Waffle IronsContents
1 About the Waffle Iron Seal of Approval
2 Submitting your torrent(s) for approval
3 Waffle Iron Rules
4 Waffle Iron FAQ
5 Waffle Iron IRC
6 Waffle Iron Links
About the Waffle Iron Seal of Approval
The Waffle Iron seal is simply about confidence that the rip is a 100% exact audio copy. It is an addition to existing waffles.fm rules on what FLAC torrents can (or can not be) replaced or duplicated. It is marking the elite rips for a more pleasant lossless downloading experience. Further more, we take very seriously the task of educating others on how and why to properly rip so that they (and others) can have the utmost confidence that the rips of their CD collection are exact audio copies.
xuncat (with contributions from the Waffle Irons) has created a new, detailed and comprehensive guide for using the Windows-based program Exact Audio Copy:
http://xunside.info/eac/index.html. A great deal of work has been put into this and we highly recommend this guide over all others.
As of 2009-02-19 the Waffle Irons also accept XLD version 20080926 (93.3) rips. Read the announcement.
For help and questions not covered in the Waffle Iron Rules or FAQ there is a waffles.fm member-exclusive IRC room you can use: #waffles.fm-flac on irc.p2p-network.net. To join the channel type /msg Waffles invite flac from a registered nick that is listed in your waffles.fm profile.
Submitting your torrent(s) for approval
Any FLAC torrent with a .log & .cue file in the torrent can be submitted by the uploader of the torrent by clicking the 'Submit' link at the top of the torrent details page. The torrent must also have its log uploaded to the site to be eligible for submission. If not already done while uploading (or for torrents before the log feature was introduced) the uploader can add it using the edit link for the for the torrent.
The log must be an Exact Audio Copy log, and the cue file must be generated by Exact Audio Copy at the time of ripping (from the EXACT disc being ripped, this is very important!) and be done as a Multiple-WAV Non-Compliant format (with gaps appended to previous track). As of 2009-02-19 the Waffle Irons also accept XLD version 20080926 (93.3) rips.
You can submit a torrent for approval immediately after uploading it, or any time later. Please make sure you have read and understand the Waffle Iron Rules before submitting ANY torrents.
Waffle Iron Rules
1. The torrent must be a FLAC torrent that follows all current waffles.fm rules.
2. The rip must have been from a retail CD and NOT a CD-R or Vinyl, and ripped from the actual retail CD - not an image mounted to a virtual drive.
3. The rip must have been done with Exact Audio Copy (for Windows users) or XLD (for Mac users). Newer EAC rips are required at minimum to use version 0.99pb4 with AccurateRip enabled.
4. You must specify near the top of the torrent description if the torrent is your own personal rip or if you obtained it elsewhere. (You do not need to specify where or who ripped it, but please do if you remember and it is not against the rules of that site to mention it publicly.) NOTE: This rule was not publicized prior to the beginning of submission and therefore will not be immediately enforced. We do ask that you follow it from now on and perhaps even go back and add the information to your descriptions of previously-submitted torrents (it will only take you a few seconds per torrent). We WILL begin enforcing this rule at a later date so please follow it.
5. The album folder for a torrent (the files within the torrent) must contain the .log file for the rip. Additionally, the log must be uploaded to the website so that it is viewable in the torrent details.
Please note: Simply having the log listed in the description is not enough. The log file must be uploaded to the website either during the upload process or by editing the torrent at a later date. If your torrent has a log uploaded it will be listed immediately under the description of the torrent.
The log cannot be edited in any way other than removing personal directory information in the save path, or appending AccuarateRip information to the bottom (If using a version of EAC before 0.99). Per the guide, we suggest not to save to a personal folder at all.
The uploaded must be exactly the same log file as the one included in the album folder. (Unless the torrent contains more than one disc, see below.)
If your torrent is of more than one disc you must make a 'combined.log' file to upload to the website. This file does not have to be included in the torrent, but must be uploaded so it is possible to view all details of the rip from the torrent details page.
6. The album folder for a torrent (the files within the torrent) must contain a .cue file.
The .cue file must be generated by Exact Audio Copy. It must be in the form of Multiple WAV Files with Gaps (Non Compliant). It must have been created using the exact CD from the rip, at the time of ripping.
You can optionally have other cue files in the torrent (Single-WAV), but the Non Compliant one MUST be included and uploaded to the torrent.
If your torrent is of more than one disc there must be a Non Compliant .cue file included for each disc.
