Enjoy SACD Music on Your PC with PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor
PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor: What Is It and How to Use It
If you are a fan of high-resolution audio, you may have heard of SACD (Super Audio CD), a disc format that offers superior sound quality than standard CDs. However, you may also have encountered some challenges in playing or ripping SACD discs, as they are not compatible with most CD players or computers. That's where PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor comes in handy.
PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor
PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor is a software tool that can help you extract SACD ISO files from your SACD discs and convert them to PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) or DSD (Direct Stream Digital) files with different sample rates and bit depths. You can then play or edit these files on your PC or other devices.
In this article, we will explain what is SACD, what is Scarletbook, what is SACD Extractor, and what is PATCHED Scarletbook What Is SACD?
SACD stands for Super Audio CD, a disc format that was introduced in 1999 by Sony and Philips as a successor to the standard CD. SACD uses a different encoding method than CD, called DSD, which is a one-bit digital signal that can capture more details and nuances of the original sound source. SACD also supports multi-channel surround sound, which can create a more immersive listening experience.
SACD has some advantages over CD, such as:
Higher dynamic range: SACD can reproduce a wider range of loudness and softness of the sound, which can enhance the clarity and realism of the audio.
Higher frequency response: SACD can reproduce higher frequencies than CD, which can improve the accuracy and fidelity of the audio.
Lower distortion: SACD has less noise and interference than CD, which can reduce the distortion and artifacts of the audio.
However, SACD also has some disadvantages, such as:
Lower compatibility: SACD discs can only be played on SACD players or compatible devices, which are not widely available or affordable. SACD discs cannot be played on standard CD players or computers.
Lower availability: SACD discs are not widely produced or distributed, as they are mainly targeted for audiophiles and niche markets. SACD discs are also more expensive than CD discs.
Lower portability: SACD discs are not easy to rip or copy, as they have a copy protection mechanism that prevents unauthorized duplication. SACD discs cannot be converted to other audio formats without losing quality.
What Is Scarletbook?
Scarletbook is the name of the technical specifications and standards of SACD discs. It defines the physical structure, data format, encoding method, and playback requirements of SACD discs. Scarletbook is derived from Red Book, which is the name of the specifications and standards of CD discs.
According to Scarletbook, SACD discs have two layers: a high-density layer and a low-density layer. The high-density layer contains the DSD audio data, which can be either stereo or multi-channel. The low-density layer contains the PCM audio data, which is compatible with standard CD players. Some SACD discs have only one layer, which is either high-density or low-density.
The DSD audio data on SACD discs can have different sample rates and bit depths, depending on the type and quality of the audio. The most common sample rate is 2.8224 MHz, which is 64 times higher than the CD sample rate of 44.1 kHz. The most common bit depth is 1 bit, which is lower than the CD bit depth of 16 bits. However, DSD uses a different encoding technique than PCM, called delta-sigma modulation, which can achieve higher resolution and performance with lower bit depth.
What Is SACD Extractor?
SACD Extractor is a software tool that can rip SACD discs using a PS3 (PlayStation 3) console. It was developed by an anonymous user named Mr Wicked in 2011. It can extract the DSD audio data from the high-density layer of SACD discs and save them as ISO files on the PS3 hard drive or an external USB drive. It can also extract the PCM audio data from the low-density layer of SACD discs and save them as WAV files on the PS3 hard drive or an external USB drive.
SACD Extractor has some advantages over other methods of ripping SACD discs, such as:
Higher quality: SACD Extractor can preserve the original DSD audio data without any conversion or compression, which can maintain the best possible sound quality.
Higher compatibility: SACD Extractor can rip any type of SACD disc, whether it is single-layer or dual-layer, stereo or multi-channel, hybrid or non-hybrid.
Lower cost: SACD Extractor does not require any special hardware or equipment other than a PS3 console and an external USB drive.
However, SACD Extractor also has some disadvantages, such as:
Lower availability: SACD Extractor is not officially supported or distributed by Sony or Philips, as it violates their copy protection scheme. It is only available on some online forums or websites where users share their experiences and files.
Lower security: SACD Extractor requires modifying the firmware of the PS3 console to enable it to read SACD discs. This may void the warranty of the PS3 console and expose it to potential risks of damage or malfunction.
Lower usability: SACD Extractor has a complex and user-unfriendly interface, which may confuse or frustrate some users.
What Is PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor?
Advantages of PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor
PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor is a modified version of SACD Extractor that has some improvements and benefits over the original one. It was developed by an anonymous user named EuFlo in 2013. It can not only extract SACD ISO files from SACD discs, but also convert them to PCM or DSD files with different sample rates and bit depths. It can also extract the metadata and artwork from SACD discs and embed them into the output files.
PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor has some advantages over SACD Extractor, such as:
Higher functionality: PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor can perform multiple tasks in one tool, such as extraction, conversion, metadata editing, and artwork embedding. It can also support more output formats, such as FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, DSF, DFF, etc.
Higher flexibility: PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor can allow users to customize the settings and options for extraction and conversion, such as sample rate, bit depth, dithering, channel mapping, etc. It can also allow users to choose the input and output directories and file names.
