Topic: FLAC Encoder Plugin (Read 5514 times)

scthom · « **on:** March 02, 2005, 09:57:00 pm »

Well, I've finally got a workable version of a FLAC Encoder plugin completed. I've submitted it to JRiver so you should be able to get it from the Skins/Plugins index very soon.

Please let me know if you have comments or problems. It works for me, so I hope it works for you. It's linked to flac version 1.1.1 so should be completely compatible with the decoder plugin from Oblong.

It works with the preset compression levels (0 through 8 ). No other options are available at the present time.

JimH · « **Reply #1 on:** March 03, 2005, 07:51:02 am »

Thanks, scthom.

iCamp · « **Reply #2 on:** March 03, 2005, 08:27:08 pm »

fantastic! Does this mean I'll now be able to use MC to burn CDs (FLAC to CD audio)??

scthom · « **Reply #3 on:** March 03, 2005, 10:36:30 pm »

My plugin will go from CD audio to flac. To go from flac to CD Audio, you need the decoder plugin, which Oblong had already written. Search the archives and you will find the web address (it's not hosted here on JRiver). With his decoder and my encoder, you now have seamless flac support within MC.

scthom · « **Reply #4 on:** March 03, 2005, 10:40:57 pm »

Quote from: marko on March 03, 2005, 02:25:04 am

not there yet.

As soon as it is, I'll give it a whirl.

I hope it works nice, and let me say a heartfelt "thank you" for filling a much needed gap in MC's repertoire!

I just checked and it is now available.

You're welcome, I hope it works for everybody.

stefansmith · « **Reply #5 on:** March 04, 2005, 04:07:05 am »

Great work: I've been one of the people asking J River to do this. This has really filled in a gap in the programme, and it's nice to see that they listed it in the plug-in's page. A big thank you.

One gripe though: unless mistaken, Oblong's decoder plug-in does not seem to be listed on the j River site...

scthom · « **Reply #6 on:** March 05, 2005, 12:13:16 am »

Quote from: stefansmith on March 04, 2005, 04:07:05 am

Great work: I've been one of the people asking J River to do this. This has really filled in a gap in the programme, and it's nice to see that they listed it in the plug-in's page. A big thank you.

One gripe though: unless mistaken, Oblong's decoder plug-in does not seem to be listed on the j River site...

Thanks! I'm sure my wife will appreciate it also, since I spent quite a few nights at the computer getting it to work

Well obviously, it's Oblong's choice as to where to post the plugin. I listed mine here because I wanted people who don't read the forums to still be able to find it. I hope having a multitude of seamless format choices will make the program more popular.

scthom · « **Reply #7 on:** March 05, 2005, 12:44:01 am »

I should probably mention a few limitations of this first version of the Flac Encoder plugin.

It only works with 8 and 16 bit, 1 and 2 channel, PCM (44100 Hz) data.
It only implements the default compression levels -0 through -8.
Progress updates are not reported to MC during compression.

scthom · « **Reply #8 on:** March 05, 2005, 08:14:56 pm »

Quote from: marko on March 05, 2005, 02:55:12 am

Is this a hint that you plan to develop the plugin further?

Well I at least want to get the bugs worked out

scthom · « **Reply #9 on:** March 12, 2005, 04:43:25 pm »

I see that Oblong has posted his plugin on the JRiver Plugins page, so we now have a complete set of FLAC plugins. Thanks, Oblong!

Noman · « **Reply #10 on:** March 13, 2005, 12:09:41 pm »

Great work. If I only get it to work it will be even greater....

Can't find it after I've installed it. What am I doing.. or not doing ?

paulr · « **Reply #11 on:** March 15, 2005, 04:55:30 pm »

Thanks for working on this!

I installed it from the jrmediacenter.com website. However, it is not showing up as an option in the encoding options dialog. Is there something else I need to do besides installing the package?

Thanks!
Paul

scthom · « **Reply #12 on:** March 15, 2005, 10:34:43 pm »

Noman & Paulr:

Check your plugins directory to make sure it downloaded right ... it's most likely something like "D:\Program Files\J River\Media Center 11\Plugins". Look for the file Enc_FLAC.dll. If the file is there, it downloaded to the right location.

I have only tested with MC 11 ver 201 and earlier. Check to see if there are any plugin installation issues with later versions (I'm not currently aware of any, but I am not following all of the latest beta issues).

If you have the file, you can manually register it to your registry by running regsvr32 on it ("regsvr32 Enc_FLAC.dll") from the plugins directory. Then, when you start MC, it will automatically find it. That's all the mjp file does anyway.

If you are using the decoder as well, similar instructions will apply, except the filename is "in_FLAC.dll".

paulr · « **Reply #13 on:** March 16, 2005, 01:20:16 am »

Thanks for the response.

The file is there. I manually registered it per your instructions and I am still not getting the option. I'm wondering if something has changed (I'm running the latest beta - 11.0.214).

I have been using the decoder for playback for some time and never had any trouble with it aside from a few versions of MC that it wouldn't work with. But lately it has been working fine.

scthom · « **Reply #14 on:** March 16, 2005, 09:02:37 pm »

I think they have made some changes to plugin functionality in recent 11.0.2xx versions. For example http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=26527.0.

I have not tested on any version above 174 as of yet.

Their suggestion was to reset the options.

Maybe they can elaborate on what the changes were and if I will need to make any changes to the plugin?

