Comments on: HOWTO convert an MP3 to a playable, 3D printed record http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sat, 25 May 2013 10:55:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Dee http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1615518 Dee Wed, 26 Dec 2012 18:55:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1615518 These guys do it (optical laser conversion / "no touch" LP decode) for $10 - 20k: http://www.elpj.com/ And, well, it's a pretty good 1st step: http://hackteria.org/?p=380... 'course if you just make an LP from imiploex you can have it "groove" into whatever you want to play... These guys do it (optical laser conversion / “no touch” LP decode) for $10 – 20k:
http://www.elpj.com/
And, well, it’s a pretty good 1st step:
http://hackteria.org/?p=380… ‘course if you just make an LP from imiploex you can have it “groove” into whatever you want to play…

]]> By: daemonsquire http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1615137 daemonsquire Mon, 24 Dec 2012 19:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1615137 Maybe with a 3D printer, one's home is less likely to join the list of vinyl record factories that have burned down. I can't back that up with any links (record plant fire doesn't Google well, in my hands, at least), but I'm <i>told</i> it was somewhat common--particularly in places like Jamaica, with lots of small record plants--by a friend who had his own disc lathe, on which we cut some records. As he demonstrated for me, the skewings from the grooves of a single disc form a loose ball of vinyl wool, which a spark consumes alarmingly fast in a great ball of flame! Ramp up to production pace, and there's a lot of flammable wool around, which is... on the one hand, <i>another fun reason to use a record lathe!</i> On the other hand... well, no, you're right: people should get record lathes.  But we're all high on 3D printing, up here in BB! Plus, all the aural artifacts in the embedded video above are the abode of weird lo-fi magic! Maybe with a 3D printer, one’s home is less likely to join the list of vinyl record factories that have burned down. I can’t back that up with any links (record plant fire doesn’t Google well, in my hands, at least), but I’m told it was somewhat common–particularly in places like Jamaica, with lots of small record plants–by a friend who had his own disc lathe, on which we cut some records. As he demonstrated for me, the skewings from the grooves of a single disc form a loose ball of vinyl wool, which a spark consumes alarmingly fast in a great ball of flame! Ramp up to production pace, and there’s a lot of flammable wool around, which is… on the one hand, another fun reason to use a record lathe! On the other hand… well, no, you’re right: people should get record lathes. 

But we’re all high on 3D printing, up here in BB! Plus, all the aural artifacts in the embedded video above are the abode of weird lo-fi magic!

]]> By: capawesome http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614956 capawesome Mon, 24 Dec 2012 08:03:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614956  Oh Jesus, really?  Oh Jesus, really?

]]> By: Joe Danko http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614875 Joe Danko Mon, 24 Dec 2012 02:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614875 I have always wondered if anyone has attempted to design an optical transducer to directly produce the original audio signals from a microgroove LP.  I have always wondered if anyone has attempted to design an optical transducer to directly produce the original audio signals from a microgroove LP. 

]]> By: shutz http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614746 shutz Sun, 23 Dec 2012 21:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614746 One way to drastically improve the results would be to create a radial or cylindrical 3D printer.  Basically, instead of having a platform that translates in cartesian coordiantes, it would only translate along the Z (height) axis, and then rotate around a central point, with the print head on a single axis to set the radius.  Object layers would be printed from the inside-out.  That would remove the whooshing aliasing we're hearing here.  It would probably introduce other artifacts, though, such as a kind of aliasing when the stylus goes from an arc that is printed to an unprinted arc (as in, during printing, the platform spins, and the print head just draws "dotted arcs", so that during playback, the stylus would end up jumping slightly every time an arc starts or ends in the area of the groove.) One way to drastically improve the results would be to create a radial or cylindrical 3D printer.  Basically, instead of having a platform that translates in cartesian coordiantes, it would only translate along the Z (height) axis, and then rotate around a central point, with the print head on a single axis to set the radius.  Object layers would be printed from the inside-out.  That would remove the whooshing aliasing we’re hearing here.  It would probably introduce other artifacts, though, such as a kind of aliasing when the stylus goes from an arc that is printed to an unprinted arc (as in, during printing, the platform spins, and the print head just draws “dotted arcs”, so that during playback, the stylus would end up jumping slightly every time an arc starts or ends in the area of the groove.)

]]> By: mjennings http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614735 mjennings Sun, 23 Dec 2012 20:54:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614735 Sounds like an Edison player cylinder being played through a broken stylus. Sounds like an Edison player cylinder being played through a broken stylus.

