Hello,
I started encoding CDs to flac and need some help. The files are playable in winamp/foobar but they display an incorrect length. For example: in foobar: 3:22:53.943 (536870902 samples), in winamp: 202:53 min (536870902 samples) original track length is 4:25 min. The bitrate is displayed as 21 kbps. I assume that's bc of calculating by the track length.
Here my settings:
CDex1.70beta2 Flac1.1.3
using external encoder
-8 -V -A tukey(0,5) -o %2 -T "artist=%a" -T "title=%t" -T "album=%b" -T "date=%y" -T "tracknumber=%tn" -T "genre=%g" -
send wav header to stoudin is checked
on-the-fly-encoding is checked
extension is set to flac

Any idea what's wrong?
Thanks in advance.

Try re-encoding without using stdin.

No chance, get an error message that the data can not be sent to the external encoder.
Anyway thanks.

I have exactly the same problem.

The lenght of any track I compress to FLAC is always an abnormous 202:53 in minutes (Winamp), 3:22:53 in hours (Zoomplayer); the samples are 536870902; bitrate is a bit over 20.

As a result, the slider in the control bar of players is unuseful and I can't slide forward or backward. Apart from this, the files play very well.

I started today to create my FLAC files, using CDEX 1.51 and FLAC 1.1.3b, with these parameters (Encoder):

Thread priority: Normal
Convert to Riff WAV files: unchecked
Encoder: External Encoder
Parameter string: -8 -o %2 -T "artist=%a" -T "title=%t" -T "album=%b" -T "date=%y" -T "tracknumber=%tn/%tt" -T "genre=%g" -" (no idea of the meaning: I copied it from http://www.pfarrell.com/music/slimserver/cdextip.html )
Bitrate: 128 kbps
File extension: flac
Send WAV header to stdin: checked
On-the-fly-encoding: checked
extension is set to flac

I tried to uncheck the stdin option, but got the same error as marbo.

There must be some trivial mistake we do or some trick we don't know.

Grateful to anybody who has an idea or a link to verify the use of CDEX with FLAC.

Michele

You should modify the parameter string:

And set the option "On the fly encoding: no".

The incorrect duration error is caused by CDex, which sends incorrect WAV data size (maximum allowable for a WAV file) in that "WAV header" to flac.exe encoder.

Thanks, that works, but it's still not satisfying bc it only works as non-on-the-fly and that takes MUCH more time! The thing is, I had a working setting. But due to some crashes and a new installation I missed to save it (I admit I'm a newbie). The former setting worked as an on-the-fly encoding and the files are perfect. So I'm still after that string/setting! Is it possible that a string/setting working in Flac1.1.2 does not in 1.1.3? Cause I just tried it with one CD under Flac1.1.2. I guess it's not possible to read from a flac file how (i.e. string) it was encoded?

It's great that I got answers so quickly, thanks!

Well, you can use RAW input:

On the fly encoding: yes
Send WAV header to stdin: no
Don't forget to disable writing of ID3 tags (CDex -> Settings -> Generic tab -> ID3 tag version: None)

Ok, I used Egor's settings, adding a %1 at the end of the parameter string and unchecking the on-the-fly option. Now it works perfectly (thanks to Egor) and it takes the same time as before to encode; but I'm encoding from a Wave file already on the disk, I'm not ripping from a CD, perhaps this is the difference with marbo.

Still, I'm not satisfied, because I can't understand the meaning of the options. According to CDEX Help Guide, %1 means "input filename": why does this solve the length problem ?

Moreover, I studied the meanings of the FLAC parameters on their site and found that -T should add tags to the file, but if I use View File Info in WinAmp the fields (Title, Artist, etc...) are all empty. My string is now:

-8 -o %2 -T "artist=%a" -T "title=%t" -T "album=%b" -T "date=%y" -T "tracknumber=%tn/%tt" -T "genre=%g" %1

Is there any more talkative (with respect to that on the FLAC site) guide on the FLAC parameters ?

Tanks

Michele

'Cause you're encoding from a file with no additional artist/title data, not from disc.


'Cause it makes CDex to send correct data to flac.exe. See my previous comment on the problem:

Ok, very clear.



This is a little less clear, but I'll accept it for the moment . I guess I'll have to study this subject much more in depth; I thought it was simpler

Michele

hi all,

i've experienced this problem too - is there any way of recalculating the correct duration and bitrate of the files i've already encoded or do i need to do them all again?

thanks in advance for any help!

I'm having the exact same problem--had it working perfectly for months, then did a new install of my operating system, and the now track time for all my on-the-fly FLAC files are messed up (maximum allowable, i.e. 3:22:54)

I still have my old install on another laptop drive, and I reinstalled that drive tonight, took screen shots of all my old settings, copied my old parameter string into a text file and then took all this information and tried to set up my new installation. Then I read all the tips and forum postings I could find via Google. Still no dice.

I'm going to put the old drive back in again and check what version of FLAC I was using, even though everything seems to be pointing to CDex not sending an accurate timing in the header to FLAC.exe. I'm still using CDex 1.51 by the way.

If anyone can diagnose my trouble, I'd be most grateful. Here's my string, the one that worked perfectly for me on my last install:

-8 -V -o %2 -T "artist=%a" -T "title=%t" -T "album=%b" -T "date=%y" -T "tracknumber=%tn" -T "genre=%g" -

I've got "On the Fly Encoding" and "Send WAV header to stdin" checked; I have ID 3 tag version set to "None", and I don't have "Don't delete ripped WAV file after conversion" checked.

Edit: I've installed 1.70 beta2, and that might be the answer to my problems. Anyone have opinions about this version vis-a-vis on the fly FLAC encoding?

Cheers,

N

*sigh of relief* as an added confirmation, that string works thanks, I was about to give up!