Release 13.3

Secure ripper - fixed issue which could lead to 18KB files from an unsecure rip with c2 pointers
MusicBrainz performance improved
New option: CD Ripping >> Options >> Secure Settings >> 8KB Transfers (c2 Pointers over USB / Firewire)
All programs - menu selection improved (grey bar removed, uses light blue with a tick mark on end)
mp3 decoder - switched and now supports network streaming (for Renaissance) ****** FREEFORMAT SUPPORT YET TO BE ADDED ******
FLAC decoder able to stream from network (for Renaissance)
wave decoder able to stream from network (for Renaissance)
Core Converter when writing ID Tags after conversion, retries for 3 seconds (in-case another program has the file open)
CD Ripper - allowed to remove disc 1/1 number manually
CD Ripper - perfect meta review page - always show even if no meta matches
CD Ripper - after ripping encoder is reloaded (as might be to audio cd where showing % used)
CD Ripper - improvement in isrc surviving perfectmeta get (if ISRC or UPC are read from disc).
CD Ripper - meta >> retrieve from >> ISRC after will not clear existing metadata in view
CD Ripper - able to detect drive names of cd/dvd/br drives with poor firmwares
CD Ripper - replace the artist with artist, the - did not work in cd ripper with featured artists, also changed to ', the'
CD Ripper - column default widths, if large fonts then made

Bug Fix: - in previous version was possible to reboot the PC without asking on install (upgrade)
Bug Fix: CD Ripper - Perfect Meta review - when unchecking (or checking) the compilation checkbox, this change was not brought to the main window

Release 13.2

FLAC codec included as standard, is default codec for CD Ripper
FLAC codec - internal update to allow 'Front Cover Art' as default

DSP Effects updated to R4

CD Ripper: MetaDataGD3 Symphony - extended classical fields
CD Ripper: naming sections max length increased from 1000 to 10000 chars
CD Ripper: metadata review - red miss-matches shown in bold (for color blind)

mp3 Lame updated to 3.98.2
mp3 Lame added 'Forced Stereo' option on advanced

GetPopupInfo enhanced so can no longer 100% CPU if audio file is corrupted

dBpoweramp Configuration Program Versions redesigned (dAP + Sveta removed, Asset Added)

Bug Fixes

Batch Converter if Listed files, sorted on a column and excluded certain items, when click Ok the wrong items would be excluded
mp3 ID Tag writing, if unicode selected would crash if setting a 'www' element
CD Ripper has code to stop 2 filenames being the same (from the same disc), this would not work if the naems were case-independant, where as Windows is not...
Music Converter, when dropping files, was checking allowed extensions on encoder extensions, not decoder

Release 13.1

mp3 (Lame) updated to v3.98
PerfectMeta enhancement - album artist could override various artists from other providers

CD Ripper
 
Better handling of display when starting program
Copy to clipboard can copy the filename
Default naming is having Various\xxxx Disc 1 Disc 1\ because album name has disc number (from perfect meta), so removed from naming default
Default naming removed album from the filename
Much faster as skipping a track on a damaged disc (if user skip)
Now supports c2 error pointers over firewire
Fail safe detection of drives (will return Unknown for name)
folder.jpg changed to Folder.jpg as default
Mouse wheel scrolls in manual meta review page

ID Tag + CD Ripper: Better handling of comments with CRLF and display of such. In Tag Editor carriage breaks shown as {CR}{LF}
GetpopupInfo faster when tags contain a huge binary encoded as UUEncoded text (200KB single txt element)

File Naming - [MAXLENGTH] naming element to set the maximum length of items such as folder, or file names
File Naming - Now possible to do: [ifvalue]artist[] [ifvalue][artist][] [ifvalue][tag]artist[][] [IfEQUALS]artist,[album artist],bob[] [IfEQUALS][artist],[album artist],bob[] [IfEQUALS][tag]artist[],[album artist],bob[] [IfEQUALS]The ,[MAXLEN][album artist],3[],bob[]

All Programs - internally can access network filenames with Unicode characters (also requires Codec Update)

Core Converter can send over replaygain tags at request of DSP Effect
Core Converter attempts to write ID Tags, even if there was an error

Bug Fixes
 
All programs - folder creation able to correct folders ending in '... '
Edit ID Tag would stall if a huge binary encoded as UUEncoded text (200KB single txt element)
mp3 lame any abr mode was vbr -v4
Batch Converter, if folder had an . it would read the folder on refresh
CD Ripper - changed scanner to only load, get around 16 bit errors people are seeing (also ntvdm)
CD Ripper - was possible a device change (new drive appearing) could effect existing CD Ripping
CD Ripper could say Encoding CPU1, CPU2 even when only 1 CPU on system
CD Ripper - if viewing manual review page and eject CD now auto close the page
CD Ripper - in file log could show the wrong number of 'xx Could Not Be Ripped'

Release 13

Major Improvements

CD Ripper is enhanced by the addition of 3 new meta data providers (GD3, MusicBrainz & TrackType), GD3 offers album art up to 500x500 pixels. These new providers allowed for the creation of PerfectMeta™.

