What is EAC? How do I download it? EAC stands for Exact Audio Copy. It is a free piece of software known as a 'ripper'. A ripper is used to extract audio from CDs, into .WAV format, which is pure, virgin, untouched audio. EAC can also be used with encoders, such as the LAME MP3 encoder you'll meet later, to take those 50 megabyte .WAVs and compress them into 5 megabyte MP3s. EAC is the best ripper available because it uses a secure mode to make sure your extractions are perfect, 100% copies of the original. It is the only ripper that does this. Alright, I'm sold, now how do I download it? Download Exact Audio Copy V0.9 beta 4 Your computer may ask whether you want to open or save the file. Choose Save and select the directory you would like to save it in. Choose Save again to begin downloading the EXE file to your hard drive. Once it has finished downloading, click Open to begin the installation process. (If your browser closed your download automatically, use Windows explorer to find the directory you saved it to on your hard drive. Inside that directory, find the file you just downloaded and double click on it.) The setup wizard will start. Click Next The license agreement pops up. Click Yes Setup will ask you where you wish to install EAC. Click next Setup will ask you wheere you wish to put EAC on your startup folder. Click next Setup will ask if you want to create a desktop icon or quick launch icon. Click next Setup will show the settings you selected. Click Install Setup will show an information box. Click Next You will see a box with a checkmark labeled 'Launch Exact Audio Copy'. Take the checkmark off this box, and click finish. (We will be launching EAC later, but not yet). You are now ready for Step 2.