Fast Guide to using Ogg Vorbis w/Plextools, etc.

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Fast Guide to using Ogg Vorbis w/Plextools, etc.

2005-07-17 06:33:46

I've tried reading the various posts on this topic (including the sticky at the top) but just end up more confused than ever after reading them...

Can anyone provide quick, simple recommendations for using Ogg with Plextools and possibly a final encoder like OggDrop Xpd?

Plextools can encode directly to Ogg, but is it better to use Plextools to encode to WAV, and then use another program to convert to Ogg, like OggDrop Xpd?

What benefits are obtained from doing this? I know nothing of the various utilities available for use with Ogg Vorbis. Would using OggDrop Xpd provide higher quality audio than Plextools, or would it give you additional features like the ability to control relative volume between CD rips?

In short, what are the benefits and extra functionality you get for taking this approach? Is Plextools just fine by itself? It certainly is fast. Is OggDrop Xpd the standard for encoding with Ogg, or is another program even better?

I'm a novice and just want to rip with Ogg without getting too bogged down in the technical aspects. Please teach me the quick version of how to use Ogg with these programs.

Fast Guide to using Ogg Vorbis w/Plextools, etc.

Reply #1 – 2005-07-21 00:56:13

Quote

I've tried reading the various posts on this topic (including the sticky at the top) but just end up more confused than ever after reading them...

Can anyone provide quick, simple recommendations for using Ogg with Plextools and possibly a final encoder like OggDrop Xpd?

Plextools can encode directly to Ogg, but is it better to use Plextools to encode to WAV, and then use another program to convert to Ogg, like OggDrop Xpd?

What benefits are obtained from doing this? I know nothing of the various utilities available for use with Ogg Vorbis. Would using OggDrop Xpd provide higher quality audio than Plextools, or would it give you additional features like the ability to control relative volume between CD rips?

In short, what are the benefits and extra functionality you get for taking this approach? Is Plextools just fine by itself? It certainly is fast. Is OggDrop Xpd the standard for encoding with Ogg, or is another program even better?

I'm a novice and just want to rip with Ogg without getting too bogged down in the technical aspects. Please teach me the quick version of how to use Ogg with these programs.
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OggDropXPd is just the encoder. That is, it converts your wav into ogg vorbis. But you need to have the wav files first and for that, you'll need a ripping program like EAC or CDex, which will extract the wav files from CD. I'm not familiar with PlexTools but I assume it has a ripping function and probably a way of automating the vorbis encoding using an external encoder. If not, try EAC.

Fast Guide to using Ogg Vorbis w/Plextools, etc.

Reply #2 – 2005-10-21 02:01:02

This question was asked:

Quote

I've tried reading the various posts on this topic (including the sticky at the top) but just end up more confused than ever after reading them...

Can anyone provide quick, simple recommendations for using Ogg with Plextools and possibly a final encoder like OggDrop Xpd?

Plextools can encode directly to Ogg, but is it better to use Plextools to encode to WAV, and then use another program to convert to Ogg, like OggDrop Xpd?

What benefits are obtained from doing this? I know nothing of the various utilities available for use with Ogg Vorbis. Would using OggDrop Xpd provide higher quality audio than Plextools, or would it give you additional features like the ability to control relative volume between CD rips?

In short, what are the benefits and extra functionality you get for taking this approach? Is Plextools just fine by itself? It certainly is fast. Is OggDrop Xpd the standard for encoding with Ogg, or is another program even better?

I'm a novice and just want to rip with Ogg without getting too bogged down in the technical aspects. Please teach me the quick version of how to use Ogg with these programs.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=314002"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

While this is too late for the original question, it may be of use to others. The answer that was posted shortly after the question misses the point entirely.

Plextools is a program produced by Plextor for use only with Plextor drives. It will do many things, including in particular Digital Audio Extraction and encoding. Specifically, Plextools will rip from a CD to either a .WAV file or directly to an encoded file (including Ogg Vorbis). The Plextor CD readers have an unbeatable, and justified, reputation for accurate audio extraction (the CD writers and DVD devices are not as good at audio extraction as the CD readers; I don't know if they still have any advantages over other makes).

What I can say is that Plextools has a reputation as the only program as good as EAC at extracting audio and handling errors. So probably Plextools is as good or better than EAC for ripping. Also it is much faster, particularly if also used for encoding. The question I can't answer: is the Plextools Ogg Vorbis support as good as the best external encoders? And, if not, is the difference significant?

By the way, Plextools users may understand if I say that the freedb track titles show onscreen only if the title (~T) is included in the filename.

This will all obviously depend upon the version of Plextools used. Earlier versions were supplied free with Plextor drives; the current version (3.05 in October 2005) costs 12 euros.

Fast Guide to using Ogg Vorbis w/Plextools, etc.

Reply #3 – 2005-10-21 16:21:50

Quote

What I can say is that Plextools has a reputation as the only program as good as EAC at extracting audio and handling errors. So probably Plextools is as good or better than EAC for ripping. Also it is much faster, particularly if also used for encoding. The question I can't answer: is the Plextools Ogg Vorbis support as good as the best external encoders? And, if not, is the difference significant?

By the way, Plextools users may understand if I say that the freedb track titles show onscreen only if the title (~T) is included in the filename.

This will all obviously depend upon the version of Plextools used. Earlier versions were supplied free with Plextor drives; the current version (3.05 in October 2005) costs 12 euros.
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Wrong, Plextools Pro (currently version 2.25) is still supplied free with Plextor drives. What you mean is Plextools XXL, which you normally don't need if you just want to rip audio CDs. Considering Plextor's incompetence in implementing the encoding dlls, I strongly suggest using Plextools only for ripping and not for encoding. See e.g. the Plextools changelog for how many tries it took Plextor to simply implement LAME correctly. Plus, I have had a nasty issue with non-decodable FLAC files due to screwed up tags added by Plextools when ripping directly to FLAC.