File Types, Directories and Conversion

[BEEMB]

 

Has anybody any thoughts on the following few items ?

 

1 - File Conversion ... firstly, what software packages are PC users using to convert files? I'm interested in converting my AIF files to something more usable with a Windows PC, having ripped them all on my Mac.

 

2 - File Conversion again - is it possible to lose audio quality when converting a file ? (Obviously I know that IS the case to a compressed format - but uncompressed AIFF to uncompressed WAV or FLAC ...) ?

 

3 - Having moved from a Mac to PC, I was wondering whether anybody had experienced issues importing their library into other packages. For example, iTunes does the job fine, but importing into Media Monkey the few AAC's I have are recognised fine, with album art included, whereas my AIFF's are not... It can play them quite happily but is unable to look up the album details etc ... I don't think its the directory structure - since the AAC's appear to be ordered the same ... any ideas ??

 

Think that's all for now. Really appreciate any answers ..

 

 

Matt.

 

[PeterSt]

1 - At least you can play AIFF now in XXHighEnd (since last Sunday, as promised :-)

The only thing left out so far is File Conversion which would be able to convert all your disks and directories in one (batch) go once you would have setup "Galleries" properly (which is a 10 minutes work for, say, 10,000 albums). But of course this is of not much use when you can just play AIFF.

 

2 - Not really. However, it depends on the software used, which can contain errors or doesn't take into account everything which should be taken into account (like properly maintaining the bit depth etc.). An example of such an IMHO lousy program would be "Super" which just calls existing modules all over and converts without visible errors, but just destroys.

 

3 - I think that depends on the explicit support or not. But hey, you guessed that.

You could say that the more a player allows importing "libraries" from other players, the more it tries to (commercially) steal.

 

Hope this helps you at least a little.

Peter

 

[BobH]

Hi Matt

 

1. File conversion - Today's really unhelpful advice is - you pays your money and you takes your chance! If it was me and I had the originals, I'd rip 'em again! Maybe not what you were hoping to hear but that's about the only way you'll ensure best quality. IMHO.

 

2. Yes. For a zillion reasons all too geeky to go into!

 

3. wav is Windows standard pcm audio file format. Aif the same for the mac. As I understand it, (and someone please correct me if I'm mistaken!), neither format supports the use of meta data.

 

Meta data is, essentially, data that describes data and is appended to files in order to provide further information about the file in question. Each file type will have its own way of appending any meta data it allows. A program may be able to read, and use, this data or it may be able to ignore it and just use the data or it may not know what to do with any of it and refuse to use the file. It depends on what the programmer has implemented.

 

So, an apple lossless file, for instance, allows meta data to be added to the file - album art, artist name, who made the coffee, etc. This data then becomes part of the file and therefore travels with it.

 

iTunes, Media Monkey, Wav's 'R Us, etc , may well go off and get info, about wav's/aif's in its library, which it will place in a data base and use, in the appropriate place, within the library. It will all look the same to the end user. The big difference is that this data cannot be appended to the wav/aif. So if you move you files to another platform/program the meta data does not go with them. All you have is the file names.

 

So, if your library is ripped to wav or aiff, any supplementary info your player has gathered, or you have entered manually, will be held in a separate database and will only be good for that particular program.

 

[BEEMB]

 

Thank you both for your answers.

 

I'll keep my files in their current format I think.

 

Peter -sounds like you've been working hard then .. !!??

 

[PeterSt]

One of the big problems for a guy like me, is that there just *is* meta data (or can be anyhow) in WAV. Why ? because stupids just do it. One of the stupids is M$ with WMP.

Once you know how to deal with it, the file will play. But it's an undoable task to sort out the layout of it all, hence support it. And thus, putting your stuff in the file itself only works for the players supporting it.

But it's not much different with the libraries.

 

IMO one of the best means for meta data is FLAC. There too meta data can be held, but it's a (known) standard so everybody can use it. But AGAIN it doesn't work, because now I *must* have FLACs.

 

XX takes distance of it all, and allows the meta data simply to be stored in the album's folder, or in an adjacent separate folder. As much as you want. So there's no such thing as a library or other explicit means, and this too always travels with the album (yes, with the *album* not the track(s)).

 

Peter

 

[Lizard_King]

Use DBPower Amp Music converter with all it's plugins to convert to and from all the great LOSSLESS formats!

 

Use J. River Media Center from your player!

 

 

 

[BEEMB]

 

I'm using DBPower Amp if/when I need it.

 

In terms of my main player - as I've said, I'll try many till I'm happy.

 

I have some free time this weekend, so: XXHighEnd gets a run, JRiver gets a run too .. my brother has just bought some Mackie HR624s so I wish to hear them too.

 

I've only just noticed that JRiver can operate in a "Media Centre" FrontRow type mode which I really miss from the Mac. Is it any good in that respect ??

 

[KeithL]

Squeezecentre recognizes extra data from AIFF files, just as if they carried meta data.