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Topic: Fraunhofer Surround Sound MP3 Encoder (Read 8999 times) previous topic - next topic
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Fraunhofer Surround Sound MP3 Encoder

I notice in another thread that this is one of the encoders to be tested in the autumn listening test. Rather than taking that thread off-topic, I'll post my question here.

I downloaded the encoder and wanted to try it out. However, when I attempt to use it be selecting a WAV file, it says it requires a 6 channel WAV for input. All of my WAV files are 2 channel.

#1 How can the encoder be used to create a standard 'non-surround' MP3 file from a 2 channel WAV input???

#2 Has anyone integrated this encoder with Foobar yet? It would be nice to convert directly from Lossless to MP3 rather than converting 1st to WAV in Foobar (losing all tag info) and then using the stand-alone application to convert the WAV to MP3.

Fraunhofer Surround Sound MP3 Encoder

Reply #1 –
Download this Win32 command line encoder: Fraunhofer IIS mp3surround command line utilities, it does accept 2ch wav input.
Extract it to the foobar2000 directory and double click on mp3sEncoder.exe, you'll need to accept their license first.
Setup fb2k converter as follows:
- go to Preferences -> Converter page
- click Add New
- choose Encoder -> Custom and change all the needed parameters (see below).

Encoder: mp3sEncoder.exe
Extension: mp3
Parameters: -if %s -of %d -br 128000
Format is: lossy
Highest BPS mode supported: 16
Encoder name: MP3 surround (FhG)
Bitrate: 128
Settings: 128k

Fraunhofer Surround Sound MP3 Encoder

Reply #3 –
A-HA! I mean, OMG!

It supports VBR!

Encoder: mp3sEncoder.exe
Extension: mp3
Parameters: -if %s -of %d -br 135000
Format is: lossy
Highest BPS mode supported: 16
Encoder name: MP3 surround (FhG)
Bitrate: 135
Settings: 135k

Code: [Select]
Bitrates:
----------------------------------------------------
128     ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||       78.1%
160     |||||||||||                                    21.9%
----------------------------------------------------

Type                : mpeg 1 layer III
Bitrate             : 135
Mode                : joint stereo
Frequency           : 44100 Hz
Frames              : 10687
Length              : 00:04:39
Av. Reservoir       : 350
Emphasis            : none
Scalefac            : 7.5%
Bad Last Frame      : no
Encoder             : FhG (fastenc)
Lame Header         : No

--[ EncSpot 2.0 ]--[ http://www.guerillasoft.com ]--


Also SS(8.5%) and MS (91.5%) frames are used.

Fraunhofer Surround Sound MP3 Encoder

Reply #5 –
Thanks Egor!!!!

Quote
Parameters: -if %s -of %d -br 128000
Format is: lossy
Highest BPS mode supported: 16


May I ask what the parameters you have listed do? (with the exception of the bit rate number, I get that one)

Also, why 16 and not 24 as the highest BPS?

FYI - I am testing the encoder at 192 kbps, I used your parameters except I changed 128 to 192

Fraunhofer Surround Sound MP3 Encoder

Reply #6 –
Quote from: Sebastian Mares on
That is a weird VBR mode.

No, it's called constant rate coding, used for two different purposes:
1 - emulating free format without using free format
2 - asynchronous operation mode
(LAME does not support these)

Fraunhofer Surround Sound MP3 Encoder

Reply #7 –
OK, I understand what you mean with 1, but what do you mean with 2?

Anyways, I think this is something pretty uncommon and not the kind of VBR I would expect.

Fraunhofer Surround Sound MP3 Encoder

Reply #8 –
What's able to playback these mp3's in surround??
Can't wait for a HD-AAC encoder :P

Fraunhofer Surround Sound MP3 Encoder

Reply #10 –
Quote from: ezra2323 on
May I ask what the parameters you have listed do? (with the exception of the bit rate number, I get that one)

Also, why 16 and not 24 as the highest BPS?

FYI - I am testing the encoder at 192 kbps, I used your parameters except I changed 128 to 192

The parameters are input file, output file and bitrate. 16 is because mp3sEncoder.exe doesn't accept higher bit depth (btw it accepts 6-ch input).

Try to test this encoder at 128k. I, too, can hear obvious artifacts with "Bon Jovi - Last man standing", but it reaches 299 kbps with lame -V0 (the highest -V0 bitrate I've seen).

Edit. The pop song I tested @128 was Eros Ramazotti - Calma Apparente

Fraunhofer Surround Sound MP3 Encoder

Reply #11 –
Quote from: Sebastian Mares on
Anyways, I think this is something pretty uncommon and not the kind of VBR I would expect.

This is supposed to be a kind of CBR, not VBR.
FhG is using this since a long time in the old mp3enc (perhaps even l3enc) when encoding @20kbps, where is switches between 16 and 24kbps to reach 20kbps.