Radio music ripping
Encyclopedia
The term ripping
(slang term for digital media extraction) can also apply to radio
. New software, techniques and cloud services now makes it possible to extract the songs played on the radio and digitally save them on separate audio tracks. Available techniques make it possible to rip the music from Internet radio
broadcasts, satellite radio
broadcasts and FM radio broadcasts.
Ripping is more than simply recording the audio. The key aspect of ripping is disambiguation
. When ripping songs from any source, the songs should be split into separate tracks or files, and the songs should be tagged. Otherwise, you are simply recording or dubbing
the audio.
Cloud recording services such as DAR.fm can record from all of these formats. Most PC based internet radio ripping software is built for Shoutcast-style of streams as this MP3 based protocol offers the widest selection of internet radio stations. Such wide selection of music is one of the major advantages for recording songs from internet radio compared to FM and satellite radio as well as the fact that it works with cloud services that do not require a separate audio receiver. The disadvantages may include fairly low audio quality in the saved mp3s, which varies from stream to stream.
To begin the recording process, the software connects to the audio stream over TCP. The stream is then buffered 15–30 seconds ahead. Some internet radio ripping software ,,, utilize special metadata that is being broadcast along with actual song content. These programs are generally more successful in determining the boundaries of songs (providing for a cleaner mp3 cut) as well as correctly identifying the song in question. Such metadata, however, is available for only a subset of internet radio stations, commonly associated with the Shoutcast standard. The existence of open directories of Shoutcast-compliant radio stations such as Shoutcast enables internet radio rippers to provide an abundant selection of recordable radio stations that are reasonably expected to emit detailed song metadata.
The metadata also helps avoiding commercials from being recorded along with the songs.
has developed software that can record the audio broadcast on XM satellite radio
. It saves songs as individual MP3 files after identifying the name and the artist. TimeTrax is both a software and hardware solution: the TimeTrax software can interface with any PC-compatible satellite receiver, and the adapter box is necessary to allow certain receivers to interface with a PC.
The XM PCR
was the first device to allow audio stream ripping from XM radio. The device itself is simple enough: an XM "can" (the actual receiver and decoding hardware) is enclosed in a box with a USB interface chip and audio connector. The PCR plugs into a PC USB port and line-in jack. TimeTrax, or some other similar software, then controls the radio and records the incoming audio. After a legal battle, the TimeTrax software is no longer being sold.
To end the problem for good, XM discontinued the XM PCR receiver.
or RDS. This provides artist and title information that can be shown on the display of a compatible FM receiver. A compatible receiver, connected to the computer, can tag saved audio streams with this data. The disadvantage of RDS is that the title may change before or after the song itself changes, causing the recording process to miss part of the beginning or end of the song.
In the near future RDS will include a new feature called RT+ or Radio Text Plus. As well as providing discrete text fields for Artist, Album & Track Title, RT+ includes 'item running' and 'item toggle' bits which can be used to accurately mark the track transitions and DJ/commercial interruptions, aiding the process of recording, filenaming and ID3 tagging.
has patented a technology that enables distinguishing between music, chatter and commercials. It is a self-learning process that first identifies the broadcasting habits of a given radio station
. PopCatcher is designed to automatically exclude commercials and DJ patter from the recording, which results in "cleaner" audio files. The process is fully independent from the Internet. However, it does not recognize the names and the artists of the recorded songs.
] to the work or subject-matter concerned”.
In short, copying music from the radio for private use is permissible if the artists receive a “fair compensation”. In case of a lawsuit against radio music ripping technologies, the whole debate will be about the meaning of the term “fair compensation”. It can be argued that Radio stations are already paying a “fair compensation” to artists as they know their songs might be copied. Moreover, in an increasing number of EU member states, importers are charged a private copying levy on the purchase of recordable media (mp3 players, writable CDs or DVD
s). The tax or levy is usually administrated by copyright collective
s. However, at the time of digital copies, the outcome of such a lawsuit is far from being certain if it should occur.
Beginning in 1981, the British Phonographic Industry
began a campaign against so-called "home taping
," or recording songs from the radio onto cassettes, due to fears that home taping would decrease album sales. Iconic of the campaign is a picture of the silhouette of a cassette tape, with two crossed bones
underneath, with the words "HOME TAPING IS KILLING MUSIC" written across the top, and the words "AND IT'S ILLEGAL" printed in smaller letters at the bottom.
should make it legal to record songs from the radio for private use. Traditionally, the recording industry expressed little or no concern with individuals who recorded music from the radio on a cassette recorder. However, the digital format in this case changes the whole issue since it does not degrade over time and can be easily copied.
That PopCatcher has developed a technology that automatically removes commercials may lead to a legal case similar to ReplayTV
’s and SonicBlue’s. In 2001 these DVR
manufacturers had issued a Digital Video Recorder equipped with a Commercial Advance feature enabling the automatic removing of commercials from recorded programming. They were sued by 28 companies of the Entertainment Industry in the USA until they ran out of money to pay the expensive litigation. In 2003, they filed for Chapter 11
bankruptcy
. The case itself has never been judged.
