I’ve always believed that if you paid for your music, you should be able to enjoy it on the equipment you choose. Make a backup, put it on your music server, take it with you. I’m talking about listening to the albums you bought, not selling copies. Thankfully, people far smarter than me have put in the work to make that possible, even with formats that don’t make it easy.
SACDs have interested me for years, but I hadn’t gotten very far with ripping them until I stumbled across a blog post explaining how to use certain Blu-ray players to save the audio directly to a PC as DSD files. Naturally, I wanted to try it for myself.
The information traces back to a thread on the HiFi Haven forum, and much of this walkthrough is built on the work shared there. I’ve pulled together what I learned from that thread and my own research into step-by-step instructions you can follow. You’ll need a compatible player and a little patience, but the process is easier than it might sound. Let’s get into it.
Let's get started.
Step 1: Supplies
Ok, so you are ready to take on this project; what will you need?
You will need a thumb drive for the script you will use with the player. You'll need the appropriate Blu-ray player from the list of players I've listed below; in my case, I am using a Sony BDP-S5100, which seems to be the most popular among enthusiasts who have done this. In my opinion, they are one of the most readily available in thrift stores and online. I found mine for $9.99 at Goodwill. You'll need an HDMI cable to adjust the player's settings and a screen with an HDMI input to see what you are doing. Lastly, you will need a remote control since most players don't come with one. I found one on Amazon that works great; you can find it here.
These are all the Blu-ray players (that support SACD playback) that contain a MediaTek chipset needed to make ripping possible. The MediaTek chipset was introduced in 2010 and was frequently used in the players listed below from 2012 through 2017.
The list currently includes:
Sony brand compatible Blu-ray players:
BDP-S390 (also sold as BX39 in some markets)
BDP-S490
BDP-S590 (also sold as BX59 in some markets)
BDV-E190
BDP-S4100
BDP-S5100 (also sold as BX510 in some markets)
BDP-S6200* (also sold as BX620 in some markets, requires Sony ARMv7 AutoScript sacd_extract_6200 version)
BDP-S7200* (requires Sony ARMv7 AutoScript sacd_extract_6200 version)
BDP-S790* (requires Sony ARMv7 AutoScript version/S790 variant)
BDP-A6000* (requires Sony ARMv7 AutoScript sacd_extract_6200 version)
BDV-NF720 (requires Sony ARMv7 AutoScript sacd_extract_6200 version)
BDP-S6500* (also sold as BX650 in some markets, requires Sony ARMv7 AutoScript version/S6700 variant developed June 2020)
BDP-S6700 (not recommended, only certain early production is compatible)
UHP-H1 (requires Sony ARMv7 AutoScript version/S6700 variant developed Jun. 2020)
Pioneer brand compatible Blu-ray players:
BDP-80FD
BDP-160
BDP-170
MCS-FS232 * (requires Sony ARMv7 AutoScript version S6200/7200 variant)
Oppo brand compatible Blu-ray players:
BDP-103 and 103D
BDP-105 and 105D
Cambridge brand compatible Blu-ray players:
Azur 752BD
CXU
Arcam brand compatible Blu-ray & CD/SACD players:
FMJ UDP411
FMJ CDS27
Primare brand compatible Blu-ray player:
BD32 MkII
Electrocompaniet brand compatible Blu-ray player:
EMP3
Denon brand compatible Blu-ray player:
DBT-3313UD and 3313UDCI* (requires Sony ARMv7 AutoScript version/S790 variant)
MSB Technology brand compatible Blu-ray players:
Universal Media Transport V
Signature UMT V
Yamaha brand compatible Blu-ray Player:
BD-S677
Marantz brand compatible Blu-ray player:
UD7007* (requires Sony ARMv7 AutoScript version/S790 variant)
Step 2: Settings on the Blu-Ray Player
Connect your player to a monitor or TV, and you will use the remote to adjust a few basic settings on the player's on-screen setup menu.
1) Go to the Audio Settings tab and turn the DSD Output Mode to "Off."
2) Go to the BD/DVD Viewing Settings tab and set the BD Internet Connection to "Do Not Allow."
3) Go to the Music Settings tab and set the Super Audio CD Playback Layer to "SACD."
4) Go to the System Settings tab and set the Quick Start Mode to "On."
5) Finally, you'll need to go to the Network Settings tab and choose between "Wired" or "Wireless" — I decided on wireless since I have blazing fast internet; however if you can, hardwire it in for a more stable connection.
Step 3: Download Java
You need to download your computer's latest version of JavaOS; the ripping program is based on Java and requires a minimum of Java Version 8 to function correctly. Here is the direct download link.
Step 4: Download Ripping Software
Next, it's time to download the SACD Extract GUI software. Since I am doing this on an AMD machine, I will be selecting Spoiler: AMD/Intel; however, there is also an option for the Raspberry Pi. Download the .zip file and extract it. I just made a folder on my desktop and stored it there; I will probably move it somewhere safer, like my Program Files folder on my main drive. There are a few programs within the folder; you will only click on the SACDExtractGUI file. That's the primary user interface for ripping the SACDs.
Step 5: Format your Thumb Drive
You need to format your thumb drive as FAT 32 or NTFS, with Master Boot Record (MBR) chosen as the partition scheme. This part is VERY IMPORTANT to the overall success of the process. I am using Windows 11, and there isn't an option I can see to make a Master Boot Record, so I downloaded a program called Rufus that handled the format perfectly.
Step 6: Download the AutoScript
Now that your flash drive is ready navigate to page 2 of the HiFi Haven thread. Halfway down the page, there's a reference to an AutoScript download. You'll need to pick the link related to your Blu-ray player manufacturer, in this case, it's Sony for me, and then extract the folder to a safe place on your hard drive. Once again, it made it to my desktop. Create a new folder and name it "AutoScript"; copy the folder to your flash drive after extracting the files to this folder. Don't open the folder or mess with the files inside it because it can screw everything up. Ok, now your flash drive should be good to go.
Step 7: Open the SACD Extract GUI
At this point, your Blu-ray player needs to have an internet connection. Under Network Status, it will show you your player's IP address. You will type that at the top of the SACD Extract GUI interface where it says server. Where it says 2002, leave it like that. Next to it, you will see a Ping and Test button. Go ahead and press the Ping button, and you should see a successful script at the bottom of the interface once your player is connected to the internet. Now, the test button didn't work for me until I put the thumb drive into the back of the player. Go ahead and do that now. Don't be alarmed if the tray opens; this is normal and means the script is working. On the interface, I left it on DSF, which is the DSD stereo file type. I am not doing multichannel, so stereo works fine for me. Under the output directory option, you will choose where your music files will be ripped. I decided on my main music library folder.
Step 8: Let's Start Ripping
Make sure your Quick Start Mode on the player is set to on because the ripping takes place while the player is in sleep mode. I forgot to do this my first time, and nothing worked right. Ok, so let's start from the off position on the player. Power on your player. Connect your USB thumb drive to the player and allow AutoScript to run. The tray opens automatically then place your SACD in the tray but don't close it. Power down your player; at this point, the tray closes automatically. The player is now in sleep mode, and AutoScript gains root access control of the player. Wait a few seconds while the player's display flashes OFF, then remove the USB thumb drive. Execute rip by pressing RUN on the SACD Extract GUI interface, and the SACD will start ripping almost immediately to your computer. It takes 15 minutes, give or take, to complete the process. Have a coffee or an ice-cold beer; you pick your poison because you're all done. That's all she wrote.
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