The cue file(s) should be usable without any editing. If you are unsure what is meant by this please refer to the 'Ripping' section of the EAC guide where it discusses cue file editing.
7. You must be sure that to the best of your knowledge the disc was ripped according to the standards in the Waffle Iron-Approved guide or similar EAC guide which instructs users to, amongst other things, accurately set the drive's read offset correction value, rip in Secure mode, set the drive to rip in secure mode with C2 error correction disabled, detect gaps before ripping and use Test & Copy.
8. The drive must have a verifiable read offset correction or use the AccurateRip plug-in with EAC. Not all drives are found on the list pointed to by most setup guides (
http://www.accuraterip.com/driveoffsets.htm). If your drive is not found on that list we will have no choice but to reject your submission unless the AccurateRip plug-in was used.
The exception to this rule is if it was your own rip (or you know who ripped it) AccurateRip must be used to determine your drive's value. Unfortunately, in this case, many people have just guessed to get a value and did not go the extra mile to make sure it was the correct one. To get old rips (and/or old torrents) approved the offset correction used for those rips must match what AccurateRip reports. If this is indeed the case please send us (or place in your torrent description) a screen-shot of AccurateRip's setting. To have rejected rips looked at again please PM us the torrent URL that has failed on this basis with the proof that the offset correction value was indeed correct. Furthermore, you should use AccurateRip from then on to assure your rips always give confidence of being an exact audio copy without further proof being necessary.
9. If the rip was done WITHOUT disabling/defeating the drive's audio caching we will not be able to approve it. (You need to check "Drive caches audio data" in the drive settings in order to make EAC disable/defeat cache.) This is a very important setting as not disabling/defeating audio caching in a drive that does cache audio data will effectively cause secure mode to be worthless. On the other hand, EAC treating any drive as if it caches audio data even if it doesn't has no adverse effect on the quality of the rip, so it is a safe setting regardless. It is for this reason that nearly every EAC guide will blindly instruct you to check that your drive caches audio data.
Unfortunately, Exact Audio Copy's detection of this ability has been continually proven to produce false negatives, automatically deselecting the drive's ability to cache audio data during the EAC setup process. This is the reason we cannot accept rips without utilizing audio cache disabling/defeating.
An important exception to this rule applies if you are the person who ripped the CD and you still have the drive that it was ripped with. We give you the opportunity to prove to us that your ripping drive indeed does not cache audio data. In the EAC setup guide under 'Drive Options' you will see complete details on using two programs called CachEx and Furio. Please run both of those programs as instructed to make sure that your audio cache setting is correct. If both programs do indeed indicate that your drive does not cache audio data then you truly do not have to check that option to get a high-confidence perfect rip and will gain Waffle Iron approval for your rips.
Please create a screen-shot image of the CachEx window (and please, include only that command window) or create a cachex.log file from the results in the command window (right-click select all then control+C to copy and then paste it into notepad or other text editor and save). Also, save the Furio log file as directed after running that program.
Display this non-caching proof at the bottom of the description of your torrent so that it is displayed just above the log file data. A great example on how to present this information can be found in this torrent description. We are now requiring this to approve any torrent that did not have the drive's audio caching disabled/defeated when ripping.
The information at the bottom of the description must be present for each torrent you wish to get Waffle Iron approval for with audio caching not disabled/defeated. Do NOT remove this information from your torrent description after Waffle Iron approval. Additionally, to 'future-proof' your rips, we very much suggest that you include the CachEx and Furio proof within all of your torrents (perhaps in a sub-directory named 'Audio Cache Proof') Including them in the torrent is also helpful if the links to the screen shot or text file(s) expire. We realize that this is a lot to ask, but keep in mind you only have to run the tests once, and the bbcode segment from your torrent description can be used over and over again for other torrents. We ask so much of you because this is a very, very important setting, which is why most guides do not give you an option on the setting.
Please note, if you ever upgrade your drive's firmware (flash the BIOS) these tests must be re-run (as well as re-set up your drive in EAC) as this may change how your drive behaves when ripping.
Waffle Iron FAQ
What happens after I submit a torrent for Waffle Iron approval?
Upon submission the torrent is placed in "Pending" mode and added to the ironing queue. A Waffle Iron or Moderator will analyze your upload for all qualifications. If all necessary requirements are met then they will stamp the torrent as approved. If something is incorrect or missing from the EAC setup or ripping procedure then it will rejected and the exact reason will be given. Until it has been either approved or unapproved the torrent will remain in pending mode.