]]> By: Harbo http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614613 Harbo Sun, 23 Dec 2012 10:09:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614613 WHY? WHY?

]]> By: Andrew Suber http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614604 Andrew Suber Sun, 23 Dec 2012 08:25:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614604 If I sent a telegram with the content of my comment to Novogorod, had it translated into Russian, sent back to me, re-translated it into English and then finally posted it, it would be as wasteful as this process. It's actually more efficient with less loss of signal to cut an acetate with the MP3 playing loudly over your computer's speakers. MP3>Processor>Audio Output>Dictation Machine> Acetate Record vs. MP3>Processor>Digital Output>Transcription Program>Digital Output>Printer>Record By commenting on BoingBoing I am expressing my views in an efficient fashion (at least from a thermodynamic view). Even for a hobby, this technology is a waste of time. Try Legos or Ouspenskianism! If I sent a telegram with the content of my comment to Novogorod, had it translated into Russian, sent back to me, re-translated it into English and then finally posted it, it would be as wasteful as this process.

It’s actually more efficient with less loss of signal to cut an acetate with the MP3 playing loudly over your computer’s speakers. MP3>Processor>Audio Output>Dictation Machine> Acetate Record vs. MP3>Processor>Digital Output>Transcription Program>Digital Output>Printer>Record

By commenting on BoingBoing I am expressing my views in an efficient fashion (at least from a thermodynamic view).

Even for a hobby, this technology is a waste of time. Try Legos or Ouspenskianism!

]]> By: Andrew Suber http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614602 Andrew Suber Sun, 23 Dec 2012 08:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614602 I do feed the hungry. I feed myself. From an engineering standpoint, you're spending vast resources to create entropy. You have a portable, clean recording. You expend energy and use an incredibly complex machine to create a hissy, poppy wasteful physical copy that's less useful. You lose energy, you lose the signal to noise, you waste limited time. Maybe I just don't get it... but it seems a waste. As a pre-cursor to processing the MP3, you presumably have the capacity to play it. Therefore, the record is nearly useless. Are you suggesting a frank discussion of technology can't encompass how useful that technology is? I think that debate should be at the heart of the discussion of technology. At least a Rube Goldberg machine has aesthetic appeal. If you are going to fuck around, at least do something fun and humorous. I do feed the hungry. I feed myself.

From an engineering standpoint, you’re spending vast resources to create entropy. You have a portable, clean recording. You expend energy and use an incredibly complex machine to create a hissy, poppy wasteful physical copy that’s less useful. You lose energy, you lose the signal to noise, you waste limited time. Maybe I just don’t get it… but it seems a waste.

As a pre-cursor to processing the MP3, you presumably have the capacity to play it. Therefore, the record is nearly useless.

Are you suggesting a frank discussion of technology can’t encompass how useful that technology is? I think that debate should be at the heart of the discussion of technology.

At least a Rube Goldberg machine has aesthetic appeal. If you are going to fuck around, at least do something fun and humorous.

]]> By: mhsenkow http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614537 mhsenkow Sun, 23 Dec 2012 02:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614537 Noone else remembers that this was originally a april fools joke by makerbot?  http://fabbaloo.com/blog/2011/4/2/3d-printing-april-fools-round-up-2011.html#.UNZtOInjnKA There is a similar example, there was an april fools joke about 3d printing wood. Recently, architecture research has been developing ways to print in wood. Noone else remembers that this was originally a april fools joke by makerbot?  http://fabbaloo.com/blog/2011/4/2/3d-printing-april-fools-round-up-2011.html#.UNZtOInjnKA There is a similar example, there was an april fools joke about 3d printing wood. Recently, architecture research has been developing ways to print in wood.

]]> By: Shane Simmons http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614507 Shane Simmons Sun, 23 Dec 2012 00:14:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614507 You never know.  This could lead to someone having a "Eureka!" moment on a more weighty problem. Maybe not, but surely you've done something in your lifetime which others see as a "collosal waste of time".  Such as sitting around and making critical comments on BoingBoing. You never know.  This could lead to someone having a “Eureka!” moment on a more weighty problem.

Maybe not, but surely you’ve done something in your lifetime which others see as a “collosal waste of time”.  Such as sitting around and making critical comments on BoingBoing.

]]> By: Matt Snyder http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614504 Matt Snyder Sat, 22 Dec 2012 23:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614504 why don't you just start a killer fuckin band, tour hard, and press vinyl that someone would actually buy? why don’t you just start a killer fuckin band, tour hard, and press vinyl that someone would actually buy?

