Easy CD-DA Extractor

[[Image:Template:Http://www.poikosoft.com/img/ezcdlogo.png|100px|Easy CD-DA Extractor]]
Easy CD-DA Extractor is CD Ripper, Music Converter, Audio Converter, Metadata Editor, and CD/DVD burning software.
Homepage:	http://www.poikosoft.com/
License:	Unknown license.
Platforms:	Windows.

Description

Easy CD-DA Extractor is CD Ripper, Music Converter, Audio Converter, Metadata Editor, and CD/DVD burning software.

The purpose of Easy CD-DA Extractor is to give a range of audio preservation tools for those who wish to create duplicates, backups or migrations for sound and music data. It can work with a variety of formats, including born-digital recordings, and then create new formats with appropriate metadata for conversions. Both the free and the for-a-fee packages are certified for Windows 8.1, 8, 7, Vista, and XP.

Functions

The Easy CD-DA Extractor allows for copying and conversion of audio from a variety of original sources to advanced digital formats that can be documented as metadata.

The Extractor is a proprietary software that comes in 2 versions, one for free, one for a fee. Key features for both include a GUI that gives the user a selection of online editing and recording tools. The for-a-fee software allows for faster and more accurate recording, including; conversions to and from different audio formats; an ability to run 1 high-speed conversion – the Ultimate allows for 8 parallel conversions; an equalization of volume to a “normal” level both on copying and on playback; “ripping” CDs with error detection; an ability to read and acquire metadata from Amazon; an ability for the user to “edit” recordings to a more favorable state, such as the creation of gradual fade-in and fade out of sound; an editing of metadata, including the renaming of source files; and disc burning, including copies of discs on DVD.

At the web site, there are descriptions of product details along with side bar thumbnail screen shots to help the prospective user navigate features. Metadata includes an ID3 and updated ID3v2 tags editor. These tags allow one to read, write, and modify descriptive data, including lyrics and date of creation. Other metadata that one can add to created files include: Track artist and Title, Album Artist and Title, a Publisher box, a Comment box, and an “Encoded by” box which lists a URL. Format, such as .m4a is also listed. There is a DSP icon, which refer to “effects,” such as fade in/fade out. The available metadata depends on the package purchased - the for-a-fee package has more categories.

There are visual and text descriptions of “how to work" with the software. One can “rip” or move audio content to a computer. One can also “burn” or save content to a CD. The icon bar of tools is a GUI with easy-to-read basic features, such as choosing to play a sound when a conversion is completed.

Sidebar thumb-nail screen shots can be expanded to show features of the software, including metadata categories. There is online user support through the Support Forum, run on the Converter page. It is a moderated forum, with 2 main categories: Technical Support and Wishlist. Anyone can log in through a free registration – no purchase or download is required. The technical support has a variety of Q & A, including blogs from users who describe their difficulties and the responses from the technical staff.

Encoder versions used by the Extractor include AAC and Apple Lossless (ALAC).

Tags can be written in ANSI, UNICODE or UTF8. The UTF8 allows for storage of international characters.

Requirements

EZ CD Audio Converter runs on Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1 and it runs native on 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems.

EZ CD Audio Converter uses Unicode character set and includes more than 30 languages.

Supported audio formats include: MP3, AAC / HE AAC, Dolby Pulse, Apple Lossless, FLAC, Vorbis, Opus, Windows Media Audio, and more.

EZ CD Audio Converter works in Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1. Natively supports 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems. EZ CD Audio Converter is Unicode program with multi-language support. Includes 35 languages.” For formats, the site also states: “AAC, HE AAC v1/v2, Dolby Pulse, M4A, MP3, FLAC, ALAC/Apple Lossless, WAV, WMA/Windows Media Audio, Ogg Vorbis, and Opus.

Specifications

Technical Specifications:

Output audio formats: AAC, HE AAC v1 (eAAC), HE AAC v2 (eAAC+), PCM, Monkey's Audio, FLAC, Apple Lossless, MP3, Vorbis, Opus, Windows Media Audio, WavPack, Musepack

Output file formats: aac, aif, ape, flac, m4a, m4b, mp3, mp4, ogg, opus, wav, wma, wv, mpc

Input audio formats: AAC, HE AAC v1 (eAAC), HE AAC v2 (eAAC+), PCM, Monkey's Audio, FLAC, Apple Lossless, MP1, MP2, MP3, Vorbis, Opus, Windows Media Audio, WavPack, Musepack

Input file formats: 3g2, 3ga, 3gp, aac, aif, aiff, ape, cue, m3u, flac, m4a, m4b, mp1, mp2, mp3, mp4, ogg, opus, wav, wma, wmv, wv, mpc, avi, mov, mkv, mpg, mpeg, vob, m2ts, divx, flv

Supported audio modes: Stereo, Mono, 5.1*, and 7.1*

Supported sample rates: 8 kHz - 192 kHz

Supported bit depths: 8-bit, 16-bit, 24-bit, 32-bit*, 32-bit float *, 64-bit float *

DSPs: Audio is processed in 32-bit float accuracy for best results

ReplayGain: Uses ITU-R BS.1770 / EBU R128 loudness calculation algorithm for best accuracy

CD/DVD Burning: Supports CD-Text, ISO-9660/Joliet, and UDF filesystems

Supported operating systems: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1

Supported platforms: 32-bit and 64-bit

Hardware features: Supports multi-core processors and SSE, SSE2, SSE3, SSSE3, SSE4 enhanced instruction sets for maximum performance.

User Experiences

User experience can be measured by the public posts on the Technical Support Forum at the main page. There are many questions on basic operating procedures, such, as how to restore a missing metadata tag. The queries are often answered by the owner/managers of the software, who review problems with features and then determine if a “quick fix” can handle the problem. Many times the forum members received successful answers to their queries. Other times, the members figure out the answer themselves or get help from a forum manger’s update or even use an older version of Extractor. One of the more interesting threads is “converter language.” Many forum contributors have requested and received foreign language translations for various older versions of the software, including French, Rumanian, and even Polish, are made available, the Polish one of many which was uploaded by Forum poster to be used by the moderator for the community use.

Development Activity

Both EZ CD Audio Converter Ultimate and Converter Free were created 2014-08-27. They are both multi-language and support 32-bit and 64 bit. Both are advertisement free. The Ultimate has unlimited upgrades, and more advanced coding features, including Dolby Pulse codecs, which ensure consistent broadcast quality when bandwidth is restricted. The Ultimate version has faster “ripping” or creating speed, and higher conversion accuracy. Ultimate can also support 8 parallel conversions as well as automatic art downloads.

According to the web site, the version 1.0.0 featured “a new user interface, faster startup time, and improved audio quality.” Other improvements since 1.0.0 are a creation of quick edit mode, a 64-bit version with 64-bit WAV support, M4A format metadata now compatible with Windows Explorer and Media Player, a multi-language installer and improved metadata download. There have been “bug fixes,” including one that caused a program crash at the end of a file conversions and track ripping.

Owner

The software is owned and managed by Poikosoft, a software development company located in Tampere, Finland. Poikosoft was founded by Jukka Poikolainen in 1998.