PerfectMeta™

PerfectMeta™ uses 4 Internet meta data providers simultaneously, this allows any inevitable errors, such as spelling mistakes to be self corrected. In addition, there are 100's of internal rule sets to ensure that the metadata returned is consistent across discs & providers. Last year Illustrate were proud and confident R12 issued in a new era of secure-rippers (securest of the secure), R13 offers the best metadata solution obtainable today.

Reference R13 also includes: CD Writer and Batch Ripper. CD Writer allows for burning of audio CDs, whilst Batch Ripper is designed for those with large collections to rip (and commercial Ripping houses).

All Changes

CD Ripper

PerfectMeta data added - uses commercial AMG and GD3 as well as MusicBrainz and freedb simultaneously to correct meta data errors, up to 500x500 album art
Rip as One makes a return!
New reference feature: Defective by Design Ripping mode
Support for ripping Hidden First Track (HTOA)
Album Art: Load (from File), Paste (from Clipboard), Acquire (from Scanner)
Added SCSI Read(D8) mode for Plextor PX-40
Improved CD Eject
Improved album art display
Compatible with Batch Ripper
Should fix the issue of disappearing CD drives
Added new options to write cover.jpg, [filename].jpg or user choice
Using Multi-Encoder R2 it is possible for CD Ripper to write Album Art + AccurateRip ID Tags to multiple encoded files
New AccurateRip - no limit to submission size, no email submission, no messages if disc not in database
Genre list uses %appdata%\dbpoweramp\genres.txt
Album Art: Click to show full size
Options > Meta >> added option to resize album art down if above pixel size (AMG album art sizes removed, maximum always read)
Meta Data - Added new meta data providers: GD3 (requires AMG license), MusicBrainz (requires AMG license), TrackType
Meta Data - Album Artist is always set (except for Various Artists).
Meta Data - Disallow Multi xxx split into individual options
Added 'Profile' id tag / naming option
Shows AccurateRip Disc ID on secure info page
Added shortcut keys ALT+M (perfect meta review), ALT+R (rip), ALT+E (eject)
Added Filename Column (filename shown red if exists)
Makes sure filenames are unique (ie not same as another tracks filename)
Added 'Track Technical' column will show if CD is HDCD (install DSP Effects to rip as 24 bit), or has Pre-Emphasis set
Added secure options 'Abort if over Maximum Frames to Re-Rip' and 'Maximum time to spend Ripping a Track'
Saves meta data to cache if only album or artist edited
Detects new CD drives added to system
Naming - option to use the current disc meta data
AMG expiry, also say GD3 and MusicBrainz on the window
Default naming, added \album\ folder to default
Any setting which is drive specific (not profile specific) is shown in light yellow
Write album art to path can use [album].jpg, etc

Batch Converter

'List' button added to show files converting
Much faster at opening folders / showing files
Many new columns to add (right click on column to select)
Detects new drives (USB) on insert
Network drives added
Hides hidden folders

Music Converter: can drag drop files to converting page
Music Converter: if there is a converter waiting to convert then RC >> Convert To will add to that one which is waiting

All Programs: Better Vista aware pathnames (ie Music Public Music)
All Programs: new button style

CoreConverter: Has the ability to read filenames when encoded with Multi-Encoder
CoreConverter: can pass ReplayGain tags to encoders which need them (such as [audio info])
CoreConverter: updates the 'Source' 'Encoder' 'Encoded By' and 'Encoder Settings' tags when converting
CoreConverter: Tries for 2 seconds to write IDTags after encoding (in case another program has the file locked, such as virus checker)

Compatible with DSP Effects: Multi-CPU Force & Audio CD - Silence Track Deletion

mp3 (Lame) Encoder: Changed to an optimized lame encoder, upto 150% the speed of the old one (R13 alpha)
mp3 Tagging: Rating more compatible with Windows
mp3 Tagging: URL tags can be saved
mp3 Tagging: iTunes Compilation (TCMP) supported
mp3 Tagging: Style tag mapped to 'Content Group Descriptor'
mp3 Tagging: Subtitle tag added
mp3 Tagging: idv2.3 Unicode used by default

