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OK, I think I understand now! So unlike common CD ripping software, sacd_extract does not have access to the raw data streams on the SACD disc, but rather is simply a background process that "captures" the outputted data from the device (as read from the player's buffer). The quality and error checking of the extraction is, therefore, completely dependent on the hardware/firmware routines of the Oppo, Pioneer, or PS3 device and is in no way handled by sacd_extract. This is a very helpful distinction, thank you for explaining it to me! Yes if some rips are producing errors, it sounds like a good course of action might be to extract all SACDs to .iso twice and then compare checksums of the entire .iso file (before modifying the .iso in anyway). If there is a bad disc (a disc that the player is having trouble reading) and the player is spewing out garbage data, at least this would alert the user to this fact. Of course this would not alert the user to reproducible errors, but without an accururip database for SACD .iso files, this might be the best we can do at the moment. Please do let us know if switching to a direct connection improves your rips. I have not read a lot of reports of audio "clicks" when playing SACDs using an Oppo player, so it seems odd there would be clicks on an extraction. So perhaps the Ethernet switch is a problem indeed. Or perhaps SACD extraction using sacd_extract forces the Oppo to read data from the SACD at a higher spin rate than the Oppo player normally would for regular SACD playback? And perhaps this decreases the Oppo's SACD read quality? No idea if this is even true, just speculating on other possible sources that may lead to errors during extraction.

My apologies if I have misunderstood something, but I believe people are using sacd_extract as the ripping utility with their Oppos or Pioneers. You select the SACD as your input and output to raw ISO. This can be done either via command line or using the Java ISO2DSD GUI, but either way the actual engine doing the work is sacd_extract. If sacd_extract is the ripping utility, then how it handles errors and error reporting during ripping is important. Please correct me if I am completely out of touch here.

Did you compare checksums between the defective .iso and the re-ripped clean .iso? I would be very interested to see if they were different. I was just thinking that it would be nice if sacd_extract offered an option to do a rip and verify (rip the SACD twice), to help notify users of discs that might be damaged, poorly manufactured, etc. Although admittedly I am not very familiar with SACD specifications. Maybe there is enough error checking on the disc itself that this is not really warranted (unlike when ripping CDs). Does anyone know what error checking is provided or reported to the user with sacd_extract?

So it looks like the Oppo 103 is now sold out at Amazon.com and Oppo direct. I wonder if this is a temporary shortage, or if the drive is now out of production.

Oh OK - thanks for the tip! I have definitely used it for projecting on an external monitor before, but have never tried to connect another device to play on my laptop screen. Will look into this a bit more!

Oh that is good to know! Maybe the best bet for me is just to wait another half year and see what happens with Mr Wicked. If no news, then try the Oppo option! How often does Oppo tend to refresh their products though? It seems this workaround is for a specific Mediatek chipset and I assume Oppo will eventually updated their BDP-10x line, presumably with an updated chipset...

greynolds, himey, One and a half and Linefader - thank you for your helpful replies! Okey so I have been doing a bit more reading as well and I have found that Post #127 has a wonderful step by step directions set for using this on Mac. I also launched the Mac OSX version of ISO2DVD with Java installed and it seems there are no problems there. So software side on the computer everything seems fine. From Posts #556 and #570 it sounds like hooking my Macbook Pro up directly to the Oppo over an ethernet cord without a router will be no problem and there is a helpful hint on how to find the Oppo IP address using Terminal and ping the drive. So again everything seems fine on the software side. It does, however, sound like I may have to make a few settings adjustments to the Oppo unit. It sounds like my options will either be to fiddle around with the wifi network a bit to enable a smartphone (just got one this year!) to connect to the Oppo or find a way to connect the Oppo to an external display. I have a Macbook Pro with a thunderbolt imput as well as an HDMI to Thuderbolt converter, so I guess first step would be to look into if it is possible to display the Oppo on my laptop. It also looks like I can get a small 7" HDMI display for about 50 USD, so that is another option (just have to factor that into the cost of this SACD Ripper and our space issues - living in the inner city with 500 square feet for myself, the wife and the kid, makes space a premium). This is all very helpful information to have, as it will help me determine if I should jump on this now (I have been ripping my CD collection for years and would love to be able to back up and enable computer DSD playback of my 500 or so SACDs) or if perhaps I should wait for a possible stand alone drive from Mr. Wicked. A stand alone drive does sound like it would be a better option for me, although since it is not clear when/if such a drive would be available, I would hate to wait only to discover in 6 months that this work around using a new Oppo has been patched....

