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Topic: REACT User Manual for Newbies (Read 3289 times) previous topic - next topic
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REACT User Manual for Newbies

Ok, I feel completely out of my league here, but I can't figure out REACT, nor do I know how to approach it.  I've searched for hours here and am still at a loss.  I know it's because I'm not familiar with audio codecs and command line writing, but I thought some caring fellows on here could give me (and others like me) some assistance. 

To begin, I am a newbie to the whole audio extraction/compression world.  I'm trying my hardest to learn and have been spending countless hours on here lately trying to learn.  I want to do things right, but the software to pull it off seems so unapproachable for me right now.  Which is why I'm posting this topic...

Is there an online tutorial out there that can explain how to set up REACT to work in various instances (like an online user manual for idiots)?

All the tweaking of the .INI discussion is over my head, currently, so I'll explain what I have and what I want and pray to God that someone answers me.  My experience on this forum to date is that people on here have been overwhelmingly generous with their giving of assistance, and I appreciate that immensely. So let's get started...

I have EAC.exe in C:\Program Files\Exact Audio Copy
I have REACT.exe in C:\Program Files\Exact Audio Copy
I have Wavepack.exe and Lame.exe in C:\Program Files\Exact Audio Copy\Encoders with all the other encoders in that directory (I didn't put them there, but it appears I now have them in that location.  I'm assuming REACT.exe did that when I extracted the .exe)

I have put a shortcut to the React.exe on my desktop.
I have added the encoder directory to the system environment viariables.
I have opened the React.exe and let it configure EAC to work with React.exe.

I have done nothing more because now I am lost and I tend to cause further damage when I aimlessly start messing around with program settings.  What do I do now to get React.exe to rip a CD to 2 seperate files in 2 seperate directories, with the push of one button, to create:

1. a Wavepack compressed image file (I have no idea which compression rating for Wavepack. Ideally something with the best time to compression/file size ratio so it does not take a rediculous amount of time to complete, but I do not end up with a huge file size) with cue sheets and tags (and anything else I may need for it as a backup lossless file) in F:\Music Lossless\Artist\Album\ and

2. Lame encoded MP3 files at setting -V2 --vbr-new (with appropriate tags, etc.) to F:\Music Lossy\Artist\Album\
I do not quite understand the difference between all the various gain adjusters either.  I know there is album gain, track gain, wave gain, etc., but I'm not sure if I should be adding a step in there for the MP3 files to be appropriately adjusted to be at similar levels, or if I should not adulterate the integrity of the files. Any help on this would be appreciated as well.

If this was heaven, and I could get anything I wanted, I would ask for a program that worked in the same process through REACT that embed album artwork into the tag that would work with my iPod. This would be the most ideal situation ever. I bring it up because I have heard a couple other people mention it on here.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.  I need babystep help (ie., if I need to adjust a setting in EAC or an .INI in a certain directory, I need to know specifically how to do that. I'm good with instructions, I just do not yet know my way around these programs.

I believe this would greatly benefit not only myself, but the large number of other newbies out there that want to be able to work with these programs as well.  It could also be posted on a Wiki later on as the guide developed.

Thank you very much!!!

REACT User Manual for Newbies

Reply #1 –
It should be quite easy for you to do this (except for the automatic album-art thing, because I haven't looked at that).

- Start REACT
- Hit Alt-F2 (notepad with the INI file appears)
- Edit in the INI  file.
Under [Settings], set
Config=WV_MP3

Under the [VW_MP3-image] section, set:
destdir1=F:\Music Lossless\$cdartist$\$album$
destdir2=F:\Music Lossy\$cdartist$\$album$

Also modify lame settings 'lame.exe -V6' to 'lame.exe -V2'  in the same section.

- Save the INI file, and close notepad.

Your MP3 files will be scaled to album gain level, which is in general the best way to do it.

Load your CD, and hit F10.
Make sure NOT to minimize EAC during ripping!

Hope this helped.

REACT User Manual for Newbies

Reply #2 –
Quote
2. Lame encoded MP3 files at setting -V2 --vbr-new (with appropriate tags, etc.) to F:\Music Lossy\Artist\Album\
I do not quite understand the difference between all the various gain adjusters either.  I know there is album gain, track gain, wave gain, etc., but I'm not sure if I should be adding a step in there for the MP3 files to be appropriately adjusted to be at similar levels, or if I should not adulterate the integrity of the files. Any help on this would be appreciated as well.
I'll try to explain... Album gain means that your album will have the same volume balance as the original had. Track gain means that all the tracks of your album will have realtively the same volume. WaveGain is a program that modifies the original wave file to desired volume level. The thingh which tycho means is that after you've ripped the tracks the original gain level will be calculated and then the originals with applyed your desired gain levels will be sent to Lame MP3 encoder so your MP3's will have the gain volume as you like.