Wave: Compatible with 'id3 ' ID Tags (including MusicMatch-out-of-RIFF-Chunk-Wave-Breaking ID3 chunk)
Wave: List tags more compatible with WMP11, also stores CD TOC

Popup Info & Audio Properties: Shows Compression as % compressed, not of original

Configuration has ability to check program versions (update check) for CD Writer, Sveta, dAP, Batch Ripper, DSP Effects
Configuration will offer AMG Activation if installed registered version
Configuration option not to drop ReplayGain Tags or update 'Encoder', etc Tags when encoding

DSP Effects in DMC + CD Ripper: can move selected up or down by dragging

Scripting: Added new ReadIDTagElementValue property (needed for BV scripting) returns "Element: Value"

Bug Fixes

freedb meta data for multisession (where DATA is before audio) will not have DATA as track2
[length_mmss] if used in naming was wrong length from CD Ripper
CD Ripper giving out CD Extra Adjusted CD TOC for ID Tags
mp3 tagging - certain fields could not be deleted if stored as COMMENT
CD Ripper - CD Text reading could crash CD Ripper
CD Ripper: AMG works with Kaspersky Internet Security

Release 12.4

Popup info tips, also written to additional registry key to make sure no other program would override
mp3: Album Art handling improvement (handles art description field)
update checker - if program is registered then point to registration retrieval page not dmc download.
CD Ripper - secure mode defaults to a 1 MB cache
CD Ripper - AMG - album art defaults to 250x250
CD Ripper: New AccurateRip - no limit to submission size, no email submission, no messages if disc not in database

Bug Fixes

Right click >> Edit Tags in Windows x64 works again
CD Ripper - If you have all the tracks on the CD highlighted (i.e CTRL-A) and click the mouse anywhere in the rating column the program will crash.
If use UPPERCASE for naming for a string which has ',' then would set , to <CoMMA_>

Release 12.3

CD Ripper

Compilation tag (also used in naming) taken from compilation check, not by checking for differing artists
When create a new profile offers to use the current one as template
Compilation, conductor & style tags created by default
All meta data items are shown in meta section, excluded (for id tags) are shown in light gray
All meta data items list shows [x] instead of [Remove]
If the option to disable autoplay is enabled, then every second the status of the CD drive is polled, to autorefresh when CD is inserted, auto press eject button when CD draw is open, also stops windows autoplaying the CD when closing CD ripper
Pressing the eject button when the draw is open, closes it
Auto eject CD should function more reliably

Win98 the convert window cli from CD ripper, or music converter was not closing after rip, plus was shown
Edit id tag (from right click >> edit tag) no longer locks explorer window whilst editing
Edit id tag displays common id elements blank if a track has no tags
Edit id tag - remembers the last position of the window + if window is large enough (starting from last time only), the elements have extra room to show
Naming added [length_mmss], [length_hhmmss], [composer] & [conductor]
Reference: Pro Frequency Conversion enabled by default
All programs: if running in debug mode, the debugging information will show even if program crashes
Music Converter: No longer creates ARTIST id tags for naming if one does not exist (TITLE is created from filename if does not exist)
Audio Properties page: Visually more smarter
Wave decoder - if a wave file is PCM then does not use the fact chunk (could be wrong)

Bug Fixes

CD Ripper - if using the abort after 1 unrecoverable then is marking the track as secure i, not insecure
Windows 98 + ME: have weak bitmap drawing routines, even Internet explorer 5 can crash when drawing, R12 uses advanced drawing techniques and Windows 98 is just falling over, for Windows 98 + ME we replace the graphical buttons with standard buttons. Also applies to the % complete bar
Windows 98 + ME: core converter would wait around (at 99%) after a conversion (when source was pipe, ie from CD Ripper)
If wave encoder supplied last buffer as NULL and using frequency / ACM converter then last block might not be flushed
CD Ripper - selecting a profile with the same encoder as last profile was not loading the settings for new profile encoder
Music converter, finish button was not showing if window was minimized

Release 12.2

Reading / Writing (reference only) of wave BEXT ID Tags, bext tags are: Description, Originator, OrigReference, OrigDate, OrigTime, TimeReference, CodingHistory
Vista: Popup info lines up better aligned
Tag Editor (shell right click): Standard items are listed first, others alphabetically sorted, when adding new tag is a drop list of standard names
Tag Editor: helper drop lists for year, track number + genre (remembers unique genres, saved in appdata)
Popup info shows track number as "Track" in line with rest of programs
Switched Lame to NASM encoding, slightly slower, but more crash resistant (tried on > 1GB of audio)
.mpeg added to decodable file types
If encoding only one file, then multi cpu section is not created (so is not tied to a single cpu)
CD Ripper title bar shows album name when ripping
CD Ripper submission of meta data back to freedb and AMG