How is your new EAC guide different from the OiNK recommended, and until now waffles.fm recommended, "jiGGafellz" guide?
While it suffices, the jiGGafellz guide basically just shows you what to click and where. It does not explain most settings and procedures with any detail. Also, some of the important settings were not made completely clear which has resulted in many people incorrectly going against the guide. The content of that guide is all within our new guide, but has been expanded GREATLY. A notable technical change which you will notice in the logs is that the FLAC command line has returned to the standard "V -8"
The purpose of the new guide is to explain what the settings do, not just *tell* you to set them as most other guides do. It also puts into words instead of just keyboard shortcuts which are easily forgotten. Ideally, the guide will allow a first-time-user to configure EAC and understand the settings without having to ask the same repetitive questions. And, of course, have no fear for your old rips. If you followed the jiGGafellz guide correctly they will most certainly receive our Seal of Approval!
Why do I have to state if it was my own personal rip or not?
Both as general downloaders of torrents and in our duties as Waffle Irons there are many situations when it is very, VERY helpful to know if the torrent is a personal rip of the uploader or not. Sometimes a rip posted the very same day as the rip was acquired someplace else, which can lead to misconceptions and misplaced ripping advice and/or questions.
Will a Waffle Iron approved rip ever be deleted from the tracker?
It is very much our intention to never have one of these removed from the tracker. However, if one has been un-seeded for a long period of time it may be deleted. After downloading one, please keep the special WI-stamped torrents seeded so they are always available for anybody to download!
Can a Waffle Iron approved rip replace a non-approved one?
Yes. To do this, first upload & submit your torrent for WI approval. Next, *if* the torrent gets approved, please report the torrent it is replacing. DO NOT try to report any torrent for replacement before yours has been approved!
Why only approve rips done by Exact Audio Copy or XLD?
While no ripping program is *perfect*, Exact Audio Copy is the closest you can get at the moment, and has been since its creation. Actually, that very reason is WHY it was created. The Waffle Iron Seal of Approval is all about confidence that a rip (either your own rip or somebody else's) is a perfect copy and can create a perfect copy when you burn it to a CD-R. Day in and day out, this is the program that does it all the best. Sure, there are faster rippers out there for all platforms (you can even change some EAC settings to make it rip faster) but they all lower the confidence of the rip. If you are going to rip with the purpose of sharing with others, Exact Audio Copy is the way to go! After much testing and deliberation, the Waffle Irons have also approved the use of XLD on OS X for users who would like to produce Waffle-Iron quality rips on the Mac platform.
Are EAC Rips done with Syrup accepted?
Absolutely, yes! Syrup automates the ripping process so steps cannot be forgotten. It also uses REACT to encode the same rip to multiple formats which can be very convenient. However, it is still up to the user to correctly configure their Exact Audio copy just as if you were not using Syrup at all. Complete information on Syrup can be found here.
Why are you Waffle Irons so particular on what to accept? Isn't all lossless perfect CD-Quality audio?
Lossless encoding (compression) has the benefit of not damaging the original extracted WAV file whatsoever. However, the resulting FLAC files are only as good as the rip. It is the perfect rip that we are concerned with, and the Free Lossless Audio CODEC preserves that rip.
How come you only accept FLAC torrents for submission?
FLAC is the widely accepted standard for Lossless encoding, and has been for many years now. The main reason for this is it compresses (and more importantly) decompresses very quickly, and is supported by more software programs and hardware vendors than any other lossless file type.
Why only FLAC and not MP3?
MP3s (and other non-lossless formats) are no longer a perfect copy of the original disc (even though the rip itself may have been perfect). The lossy nature of mp3s has removed content which can never be regained. While it may sound exactly the same as the CD, it is not. The only things that are truly required for MP3s is that they contain the complete song and do not skip during playback.
Why was a torrent rejected simply for having the ID3 option checked in EAC?
FLAC files cannot contain ID3 tags or even an ID3 header. Music players (both hardware and software) expect VORBIS comments only for FLAC files. No current music player or tagging application will add ID3 headers to FLAC files so you do not need to worry about it happening accidentally.
A problem arises when the 'Add ID3 tag' option is checked in Exact Audio Copy's 'Compression Options' and ID3 options are additionally set up in the 'ID3 Tag' tab. Please make sure you do not have the 'Add ID3 tag' option checked as it will cause some players (Linux applications, at a minimum) to not be able to process the FLAC files. If not everybody can play the files in your torrent then there is a problem with the torrent and it is this reason that that we will reject it based on that setting alone. To further verify the presence of an ID3 header we would have to download one of the files and run it through a HEX editor. Our policy is not going to involve downloading any of the files for any reason except to verify a report of a bad file (or, of course, to download a torrent as fans of the music!).
