How compatible are --aps mp3s on portable players? If I encode my CDs using this now, will it play on future portable mp3 players without any seeking problems etc? This is the only reason I'm not using mpc so I would be really annoyed if it didn't work.

It will most likely play, especially if you define -B 256. Some portables may have problems with 320kbps frames..

Although imo future player SHOULD play aps just fine.. I don't think I'd buy a player which wouldn't play it correctly...

So basically if they claim to support VBR mp3 and support CBR mp3 upto 320 kbps it should be fine?

Does using -B256 reduce the filesize much, and is the impact on quality very noticeable. Is using -Y a better idea to slightly reduce the bitrate?

Does somebody know something about experiences with ID3V2 tags and portable or stand alone mp3 player ?

At Chris Mydens ÜberQuality hub you have to include them to your mp3s.

Note that any MP3 player should be default support VBR. It's part of the standard. Some things which are advertised as MP3 players just arent.

The -B256 thing is also to cope with players that can't handle decoding large frames - it's not related to average bitrate, so -Y won't fix anything.

If you are encoding for future portable I would wait a few weeks (until Garf tunes high bitrates) & go for OGG Vorbis IMO it will have the highest compatablity. If you are set of mp3 dont use ID3V2 if you want good seeking/display right playtimes. IMO 320kbps frames work on most, I have a cheap mp3 discman which claims only to support from 32-256kbps but works just fine with 320kpbs CBR. I would not settle for less than --alt preset standard best size/quality.

Uh, I wouldn't encode to ogg if you want to use a portable until there actually comes one out that supports ogg!

Also for compatibility, MP3 won't be beaten for a looooong time. It's not because there are some faulty 'MP3' players that don't implement the standard correctly that the format is suddenly less well supported.

Most players will handle VBR MP3 just fine, as they should.

I think OGG will beat mp3 because of patents; more programs will suport OGG encoding, more OGG fles will be on the net, there will be more demand for OGG players & OGG players will be cheaper.

Currently, more programs support MP3 encoding, more MP3 files are on the net, there is more demand for MP3 players and the Vorbis players don't exist yet - nor are there any indications that they are going to arrive in the near future.

Really, there are good reasons to use Vorbis right now, but support on portables is certainly not one of them.

If you are going to use mp3 format w/ a vbr or abr setting DO NOT USE ID3V2.x TAGS!!!!!!!!! The portable player will not be able to read the mp3 header info properly and your mp3s will not work. I've tried/had this problem on every mp3 portable I've been able to get my hands on from the cd-mp3 players to the solid state ones and none of them have been able to handle ID3V@+VBR properly. If hardware support for OGG ever gets off the ground I'd recommend that.

-Jeff

[QUOTE]If you are going to use mp3 format w/ a vbr or abr setting DO NOT USE ID3V2.x TAGS!!!!!!!!! The portable player will not be able to read the mp3 header info properly and your mp3s will not work.[QUOTE]

I use MP3s with IDV2 tags and -APS in an Intel Pocket Concert no problem.

Zin

I haven't noticed any trouble on my Rio Volt 100 using either aps or IDV2 and my player is nearly 2 years old. Are you sure about that?

My Napa 316 didn't have any problem with VBR & IDtag V2. The only bug is the bad indication of time with VBR files. And I'm not sure that IDtag are responsible.

VBR + id3v2 works fine on my ancient Rio 500.

--jth

winLAME has a nice portable preset (based on ABR 128 and -B 256), which sounds quite good for the use in flash-based players.

dev0

I have no problem at all with my Dioneer DMP 100 (which is, after all, a cheap player).

I suggest not to just generalize your opinion as a fact based on so few experiences. MOST Mp3 players DO use ID3v2 tags with VBR or ABR just fine. Case in point, just about all the replies above to contradict your statement, plus all of the Creative Labs Nomad Jukebox line of HD players

Not to beat a dead horse... but my iPod also works fine with ID3v2 tags... I also use Helium 2 to delete all ID3v1 tags. PS... all my MP3s are in --alt-preset extreme format.

Jesus, what the hell were you thinking? id3v2 works fine in most portable players, you must be smoking crack! ** [edited] **

-Jeff


[edit by JohnV] Jeff, not that kind of personal bashing here... it's not nice or necessary.

Just to make the list even More complete, the Archos JukeBox Recorder 20 plays files with V2 tags just fine. Nex

You mean to tell me that your VBR MP3's with ID3v2 tags display correct timing and seeking information on the SlimX / ChromeX? I think not. To test it out, set the time display mode on your player to the REMAIN setting rather than the ELAPSED default. I've done extensive testing which shows that when VBR MP3's with ID3v2 tags are used on any of those players, there are almost always severe timing / seeking problems. The next iRiver firmware update may resolve such issues for good, if it implements proper support for the Xing VBR header.

yeah, that has annoyed me for a while because you then cannot accurately seek either. I hope they fix the VBR timing issue, and Ill have the perfect player until i invest in an iPod.

ID3V2

time display - or seeking - problems would not be a big problem, as the quality of music is not destroyed during playing.

So would you confirm, that on all your players ID3V2 does not cause drop outs of sound ?

What about the Soul DMP01 (I think it's the same like iRiver 100 or similar ?) ?

to be honest: i did NOT proceed with extensive tests, but as far as i can see slimX on 2.02 (firmware ver) handles VBR files very well (time, seeking, ...) but i just got the player.

even more... from time 2 time winamp (v2) has problems with long VBR files (like 180 min) displaying wrong remaning time and missing the slidebar position. nothing like that in slimX. even they write there might be problems with VBR.

???