Topic: encode flac recommendations?

[Donnie L.]

 :-\Hi Taper folks,

I've recently figured out how to take my .wav files and encode them to flac files using taper's little helper.  I have some questions on what to do about that since there are many options and checks.

what level of encodement,  the default is 6 and the highest "quality" is 9 , what is the best way is 6 ok?

also , should I click on the "align sector boundry" option?

should I also " keep foreign metadata "?

I've noticed some flac files use a folder for each disc and some that have 2 or 3 discs worth of info in one folder...what's the best way and does it matter?

also for a text file can I simply use a mircosoft word document and put the folder onto the DVD that will hold the flac files....?

thanks a bunch for any replies in advance

Sincerely,

Donnie L.

[Gordon]

8 is best (there is no 9 unless it's changed).  I use 8, align on sector boundarys.  do not keep keep foreign metadata.  you can encode, test and make a ffp all in one step.

I prefer to keep all the files in one folder.  I hate when they are in different folders for each disc.


for text file use a word doc or just a simple text doc (right click > new > text doc.)

I also tag the flacs with foobar and tag and rename.  that is optional but a great thing to do

[Donnie L.]

hey thanks for the reply , very helpful

[greenone]

what level of encodement,  the default is 6 and the highest "quality" is 9 , what is the best way is 6 ok?

The encoder level just determines how big or small your FLAC file is; it has nothing to do with quality. Level 1 will yield a larger FLAC file than level 8, but 1 will encode/decode faster. The differences aren't very large, but there's no reason not to encode at level 8 - if you're so short on time as to need a level 1 encoding, you probably shouldn't be messing around with the live music hobby to begin with.

[OFOTD]

I agree on one folder and not multiple folders for each disc.

If I could make one suggestion though.

When you are making your text files please use note pad.  Or if you are going to use Word or WordPad make sure when you save the document that you save the text file in MS-DOS format.  It takes all the special character formatting out and just leaves a nice pretty text file that can be read by a few tagging programs easily.  The info files with formatting are a PITA.

I am pretty sure that things have been tested and tested and tested and posted about the size differences between encoding at the default 6 and level 8 were negligible.  I use 6.  When I started converting some complete Dead years from SHN to FLAC I tried to see the difference between level 6 and level 8.  On a 200+GB directory the difference was less that 10MB difference which over 200+GB is drops in the bucket.
 

[boojum]

FWIW - I do the whole deal from within fb2k.  Nice neat and easy.  I encode at level 8 always.  As I do not have to xcrank the computer by hand time means nothing.  The encode happens in the background.