Topic: Verifying FLACs

[blu666z]

Just want to make sure I'm verifying FLACs correctly.  Just hitting the test button on the Frontend doesn't prove that you have the originals.  You actually have to compare the fingerprints correct?  Any software to do that?

-Kevin

[nic]

dont have FLAC installed on this system, but "verify" should be used to check that the FLAC fiiles are error free

[blu666z]

But that doesn't mean that they are the original FLACs the taper seeded though.

-Kevin

[nic]

guess I'm not understanding...FLAC is like SHN. if the fingerprint/md5 verifies then it is effectively the same as the master original the taper/seeder made. thats the whole point of the fingerprint/md5, to verify the files are error free and that are the same as the original seed

[Brian Skalinder]

Lemme take a stab at what I think is the original question, Kevin:

Loading the FLAC files into FLAC FrontEnd and pressing the Test button will test that each individual FLAC file is not corrupt.  But it does not validate the FLAC files against the signatures within the fingerprint file.  How does one validate the FLAC files against the fingerprint signatures?

[blu666z]

How does one validate the FLAC files against the fingerprint signatures?

Nice stab.  This is the question I was trying to ask.  The only way I know is to drop the FLACs in the frontend, create a fingerprint file and compare that manually to the fingerprint file provided(hopefully) by the taper.  If there isn't a program to do that, maybe I could create one.

[blu666z]

guess I'm not understanding...FLAC is like SHN. if the fingerprint/md5 verifies then it is effectively the same as the master original the taper/seeder made. thats the whole point of the fingerprint/md5, to verify the files are error free and that are the same as the original seed

That doesn't prove they are the originals.  ie.  I get a show in from you in FLAC.  I decode track 1, fuck around with it in SoundForge and then encode it back to FLAC.  Now if I run the test on it, it will test fine but it is not the original file you sent me.  Does that make sense?  To relate that to SHNs, just because the files match the MD5 they were sent with doesn't mean that MD5 is the original seeded by the taper.

-Kevin

[nic]

guess I'm not understanding...FLAC is like SHN. if the fingerprint/md5 verifies then it is effectively the same as the master original the taper/seeder made. thats the whole point of the fingerprint/md5, to verify the files are error free and that are the same as the original seed

That doesn't prove they are the originals.  ie.  I get a show in from you in FLAC.  I decode track 1, fuck around with it in SoundForge and then encode it back to FLAC.  Now if I run the test on it, it will test fine but it is not the original file you sent me.  Does that make sense?  To relate that to SHNs, just because the files match the MD5 they were sent with doesn't mean that MD5 is the original seeded by the taper.

-Kevin

if you alter a file in any way, then the fingerprint/md5 will NOT match the file you downloaded.
as for: "To relate that to SHNs, just because the files match the MD5 they were sent with doesn't mean that MD5 is the original seeded by the taper."
well, I guess thats where the fingerprint/md5 that is hosted on etree/archive, etc comes into play...you can match the the fingerprint/md5 with what is listed on those sites to see if it matches the "original"

[Brian Skalinder]

The question remains:

HOW does one verify FLAC files against the fingerprint file signatures (NOT the internal FLAC file checksums)?

[blu666z]

Looks like I may have to write a little utility to do that.

-Kevin

[Joe w.]

you have to do a side by side comparison of the fingerprint's numerical output.

Just go to the db (if it is in the db) and find the original fingerprint......and compare it to yours.

[Brian Skalinder]

you have to do a side by side comparison of the fingerprint's numerical output.

Just go to the db (if it is in the db) and find the original fingerprint......and compare it to yours.

Right, but this still doesn't address the central question:

How does one validate the FLAC files against the fingerprint signatures   (not against their internal checksum, not validating one fingerprint file against another)?

[dklein]

How does one validate the FLAC files against the fingerprint signatures   (not against their internal checksum, not validating one fingerprint file against another)?

Wow - it actually sounds like it is a manual comparison unless you have a mac and that x-act software (it has a feature allowing a fingerprint check).

I must say, this is surprising.  Sounds like in some ways, the md5 check is better because it validates both file integrity and a check that the files are the originals...

[nic]

"HOW does one verify FLAC files against the fingerprint file signatures (NOT the internal FLAC file checksums)?"

I guess I'm missing something obvious...arent those(signatures/checksums) the same thing, just under a different name? when you verify the file it compares it to the fingerprint signatures/checksum sent with the files.
to verify that this is the same fileset that the taper/seeder originally seeded you would just compare the same as with shn/md5 files, either visually compare the checksums or run the original md5 against the fileset you have. either way produces the same result

[Joe w.]

How does one validate the FLAC files against the fingerprint signatures  (not against their internal checksum, not validating one fingerprint file against another)?

you could run the test on the checksums. If verified, you could output a fingerprint of your own and compare it to the one in the .txt file.....if those match, compare them to the ones in a database, or the ones referenced as the original files. am i still missing something?