Why can't I submit a torrent that was ripped from a CD-R?
Burned audio discs go bad eventually, scratch very easily, and should NEVER be ripped as if it is a retail CD. Not only can a CD-R often be an "iffy" burn but also frequently a marginal (if not horrible) rip. Beyond that, there is no way to be sure how accurately that CD-R was burned in the first place. There is no guarantee it was even sourced from the original CD - it may have been sourced from another CD-R itself! And, most importantly, the original rip may have been horribly improper and incomplete (missing samples, skips, static, etc.) and that flaw copied over into the subsequent CD-R rip(s) which would not be reported in the log of the CD-R rip. The bottom line: NEVER rip from a CD-R! Be sure to back up your FLAC to data DVD-Rs (or data CD-Rs) or spare hard drives. Do not consider a burned audio CD-R as a backup for your downloaded or personally ripped FLAC files.
Why reject a rip that was not done properly but still has AccurateRip matches?
It is our position that AccurateRip results are an added bonus to an already proper ripping job. We do not reject a rip based on mis-matches with AccurateRip so we cannot turn around and ignore other options and accept a rip based just on those matches. AccurateRip is a terrific addition to the confidence that a rip was done properly but we still require proper EAC setup and ripping procedures to give our seal of approval to a rip.
Also, the AccurateRip add-on program uses a slightly less precise CRC calculation in its processing of the extracted WAV files. It does this to ensure better matching between drives with different offsets, different pressing houses and different countries. It simply is not as Accurate as matching CRCs from a proper EAC setup. Please, though, we do greatly encourage people using the EAC 0.99 versions to upgrade to version Pre Beta 4 and install the AccurateRip option and activate it for your drive!
Can I report a Waffle Iron approved torrent for breaking the rules?
Yes, you can report a WI torrent for any site infraction just as it were any other torrent. ADDITIONALLY, you may report it for any faults which prevent it from being an exact copy of a retail CD or prevent a duplication of the original rip to a CD-R. If we can verify this then the seal of approval would be removed and comments as to why will be placed in the torrent. However, do not report a torrent because of any filename issues that are not covered by waffles.fm rules. Also do not report a torrent if the cue sheet needed to have its paths removed and/or filenames edited in order to burn with it. It is unfortunate if somebody uploads a cue that you cannot use out-of-the-box, but because anybody can easily edit it to correct such a flaw it is not grounds for rejecting it from having our Seal of Approval. If we notice somebody uploading new torrents with non-ready CUE files we will remind them of the procedure to fix them beforehand.
Why can you only submit your own upload, why not any FLAC/LOG/CUE torrent?
When submitting a torrent to us you are vouching for its properness. Only the uploader (and ideally the ripper) should be allowed to vouch for a torrent in this way. You may not understand why they did not submit it themselves, but that is their decision. And, of course, you have no idea if they ripped it themselves or not, unless they happened to already list that in the torrent. The bottom line is to let uploaders be responsible for their own torrent and nobody else. If the uploader does not care if their rip is perfect it is likely that they would rather have the torrent listed as "not submitted" than the obvious "not perfect". Remember, we are not about pointing out bad rips but highlighting the great ones!
Why does my rip always show up twice in my log?
If you have EAC 0.99 set to "Automatically write status report after extraction" and you choose to manually "create log" ("save log" for EAC 0.95) from the "Status and Error Messages" pop-up, both with the same name and in the same location, it will write twice to the same log file.
I cannot enable AccurateRip. It is greyed out. What can I do?
First, try a few different retail CDs in your drive to see if it will activate. Next, you may need to reset your registry settings for AccurateRip. Follow this guide.
Waffle Iron IRC
For help and questions not covered in the Waffle Iron Rules or FAQ there is a waffles.fm member-exclusive IRC room you can use: #waffles.fm-flac on irc.p2p-network.net. To join the channel type /msg Waffles invite flac from a registered nick that is listed in your profile. If you prefer, you can ask a question via a site PM using this form.
Waffle Iron Links
Send the Waffle Irons a message
Complete List Of Approved Torrents
Exact Audio Copy Guides
XLD for Macs Guide
Last updated on Sept. 18th, 2009
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