I want to archive my cd collection. In addition to creating backups, I'd also like to use them as sources for transcoding to portables. At this point, I'm deliberating between FLAC and WavPack.

1. Are there any good guides/tutorials for this?
2. Which codec should I use (is there a poll around)?
3. Which codec has the best balance of compression ratio/encode speed/decode speed?
4. What are the trade-offs between single image and multiple files?
5. I'd like for the individual tracks to be searchable in player. What should I be considering in terms of tagging (ID3, Vorbis, other)?
6. Should I consider the hybrid mode?
7. Should I use embedded cuesheets, external cuesheets, or both?
8. I'd like to rip during the day and kick off a batch at night to encode. Are there any good scripts/batch files floating around?
9. Besides the obvious EAC, what other tools would be helpful?

Thanks,
Woody

Use the search function and look at the stickies.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'm trying to digest all of the info on these:

Which is the best lossless codec?, Discussion thread http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....showtopic=33226
Suggested EAC settings for FLAC, Lossless Archiving http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....showtopic=30959
To make sure I'm getting FLAC right...http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=35860
FLAC with embedded cuesheet, one step ? http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....showtopic=28120
http://wiki.hydrogenaudio.org/index.php?ti...omparison_Table
EAC setup http://www.angelfire.com/magic2/hq-audio/l...-setup-all.html
http://www.neilpopham.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/cd_backup.html
http://www.saunalahti.fi/cse/EAC/index.html

I don't want to spend a month ripping/encoding 2000 cds and realize afterwards that I'd messed something up.

Woody

Ok, to be short : use EAC (secure mode) + Wavpack or Monkey or Flac. That's all.

There is a sticky for FLAC archiving in the lossless forum. I have a guide at the address below. The Wiki has other useful information.
There is a poll for the most popular, which is FLAC, but that doesn't mean you should use it. Check the Wiki for the comparison.
Check the Wiki for the comparison.
I think they are probably quite obvious. I use an image as I like to have the one file for one CD. If you are purely archiving i think an image is easiest. As long as you use the correct settings (mainly thinking about maintaining gaps when splitting to track files here) either will work though.
If you use foobar an image with an internal or external cuesheet is adequate. Track files are always going to be that little bit easier for tagging and DB searching though. Tag type will depend on codec used.
If you are purely archiving, no. If not, the answer depends on how you listen to your music.
I embed so I only have to worry about the one file - but I keep the external cuesheet as it's only an extra 2-3KB. Why not embed?
EAC will do this I believe. Aftermath is the only other that comes to mind.
If you are purely ripping to an archive all you need is EAC and the encoder as far as I can think. You may need Aftermath.

Are you just archiving or are you planning to play these files regularly (as some text suggests)?

I think that it's reasonably difficult to totally mess up.

Key points for me:

• Use EAC Secure mode or Plextor's Plextools if you use a Plextor
• Go for the separate read and write offsets in EAC to get as close to exact replication as possible
• Back up to a secure place
• Try not to get too anal as everyone has different opinions and everyone uses their own methods

If you're using FLAC, Wavpack, etc. and using EAC you can't go too far wrong. As the backup is lossless, as long as you have ripped well and tagged well/have a cuesheet, you can always move to another codec if you choose to. I guess getting EAC set up is the key step.

Hey, thanks for the help. To answer your question, I don't anticipate using the lossless files for playback. I converted my collection to musepack a couple of years ago. I use those for listening. Unfortunately, I didn't have the storage at the time for lossless.

>8. I'd like to rip during the day and kick off a batch at night to encode.

Encoding to lossless is about as quick as ripping the CD with a decent processor (depending upon compression, but generally speaking for normal compression).