Higher usability: PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor has a simpler and more user-friendly interface, which can guide users through the steps and provide feedback and progress information. It can also run on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS platforms.
Disadvantages of PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor
However, PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor also has some limitations and drawbacks, such as:
Lower compatibility: PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor still requires a PS3 console with a custom firmware and SACD-Ripper to rip SACD discs. It cannot work with other SACD players or devices.
Lower availability: PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor is also not officially supported or distributed by Sony or Philips, as it also violates their copy protection scheme. It is also only available on some online forums or websites where users share their experiences and files.
Lower security: PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor also requires modifying the firmware of the PS3 console to enable it to read SACD discs. This may also void the warranty of the PS3 console and expose it to potential risks of damage or malfunction.
How to Use PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor?
Prepare Your PS3 Console
To use PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor, you need to have a PS3 console that can read SACD discs. However, not all PS3 models can do that. Only the first generation of PS3 consoles (CECHAxx/CECHBxx/CECHCxx/CECHExx) have the ability to play SACD discs. You can check the model number of your PS3 console on the back of the device.
If you have a compatible PS3 console, you need to install a custom firmware on it that can enable it to run homebrew applications. A custom firmware is a modified version of the official firmware that can unlock some features and functions that are not available on the original one. However, installing a custom firmware may be risky and complicated, so you need to follow some instructions carefully and at your own risk.
One of the most popular custom firmware for PS3 is Rebug, which you can download from its official website: https://rebug.me/. You need to choose the version that matches your PS3 model and region. You also need to download the latest update package for Rebug from the same website.
To install Rebug on your PS3 console, you need to follow these steps:
Backup your PS3 data using the backup utility in the system settings menu.
Format a USB drive to FAT32 file system and create a folder named PS3 on it.
Copy the Rebug firmware file (PS3UPDAT.PUP) to the PS3/UPDATE folder on the USB drive.
Connect the USB drive to your PS3 console and turn it on.
Select System Update from the system settings menu and choose Update via Storage Media.
Follow the instructions on the screen to install Rebug on your PS3 console.
After the installation is complete, restart your PS3 console and select Rebug Toolbox from the game menu.
Select System Information from the Rebug Toolbox menu and check if the firmware version is Rebug and the system mode is Normal.
Select Toggle Cobra Mode from the Rebug Toolbox menu and enable it.
Select Toggle QA Flag from the Rebug Toolbox menu and enable it.
Restart your PS3 console and update it to the latest Rebug version using the update package file (PS3UPDAT.PUP) that you downloaded earlier.
Restart your PS3 console again and check if the firmware version is the latest Rebug version and the system mode is Normal.
After installing Rebug on your PS3 console, you need to install SACD-Ripper on it. SACD-Ripper is a homebrew application that can rip SACD discs using your PS3 console. You can download SACD-Ripper from this website: https://code.google.com/archive/p/sacd-ripper/downloads. You need to choose the latest version of SACD-Ripper.pkg.
To install SACD-Ripper on your PS3 console, you need to follow these steps:
Copy the SACD-Ripper.pkg file to the root directory of your USB drive.
Connect the USB drive to your PS3 console and turn it on.
Select Install Package Files from the game menu and choose SACD-Ripper.pkg.
Follow the instructions on the screen to install SACD-Ripper on your PS3 console.
After the installation is complete, select SACD-Ripper from the game menu.
Rip Your SACD Disc
To rip your SACD disc using SACD-Ripper on your PS3 console, you need to follow these steps:
Insert your SACD disc into your PS3 console and wait for it to be recognized.
Select Rip SACD from the SACD-Ripper menu and choose where to save the output file. You can save it either on the PS3 hard drive or an external USB drive. If you choose an external USB drive, make sure it is formatted to FAT32 file system and has enough free space.
Select Start from the SACD-Ripper menu and wait for the ripping process to finish. It may take several minutes depending on the size and type of your SACD disc.
After the ripping process is complete, you will see a message saying "Done!". You can then eject your SACD disc and exit SACD-Ripper.
Extract Your SACD ISO Files
To extract your SACD ISO files from your PS3 hard drive or USB drive using PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor on your PC, you need to follow these steps:
Download PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor from this website: https://www.psx-place.com/threads/patched-sacd-ripper-sacd-extract-gui-updated-by-euflo.2020/. You need to choose the version that matches your PC platform (Windows, Linux, or Mac OS).
Extract the PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor.zip file to a folder on your PC.
Connect your PS3 hard drive or USB drive to your PC and copy the SACD ISO files to a folder on your PC.
Run PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor.exe (or PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor.sh or PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor.command depending on your PC platform) from the folder where you extracted it.
Select Input File from the PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor menu and browse to the folder where you copied the SACD ISO files. Choose one of them and click Open.
Select Output Directory from the PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor menu and browse to a folder where you want to save the output files. Click OK.
Select Output Format from the PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor menu and choose one of the options: PCM or DSD. If you choose PCM, you can also choose one of the sub-options: FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, or WAV. If you choose DSD, you can also choose one of the sub-options: DSF or DFF. Click OK.