Bug Fixes

Corrupt id3v2 tags could crash tag writer, will now break without overwriting corrupt id tag
Corrupt wave list id tag would stop the wave file from being decoded, now tag error is reported as info so wave file can decode
Corrupt wave list id tag can be read if they have unofficial end padding in the list chunk
Folders can contain a space ' ' as first character
Filenames ending in .. are preserved
CD Ripper would show amg expired message even if unchecked (and had expired)
When auto completing a valuelist combo box, the auto complete was being removed
mp3 (Lame) might not encode the last frame depending on feeding data
When encoding using non live dsp effects, the action is shown in music converter
Can encode to certain wave ACM formats which would previously fail
All codecs - sample rate of high frequency audio files might be read wrong
When using DSP effects (both live and non-live, and 32 bit float + high sample rate) the effects could introduce white noise every 1/4 of a second
CoreConverter if overwriting an already existing filename of maximum allowed length (260 chars) then .tmp.ext temp file would go over the allowed 260 char length
Music Converter, if existing audio file had a 3 char extension (ie .ape), and converted to .flac, was possible for flac file to have more than the allowed 260 chars length
Further fixes to make sure dMC + CD Ripper + Batch Converter appear on screen, even after resolution changes

Release 12.1

CD Ripper - when add meta item, has drop list of artist, album etc
CD Ripper - if no artist name then for file naming only is set to 'Unknown Artist'
CD Ripper - can access meta menu drop down evenif no cd is in drive
CD Ripper - Genre, Composer, Comment columns always show (even if not a compilation)
Music Converter - remembers the last used path when selecting files
Mp3 lame shows -vbr-new on the info line

Bug Fixes

Mp3 Lame Encoder: Forcing Frequency or Channels (on advanced) can crash CoreConverter
If getpopupinfo froze (corrupt audio file, would incorrectly report getpopup.exe could not be found)
If using non-live dsp effects which altered the length, other live DSPs were being passed old length
CoreConverter could trigger a 'watchdog timeout possible coreconverter crash' if using the CLI encoder or DSP effect which took more than 60 seconds (temp wave files used in both cases)
Any valuelist when editing an element (example meta in cd ripper) if click away on same line (ie not enter) then the edit stays for edit!!
Wave Enocder was not writing IEEE float if source as float and bit=as source (only forcing float would write)
If manually set a file association then RC >> 'Convert To' and other shell related items would not appear
If dBpoweramp batch converter had been added to folder right click, it was not removed when uninstalling
Was lucky to have a CD drive which when asked to overread would return No Error, but really not rip (so the data from a previous frame rip could be used, now zeros the memory to be sure)
CD Ripper - was possible for at the end of a cd the ripper to try to rip 0 frames and report an error
CD Ripper - if previewing a track and skip to next then could crash
CD Ripper - if re-ripping a cd, then click cancel half way through the CRCs (shown on screen) for the tracks that were to be ripped are not preserved (so no green / red next rip)
Changing (Naming, or Path in CD Ripper) to My Documents\Music1 would save to Documents\Music\1 instead
dMC - When using List / Rename was showing extension, if renamed file then would add another extension to end
Was offering a Power Pack Trial when installing registered Power Pack
If using a non-live DSP effect, they are now used in correct order (previously would do non-live, then live effects in that order)
If using DSP effects to reduce bitdepth or channels, then might incorrectly report 'Audio data contains incomplete samples'
Fixed edit tag crashing explorer
Internal low level Thread manager could create with an already used unique identification, which could cause crashes (found with Channel Splitter which creates 9x coreconverters)
mp3 Tag writer would crash if supplied CD TOC (a binary item) which was text instead of binary
Dynamic Naming (or naming in CD Writer) could enter a recursive condition, if Adding an album 'Example Album [Album]' when naming contained [album]
Was possible for dMC Converting Window to go off-screen
If using the Grabber 10 seconds from CD Ripper then freezes cd ripper at 5%

Release 12

Complete rewrite, new design, every aspect updated & improved. Full Unicode support, Windows 98 to Vista support.

Rather than a line by line change, which would stretch to 10000's of lines (as with previous releases) an overview:

CD Ripper - Secure Ripper, c2 support (reference), AMG meta data with Album art & rating, ultra secure ripping mode (reference).

All Codecs updated to latest versions, all improved.

Multi-CPU encoder support (reference).

New Batch Converter, new scripting engine, new Reference version,

New DSP design allows for live effects,

Release 11.5