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[thebigeast]

I'm wondering if there is a writeup somewhere regarding using Media Center to convert my FLAC files to Mp3 so I can transfer them onto an SD memory card I plan to install in my Samsung Galaxy Note 2? I've read a few things online after doing a search but want to ensure I do it right. I plan to leave the original file as is and not add the new destination file to the library. I'd like to do this as a batch and if possible, bring over the album art etc. I'll be playing the files using Poweramp.

Any help would be appreciated - thanks!

[MrC]

Search the forum for Handheld sync.  You can sync directly to the device (I believe, I don't have your device) or sync to a virtual handheld (folder) and then transfer.  Configure the Handheld to convert unsupported formats.

Edit: here's one link:  http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=75397.msg511028#msg511028

[thebigeast]

Thanks for the reply MrC. So what you are saying is instead of converting my FLAC files to Mp3 and then copying them to my SD card, I should sync/convert my music collection to the phone? I've read a number of threads now. One question. I know when using the convert function, there is a place to check if you want to leave the original file alone. I assume when using the sync function, the original file is left alone automatically and the convert function simply converts your music to the file format (Mp3 in this case) your device supports. Is that correct? Thanks!

[thebigeast]

Thanks for the reply MrC. So what you are saying is instead of converting my FLAC files to Mp3 and then copying them to my SD card, I should sync/convert my music collection to the phone? I've read a number of threads now. One question. I know when using the convert function, there is a place to check if you want to leave the original file alone. I assume when using the sync function, the original file is left alone automatically and the convert function simply converts your music to the file format (Mp3 in this case) your device supports. Is that correct? Thanks!

I'm also a bit unsure on what to choose to get the files to convert. I know how to set the options for the Mp3 decoder etc. But what do I need to put for mode? It has 4 options - do I have to choose a specific one for the files to convert? My Note 2 using Poweramp will play FLAC files and Mp3 files but I want to convert my entire music collection and that will only fit on my 64GB card using Mp3.

And this post appears it would be best answered in the Android forum - can it be moved there? Thanks!

[thebigeast]

Well - I just dragged a file using handheld sync and it converted it to Mp3 automatically - so I guess my settings are OK. And it showed up on my Note 2. If I wanted to move a FLAC file in its original format, what settings would I use in handheld sync? Thanks!

[thebigeast]

A few other things I've noticed after dragging the one file into my phone using handheld sync. I was using MC19 to do so and I still have MC18 on my computer as well. The mp3 files showed up along with my flac files in MC19 - only 2 though - my transfer was interrupted by my antivirus. I allowed the transfer in my AV and it worked fine. However, in MC18 - all the flac and mp3 files are now showing up under the album in MC - meaning MC is now playing the same song back to back - not what I want - I don't want the mp3 files showing up in MC - only on the phone. Also for some weird reason, MC19 is now only playing through my computer speakers as opposed to my external speakers connected through my Audioengine D1. Any thoughts?

Edit - I figured out why MC19 was not playing through my Audioengine D1 - it was not enabled for some reason in the options settings. I corrected that and it is now working.

[MrC]

There are two ways to convert:

   1. Library Tools > Convert Format
   2. Handheld Sync

Convert Format is a manual conversion tool.  Use it when you want to force conversion of files.  It includes options to include the converted files into the library.

Handheld Sync uses one or more playlists/smartlists to control which files are transferred, and the transfer is based on the settings configured in the HH profile.  This profile can include conversion, and the transfer to can to either a HH device or a folder.  It retains a list of already transferred files so future syncs are more efficient.

Which one you use depends on your needs, but the best way to learn is to experiment with what works.

Both of these mechanism will use a conversion cache it MC is configured to use it (it is by default).  The cache location / settings are defined in Tools > Options > File Locations > Conversion Cache.  I disable it, as I already create a set converted files via HH sync.

Each encoder has different profiles.  The four modes you ask about re. the MP3 encoder are four typical levels of quality vs. space, the standard trade-off with lossy encoding.

The duplicate files you see are probably because you used Convert Format and included the results in the Library.  You don't have to include these, but if you want to, you can just configure your views to exclude them, or separate them in the view for easy selection.  It really all depends on what you do routinely.  Again, experience will prove to be the best teacher.

As for your speakers, check the settings under Player > Playback Options.

[thebigeast]

There are two ways to convert:

   1. Library Tools > Convert Format
   2. Handheld Sync

Convert Format is a manual conversion tool.  Use it when you want to force conversion of files.  It includes options to include the converted files into the library.

