Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Hdtvman]

It seems my friends want to use FLAC, a lossless encoder similar to Monkey's Audio.  However MJ doesn't have a plugin available yet.  Will a plugin for FLAC be available shortly?

[JimH]

At this point, the only lossless codec MJ supports is Monkey's Audio.  Sorry.

[Nikolay]

Hdtvman,

I have couple of questions:

1. What is the ULR for the FLAC format, we will contact the author and see if he will write a plug-in for MJ.
2. What's the difference between APE and FLAC? Why do you want to use FLAC instead of APE?

Regards,
Nikolay Sokratov
CTO, JRiver, Inc.

[Veken]

http://flac.sourceforge.net/

It's an open source lossless coded.

that's really all i know.
for more info see www.hydrogenaudio.com

[sekim]

That should be :

www.hydrogenaudio.org

Think this is where Trelane hangs out once in a while.

[Michel]

> Why do you want to use FLAC instead of APE?

A good reason could be that FLAC is multi-platform (not only windows). Another one is that FLAC is an Open Source format. I have no concern to use non-Open Source software but I have concern to use non-Open Source format (for that I am switching on ogg/vorbis).

On the other hand, since they are lossless compression methods, there is no problem to convert later if needed (that could take a lot of time though).

See http://flac.sourceforge.net/comparison.html for a comparison between FLAC and other lossless format.

[Hdtvman]

I see that your questions were essentially answered.

I need to use FLAC because others have sent me FLAC encoded material that I want to hear.  I can decode it and re-encode it with a format the M-J uses but I would rather not do that.  I have used M-J for a couple years now and I like it.

Since FLAC is open source code and multi-platform, can you download the source from sourceforge.net and see if M-J can support it?

There is a dll file that I use to play FLAC files in Winamp.  Can I put this dll file in the M-J plug-ins directory and use it to play FLAC files?

Thanks,

Hdtvman

[claudio]

Hi Hdtvman,

yes, if there is an input plugin for Winamp you should be able to use it in MJ for playback. Open the plugin manager, and then click on Add Plug In and load the dll

Claudio

BTW APE-Monkey Audio is also open source for those of you that are interested

[BigMike]

Here's a stupid question from somebody that doesn't know much about encoders: What does "lossless encoder" mean? Does it improve the sound? Make smaller files? I don't have a clue

[joe|PLS|mama]

The FLAC Winamp plug-in seems to work pretty well.  When you try tagging, it gives a warning about not being able to update the tag, but appears to save the info anyway.

"What does "lossless encoder" mean? Does it improve the sound? Make smaller files?"

There are two types of encoders, lossy (mp3, mpc, ogg, wma, aac) and lossless (flac, ape, lpac, and others).  If you are encoding a .wav file, for example, a lossy encoder analyzes the audio data and decides which parts are inaudible and can be thrown away and which parts to keep.  That's how a 60mb .wav can be compressed down to a 6mb mp3.  More and more data gets thrown out as you increase the compression rate, but then you are more likely to notice differences in the way the compressed file sounds when compared to the original.

A lossless encoder compresses a file without throwing out any audio data, but probably the most compression you can get is about 50%.  So, a 60mb .wav would probably be somewhere around 30-35mb (Monkey's Audio generally gives the highest compression rates for a lossless encoder).  You should not be able to hear any difference between a lossless encoded file and the original.

[joe mama]

Also, the Winamp plug-in only allows playback of FLAC files, you cannot encode using MJ.

[BigMike]

Thanks for the explaination Joe Mama. That helped.