The Audio Home Recording Act
also lays out certain legal rights on the part of consumers.
Ripping
Ripping is the process of copying audio or video content to a hard disk, typically from removable media. The word is used to refer to all forms of media. Despite the name, neither the media nor the data is damaged after extraction....
(slang term for digital media extraction) can also apply to radio
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
. New software, techniques and cloud services now makes it possible to extract the songs played on the radio and digitally save them on separate audio tracks. Available techniques make it possible to rip the music from Internet radio
Internet radio
Internet radio is an audio service transmitted via the Internet...
broadcasts, satellite radio
Satellite radio
Satellite radio is an analogue or digital radio signal that is relayed through one or more satellites and thus can be received in a much wider geographical area than terrestrial FM radio stations...
broadcasts and FM radio broadcasts.
Ripping is more than simply recording the audio. The key aspect of ripping is disambiguation
Disambiguation (audio)
Disambiguation refers to the process of splitting an audio stream into separate audio files. These files may or may not be tagged with metadata which gives information about the track, such as the title or artist.-TimeTrax:...
. When ripping songs from any source, the songs should be split into separate tracks or files, and the songs should be tagged. Otherwise, you are simply recording or dubbing
Dubbing (music)
In sound recording, dubbing is the transfer or copying of previously recorded audio material from one medium to another of the same or a different type. It may be done with a machine designed for this purpose, or by connecting two different machines: one to play back and one to record the signal...
the audio.
Internet radio
Popular audio formats for internet radio include AAC, AAC+, and MP3. Many AM/FM stations simulcast online use the more efficient AAC format while internet only stations more typically use MP3. The Shoutcast database featured 34,281 online radio stations covering almost every conceivable music genre.Cloud recording services such as DAR.fm can record from all of these formats. Most PC based internet radio ripping software is built for Shoutcast-style of streams as this MP3 based protocol offers the widest selection of internet radio stations. Such wide selection of music is one of the major advantages for recording songs from internet radio compared to FM and satellite radio as well as the fact that it works with cloud services that do not require a separate audio receiver. The disadvantages may include fairly low audio quality in the saved mp3s, which varies from stream to stream.
To begin the recording process, the software connects to the audio stream over TCP. The stream is then buffered 15–30 seconds ahead. Some internet radio ripping software ,,, utilize special metadata that is being broadcast along with actual song content. These programs are generally more successful in determining the boundaries of songs (providing for a cleaner mp3 cut) as well as correctly identifying the song in question. Such metadata, however, is available for only a subset of internet radio stations, commonly associated with the Shoutcast standard. The existence of open directories of Shoutcast-compliant radio stations such as Shoutcast enables internet radio rippers to provide an abundant selection of recordable radio stations that are reasonably expected to emit detailed song metadata.
The metadata also helps avoiding commercials from being recorded along with the songs.
Satellite radio
TimeTraxTimeTrax
TimeTrax is a software program, as well as the parent company, which allows audio recording from satellite radio.The original software was created by Scott MacLean to time shift XM Satellite Radio programming using the $50 XM PCR PC-connected satellite radio—doing so by recording the audio to MP3...
has developed software that can record the audio broadcast on XM satellite radio
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
. It saves songs as individual MP3 files after identifying the name and the artist. TimeTrax is both a software and hardware solution: the TimeTrax software can interface with any PC-compatible satellite receiver, and the adapter box is necessary to allow certain receivers to interface with a PC.
The XM PCR
XM PCR
The XM PCR is a satellite receiver sold by XM Radio and discontinued in 2004, amidst piracy concerns. Programs such as TimeTrax allowed users to record every song played on an XM channel, quickly and cheaply building an MP3 library.- History :...
was the first device to allow audio stream ripping from XM radio. The device itself is simple enough: an XM "can" (the actual receiver and decoding hardware) is enclosed in a box with a USB interface chip and audio connector. The PCR plugs into a PC USB port and line-in jack. TimeTrax, or some other similar software, then controls the radio and records the incoming audio. After a legal battle, the TimeTrax software is no longer being sold.
To end the problem for good, XM discontinued the XM PCR receiver.
Radio Data System
Some FM receivers are capable of receiving a data stream known as Radio Data SystemRadio Data System
Radio Data System, or RDS, is a communications protocol standard for embedding small amounts of digital information in conventional FM radio broadcasts. RDS standardises several types of information transmitted, including time, station identification and programme information.Radio Broadcast Data...
or RDS. This provides artist and title information that can be shown on the display of a compatible FM receiver. A compatible receiver, connected to the computer, can tag saved audio streams with this data. The disadvantage of RDS is that the title may change before or after the song itself changes, causing the recording process to miss part of the beginning or end of the song.
In the near future RDS will include a new feature called RT+ or Radio Text Plus. As well as providing discrete text fields for Artist, Album & Track Title, RT+ includes 'item running' and 'item toggle' bits which can be used to accurately mark the track transitions and DJ/commercial interruptions, aiding the process of recording, filenaming and ID3 tagging.