If there is anything I've explained wrong please don't hesitate to correct me! 
Quote
Your MP3 files will be scaled to album gain level, which is in general the best way to do it.
Anyway I'd like to ask you why do you think so...? I think the best way is to apply MP3Gain after the MP3 encoding because when you want volume of your MP3 tracks to be as close to original but without clipping, there in no way to determine the right album gain to get that result...
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."

REACT User Manual for Newbies

Reply #3 –
My reply here.
I'm on a horse.

REACT User Manual for Newbies

Reply #4 –
Quote
Quote
Your MP3 files will be scaled to album gain level, which is in general the best way to do it.
Anyway I'd like to ask you why do you think so...? I think the best way is to apply MP3Gain after the MP3 encoding because when you want volume of your MP3 tracks to be as close to original but without clipping, there in no way to determine the right album gain to get that result...
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=343734"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

- A backup should retain the volume level, and simply store replaygain values as tags (e.g. the lossless wavpack image).

- The mp3 tracks are for playback (not backup), and should be as convenient as possible when you have a bunch of albums gathered on a DAP or whatever. As you know, RG album gain level from one CD to the next can differ with up to 10 - 15 dB, which would simply be annoying when you listen to multiple albums in sequence, or worse when listen to random tracks from all albums. Thus, I never want to undo the RG album gain of my mp3s tracks. I put the applied gain as a comment in the mp3s, though - just for curiosity.

- You could backup your albums to MP3 image+cue (lame -V2). In this case it makes more sense not to scale the input to album gain level, if you later want to restore it back to a CD (as good as possible with mp3).

REACT User Manual for Newbies

Reply #5 –
Quote
It should be quite easy for you to do this (except for the automatic album-art thing, because I haven't looked at that).

- Start REACT
- Hit Alt-F2 (notepad with the INI file appears)
- Edit in the INI  file.
Under [Settings], set
Config=WV_MP3

Under the [VW_MP3-image] section, set:
destdir1=F:\Music Lossless\$cdartist$\$album$
destdir2=F:\Music Lossy\$cdartist$\$album$

Also modify lame settings 'lame.exe -V6' to 'lame.exe -V2'  in the same section.

- Save the INI file, and close notepad.

Your MP3 files will be scaled to album gain level, which is in general the best way to do it.

Load your CD, and hit F10.
Make sure NOT to minimize EAC during ripping!

Hope this helped.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=343717"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Maybe you should end the instructions with:

Load your CD, and hit F10.
A pop-up window will appear asking you to "Save Waveform". Click "Ok". Now the process will begin automatically.  Also, remember to pay special attention to the footer of EAC after extraction, which will let you know if external compression is still running.
Make sure NOT to minimize EAC during ripping!

The reason I say that is I was unsure what to do when I hit F10 and a pop-up window appeared.  I assumed I had EAC incorrectly setup.  This may just be something with myself, but if it can help someone else get going, it might be nice to include it in the instructions.

Thank you Tycho for the assistance and thank you for creating this program.  Also, thank you everyone else (especially Synthetic Soul) for helping me get going.  Now I am up and running and just need to tweak it a little bit to my liking. 

If anyone has a way to additionally embed album art through REACT, so the album art can appear during playback in an iPod, please share or point me to the right post.  I've only been able to find posts with external programs. The one I'm currently using only works in iTunes and only works with one file or album at a time (iTunes AI BE).

REACT User Manual for Newbies

Reply #6 –
Quote
If anyone has a way to additionally embed album art through REACT, so the album art can appear during playback in an iPod, please share or point me to the right post.  I've only been able to find posts with external programs. The one I'm currently using only works in iTunes and only works with one file or album at a time (iTunes AI BE).
I know nothing about this as I don't own an iPod.  However, if these applications are command line apps then they could possibly be added to your REACT INI script.  YOur REACT INI can call any command line application - not just WavPack and ACDIR.

NB: I have posted to the other thread.  Yet again I think I/we may need you to stipulate what is happening that you don't want happening, and what isn't happening which you do.  Probably best to reply in the other thread, and maybe read the questions I have asked.  I think the scaling/normalisation issue is the main question really.
I'm on a horse.