Select Sample Rate from the PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor menu and choose one of the options: 44.1 kHz, 48 kHz, 88.2 kHz, 96 kHz, 176.4 kHz, or 192 kHz. Click OK.
Select Bit Depth from the PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor menu and choose one of the options: 16 bit, 24 bit, or 32 bit. Click OK.
Select Dithering from the PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor menu and choose one of the options: None, Triangular, or Shaped. Click OK.
Select Channel Mapping from the PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor menu and choose one of the options: Default, Stereo, or Custom. If you choose Custom, you can also specify the channel order and number for each output file. Click OK.
Select Metadata from the PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor menu and choose one of the options: None, Basic, or Full. If you choose Basic or Full, you can also edit the metadata fields for each output file. Click OK.
Select Artwork from the PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor menu and choose one of the options: None, Embedded, or External. If you choose Embedded or External, you can also browse to an image file that you want to use as the artwork for each output file. Click OK.
Select Start from the PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor menu and wait for the extraction process to finish. It may take several minutes depending on the size and type of your SACD ISO file and your output settings.
After the extraction process is complete, you will see a message saying "Done!". You can then check the output files in the folder that you specified.
Convert Your DSD Files to PCM or DSD Files
If you want to convert your extracted DSD files to PCM or DSD files with different sample rates and bit depths, you can use PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor again by following the same steps as above. However, instead of choosing an SACD ISO file as the input file, you can choose a DSD file (DSF or DFF) as the input file. You can then choose a different output format, sample rate, bit depth, dithering, channel mapping, metadata, and artwork as you wish.
If you want to use other tools to convert your extracted DSD files to PCM or DSD files, you can also do that by following their instructions. Some examples of popular tools that can handle DSD files are Foobar2000, JRiver Media Center, Audacity, etc.
Conclusion
PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor is a useful tool that can help you enjoy your SACD discs on your PC or other devices. It can extract SACD ISO files from your SACD discs and convert them to PCM or DSD files with different sample rates and bit depths. It can also extract the metadata and artwork from your SACD discs and embed them into your output files.
However, PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor also has some limitations and drawbacks that you need to be aware of. It still requires a PS3 console with a custom firmware and SACD-Ripper to rip SACD discs. It is not officially supported or distributed by Sony or Philips. It may void the warranty of your PS3 console and expose it to potential risks of damage or malfunction.
Therefore, before using PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor, you need to weigh the pros and cons carefully and decide if it is worth it for you. You also need to follow some instructions carefully and at your own risk. You also need to respect the intellectual property rights of the SACD disc owners and use PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor only for personal and non-commercial purposes.
We hope this article has given you some useful information and guidance on how to use PATCHED Scarletbook-SACD-Extractor. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below.
FAQs
Q1: What are the differences between DSD and PCM?
A1: DSD and PCM are two different audio formats that encode digital audio signals in different ways. DSD uses a one-bit signal that switches between two values at a very high frequency (2.8224 MHz or higher). PCM uses a multi-bit signal that samples the amplitude of the audio waveform at a fixed frequency (44.1 kHz or higher) and assigns a numerical value to each sample.
The main differences between DSD and PCM are:
Resolution: DSD has a lower bit depth (1 bit) but a higher sample rate (2.8224 MHz or higher) than PCM (16 bit or higher and 44.1 kHz or higher). This means that DSD can capture more details and nuances of the sound, but PCM can represent more levels of loudness and softness of the sound.
Compression: DSD is usually uncompressed or losslessly compressed, which means that it preserves the original audio data without any loss of quality. PCM can be either uncompressed, losslessly compressed, or lossily compressed, which means that it may reduce the file size by discarding some audio data that are deemed less important.
Compatibility: DSD is less compatible than PCM, as it requires special hardware and software to play or edit. PCM is more compatible than DSD, as it can be played or edited by most audio devices and applications.
Q2: What are the best settings for converting DSD files to PCM or DSD files?
A2: There is no definitive answer to this question, as different settings may suit different purposes and preferences. However, some general guidelines are:
Output format: If you want to convert DSD files to PCM files, you may want to choose a lossless format, such as FLAC, ALAC, AIFF, or WAV, to preserve the quality of the audio. If you want to convert DSD files to DSD files, you may want to choose a format that matches the original one, such as DSF or DFF, to avoid unnecessary conversion.
Sample rate: If you want to convert DSD files to PCM files, you may want to choose a sample rate that is at least twice as high as the original one, such as 88.2 kHz or 176.4 kHz for 2.8224 MHz DSD files, or 96 kHz or 192 kHz for 3.072 MHz DSD files. This can prevent aliasing and preserve the frequency response of the audio. If you want to convert DSD files to DSD files, you may want to choose a sample rate that is the same as or lower than the original one, such as 2.8224 MHz or 3.072 MHz for 5.6448 MHz DSD files, or 2.8224 MHz for 3.072 MHz DSD files. This can avoid oversampling and preserve the dynamic range of the audio.
Bit depth: If you want to convert DSD files to PCM fil