Topic: ALAC Now Open Source

[Fried Chicken Boy]

So I'm happy to see this not because of fanboy love for Apple, but because I own Apple products.  If Apple won't integrate FLAC into their devices, this is the next best thing I guess.

I hear you.  "Something" is better than nothing, as the saying goes.

Umm... I think this is one of the reasons I own no iPod, no iPhone and no iPad.  The day Apple wises up completely and supports FLAC natively, as many others have (including my Android phone), I might consider buying their products.  But until that day happens, I'm glad to avoid using them. 

Agreed, lol.  The best way a consumer can speak is with their wallet. 

On another note, I remember reading a while back that ALAC only supports up to 16-bit/44.1.  Anyone know if this is actually the case?

[illconditioned]

Does anyone know the patent/IP issues?

For example, can a company produce software that decodes ALAC?  Encodes ALAC?

  Richard

[justink]

Does anyone know the patent/IP issues?

For example, can a company produce software that decodes ALAC?  Encodes ALAC?

  Richard

they can now!

[Fried Chicken Boy]

Does anyone know the patent/IP issues?

For example, can a company produce software that decodes ALAC?  Encodes ALAC?

  Richard

I have an old (2+ years) copy of Easy CD-DA Extractor and it can encode and decode ALAC.  It's a "paid" program so I'm guessing they give some money to Apple for the privilege of using the technology.

[scb]

On another note, I remember reading a while back that ALAC only supports up to 16-bit/44.1.  Anyone know if this is actually the case?

definitely not the case

[noahbickart]

ALAC supports up to 24/192. The codex had been reverse engineered more than 7 years ago. XLD for OSX can convert to and from ALAC to anything else (FLAC, MP3).

There is one advantage to ALAC. It seems to draw less power than FLAC making for slightly better battery life. However, file size is slightly larger than FLAC.

Both are 100% lossless. If you hear a difference between FLAC, ALAC, WAV, and AIFF- your computer is broken.

[scb]

XLD for OSX can convert to and from ALAC to anything else (FLAC, MP3).

xACT, too. 

[twatts (pants are so over-rated...)]

ALAC supports up to 24/192

Now we just need TLH to incorporate ALAC and we'll be set!

Terry

[Fried Chicken Boy]

Now we just need TLH to incorporate ALAC and we'll be set!

Terry

Or not.   It wouldn't be a bad thing to have that functionality in TLH.  Just speaking for myself, I don't have any reason to start using ALAC and don't see that changing any time soon.

[Todd R]

ALAC supports up to 24/192

Now we just need TLH to incorporate ALAC and we'll be set!

Terry

That's kind of what I'm hoping -- TLH or whatever people are using.  Pretty much everything I'd play music on (meaning 2 different squeezeboxes and a variety of apple products) play ALAC files, and moving towards ALAC would make things much easier on me.

I'm very close to bailing on FLAC and going to ALAC, the one downside is sharing shows.  If there are more converters out there for people to convert ALAC to whatever they use, maybe the Archive and torrent sites will start accepting ALAC files.

It certainly would be nice to only process one fileset, instead of needing to process 24bit ALAC, 24bit FLAC, and 16bit FLAC (and usually for myself 320kbs mp3's, or potentially AAC files). 

[OFOTD]

Just what we need another friggen codec that other more established codecs already do and most do better.   

FLAC is becoming entrenched finally.  More and more devices are supporting it.  More and more artists and record labels are supporting it.    The previous anti-digital/internet Beatles released their entire catalog in 24bit FLAC for chrissakes.

If you've got an iPod then Rockbox it.  If you have an iPhone then jailbreak it.  Both processes ARE reversible to stock factory OS and settings and they are LEGAL TO DO.    Both will allow you to play FLAC's of various bit rates.

Companies or organizations needing to pimp ALAC, WavPack or Monkey's Audio just sucks when there are already equal and better solution out there.    Hey let's confuse consumers even more.  No thanks!     

[scb]

i would have bet 1 million bucks that you'd eventually type that response

[OFOTD]

i would have bet 1 million bucks that you'd eventually type that response

I mean no company affiliation or company disrespect but I fail to see what ALAC brings to the table other than native iOS support.   As with the other codecs I mentioned (wavpack, monkey, etc) what is the benefit?   

Scoot you're obviously someone who has worked with codecs similar to FLAC.   What benefit do you see in the others?  What does ALAC bring to the table (besides the aformentioned iOS support)?

[scb]

Some formats offer features that I'd never use (ridiculously high sample rate format, bit depth or number of channels, for instance)

scroll down to "Technical Details of Lossless Audio Compression Formats"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_audio_codecs#Technical_details

(edited for typo)

[jibooer]

I like the idea of finally open-sourcing their proprietory products...the end-user should have a say in how they listen to their music after all.

However, I agree with most that having to convert your files really is a drag, and honestly I rather just throw the files on the device and be done with it, 24-bit or 16-bit. To this end, my solution thus far has been  the Aceplayer app which allows me to play flacs from Foobar running on my media server, albeit 16-bit only, but for an iphone and earphones, it is sufficient. The other alternative I have discovered is the FLAC player app: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flac-player/id390532592?mt=8.  Any cds that I rip to iTunes are always ALAC for convenience sake.