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: new Open Source mp3 Encoder from Helix Community (Read 226591 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

new Open Source mp3 Encoder from Helix Community

Reply #250
Quote
If I understood it correctly, the -U2 switch is optimized for Pentium III with SSE, not for a Pentium 4 with SSE2 and newer versions, right?


IMHO there's almost no point in using SSE2 in mp3 encoder.

new Open Source mp3 Encoder from Helix Community

Reply #251
And has the mystery been solved what all the other switches used in this thread actually mean?
I'd love to know the answer too. 
Sorry for my poor English, I'm trying to get better... ;)
"The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled, was convincing the world he didn't exist."

new Open Source mp3 Encoder from Helix Community

Reply #252
Is it possible to compile Helix on Linux? Seems like the source package on Rarewares is Windows only.
Would it be possible to implement the gapeless support of LAME in Helix as well, or this functionality is too much tied to LAME?

new Open Source mp3 Encoder from Helix Community

Reply #253
Hi all,

I registered to this site solely to say a big thanx for all contributors in this thread! I used Helix for many years, but recently ugraded my audio gear (heaphones, cell phone etc.) and found that my mp3's are somewhat flat and lifeless compared to original CD. This was not so apparent before (hmm) but after doing some FLAC/WAV comparisions it became obvious. I did some tests, tried different parameters, with mostly poor results. I was prepared to abandon Helix in favor of different encoder, when by coincidence I've found this thread. Finally there are the right parameters to be used!!! I did a quick tests and I couldn't hear any difference with the original CDs. Resampled all of my CD collection, it took me some weekends, but even in a car I can hear much better output than before - rich sound, dynamic, sparkle! I use CDex with Helix as a command line encoder and the workflow is really fast - much faster these days with better CD ROM drives, and it takes Helix just several seconds to encode a song :-)

Again, thak you all, and for another internaut I'll repeat the magic parameters combination: "-U2 -HF2 -V150 -X2 -SBT450 -TX0"

Myrra

new Open Source mp3 Encoder from Helix Community

Reply #254
In the interest of those interested in doing the same, how did you resample all of your CD collection?

Creature of habit.

new Open Source mp3 Encoder from Helix Community

Reply #255
It's pretty easy and fast once you've got the right setup :-)

Long time ago, b.c. (before children) I used CDex and Helix in conjunction. CDex is able to automatically query CDDB database and use extenal encoder (which is Helix in my case) to process grabbed WAV files. Even there is an option to make a playlist and eject CD when the work is done.

So basically:
- I downloaded CDex (it can be found anywhere on the internet for free)
- I downloaded Helix (v5.1 is the latest one, dated, ugh, 2005)

Setup CDex
- setup directories and paths:
  - create playlist: "Playlists\%1\%1 - %2", so it's directory "Playlists", subdir by artist and file is named by artist and album (checked "add files m3u playlist"). I know there are many "library" fnctions in players these days, but I prefer the old school way - best to play just a directory, not dealing with #$% mp3 tags...
  - filename format: "%1\%2\%7 %2-%4", so it's saved in directory named by artist, then album, and file begins with track number, followed by album and track name
- ripping set to eject CD when ripping has been completed, and select all CD tracks by default
- use external encoder <your_path_here>\hmp3.exe with these parameters: %1 %2 -U2 -HF2 -V150 -X2 -SBT450 -TX0
- auto connect to freedb database. I didn't change anything other in the default settings (there are still some obscure CDs I had to enter manually, but database covers 99%). You might need to setup proxy connection if there is any on your nework.

This way, all you have to do is insert a CD, CDex automatically reads track names and selects them, you click on "Extract CD tracks to Compressed audio files" (I haven't figured how to automate THIS), ripping begins and at the end, there is a pop up sound when CD is ejected... insert another CD, and so on. I have some drawers pretty filled up with CDs, but generally don't use them - I prefer to utilize a heaphones and player/cell phone in my pocket. Judging from the playlist filecount, I ripped about 140 CDs, and took me some 2-3 weekends to do it.

Surely there are many other ways but I'm glad to use my old one - good workflows take a lot of effort :-o

Myrra



new Open Source mp3 Encoder from Helix Community

Reply #256
"Unholy thread resurrection, Batman!"  I just read through it, also because of the last MP3 128 kbps listening test, and noticed that the embedded pictures of the speed comparisons by Nyaochi are gone, probably because he changed his website since then. So here is the latest version in English that I could find from late 2006:

http://nyaochi.sakura.ne.jp/encoder-benchmark/

If I understood it correctly, the -U2 switch is optimized for Pentium III with SSE, not for a Pentium 4 with SSE2 and newer versions, right? And has the mystery been solved what all the other switches used in this thread actually mean?


Links to those are here. nyaochi's encoder benchmarks

 

new Open Source mp3 Encoder from Helix Community

Reply #257
- use external encoder <your_path_here>\hmp3.exe with these parameters: %1 %2 -U2 -HF2 -V150 -X2 -SBT450 -TX0


Just to remind (myself), if using more than one work in filename/name, one has to add double quotes so that name is taken as a whole. Maybe I added this in my comment before and it dissapeared during parsing... anyway correct way is:

"%1" "%2" ... (double quotes around both parameter 1 and 2)

Myrra