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[Jonas]

When I transfer music to a mobile phone, I'd like to make sure that no files have a bit rate of more than 128 kbps, but leave files with lower bit rates (typically audio books) as they are.  Is this possible?

As far as I can tell from the manual as well as some experimentation, the "convert if necessary" setting leaves low-bitrate files alone but sends high-bitrate files to the phone as they are (at up to 320 kbps which takes a lot of space), while "convert always" will re-encode high bitrate files to 128 kbps (or whatever I select) but will also unnecessarily re-encode 64 kbps files to 128 kbps.

[JimH]

"convert always" will re-encode high bitrate files to 128 kbps (or whatever I select) but will also unnecessarily re-encode 64 kbps files to 128 kbps.

I believe that's not the case.  It should leave them alone.  But just try it to see.

[Jonas]

Well, I did some experimentation yesterday and a 2 MB file at 56 kbps became more than 4 MB when it was transferred to the phone.  I didn't explicitly verify the bit rate but it seems consistent with converting from 56 to 128 kbps.

[mlefebvre]

Well, I did some experimentation yesterday and a 2 MB file at 56 kbps became more than 4 MB when it was transferred to the phone.  I didn't explicitly verify the bit rate but it seems consistent with converting from 56 to 128 kbps.

I conquer. I transfer all my tunes to my iPod to be at no more than 192 kbs, but all the 128 kbs tunes that get transfered to the iPod (and the handheld cache) are converted to 192 kbs....

Michel.

[Sauzee]

would be great to get this fixed. as far as i can see everything gets converted, even existing 128kbps files.

[Matt]

Convert if necessary only looks at file type, not bitrate.

It may make sense to have a bitrate check in the convert options as well.  Something as simple as:

Don't convert if files are below: xxx kbps (where you pick the kbps)

Let us know what you think.

[Sauzee]

great idea. i think that would do it.

[mlefebvre]

Convert if necessary only looks at file type, not bitrate.

It may make sense to have a bitrate check in the convert options as well.  Something as simple as:

Don't convert if files are below: xxx kbps (where you pick the kbps)

Let us know what you think.

That would be perfect Matt.

[Matt]

Build 204 and later includes this option.

[mlefebvre]

Matt,

How can I get build 204?

Thanks!

Michel.

[Matt]

Hopefully it'll be out of testing this week.  Just check back here later this week.

[mlefebvre]

Shall do...

Michel.

[Jonas]

Hi,

What I can find in the options now is "convert unsupported formats and high bitrates", and according to the help this is used to "convert the files whenever they are in a format or include a bitrate your device does not support". 

1) How does MC know what bitrate my device supports?  All it knows is that I have a memory card that will be inserted into a phone.

2) What I was looking for was a way to specify a maximum bit rate that may be independent of what the device *supports*.  In other words, even if a device supports 320 kbps MP3 files, I may still want to convert to a maximum of 128 kbps.  In this specific case I want a maximum of 80 kbps using Nero Digital as an external AAC encoder, because memory is limited and higher bit rates don't provide much improvement on a cell phone.  Is this possible?  If so, I can't find the option.  Note that MC probably doesn't even know what bit rate I'm converting to, since that is specified on the command line of an external encoder.

I just tested with my current settings, which include "convert unsupported formats and high bitrates", and MC sent 240 kbps MP3 files unmodified to the phone, using three times as much space as if it had converted the files first.

I don't want to convert files unconditionally because I also want to sync some audio books that are stored in 64 kbps MP3 format on my hard disk and there's absolutely no point in trying to upconvert them to 80 kbps HE-AAC format...

Right now it seems my only option is the following:

1) Remove all audio books from the sync list
2) Set options to "delete from handheld" and "convert unconditionally"
3) Sync
4) Add audio books to the sync list
5) Set options to "dont' delete from handheld" and "never convert"
6) Sync

Am I missing something obvious in the option dialogs?

[Alex B]

I don't think it checks the chosen encoding settings anyhow. Some devices are known to support only certain maximum bitrates (e.g. WMA 192 kbps). This value may be preconfigured in MC's internal device list. During a sync MC checks the bitrate value of the source file and uses conversion when needed.

A memory card is defined only as a disk location and it does not have any preconfigured specs.


Here's a feature request:

Make possible to add the maximum allowed bitrate for each format in the "Supported Types" handheld option. This bitrate value would be taken into account when the "Convert Unsupported Formats and High Bitrates " option is selected.

For example, a list like

mp3(160);wma(191);m4a

would
- convert mp3 only if the bitrate is more than 160 kbps
- convert wma only if the bitrate is at least 192 kbps (this would be very useful it the user has lossy and lossless WMA files)
- not convert m4a

[Jonas]

mp3(160);wma(191);m4a

would
- convert mp3 only if the bitrate is more than 160 kbps
- convert wma only if the bitrate is at least 192 kbps (this would be very useful it the user has lossy and lossless WMA files)
- not convert m4a

Excellent suggestion!