MP3: The Definitive Guide

Ripping and Encoding Tools

Depending on the tools you use, ripping and encoding may either be a one-step or two-step process. The traditional path is to rip first and then encode. However, increasing numbers of tools that perform both steps in one pass are beginning to appear. We’ll cover rippers, encoders, and combination tools together in this section, which is broken down by operating system. Many of these tools have been ported to various platforms, with operation virtually identical for each port.

Windows

As is usually the case, there are far more ripping and encoding options available for Windows users than for any other platform. The following are just a few.

HyCD’s HyCD

http://www.hycd.com HyCD is a well-rounded, multi-purpose tool designed to handle every facet of your CD ripping, encoding, and CD copying needs. Users looking for a way to clean up pops and scratches from LP and other noisy recordings will also find an excellent Effects processor included in the HyCD package. While most of the HyCD tools include an interface dedicated to the task at hand, its built-in ripper/encoder is somewhat oddly designed. Rather than launching a separate application, just navigate through Windows Explorer to the location of an audio CD track or tracks you want to rip. Right-click on those tracks and choose HyCD Copy from the context menu. A dialog will appear, asking whether you want to “paste” the files into the selected folder in WAV or MP3 format. In other words, do you just want ...