how does ripping a stream work? is it a transcode?

how does ripping a stream work? is it a transcode?

 

sites like purevolume, myspace, reverbnation, lala use streams obviosuly but when using a media catcher (not recorder) are you capturing the file as is or do their players transcode the file on the fly thus your catching a worse version

Re: how does ripping a stream work? is it a transcode?

 

If you record from a sound card, you lose some quality (of course you can use lossless formats, but then you will waste hard disk space).

If you download stream or capture packets from a streaming media player, you get a perfect digital copy of the stream (without any quality loss).

Re: how does ripping a stream work? is it a transcode?

 

but what if the player transcodes the original file?

or does that not happen

Re: how does ripping a stream work? is it a transcode?

 

I don't really know what you mean by transcoding the original file.

Re: how does ripping a stream work? is it a transcode?

 

like it the original file is 320 kbps is it possible the stream is outputting at 128?

Re: how does ripping a stream work? is it a transcode?

 

The original file can be anything... the output is defined by a streaming server. If you do not convert anything on the fly, you will download or capture the exact digital copy of the stream that a streaming severs sends. Streaming media downloaders and streaming media capture software gets the same data as streaming media players.

Re: how does ripping a stream work? is it a transcode?

 

so when capturing the file it doesn't matter that the player is transcoding on the fly because you are grabbing the file before the transcode process?

Sorry I sound like an idiot

Re: how does ripping a stream work? is it a transcode?

 

When you capture or download, you just get packets digitally. So say if an mp3 file is broadcasted, you download it or capture packets and then save them as an mp3 file; you do it instead of transcoding, converting,... them, so there is no quality loss.

stay positive :)

Re: how does ripping a stream work? is it a transcode?

 

I think it needs original file to work..

Re: how does ripping a stream work? is it a transcode?

 

ok so lets say there is a 320 kbps song on purevolume but when the stream outputs at 128 kbps

when you capture the packets are you getting it at 320 or 128?