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Topic: Generating multitrack-files from files with the same codec (Read 1634 times) previous topic - next topic
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Generating multitrack-files from files with the same codec

Through converter, using multi-track options, you can easily generate multi-track files with either embedded cue sheet (e.g. flac) or separated (e.g. mp3), depending on format support.
In case the input codec is the same as the output one, as fb2k goes through a conversion process
  • if input is loss-less it goes through a useless decoding/encoding
  • If input is lossy, then you have a quality loss (as warned by fb2k).

1) is a minor problem, but 2) does not allow to use multi-track for lossy format, unless you have the original loss-less one.
Is there a workaround?
I think that a solution might be to to have a null encoder/decoder, i.e. loss-less for lossy transcoding.

Generating multitrack-files from files with the same codec

Reply #1 –
mp3directcut can join mp3 files without encoding. i'm not aware of anything that does similar for other codecs.

Generating multitrack-files from files with the same codec

Reply #2 –
Quote from: marc2003 on
mp3directcut can join mp3 files without encoding. i'm not aware of anything that does similar for other codecs.


Maybe is naive, but as you can add encoder/decoder in foobar, if you had a null one, the problem would be solved ...
 

Generating multitrack-files from files with the same codec

Reply #3 –
I presume that by a null encoder you mean effectively concatenating the lossy streams end to end into a single file without decoding first. For most lossy coders, that's likely to break the gaplessness at the boundaries due to their fixed frame size and the fact that the files store a single offset and length pair of numbers. I think the problems are too big.

For staying lossy, mp3DirectCut supports mp3 and additionally AAC raw streams, not in the usual MP4 container (which you can then put back into a container after joining). I think both mp3 and AAC joining can be done only at frame boundaries, potentially making sample-accurate gaplessness impossible.

Obviously decoding the lossy, joining and encoding that losslessly will work with no further quality loss, but at higher bitrate - perhaps 800-1000 kbps. You could reduce bitrate somewhat by reducing volume (e.g. applying Album Gain to the default 89 dB target or with pre-amp of -6 dB or so) or by resampling to 32 kHz with little to no quality impact. That might bring bitrate to around 650 kbps.

There's also near-lossless like lossyWAV or wavpack lossy at 310-450 kbps or so and perhaps a little less bitrate if you downsample to 32kHz.

Or you could transcode to conventional lossy (preferably a different format with gapless support) at a reasonably high quality/high bitrate such as Vorbis -q6 or AAC around 192 kbps.
Dynamic – the artist formerly known as DickD