On-the-fly burning FLAC to audio CDs, Any advantages to one method over another? Options

[gottogo99]

I'm aware of 3 methods of burning audio CDs from FLAC files immediately, without converting to .wav first:

1. Use fb2k with burninate plugin. Requires full Nero installation.
2. Use Nero with Mausau audio plugin.
3. Use ImgBurn with dsp-worx DirectShow filter.

I assume these all give the same result. Any advantages to one method over another? For example, the Mausau plugin is based on FLAC 1.1.0 which is pretty old. Will that eventually not work with newer versions of FLAC?

[Seiitsu]

I'm aware of 3 methods of burning audio CDs from FLAC files immediately, without converting to .wav first:

1. Use fb2k with burninate plugin. Requires full Nero installation.
2. Use Nero with Mausau audio plugin.
3. Use ImgBurn with dsp-worx DirectShow filter.

I assume these all give the same result. Any advantages to one method over another? For example, the Mausau plugin is based on FLAC 1.1.0 which is pretty old. Will that eventually not work with newer versions of FLAC?

There is a fourth method which is EAC and AutoFLAC( http://legroom.net/software/autoflac ).

FLAC 1.2.0 was supposed to allow for code changes that may along the line break backwards compability which would render older decoders unable to decode files encoded with encoders after that change, as far as I know that has not happened yet as I've had no issues with decoding FLAC 1.2.1-encoded files in any program.

This post has been edited by Seiitsu: Jun 25 2008, 14:14

[Skinjob]

How about Winamp? I guess technically Winamp converts the FLACs to WAVs before it starts burning, but it's a very quick process. Are you just looking for a one step process, or are you looking for something that actually starts burning as the FLAC is being decoded on the fly?

[MiD30s]

Good question, probably a test would tell you if you get the same result on CD. I was wondering if latest K3B does the job well...

[Juan C.]

None of this methods will write the right "write offset" of the burner. AFAIK only EAC is able to do this.

[gottogo99]

There is a fourth method which is EAC and AutoFLAC( http://legroom.net/software/autoflac ).

FLAC 1.2.0 was supposed to allow for code changes that may along the line break backwards compability which would render older decoders unable to decode files encoded with encoders after that change, as far as I know that has not happened yet as I've had no issues with decoding FLAC 1.2.1-encoded files in any program.

No, AutoFLAC converts to .wav for burning then deletes the temp .wav files. Nice program but not what I'm looking for.

How about Winamp? I guess technically Winamp converts the FLACs to WAVs before it starts burning, but it's a very quick process. Are you just looking for a one step process, or are you looking for something that actually starts burning as the FLAC is being decoded on the fly?

Never tried Winamp. Not really interested in having yet another player in addition to fb2k. I want immediate burning with no decoding; the 2 Nero methods work but I wonder about the old Mausau FLAC filter which is based on 1.1.0.

None of this methods will write the right "write offset" of the burner. AFAIK only EAC is able to do this.

You are correct but with a write offset of 6 samples, it's not an issue for me. I would use AutoFLAC if it was an issue.

[wrat]

Good question, probably a test would tell you if you get the same result on CD. I was wondering if latest K3B does the job well...

As of a few versions back ( Im not on my nix box) it would BUT neither of my car decks could read the discs properly the gaps were wrong or the indexing was bad

[xmixahlx]

k3b is another great option. using the ffmpeg input plugin you'll get support for other lossless formats like:
* wavpack
* monkey's audio
* tta
* shorten


later