Method and apparatus for extracting digital data from a medium

Abstract

A computer-implemented method and apparatus for extracting digital data from a medium. Digital audio extraction techniques are implemented with additional features that improve the quality of the resulting audio playback files. In one embodiment of the invention, a user can extract digital audio data from a source medium and store the data as a file or, alternatively, stream the data into a memory. The file/stream can then be analyzed to determine the precise locations, in time, at which the sound levels represented by the data cross a specified threshold, particularly at locations near and between track edges. This information can be stored for reference. Subsequently, the file/stream can be accurately divided into smaller files wherein each file contains one or more complete and distinct tracks, and the data representing sound levels below the specified threshold can be excluded from the resulting files. The files may then be encoded and/or further divided into standard playback files. Another embodiment of the invention includes an audio player. The player can play the playback files, in their original order, and can automatically include sections of silence between tracks, where required, and will refrain from including sections of silence or pauses between tracks that are intended to be played end-to-end.