The problems of editing high-definition video

Julian Percy asked: “You mention the quality of the Benchmark DAC1 PRE matches a high-end CD transport.

“Does this quality depend on what CD transport was used to ‘rip’ the digital collection in the first place or could a standard PC’s CD-Rom drive be considered sufficient?”

The good news is that almost any standard optical drive will suffice. The important thing for the best quality is to use ripping software, which can perform error correction and encode the data into a lossless format.

We used the excellent EAC program, which offers a ‘secure’ mode to ensure the data is read correctly, and the Flac format for lossless encoding; our drive was a standard NEC ND-4571.

The only gotcha is that EAC won’t download cover artwork, so if desired you’ll need to acquire that with separate software; visit the Exact Audio Copy website for more information.

Bernard Start’s audio system features a Squeezebox 3 and DAC1 PRE, connected digitally using a standard video cable.

These two components can certainly make a great combination, but here are a few tips for the best results.

Firstly, while standard video cables share the same 75ohm impedance as coaxial digital audio cables, the quality of the cable itself can greatly impact the overall sound quality, so don’t skimp.

Secondly, the digital output from the Squeezebox sounds much better when its level is fixed in the Slimserver menu, so fix it and use the volume control on the DAC1 PRE instead.

Third the quality of the Squeezebox can be improved by swapping its power supply for a better model, and if you like, modifications to the actual Squeezebox can also be made; visit the Channel Islands Audio website and the Bolder Cable Company respectively.

Ultimately we’d also urge you to try connecting a PC or laptop directly to your DAC1 PRE using a USB cable to see how it compares – in this instance, there’s no need to worry about using decent cabling.

Finally, Roger Allen writes: “I’m facing the prospect of replacing my TV and recorders due to the digital switchover.

"Given the wholesale change it would seem sensible to put all the electronics in one box, such as a media PC. Can you offer any comment on the pros and cons of a media PC versus a PVR?”

That’s a big question and one we’ve covered in a number of previous articles you can find on the PCW website.

But to get you thinking, here’s a quick answer: the major advantage of a media PC is its enormous flexibility in acting as a TV recorder, music and video jukebox, photo viewer, games machine, or almost anything you can think of.

The major downside is it’s still a PC under the hood, so at some point you’ll need to fix it when you'd much rather be watching TV.

This may or may not be acceptable to you or other members of your household.