Thank you for your replies! So it sounds like I might be able to connect directly to the Oppo from my Mac using an ethernet cable? Basically like connecting my Mac to an external hard drive over USB? That would be the easiest thing if that does work! (Sorry for my complete ignorance regarding LAN, I wasn't sure if the system needed to run through a router or something to coordinate the IP addresses). If the player does need to be hooked up to a monitor only the first time to make settings, I think that might be OK. I can just bring the player to a friends house for an afternoon or something. OK now I am getting excited, if all I need to do is plug it into my Mac, I can start looking into the software side of things. On a side note, if I am only going to be using the unit for SACD ripping, is there any reason to go with Oppo vs say a less expensive Pioneer or something?

So I have been reading this thread with much interest...but had a few questions and was hoping someone could maybe help point me in the right direction! I do not have a television. I do not have access to a modem (our fios modem is located outside of the house with no wires running indoors - all internet is done over wifi). I am on a Mac. Is is possible for me to use this method? For example, if I purchase an Oppo, can I just connect an ethernet cable from my mac to the oppo for SACD extraction? Or do I have to connect the Oppo to the internet (assuming the Oppo has wifi), then network into the Oppo from my Mac (meaning I am stuck doing extraction over wifi)? Also will I need a TV to select specific menu options on the Oppo in order to get this to work?

Thank you for the note ted! While it is wonderful to see the new Oppo method (more options are alway good, and this seems better then using an old PS3), unfortunately I don't have access to an ethernet cable (local fios router is outside of the building with no cables running into the house!) Still hoping an external drive via USB might become available some day! Your post gives me hope to keep waiting

OK, if you have tired another LG drive and that works, it does sound like there may be something up with your original drive! If you want to tinker a bit more though, there are a few things you can try. 1) Delete your XLD preferences and reinstall XLD as others have suggested. If that doesn't help anything try 2) Make sure that "Start ripping automatically" option is NOT enabled. There was a known bug with XLD on some LG drives when this option was enabled. If that doesn't apply try 3) Download the previous version of XLD (20151128) and see if that works. The current version of XLD (20151214) includes a fix for the problem mention above....maybe the fix made things worse for some LG drives? If none of these work, it does sound like your best option is just replace your older drive. I wouldn't worry too much about the drive advertising that it is "Mac Compatible" since all external ODD should be fine on a MAC. Other advice is make sure to find a drive with its own power supply (ie one that plugs into the wall), since Macs tend to have underpowered USB slots that may not be able to power all drives that are not self powered. I would also recommend avoiding Apple's external SuperDrive, since those are made with cheap LG slot loading drives. For a real work horse your best bet is getting something like this: https://www.amazon.com/Lite--Internal-Optical-Drives-IHAS324-17/dp/B00N9JEZCI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1472657906&sr=8-2&keywords=liteon+dvd+drive And then putting the drive into an external enclosure with USB output. Depending on how many discs you have to rip, that maybe be more work then you want to get into though. Good luck!

Wow that is strange! I have used XLD on at least a dozen different macs running half a dozen different OS and have never had a problem. What version of Mac OS X are you using? My first guess is that it sounds like a hardware connection problem between the drive and the computer...possibly defective drive, defective USB port, or defective/incompatible bridge chip converter)...but then it is strange that you have no problems with iTunes. If you are using an older version of Mac OS X, you should be able to use Disc Utility to remount the CD after it gets lost at least. If you do want to try another drive, as far as I can tell, there are only two CD/DVD ODD manufactures left - LG and LiteOn (that is to say, any other brand ODD will simply be a LG or LiteOn drive with their own name plastered on). Between those two, definitely go with LiteOn! Also, a half hight drive should have higher rip speeds compared with a slim style drive.

Bravo! I can't tell you how many times I backed projects that required immediate payment or significant down payments, only for the project to be delayed for months or never completed all together. In contract, this is one of the better group funding projects I have seen.

Long time follower of Computer Audiophile, love the information on this site. When I saw this opportunity, however, I just had to create an account. Great work Mr. Wicked - love the blog updates! Take all the time you need to get this thing absolutely perfect. For some of us, this might be our only shot at ripping our SACD collection.