Skip to main content ↑ ↓

Notice

Please note that most of the software linked on this forum is likely to be safe to use. If you are unsure, feel free to ask in the relevant topics, or send a private message to an administrator or moderator. To help curb the problems of false positives, or in the event that you do find actual malware, you can contribute through the article linked here.
Topic: Converting FLAC to MP3 on Ubuntu 8.10 (Read 7362 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Converting FLAC to MP3 on Ubuntu 8.10

Hey guys,

I've recently switched to Linux(Ubuntu specifically), and I've recently come to find out, there really aren't any "good" sound converters for Linux, or that I haven't found. There is Soundconverter, but the highest the bitrate it goes to is 256kbps. And most FLAC I've converted using Soundconverter, I have came out way below 256. On average they've came out to 159.

So I just read that Foobar2000 works pretty well on Wine(yes!), so I tried converting a FLAC track to MP3 with FB2k.

So, I load the FLAC song into Foobar200. Then right-click on the tracker and hit Convert. I then get taken to a window. So I set the output to MP3 V0(V0 or 320 is what I wanting out of Soundconverter), and then hit the Ok button on the bottom right on the window to start.

Then, another window pops up asking where I want to save it. So I pick the folder and hit Ok on that window. Then...another window pops up, and this is the window:




So I have no idea what a command line encoder is. So any advice what I should do with this window?

Thank you for any help. I'll really appreciate it.

Converting FLAC to MP3 on Ubuntu 8.10

Reply #1 –
you have to select the encoder i think so in windows it is normally lame.exe

Converting FLAC to MP3 on Ubuntu 8.10

Reply #2 –
Yes, download the encoder from e.g. Rarewares (the first item), extract the "lame.exe" file somewhere and point fb2k to it.
Full-quoting makes you scroll past the same junk over and over.

Converting FLAC to MP3 on Ubuntu 8.10

Reply #3 –
Success! Thank you so much guys! This worked. Finally, I can convert FLAC to V0 in Linux. I've been searching for a way to do this for two days now. Finally.

Now, if I want to convert FLAC to 320kbps, how exactly would I do this?

Do I go into Foobars settings to do this? Which would be:

File>Preferences>Converter...then when I hit Converter, a new window will pop up for the converter settings. Which there are no MP3 320kbps setting.

So, exactly would I input a setting for 320kbps? I'm only asking here because I'm sure you guys know what you're doing. I don't want to input the settings on what I think are right, convert a bunch of FLAC, then find out the settings are wrong.

Thank you for the help. I really do appreciate it.

EDIT: Ok, so I was looking at this, and the way I see to add a 320 option, is to go to File>Preferences> Converter. Then hit Add New. A new window will pop up then. At the top there will be a drop down box. I select Custom from that drop down box. Now another new window will pop up. Near the bottom of that new window there is a section named Display Info. Under Bitrate(kbps) I would put 320. And under Settings I would put CBR. But I don't think that's right, since that's only the Display Info.

Converting FLAC to MP3 on Ubuntu 8.10

Reply #4 –
You Need This In PARAMETERS:  -S --noreplaygain -b 320 --vbr-new - %d
thats it...

Converting FLAC to MP3 on Ubuntu 8.10

Reply #5 –
Thank you jahpal.

I'm guessing I just type that into the parameters(since there isn't option that I can choose) and I'll be good to go? I'm not at my computer right now so I can't try it out right now. But I'll try it tomorrow and post back.

Thank you again.

Converting FLAC to MP3 on Ubuntu 8.10

Reply #6 –
Quote from: h8uthemost on
Thank you jahpal.

I'm guessing I just type that into the parameters(since there isn't option that I can choose) and I'll be good to go? I'm not at my computer right now so I can't try it out right now. But I'll try it tomorrow and post back.

Thank you again.


you go to prefrences then scroll down to converter:

Encoder: Custom
Encoder: Point To Where The .EXE Is
Extension: mp3
Parameters: -S --noreplaygain -b 320 --vbr-new - %d
Format Is: Lossy
Highest BPS Mode Supported: 24
Encoder: Mp3 (Lame)
Bitrate: blank nothing
Settings:b 320, Fast

Thats It...

Converting FLAC to MP3 on Ubuntu 8.10

Reply #7 –
Ha! That did it. I can't thank you enough jahpal. And also  Yirkha and bowen_tk.

By the way, for some reason, when I right-click on the track, go to Properties>Audio...it only shows it as 318kbps. Not a full 320kbps. Not like it's a big deal or anything, it's still a great bitrate. I just don't see why it would show it as a 318.

Well, thank you to all that's helped me. I really do appreciate it.

Converting FLAC to MP3 on Ubuntu 8.10

Reply #8 –
Quote from: h8uthemost on
By the way, for some reason, when I right-click on the track, go to Properties>Audio...it only shows it as 318kbps. Not a full 320kbps. Not like it's a big deal or anything, it's still a great bitrate. I just don't see why it would show it as a 318.


The commandline previously suggested is actually based on VBR (the --vbr-new switch chooses the improved and faster VBR psymodel), but it is forced to a minimum bitrate of 320 kbps (which is also the maximum). The only exception allowed by that commandline is that complete frames of total digital silence (e.g. at start or end of track) can be encoded using 32 kbps frames. I'm not sure which VBR profile would be used, but it might be the default of -V 4, if an alternative like -V 0 isn't specified! One of the tabs in Foobar2000's Properties dialog (right click on track) might tell you the VBR profile that was actually used when none was specified. You might also try mp3repacker or winmp3repacker to see how much blank padding (unused space) can be losslessly removed from the file.

If you want true Constant Bit Rate (CBR) even for digital silence (e.g. because you have a non-compliant decoder that dislikes VBR) the commandline parameters for 320 kbps CBR (also known as --preset cbr 320 or as --preset-insane or --alt-preset insane or most simply -b 320)would be:
Parameters:
Code: [Select]
-S --noreplaygain -b 320 - %d


If you had another parameter that turns on VBR or ABR mode, such as --vbr-new, you can supposedly enforce CBR mode by using --cbr in conjunction with -b 320, though I'm not absolutely sure that CBR wins, nor do I really care as we ought to use the correct commandline rather than a conflicting one for normal encoding unless testing something.
Dynamic – the artist formerly known as DickD

Converting FLAC to MP3 on Ubuntu 8.10

Reply #9 –
Quote
but it might be the default of -V 4

And it is! So mp3packer can shrink such files ~ twice losslessly.

Converting FLAC to MP3 on Ubuntu 8.10

Reply #10 –
Quote from: lvqcl on
Quote
but it might be the default of -V 4

And it is! So mp3packer can shrink such files ~ twice losslessly.


This being the case, the original encoder parameters the were given have probably inadvertently produced a slightly lower quality file padded out to a much higher bitrate than the -V 0 --vbr-new version. The true CBR 320 kbps version in Post #9 ought to provide the highest quality possible with LAME MP3, though it may well be very tough or impossible to tell it apart from the padded -V 4 by listening.
Dynamic – the artist formerly known as DickD

Converting FLAC to MP3 on Ubuntu 8.10

Reply #11 –
Success! Thank you Dynamic. After putting in parameters you specified, my mp3 came out exactly at 320kbps. Finally...I'm happy.