Re: [PLUG] Music Formats

[Art Alexion <art.alexion@verizon.net>]

Michael D. Barlow wrote:

> On Wed, 12 Jan 2005 15:09:11 -0500, Carl Husa 
> <jabberwocky@luxsci.net>  wrote:
>
> > I'm brand new to ripping audio files.  Any experiences with or 
> > advice  about
> > relevant Linux software, audio file formats, and mobile players is
> > appreciated.
>
>
>
> I am looking at flac as my file format.
>
> Rio puts out a mobile player that supports this, there are also 
> several  component players.
I have been using flac a lot, and here are some considerations.  flac is 
lossless so the files are much, much larger than the standard 128 bit 
mp3s -- figure 20-60 MB per 5-10 minute tune.  At maximum lossless 
compression, the flac file is about half of the size of a wav  or cda 
file.  I generally burn the flac to CD (in cda format), and then convert 
it to ogg using oggenc for storing and playing on a rewritable source 
like a hard drive or player.  If I need the lossless again, I can re-rip 
the CD that I burnt.

I don't know how many of us have a computer based sound system of high 
enough quality as to discern the difference between lossless flac and 
lossy ogg and mp3 formats; I don't, and can't tell the difference on 
portables either.  Nonetheless, flac is superior on the stereo and in 
the car.  The other benefit to the lossless format is that you can 
re-rip and convert without further degradation.  Mp3s are like jpegs; 
every time you save them, the compression trims off a bit of the quality. 

I find ogg files to have better quality than mp3 at the same file size.

Oh, and flac files use the same tag format as ogg files.  EasyTAG is 
great in that area.


--

_______________________________________
Art Alexion
Arthur S. Alexion LLC
arthur [at] alexion [dot] com
aim: aalexion
sms: 2679725536 [at] messaging [dot] sprintpcs [dot] com

PGP fingerprint: 52A4 B10C AA73 096F A661  92D2 3B65 8EAC ACC5 BA7A
The attachment -- signature.asc -- is my electronic signature; no need for alarm.
Info @ http://mysite.verizon.net/art.alexion/encryption/signature.asc.what.html

Key for signed PDFs available at
http://mysite.verizon.net/art.alexion/encryption/ArthurSAlexion.p7c
The validation string is TTJY-ZILJ-BJJG.
________________________________________

Attachment: signature.asc
Description: OpenPGP digital signature

___________________________________________________________________________
Philadelphia Linux Users Group         --        http://www.phillylinux.org
Announcements - http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug-announce
General Discussion  --   http://lists.phillylinux.org/mailman/listinfo/plug