Lossless iTunes for Linux Options

[agillis]

I am writing a script to convert FLAC files to iTunes. I need a way to encode files on Linux that work with iTunes. I haven't been able to get this to work yet. The format I use must be

1. lossless (I'd love to use Apple Lossless but theirs no encoder for Linux)
2. Have ID3 tags so the track info shows up in iTunes when you import the file (WAV is out)
3. I must be able to encode these files under Linux (no I don't want to use Wine or any way to run windows binaries under Linux)
4. Optionaly it would be nice is these files were the same size as my FLAC files (about 30% small then WAV)

How about AIFF? I have been able get the FLACs to AIFF but I can't get the ID3 tags to convert over.

I'm really stuck on this one. There has to be a format that works.

[jcoalson]

one more thing, it sounds like you are getting into distribution... note that pretty much everyone who is selling/distributing lossless is using flac and they usually have a faq somewhere that walks users through getting itunes and wmp to work. this has been going on for years so users must be getting it. at that point you also have a chance to move some of them to better software; there are lost of programs on mac and windows that support flac natively and do everything itunes does including ipod sync.

you can peruse some of the online stores for their verbiage about getting itunes and wmp to work.

[agillis]

one more thing, it sounds like you are getting into distribution... note that pretty much everyone who is selling/distributing lossless is using flac and they usually have a faq somewhere that walks users through getting itunes and wmp to work. this has been going on for years so users must be getting it. at that point you also have a chance to move some of them to better software; there are lost of programs on mac and windows that support flac natively and do everything itunes does including ipod sync.

you can peruse some of the online stores for their verbiage about getting itunes and wmp to work.

I working on the VortexBox Linux distro. We are trying to make it rip CDs to files that work with all players. I have a script that works now using ffmpg. I just need to validate it. I can rip a track to wav using cdparanoia then convert it to WAV -> FLAC -> Apple lossless -> FLAC -> WAV and it still has the same md5sum. So I think I'm getting someplace.

Here's another question. I am trying to rip a CD track with different software and get the same result. For validation. If I rip a track on windows using dbpoweramp to wav and then the same track using iTunes to wav the md5sum is different. I wonder why? this seems like a different thread.

This post has been edited by greynol: Nov 13 2009, 17:05

Reason for edit: Do not double-post!

[jcoalson]

I can rip a track to wav using cdparanoia then convert it to WAV -> FLAC -> Apple lossless -> FLAC -> WAV and it still has the same md5sum.

the ffmpeg alac encoding<->decoding should match, the question is whether itunes can always decode it. alac is proprietary, ffmpeg's reverse-engineered encoder may not be compliant, it may not always decode in itunes, apple can change the codec at any time and things break with a new version of itunes, etc. that's the risk you take.

[agillis]

the ffmpeg alac encoding<->decoding should match, the question is whether itunes can always decode it. alac is proprietary, ffmpeg's reverse-engineered encoder may not be compliant, it may not always decode in itunes, apple can change the codec at any time and things break with a new version of itunes, etc. that's the risk you take.

I will always have the FLAC files as the archive and for playing on everything but iTunes. So I can always re-encode the ALAC files if the format changes. Seems like the only solution that's simple for the end user.