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[cepler]

I'm in the middle of converting all of my APE files into an MP3 library to use on my Archos Jukebox but the darn LAME process is sucking up all the CPU...

Is there a setting somewhere to adjust the encode priority?  It would be nice to have some control over this as well as possibly making external encoders not pop up a DOS box all the time.  EAC can do this, so why not MJ?

(I speak of MJ8 Beta of course)

[Sentient]

to make lame 3.91 not pop up a dos box just add -S to the command line.  It will operate LAME in Silent mode.  As for processor priority, I don't know, perhaps there are settings for default dos boxes that can be set???

[Doof]

ZRocker had written a little app that would let MJ use any external encoder without popping up a DOS box. I think it just minimized it, though. It worked pretty slick though.

Why don't you just use the MP3 encoder that comes with MJ8? That uses LAME and it doesn't have the popups.

Not sure about encoder priority, though...

[cepler]

Why don't I use the one with MJ8?  Well, I don't have the full control on the settings, so I don't trust what it's using.  I want to encode with --alt-preset standard, and it doesn't solve the priority issue.

What I'm hoping is that JRiver will implement these features in the encoder settings as I believe they're a very good thing to have, and many others have this ability already.  (It's not rocket science to implement this in Media Jukebox).

[Doof]

MJ8's MP3 Encoder allows you to specify your own command line.

[Doof]

For Quality, choose Custom, then click the Advanced button. You should get this



The funny thing is, it even defaults to the very command line that you want.

[cepler]

I have no problem specifying a command line option.  This does NOT however fix the problem of LAME sucking up all the CPU since it's running at 'Normal' priority, and the fact that the DOS box pops up in the foreground every time it runs.  These are the options I wish to see in Media Jukebox.  The ability to set the encode priority level (Realtime, High, Normal, Below Normal, Idle) and the ability to hide the DOS box on external encoders.  Was I not clear when I said this?

[Doof]

You were perfectly clear in expressing your desires. But maybe your reading comprehension skills could use a little work.

The option I just showed you is for MJ's MP3 encoder. This uses the LAME encoder to do the work, allows you to specify your own command line options and there are no DOS popup screens. All of your concerns (except for priority) have been addressed with the answer I gave you. Was I not clear when I said that?


I don't know if there's anything MJ can do to force LAME into a lower priority. LAME isn't their program.

[Sentient]

I am not even sure why you need to lower the priority.  LAME will use all available CPU cycles even if it is running at the lowest priority.  The critical word here is AVAILABLE.  LAME does not slow down the windows interface, other programs, or anything else I run.  I think it is because it is already at a low enough priority to operate unobtusively.  Remember, if you are doing nothing else with your computer, then you WANT LAME to use all remaining CPU so it gets done as fast as possible.

As a matter of fact I have successfully ripped a CD, browsed this site, and run two external Lames in dos boxes at the same time.  I have a pentium II running at 333MHz.  If your machine is faster or newer, you could do even more.

I don't think you have a problem at all unless you see it cause other programs to slow down unacceptably.  It looks like  you can get everything you want by using the version 8 lame dll with the command line setting as discussed above.

Have fun!

[cepler]

LAME does slow the system down when running at NORMAL and you're running other tasks at NORMAL as well.  The ability to easily set the encoding priority would be a nice feature to have, I'm not sure why my request for something so simple has been met with such resistance.  For the time being I'm using the included DLL since it appears to use LAME.EXE and I'm just setting MJ's priority to BELOW-NORMAL which the spawned LAME.EXE inherits.  It would be nice to be able to set this seperately as well as be able to specify a priority level with external spawned encoders.

[Doof]

Your request isn't being met with any resistence at all. It's you that's resisting our attempts to help you.