]]> By: Scott Elyard http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614501 Scott Elyard Sat, 22 Dec 2012 23:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614501 Maybe, but there's a thing called a digital painting. Brushstrokes (arcs created by motions of the fingers, wrists, and/or arm) can be laid down in arcs on a cartesian-type grid, in a raster. I'm certain the argument that it was a less than optimal solution a problem was advanced many times. But it still didn't do much to deter its development.  (Or CAD plotters. Remember when they used to be printed entirely with cartridges of pens like RapidoGraphs?) Personally, I think this is neat as hell. Maybe, but there’s a thing called a digital painting. Brushstrokes (arcs created by motions of the fingers, wrists, and/or arm) can be laid down in arcs on a cartesian-type grid, in a raster. I’m certain the argument that it was a less than optimal solution a problem was advanced many times. But it still didn’t do much to deter its development. 

(Or CAD plotters. Remember when they used to be printed entirely with cartridges of pens like RapidoGraphs?)
Personally, I think this is neat as hell.

]]> By: Bashtarle http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614475 Bashtarle Sat, 22 Dec 2012 22:17:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614475 I will give them it is a cool project but yeah that's sorta how I felt when I saw the article. My logical/rational side says no one is dumb enough to think that this is anything more than a curiosity.... Sadly It wouldn't surprise me if some lobbyist spoon feeds an elected official who is completely ignorant to the technology and this molehill suddenly turns into a mountain. I will give them it is a cool project but yeah that’s sorta how I felt when I saw the article.

My logical/rational side says no one is dumb enough to think that this is anything more than a curiosity…. Sadly It wouldn’t surprise me if some lobbyist spoon feeds an elected official who is completely ignorant to the technology and this molehill suddenly turns into a mountain.

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614474 Antinous / Moderator Sat, 22 Dec 2012 22:14:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614474 What a shame that you took time away from feeding the hungry and curing cancer to read about it. What a shame that you took time away from feeding the hungry and curing cancer to read about it.

]]> By: Bashtarle http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614467 Bashtarle Sat, 22 Dec 2012 22:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614467 I can only assume and hope that was sarcasm. Because if it wasn't and your desk is laid out anything like mine, Look down and to your right at your CD/DVD burner. As it is far more effective/practical than 3D printing your own record will be and will likely stay that way for the next century or so. I can only assume and hope that was sarcasm.

Because if it wasn’t and your desk is laid out anything like mine, Look down and to your right at your CD/DVD burner. As it is far more effective/practical than 3D printing your own record will be and will likely stay that way for the next century or so.

]]> By: carloscarlson http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614426 carloscarlson Sat, 22 Dec 2012 20:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614426 As if musicians didn't have a hard enough time getting paid for recordings already As if musicians didn’t have a hard enough time getting paid for recordings already

]]> By: jimkirk http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614424 jimkirk Sat, 22 Dec 2012 20:39:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614424 If printable guns won't be the death of 3D printers, this will be... (Hopefully sarcastic) If printable guns won’t be the death of 3D printers, this will be…
(Hopefully sarcastic)

]]> By: Chris DiBona http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614400 Chris DiBona Sat, 22 Dec 2012 19:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614400 Would this amount to a $250,000 fine for copyright infringement? Would this amount to a $250,000 fine for copyright infringement?

]]> By: nixiebunny http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614368 nixiebunny Sat, 22 Dec 2012 18:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614368 This is such an obtuse way to solve this particular problem. Records are made using radial, not Cartesian coordinates. On a lathe, not a mill. This is such an obtuse way to solve this particular problem. Records are made using radial, not Cartesian coordinates. On a lathe, not a mill.

]]> By: newhavenstumpjumper http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614354 newhavenstumpjumper Sat, 22 Dec 2012 18:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614354 Do it the old fashioned way. Here is a good How To vid. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbAevOZJw3Y this guy is way into it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UMYecUJOcg Do it the old fashioned way.

Here is a good How To vid.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbAevOZJw3Y

this guy is way into it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UMYecUJOcg

]]> By: LightningRose http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614328 LightningRose Sat, 22 Dec 2012 17:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614328 Not exactly a hifi scan, but it has been done. http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/news/2003/02/57769 http://www.phys.huji.ac.il/~springer/DigitalNeedle/ Not exactly a hifi scan, but it has been done.

http://www.wired.com/entertainment/music/news/2003/02/57769
http://www.phys.huji.ac.il/~springer/DigitalNeedle/

]]> By: Nathaniel http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614324 Nathaniel Sat, 22 Dec 2012 17:28:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614324 I *love* the sound of the aliasing! I *love* the sound of the aliasing!