Handheld Sync uses one or more playlists/smartlists to control which files are transferred, and the transfer is based on the settings configured in the HH profile.  This profile can include conversion, and the transfer to can to either a HH device or a folder.  It retains a list of already transferred files so future syncs are more efficient.

Which one you use depends on your needs, but the best way to learn is to experiment with what works.

Both of these mechanism will use a conversion cache it MC is configured to use it (it is by default).  The cache location / settings are defined in Tools > Options > File Locations > Conversion Cache.  I disable it, as I already create a set converted files via HH sync.

Each encoder has different profiles.  The four modes you ask about re. the MP3 encoder are four typical levels of quality vs. space, the standard trade-off with lossy encoding.

The duplicate files you see are probably because you used Convert Format and included the results in the Library.  You don't have to include these, but if you want to, you can just configure your views to exclude them, or separate them in the view for easy selection.  It really all depends on what you do routinely.  Again, experience will prove to be the best teacher.

As for your speakers, check the settings under Player > Playback Options.

Thanks for your comments MrC! The 4 modes I was talking about are listed under mode in HH Sync: Original, Specified output format, Specified output format only when necessary and Specified output format only when necessary (inc.high bit rates). The 3rd one is checked by default. I'm not sure which one to choose.

In terms of duplicate files, I was using HH Sync and unlike using Convert Format, there is no option to choose not to include the converted files in the MC library under HH Sync options. At least that I can see. I only want those converted files on my phone. I don't want them on my computer taking up space and I don't want any duplicate files that I need to remove or whatever. I've disabled conversion cache as you suggested.

Info from JRiver: There are two different ways you can sync.

1. Drag and drop -- Just open "Sync to Handheld" or "Sync to Portable" in the Action Window (lower left). Then select the files you want, and drag them to the Action Window. Repeat until you've got everything queued, then press the Sync button.

2. Playlist Sync -- Use MC's options for Handhelds (aka Portables) to set your choices. You can select your own playlists, or you can select categories like "All Audio". Once you have it set, choose Sync in the Action Window.

I used the drag and drop under HH Sync. I do not have any playlists or smartlists set up. I could choose "All Audio" which is what I want to do - have everything in my library converted to mp3 and deposited on my phone. But I don't want to go ahead and do that if every file will end up being duplicated in MC.

And I was able to solve the speaker issue by enabling my Audioengine D1 in the options menu in MC19 - somehow it was not enabled.

Thanks!

[MrC]

Ah, right, THOSE four options.

They allow you to:

1. transfer the files unconverted (as is)
2. convert always to a given format and transfer
3. convert only when necessary and transfer
4. convert only when necessary, or when bitrates are "high" and transfer

You want mp3 always, so you can use 2 if all you have are non-mp3's, or 3 if you have some mp3s you want transfer along with your converted FLACs.  Just specify that the device only supports mp3 (see the screenshot at the link above).

I can't recall if the Conversion Cache is included in the MC library - I think it is, and so you might want to disable it so that converted files are not included in the library.  Conversion can take long time for large libraries, and this is the reason a cache is useful.  I use my virtual HH as that cache, to later copy those converted files to the device as quickly as possible (the conversion is already done).  Your device will act as the cache, but they are usually much slower than local disk.

[thebigeast]

Ah, right, THOSE four options.

They allow you to:

1. transfer the files unconverted (as is)
2. convert always to a given format and transfer
3. convert only when necessary and transfer
4. convert only when necessary, or when bitrates are "high" and transfer

You want mp3 always, so you can use 2 if all you have are non-mp3's, or 3 if you have some mp3s you want transfer along with your converted FLACs.  Just specify that the device only supports mp3 (see the screenshot at the link above).

I can't recall if the Conversion Cache is included in the MC library - I think it is, and so you might want to disable it so that converted files are not included in the library.  Conversion can take long time for large libraries, and this is the reason a cache is useful.  I use my virtual HH as that cache, to later copy those converted files to the device as quickly as possible (the conversion is already done).  Your device will act as the cache, but they are usually much slower than local disk.

MrC - you mentioned a screenshot at the link above - what link are you referring to? How do you specify that a device only supports mp3's (even though Poweramp on my Note 2 supports Flac - I don't have enough room to store my entire collection on my 64GB card so don't plan to use it)?

And what do you mean by "virtual HH"? Is that a separate folder you set up? Could it be named Galaxy Note 2 or whatever I choose? Does it reside on the computer taking up space? If it is a separate folder, is there any reason to use the handheld sync as opposed to using the manual convert format option and then copying those files to the HH?