Separating music from non-music
Swedish company PopCatcherPopCatcher
PopCatcher is a Swedish audio research company founded in 2000. In 2002, they patented a software that is able to distinguish between music, DJ talks and commercials. The main application of this software is for ripping songs from FM broadcasts....
has patented a technology that enables distinguishing between music, chatter and commercials. It is a self-learning process that first identifies the broadcasting habits of a given radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
. PopCatcher is designed to automatically exclude commercials and DJ patter from the recording, which results in "cleaner" audio files. The process is fully independent from the Internet. However, it does not recognize the names and the artists of the recorded songs.
Manual tagging
Certain recording packages allow you to set markers in the file, which you can use later to split the file into separate tracks. This process can be tedious and time consuming, but has the advantage of being the only truly reliable way to ensure that the song is captured as accurately as possible without cutting off the beginning or end of a track.Legal issues
This expanding way of ripping music may lead to ‘strong legal debates’ in a near future, even if it is permitted to record music from the radio for private use in most countries. In Germany it is allowed. There even is a campaign to put focus on it. It's called TauschNix, which in essence stands for: no need to download via filesharing. See link below.European context
The EU passed in May 2001 the Information Society Directive which has since then been transposed into the national laws of most of the Member States. Article 5 – 2/b of the directive states that “[Member States may provide for exceptions or limitations to the reproduction right provided for] in respect of reproductions on any medium made by a natural person for private use and for ends that are neither directly nor indirectly commercial, on condition that the rightholders receive fair compensation which takes account of the application or non-application of technological measures referred to in Article 6 [ie. Digital Rights ManagementDigital rights management
Digital rights management is a class of access control technologies that are used by hardware manufacturers, publishers, copyright holders and individuals with the intent to limit the use of digital content and devices after sale. DRM is any technology that inhibits uses of digital content that...
] to the work or subject-matter concerned”.
In short, copying music from the radio for private use is permissible if the artists receive a “fair compensation”. In case of a lawsuit against radio music ripping technologies, the whole debate will be about the meaning of the term “fair compensation”. It can be argued that Radio stations are already paying a “fair compensation” to artists as they know their songs might be copied. Moreover, in an increasing number of EU member states, importers are charged a private copying levy on the purchase of recordable media (mp3 players, writable CDs or DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
s). The tax or levy is usually administrated by copyright collective
Copyright collective
A copyright collective is a body created by copyright law or private agreement which engages in collective rights management...
s. However, at the time of digital copies, the outcome of such a lawsuit is far from being certain if it should occur.
UK context
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
began a campaign against so-called "home taping
Home Taping is Killing Music
"Home Taping Is Killing Music" was the slogan of a 1980s anti-copyright infringement campaign by the British Phonographic Industry , a British music industry trade group. With the rise in cassette recorder popularity, the BPI feared that people being able to record music from the radio onto...
," or recording songs from the radio onto cassettes, due to fears that home taping would decrease album sales. Iconic of the campaign is a picture of the silhouette of a cassette tape, with two crossed bones
Jolly Roger
The Jolly Roger is any of various flags flown to identify a ship's crew as pirates. The flag most commonly identified as the Jolly Roger today is the skull and crossbones, a flag consisting of a human skull above two long bones set in an x-mark arrangement on a black field. This design was used by...
underneath, with the words "HOME TAPING IS KILLING MUSIC" written across the top, and the words "AND IT'S ILLEGAL" printed in smaller letters at the bottom.
American context
The doctrine of fair useFair use
Fair use is a limitation and exception to the exclusive right granted by copyright law to the author of a creative work. In United States copyright law, fair use is a doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without acquiring permission from the rights holders...
should make it legal to record songs from the radio for private use. Traditionally, the recording industry expressed little or no concern with individuals who recorded music from the radio on a cassette recorder. However, the digital format in this case changes the whole issue since it does not degrade over time and can be easily copied.
That PopCatcher has developed a technology that automatically removes commercials may lead to a legal case similar to ReplayTV
ReplayTV
ReplayTV is a brand of digital video recorder , a term synonymous with personal video recorder . It is a consumer video device which allows users to capture television programming to internal hard disk storage for later viewing...
’s and SonicBlue’s. In 2001 these DVR
Digital video recorder
A digital video recorder , sometimes referred to by the merchandising term personal video recorder , is a consumer electronics device or application software that records video in a digital format to a disk drive, USB flash drive, SD memory card or other local or networked mass storage device...
manufacturers had issued a Digital Video Recorder equipped with a Commercial Advance feature enabling the automatic removing of commercials from recorded programming. They were sued by 28 companies of the Entertainment Industry in the USA until they ran out of money to pay the expensive litigation. In 2003, they filed for Chapter 11
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
. The case itself has never been judged.
The Audio Home Recording Act
Audio Home Recording Act
The Audio Home Recording Act of 1992 amended the United States copyright law by adding Chapter 10, "Digital Audio Recording Devices and Media"...
also lays out certain legal rights on the part of consumers.