]]> By: Andrew Suber http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614320 Andrew Suber Sat, 22 Dec 2012 17:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614320 What a colossal waste of time and resources. What a colossal waste of time and resources.

]]> By: DJBudSonic http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614318 DJBudSonic Sat, 22 Dec 2012 17:04:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614318 If you want to make your own records, why not buy a lathe?  You can probably get a used one for less than a 3D printer. If you want to make your own records, why not buy a lathe?  You can probably get a used one for less than a 3D printer.

]]> By: Gulliver http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614290 Gulliver Sat, 22 Dec 2012 16:16:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614290 From that article:<blockquote>"He [Emile Berliner] shares that they're in this particular building in Hanover, and then he recites some poetry, sings a song and counts to 20 in several languages."</blockquote>And to think, all without Wikisource, Autotune or Google Translate! Perhaps a distant relation to Paul Bunyan? From that article:
“He [Emile Berliner] shares that they’re in this particular building in Hanover, and then he recites some poetry, sings a song and counts to 20 in several languages.”

And to think, all without Wikisource, Autotune or Google Translate! Perhaps a distant relation to Paul Bunyan?

]]> By: robcat2075 http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614286 robcat2075 Sat, 22 Dec 2012 16:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614286 Not many printers will do a 12x12 object. I have a completely non-electronic crank Victrola.  I'd be curious to try this to make 78's for it.  But what printer will do objects this large? edit: I read the article, she has a fairly exotic 3D printer at her disposal. Not many printers will do a 12×12 object.

I have a completely non-electronic crank Victrola.  I’d be curious to try this to make 78′s for it.  But what printer will do objects this large?

edit: I read the article, she has a fairly exotic 3D printer at her disposal.

]]> By: soap http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614266 soap Sat, 22 Dec 2012 15:37:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614266 The howto forgot to mention the need for RIAA equalization.  Though you can skip this step if you disconnect your turntable from the phono preamp and plug directly into a line-in you'll still suffer some distortion due to poor tracking. And to get nit-picky MP3 isn't 16bit, it is internally 32bit float and output is set to whatever the input bitdepth was... EDIT: and I'm curious how much the distortion due to the printer's (relatively) poor granularity would improve if you printed at the wider 78rpm width and used the much larger 78-standard stylus? A larger stylus should get "kicked" much less by the relatively bumpy grooves and in doing so decrease the HF distortion... The howto forgot to mention the need for RIAA equalization.  Though you can skip this step if you disconnect your turntable from the phono preamp and plug directly into a line-in you’ll still suffer some distortion due to poor tracking.

And to get nit-picky MP3 isn’t 16bit, it is internally 32bit float and output is set to whatever the input bitdepth was…

EDIT: and I’m curious how much the distortion due to the printer’s (relatively) poor granularity would improve if you printed at the wider 78rpm width and used the much larger 78-standard stylus? A larger stylus should get “kicked” much less by the relatively bumpy grooves and in doing so decrease the HF distortion…

]]> By: bcsizemo http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614250 bcsizemo Sat, 22 Dec 2012 15:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614250 I can see it now, it's going to be the wav/flac/mp3 wars all over again.  Pressed vinyl vs. printed... I can see it now, it’s going to be the wav/flac/mp3 wars all over again.  Pressed vinyl vs. printed…

]]> By: Charles Richter http://boingboing.net/2012/12/22/howto-convert-an-mp3-to-a-play.html#comment-1614234 Charles Richter Sat, 22 Dec 2012 14:24:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=202569#comment-1614234 "I'm waiting for the way when taking a snapshot of a vinyl disc can be the first step toward deriving its audio content, converting that back to a shapefile, and printing out a high-fidelity duplicate." That's been the first step in the process since 1889.  It's just that we haven't gone beyond that step until recently: http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/22508.html “I’m waiting for the way when taking a snapshot of a vinyl disc can be the first step toward deriving its audio content, converting that back to a shapefile, and printing out a high-fidelity duplicate.”

That’s been the first step in the process since 1889.  It’s just that we haven’t gone beyond that step until recently:

http://newsinfo.iu.edu/news/page/normal/22508.html

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