I've also read a number of threads talking about how HH sync is not that reliable. I really only plan to use it once. I don't buy new music much anymore, instead I use streaming services for the most part for new music. And with MOG, I can download some albums to the phone for listening. So while I'll add an occasional album to the library, I won't be syncing a large volume of new music in the future.

So it appears one option for me will be under HH options to choose: specified output format, with conversion option mp3 extreme, check "All Audio" under media types and under conversion cache - choose none. That should allow all my flac files in my MC library to be converted to mp3's and transferred to my Galaxy Note 2 without any duplicates showing up in my MC library and not creating another file on my computer with those mp3's inside taking up space on my computer. Does that sound correct? And just to confirm, doing it this way will leave the original flac files unconverted and in their original locations in my MC library - correct?

When setting up the sync as detailed above, the queue seems a bit off. Instead of the all the songs in a given album being completed right after one another, there are multiple circumstances of a song from another album being next in the queue etc.Is that normal? Any problems you can see which might come from that?

Thanks so much MrC - you've been very helpful in pointing me in the right direction!

[MrC]

See the link in reply #1 above.

[thebigeast]

Well, I just started the process to sync my whole library to the Galaxy Note and it got 4 albums in and then the process stopped and I started getting error messages. I was synching over 5000 songs. I've read some people had problems when synching over 3-4,000 songs.

Not sure what to do now. I may just choose some albums and sync them individually or try and do a few at a time by dropping and dragging.

Thoughts?

[astromo]

My thoughts are noted here:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=84146.0

If you've got a card reader, it may be more reliable to transfer to the SD card with it loaded directly to your PC rather than go via the Samsung unit. Personally, that's my plan from here on in until it's clear to me that the issues with transfer via MTP are resolved.

[thebigeast]

My thoughts are noted here:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=84146.0

If you've got a card reader, it may be more reliable to transfer to the SD card with it loaded directly to your PC rather than go via the Samsung unit. Personally, that's my plan from here on in until it's clear to me that the issues with transfer via MTP are resolved.

Thanks for your thoughts astromo! I'm trying right now to do 6 albums at once using HH Sync by dropping and dragging. It's possible the amount of songs in the queue is leading to the errors. If 6 works, then I'll up it to 12 and then 24 and see what effect that has.

I'm running 4.1.2 as well on my Galaxy Note. My initial plan was to use my card reader on my laptop and simply copy the files to it. However, I still would have had to convert them if I wanted to have my entire collection on my card. And I'm not sure if album art etc would have come over in a simple copy.

The first 6 albums I tried using the above method worked perfectly and are now on my Note 2. I'll start up again later today and report back my findings.

[Vincent Kars]

Sync is not the most stable part.
As my collection is too big for a SD card, I made a playlist
I had it cleared a couple of times.
Before I sync I lock it to avoid this.

Sometimes JRiver simple don’t “see” what is on the portable (Android)
It reports the device to be full, small wonder if it duplicates everything.
Sometimes reconnecting helps but most of the time clearing the SD is the only way.
Sometimes everything remains in waiting state.
A reconnect can help.
Might be a JRiver problem, might be an Android problem so let’s blame them both.
Sometimes it simply works.

A bit more: http://thewelltemperedcomputer.com/SW/Players/MC14/MC_sync.htm

[thebigeast]

Thanks for your link and thoughts Vincent! I went back to dropping and dragging in HH Sync in the latest MC19 today. Tried 12 albums at once and got a comedy of errors and cancelled. Then MC19 kept crashing so I abandoned it.

I then went on doing smaller drop and drags and that seems to be working in MC18. Although, MC18 has also crashed after doing one of the syncs. So it's not perfect there as well. Looks like I'll have to continue battling with it.

Who's at fault, I don't know. But it is up to JRiver to get it fixed. Hopefully, they can solve this problem once and for all pronto.

I've thought about switching to the Convert Format approach but that seems to create duplicate files that I'm not sure how to take care of. So for now, I'm dealing with the aggravation and difficulties. Or I could use some other software - Foobar etc - to convert my music collection and simply drag the files onto my phone - not sure if the album pics would come along doing it that way or not?

I'm really not that concerned with syncing my collection. Just getting my current library converted and onto my phone. As I said in other posts, I'll only occasionally add a new album and I could do a simple drop and drag when I do. Although, if the sync worked perfectly, I would be happy to take the benefits of that as well.

Cheers and best wishes to all those working their way through the same difficulties!

[Vincent Kars]

not sure if the album pics would come along doing it that way or not?

If the Cover Art is embedded in the audio file (Options > File Location > Cover art), in general it is displayed on the phone as well.
If not, you have to copy the cover art to the phone as well and check what the media player on the phone expects (e.g. Cover.jpg)