hear one beep followed by two consecutive beeps
10: Release power then follow the on-screen instructions. You're now in the recovery menu
11: Connect the USB device and select "System Update."
12: Accept Conditions and Follow the instructions

Installation Instructions

Now you've completed the OtherOS firmware upgrade you are ready to install sacd-ripper.pkg.

In order for the PS3 BluRay player to authenticate the SACD disc and to decode DST to DSD two SPU isoself modules will be extracted from the system. In order to do so you must give the SACD-Ripper the PS3 keys so it can extract them automatically.

Get the PS3 keys from http://git-hacks.com/ps3free/ps3keys and put these in the root of an USB disc. They will be asked for during first time installation, after that you can remove the keys for your USB disc.

Information

SACD-Ripper supports the following output formats:

• 2ch DSDIFF (DSD)
• 2ch DSDIFF (DST) (if already DST encoded)
• 2ch DSF (DSD)
• mch DSDIFF (DSD)
• mch DSDIFF (DST)
• mch DSF (DSD)
• ISO (due to the 4GB FAT32 size limit on the PS3, files will be splitted when larger)

At this time of writing both Saracon and Audiogate do not support DST encoded files. Audiogate only support 2ch files and Saracon does not support DSF files. Please keep that in mind before selecting your file output.

There seems to be a SACD BluRay read speed limit that sets the maximum read speed to 2.6MB/sec, yes I agree, this is slow! But DST decoding is even slower.. The PS3 GameOS has 6 SPUs available for user operations. SACD-Ripper uses 1 SPU for decryption and the other 5!! for DST decoding. Although this process is quite optimal the current decoding speed has been measured to be 0.9MB/sec for a 2 channel rip. So for 2ch DST tracks the write speed to disc will be around 2.3MB/sec, for a multi-channel the write speed is a bit higher at 2.4MB.sec but decoding is even slower at 0.6MB/sec.

Compiling

To compile you will need the psl1ght suite. If you want to compile on a windows environment I advice you to follow the CygWin installation as the MingW installation is unstable.

When psl1ght has been properly setup sacd-ripper should be compiled using a simple "make" command and it should compile without errors and warnings. Once completed it should have produced sacd-ripper.pkg.

Big thanks goes to to:

Graf Chokolo
Geoffrey Levand
Max
vfalks



More PlayStation 3 News...

[saaqi]

PS3 3.60 Keys does this means we can hope to get 3.60 cfw soon or not?

[PS3 News]

I wouldn't hold my breath, as far as I know they are public keys which have been around awhile... the private ones are still being seeked and not likely to surface since the GeoHot PS3 key fiasco.

[momipopi]

no luck for 3.60 games then... this means back to xbox360 or pc games then...

one more thing, in simple words... what this thing do anyway ?? (i'm stoopid i know)

[PS3 News]

I'd never use it myself, but simply put it allows you to backup SACDs via the PS3.

[PS3 News]

Here is an update to SACD Ripping Tool for PS3 Version 0.03 SVN r251 and a guide from Jeremy Malcolm: jere.my/?page=writings&sub_page=archive&display=0000000024

Download: SACD Ripping Tool for PS3 Version 0.03 SVN r251 / PS3 Keys

SACD ripping HOWTO by Jeremy Malcolm:

Super Audio CDs (SACDs) were a next-generation CD format, capable of much higher fidelity as well as 5.1 channel surround sound... and unlike regular CDs, designed to be impossible to rip. Although a handful of disks and players are still being sold, the format has been a failure, mainly because the CD format wasn't broken to begin with, except for audiophiles and record companies.

Since my SACD player was my early-model PlayStation 3, which has already broken once, I needed to rip my SACD music into a more durable format. Also, I wanted to be able to listen to it in 5.1 channels which I hadn't been able to do before now, because my tuner only has an optical audio connection, and the PlayStation demands an HDMI connection for playing multi-channel audio. |

Luckily, ripping music from SACDs has just become possible. This tutorial will teach you not only how to rip your files from SACD, but also how to play them in multi-channel format without the need for any expensive audiophile hardware or software. What you need is:

• A PlayStation 3 model CECHAxx, CECHBxx, CECHCxx or CECHExx, released in 2006 or 2007. See if you can find one on eBay.
• Said PlayStation must be running firmware version 3.55 or 3.41 - which means that you won't be able to use it on Sony's PlayStation Network. Unfortunately, downgrading the firmware is not currently possible.
• A modified unofficial version of that same firmware called OtherOS++.
• SACD Ripper (http://code.google.com/p/sacd-ripper/). Unless you want to compile your own binary, you can download a precompiled one here. (https://wdnqg3ehh3hvalpe.tor2web.org/sacd-ripper.pkg)
• The PS3's root keys (https://wdnqg3ehh3hvalpe.tor2web.org/ps3free-ps3keys-master.tar.gz), which are needed the first time you run SACD Ripper.
• DSDConverter (http://www.nullmedium.de/index.php?category=software - this is for Mac OS X, I'm not sure about other platforms).
• FFmpeg (http://www.ffmpeg.org/) and MPlayer (http://www.mplayerhq.hu/ - for any operating system).

