View Full Version : Ripping/Encoding
I've always just used WMP in the past (128kb/s WMA) and have looked up some guides on how to get better quality per size out of my CDs. Most of the guides recommended EAC 0.9 beta4 and LAME v3.90.3, but I couldn't find any current up-to-date guides, as most were a year or two old. Is this still the best way to go about ripping/encoding? Should I look into VBR/CBR(still not sure what this is) or different codecs like .ogg? Where does Media Monkey fit into this process as I've heard its a pretty useful program. Is there any difference in how I put my files ONTO the A2 (drag and drop, JetAudio software or just basic WMP)? Any information would be appeciated on how you guys have encoded your music.
Also what codecs do you use when ripping your DVDs?
I use EAC to rip the CD to a seperate FLAC file for each track, if there are any errors during the ripping process caused from dust/scratches on the CD/a misread, EAC has been proven to be the best program to repair such errors.
I then use foobar2000 to convert the FLACs to oggs for my portable .
What version? The only one I can find on their site is 0.95 beta4 and I'm a bit hesistant about beta software.
MCSmarties
05-10-2006, 00:32
LAME settings recommendations can be found here (http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=LAME)
Speaking of audio encoding for movies, have you guys heard of the Aud-X (http://www.aud-x.com/) project?
Briefly, it's compressed 5.1 sound - backward compatible with MP3!
If they can pull it off (and they seem to be right on track for it) this is gonna be good!
Is VBR a good idea? I heard a lot of PMP/DAPs have problems with it.
What version? The only one I can find on their site is 0.95 beta4 and I'm a bit hesistant about beta software.
Don't worry about it the guy always has beta software up, it takes him forever to make a version.
Ask someone for the worst scratched CD they have. Rip it with EAC "beta" in secure mode, and then with any other ripper, and you'll see it's not your average junk.
kaptaink
05-10-2006, 08:40
Hello all
I personnaly use Winamp Pro (theoritically not free) to rip and encode to MP3 with the "alt-preset standard" setting. It's VBR around 220kbps, and it's great quality, really fast.
I used to do it with EAC in the past. Works great, but so slow, and that makes one more soft to install.
I love winamp, and it does it well.
I recently tried to encode to ogg, with the free plug-in for winamp. Even at 128kbps, it's really correct, but I only did a couple of CDs. If not good, I am pretty sure 160 will do. Also very fast, and much smaller. And completely free, this time.
Try and chose for yourself
Stephane
What's the difference between the two versions of EAC (one with and one without CDRDAO-burning)?
EAC is definitely worth your time. I can rip cd's with it that don't even play on my cdplayer anymore. Ok, it takes a while, but it's not like you have to sit there the whole time and stare at it. If it comes to quality I don't mind spending an extra minute or two.
I found this to be a very informative guide, well written: http://users.pandora.be/satcp/tutorials.htm
I use mp3 with the vbr-new switch (previously alt-preset-standard)
Mp3 is my format of choice, since it gives good quality at a good filesize and you can use it with every mp3 player or pmp. You never know what the future is gonna bring and when you get a new player it may not support the format you chose. By choosing mp3, I think I will have a better chance to migrate to an other player.
Just my 2cents
I got Lame 3.97b2 and whatever version of EAC 0.95b4 (w/ CDRDAO) and used the above as my compression settings.
-V 2 --vbr-new --add-id3v2 --pad-id3v2 --ta "%a" --tt "%t" --tl "%g" --ty "%y" --tn "%n" %s %d (preferred in the wiki on hydrogenaudio)
-V 2 --vbr-new --add-id3v2 --pad-id3v2 --ta "%a" --tt "%t" --tg "%m" --tl "%g" --ty "%y" --tn "%n" %s %d (preferred by that link you gave me TNBY)
I can understand some of it but I'm not sure what the difference is between the options that are different. (tl/tg, etc).
I don't understand much of the options. I could research it, but if the guys at hydrogenaudio say this is the best, I believe it is.
I use: -V 2 --vbr-new --add-id3v2 --pad-id3v2 --ta "%a" --tt "%t" --tl "%g" --ty "%y" --tn "%n" %s %d so that's the one from hydrogenaudio.
I think IIRC that the signs with percentages are to fill in the tags of the mp3's. EAC doesn't do a good job by default, so I guess that's why people add this in the command line. I've had some problems before with the number tag, and with this setting it is gone.
Hope this helps!
I really don't notice any difference between the two. The other list of options I listed is also from HydrogenAudio (here (http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?title=LAME) about 3/4 down the page).
Hmm, I must've messed something up as I'm getting external compressor errors on every .wav file. However, at the end of ripping it states in the log: "no errors occured." All but one of the files had 100% peak quality (87.5%) and all but one had 100% track quality (99.9%). Is this normal? Edit: I was using the basic setup before and just switched to the advanced option. And for some reason my files are now ripping in .wav even though I clicked on the mp3 icon to start ripping and setup my options to mirror those listed in that guide.
Well, I thought I had found the problem. Under compression options I had the parameter passing scheme to LAME instead of User Defined. It worked for a song, then I rebooted and having the same problem again even with the User defined scheme. Any suggestions?
I've included a screenshot with my settings. It's in Dutch, but the options are on the same place in English.
The "no errors occured" talks about the Wave files. It first rips them to wave, and that's not a problem, and then compresses them to mp3. Maybe there's somthing wrong with your version of LAME, although I can not think of something.
Don't worry about those peak quality values. That's almost always good.
Hmm, I had that last option checked (Use external compressor, I believe). I unchecked it and haven't problems. Although I did re-download the lame.exe.
Sorry, but English is not my native tongue, and I didn't understand your last post.
Does it mean the problem is fixed? Does it work as it should now?
Yeah, it works, thanks :). That last option (kontroleer terugmeldcode....) I had on.
Great!
I learned English mostly from tv and don't speak it much. Still, I really like to talk English, more than Dutch. And in places like these I can do so!
Greetz
This may be a dumb question, but is there any difference between "sync"ing the data to the A2 via JetShell or just drag-n-dropping it onto the A2?
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