INTERACT FORUM
More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 18 for Windows => Topic started by: bannonb on November 21, 2012, 02:06:43 pm
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I may need coaching in using "Drives and Devices". I want to use itunes to synch to my iphone and ipod, so:
I created a directory (virtual device) for synching with MC17.
I set options to have allowed filetypes of .m4a and .mp3
File conversion set to mp3 and set encoder to CBR/ABR encoding of 256kbps bitrate.
Argument shown in dialog is lame.exe --preset 256. I click OK to save those changes. Then I synch.
It properly copies all m4a songs into the directory, and my big FLAC files are converted and copied as mp3s...so far so good.
When I look at individual songs that were converted though, I find that the properties shows that the encoder setting is variable bitrate with -V 5 switch and one song (among many) is now showing a bitrate of 136Kbps. I checked this with DBPowerAmp "autido properties" and Windows properties-details. This is quite different than I set in the dialog above.
I would like to convert all non-mp3 and non-m4a files to mp3 and copy them to my "itunes only" directory at 256kbps bitrate. I would like existing mp3s and m4as to copy with no change. I think I am close, but need the settings dialog to be followed...
Could someone comment? Any hints? I am attaching a screen shot showing the encoder settings, then the file properties.
Thanks for the review and/or advice.
BannonB
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Bumping for assistance...
Can anyone comment? JimH or Matt? Encoding appears not to be doing what I think I told it to do...
Help is appreciated.
BannonB
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I believe this is a support issue so I am posting in the forums to get assistance.
So far 0 responses.
I have tried every combination of cbr vbr encoding with lame and always get the same result...very low bitrate conversions.
I have removed and re-created the virtual device and retried. Same result.
Can someone please help here? I am willing to experiment.
Thanks,
BannonB
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In MC's encoding options, there are encoding settings for ripping, conversion, and sound recorder. Make sure you're setting the right one.
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Thanks JimH.
I didn't know that there were 3 capabilities there...
-Ripper encoding is set to FLAC
-Conversion encoding is set to mp3 -V 0 --vbr-new
-Sound Recorder is set to mp3 -V 0 --vbr-new also
In the HH synch, I set conversion settings to mp3 and -V 0 --vbr-new
When I hit "synch now" on a playlist of flac files, it succeeds, but generates mp3 files with bitrates from 105 to 150 kbps. Audio property details show that encoding was done with vbr -V 5 parameters...
My experience here is making me believe that the dialog is not passing the paramaters I want.
Your help is appreciated.
BannonB
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I've tried to reproduce this (using MC18), but I get files that average about 256kbps with those settings.
Since it's ABR, I suppose a few files could come out lower or higher. The album I tested ranged from 246-251.
So I can't explain what you're seeing. Maybe you could add a new device and see if it still happens on a second device?
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If I should update to MC18 I will. I hoped to wait until you considered it stable. I understand that it's easier to support one version, but 17 should be supported and fixed until you release 18 in GA form (my 2 cents).
I added a 2nd device and am getting the same exact results. I place -V 0 or --preset cbr 256 into the dialog and the files all show -V 5 as encoding options...
If I uninstall MC17 and reinstall it, will it keep all my settings? All else seems to work ok, but this one feature is my barrier to end to end success.
BannonB
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I place -V 0 or --preset cbr 256 into the dialog and the files all show -V 5 as encoding options...
Your screenshot shows that you've selected 'CBR / ABR Encoding' so any text entry is ignored.
Could that be the issue?
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Sorry, I've referred to multiple option sets.
I've tried every setting in that dialog...that group of dialogs was to show that I set as CBR/ABR (not custom) and still the resultant file properties show the -V 0 option.
By the way, the gogo item worked first time (256k avg). lame however has been my bane.
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In order to help the cause, I installed and ran MC 18. Painless, works fine. I guess I'll stay on that. Now the troubleshoot is for the current beta/flagship platform.
I still get the exact same behavior.
I validated that conversion settings in options-encoding were still set for file conversion to mp3 variable extreme.
Also validated handheld synch options reflect the variable extreme setting.
I am converting about 5 albums of flac files with varying sample rates, bitrates and bit depths.
Files still all show they were encoded with -V 5 parameters...
Using the right-click convert format menu item works just fine, the file properties shows -V 0 as expected.
Now to understand why that pesky handheld synch conversion doesn't do the same thing...
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I also tried using lame as an external encoder with parameters: %IN %OUT -V 0
I get the same -V 5 encoded files.
***Should this be moved to the MC18 topic area since this is happening on MC18 and that's what I need support on?
BannonB