The first step is to install the OtherOS++ firmware. To do this:

1. Copy the OtherOS++ firmware file that you downloaded to a USB memory stick as /PS3/UPDATE/PS3UPDAT.PUP.
2. While your PS3 is off, press and hold the power button until it turns on then turns off again.
3. Press and hold the power button again until the PS3 beeps, then leave it held down until it beeps twice more.
4. You are now in the PS3 recovery menu. Plug in your USB stick, select System Update and follow the instructions.

Now install and run SACD Ripper.

1. Copy it to a USB memory stick, and insert that into the PS3.
2. Go to the PS3's game menu and you'll see "Install package files". It should find the SACD Ripper package, so select it and install.
3. Unzip the PS3 root keys package that you downloaded to the root of a USB stick. Run SACD Ripper and insert the USB stick when it prompts you for the root key files.

You're now all set to perform your first rip.

1. Insert an SACD. SACD Ripper should recognise it.
2. Insert a large capacity USB device. SACD Ripper under-states the size required, and won't warn you if your device isn't big enough. As a rough guide, a multi-channel SACD of about ten tracks needs about an 8Gb device. External hard drives are usually quicker than USB sticks.
3. Press the circle key to change the format in which the SACD is ripped. We want either DSDIFF (DSD) or DSF (DSD). The sound quality is the same no matter which of these you choose. However do take care that if your SACD is multi-channel (not all are), you choose one of the "mch" formats, not "2ch".

Since you are not an audiophile, you don't have any software capable of playing the DSD format directly, so we'll need to convert it to an ordinary PCM (eg. WAV) file. This is what DSDConverter is for. To use it:

1. Move the USB device to your Mac.
2. Run DSDConverter and open the first ripped track. Choose WAV as the file format and 24 as the bit depth (or 16 to economise on file size).
3. The setting for sample rate is a bit more complex. If you want to be able to compress it to a reasonable size (10-15Mb) later, you need a sample rate of 44.1 Khz, which is no better than CD quality. If you are unhappy with that, but don't mind a file at least ten times larger, you will have to stay in WAV format, and choose whatever sample rate you like (176.4 should be enough, though).
3. Click Start and make yourself a tea or coffee.

Next we will compress the file into an AC-3 file, which is a good compressed format for multi-channel audio (another alternative is multi-channel MP3, but this isn't so widely supported). It's exactly the same Dolby Digital format that you get on DVDs. We're going to use FFmpeg for this.

1. From the command line, type "ffmpeg -i [file.wav] -ab 320 [file.ac3]". Of course, replace the parts in square brackets with the actual names for your input and output files - but you must include .ac3 as the extension for your output file, so FFmpeg knows what format to use.
2. The "-ab" setting is the bitrate. Note that this is not the same as the sample rate! It controls how compressed the file will be. 320 is the same bitrate used on DVDs, so should be good enough for most people, but feel free to experiment.

Finally, how do you play this file? Here is where your mileage will vary. In my case, I have a computer running Ubuntu hooked up to my sound system, and it decodes AC3 audio in hardware. So I need to play the AC3 file without my computer decoding it first. The command line that I use is:

                                                                             
pasuspender -- mplayer -ao alsa:device=hw=1,0 -ac hwac3 [file.ac3]

Breaking this down:

1. pasuspender tells Ubuntu's PulseAudio sound system not to interfere with MPlayer, since PulseAudio doesn't yet support AC-3 passthrough.
2. -- is just a separator to tell pasuspender that what follows is the command I want to execute without interference from PulseAudio.
3. The -ao option to MPlayer specifies the audio output device, which will certainly be different on your system to mine. Use "aplay -l" to find out what it is on your system.
4. The -ac option tells MPlayer that we want to play the file using hardware AC-3 decoding.

There are a few ripped files that MPlayer hasn't been able to play, and I'm not sure why, since they play fine (but in stereo) using other multimedia players such as Totem. But most files play very nicely.

So it was a bit of a marathon, but I can now hear my SACDs in all their multi-channel glory for the first time, and they sound great! If you run into trouble with the above procedure, feel free to drop me a note and I'll try to help you out.