JimH · « **Reply #15 on:** March 16, 2005, 09:12:59 pm »

It's only necessary to set any options you have for encoding. Here's the thread:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=26527.0

scthom · « **Reply #16 on:** March 17, 2005, 07:15:01 pm »

Quote from: JimH on March 16, 2005, 09:12:59 pm

It's only necessary to set any options you have for encoding. Here's the thread:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=26527.0

Ummm. Not quite. I just posted in that thread the exact problem. The recent versions are overlooking the IVersion 3 plugins. Not just mine, but also WMA Lossless and WMA VBR. I'm assuming the IVersion 3 plugins would still work if found.

scthom · « **Reply #17 on:** March 17, 2005, 07:31:28 pm »

I see from Matt's post in that thread that Encoders now require IVersion 4.

My FLAC Encoder is IVersion 3, so anyone who would like to keep using the FLAC Encoder needs to stay with MC 11.0.210 or less (or thereabouts, please try it to verify). Until JRiver releases the new interface requirements, I won't be able to update the encoder to match. Sorry!

John Gateley · « **Reply #18 on:** March 17, 2005, 10:53:07 pm »

Hi sthom, drop me an e-mail (gateley at jriver.com) and I'll try to tell you how the interface changed, it'll help me write the docs as well.

j

scthom · « **Reply #19 on:** March 18, 2005, 10:45:59 pm »

Quote from: John Gateley on March 17, 2005, 10:53:07 pm

Hi sthom, drop me an e-mail (gateley at jriver.com) and I'll try to tell you how the interface changed, it'll help me write the docs as well.

Done. Thanks for taking the time to offer that. I'm sure the other users will appreciate it as well when I get the encoder working

hitlin · « **Reply #20 on:** March 21, 2005, 07:27:46 pm »

Having a flac encoder/decoder will be very helpful. Since this is not a native format to Media Center, I assume that there will not be supportin Media Center for cover art with this format. Is that correct?

Having looked at a lot of options to build an easy to use, high quality system, I have not yet been able to find a way to get all the (in my opinion) most attractive pieces to fully function together.

I would like to use a lossless format (it doesn't much matter to me which one).

Here are the components I would like to link:

JRiver Media Center 11 with the Music Lobby frontend (supports only APE natively, which means that only APE files will display cover art?).

Squeezbox2, which streams most lossless formats (Apple lossless, Microsoft cda, flac), but not APE. Squeezebox 2 is not UpnP, but is controlled by the open source SlimServer program.

Thus, the new flac encoder provides a piece of the puzzle, but the remaining pieces are:

1) When the new flac encoder plugin is used in Media Center, will cover art be visible?
2) Is there a plugin for Media Center that can run SlimServer and thus the Squeezebox2?

If there is a positive answer to these questions, one could put together a really nice setup.

scthom · « **Reply #21 on:** March 21, 2005, 08:20:45 pm »

Quote from: hitlin on March 21, 2005, 07:27:46 pm

Having a flac encoder/decoder will be very helpful. Since this is not a native format to Media Center, I assume that there will not be supportin Media Center for cover art with this format. Is that correct?

Not true. The cover art function is independent of whether the format is supported "natively". Flac files have the ability to store the cover art inside if that is what you are asking. When used together, the two plugins (encoder and input) allow seamless use of the flac format with Media Center. You can put cover art inside the files if you choose or use the database/lookup method.

Quote from: hitlin on March 21, 2005, 07:27:46 pm

Having looked at a lot of options to build an easy to use, high quality system, I have not yet been able to find a way to get all the (in my opinion) most attractive pieces to fully function together.

I would like to use a lossless format (it doesn't much matter to me which one).

Here are the components I would like to link:

JRiver Media Center 11 with the Music Lobby frontend (supports only APE natively, which means that only APE files will display cover art?).

Squeezbox2, which streams most lossless formats (Apple lossless, Microsoft cda, flac), but not APE. Squeezebox 2 is not UpnP, but is controlled by the open source SlimServer program.

Thus, the new flac encoder provides a piece of the puzzle, but the remaining pieces are:

1) When the new flac encoder plugin is used in Media Center, will cover art be visible?
2) Is there a plugin for Media Center that can run SlimServer and thus the Squeezebox2?

If there is a positive answer to these questions, one could put together a really nice setup.

As described above, the cover art is visible. It can even be stored inside the file.
For # 2, not yet. I also have a squeezebox and am interested in seeing how they can be used together. Making the squeezebox more UPnP compatible is the likely answer, but it still means running both MC and SlimServer.

hitlin · « **Reply #22 on:** March 22, 2005, 12:54:53 pm »

Thanks, that's helpful.

Does your reply about cover art being visible in a flac file mean that this would also be the case in other lossless formats, or is it special to flac?

scthom · « **Reply #23 on:** March 22, 2005, 10:57:10 pm »

Quote from: hitlin on March 22, 2005, 12:54:53 pm

Thanks, that's helpful.

Does your reply about cover art being visible in a flac file mean that this would also be the case in other lossless formats, or is it special to flac?

It would depend on each format's definition. Most formats have a variable amount of padding in the front of the file for storing tags. Most are able to store the cover art inside this padding area. Flac is one of these. MP3 is another. I assume most other popular ones can as well.

John Gateley · « **Reply #24 on:** March 23, 2005, 12:35:43 pm »

For those following this thread: the new encoder SDK is now available (in MC Dev Zone)

j

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Author Topic: FLAC Encoder Plugin (Read 5514 times)