Hi guys. I have about 20-25GB of uncompressed (or losslessly compressed) files, plus another 15 or so audio CDs I need to rip, then convert to mp3, but I'm not sure that I have all the right free software to do it.
For the Audio CD extraction, I've been using CD-DA Xtractor, but I was just on their website to d/l a new version, and as of a year ago it's no longer under development. So, I just downloaded EAC 0.99 prebeta 6 (the latest version on their site), cause I know EAC is recommended here.
For the conversion, I've been converting between WAV and MP3 with RazorLame. Problem is, it won't let me transcode mp3 files into the same folder (I do this occasionally), if I set it to put files in a different folder it puts EVERY file in that one folder, even if the originals were in various other folders, and it will only convert beween MP3 and WAV, not OGG, FLAC, APE, etc.
I also downloaded dBPowerAmp, but they want me to pay for the mp3 encoder (even though it can use LAME - if I'm going to pay for an mp3 encoder I insist on the Fraunhofer Professional one and it must be at least as good at 80kbps stereo as LAME is at 320kbps mono), and based on screenshots it doesn't have configuration options as advanced as Lame command line or RazorLame.
As far as the CDs go, I'll be ripping them to either FLAC or APE, whichever has the best compression ratio, supports ID3v2 tags, and is compatible with the widest variety of portable media players.
Also, I have the original files nested in various folders under one master folder, and I'd like to save all the converted files under a different master folder, while maintaining the subfolder tree. I don't want different formats in the same folder, or if I do, I want better ways of sorting/differentiating (if that's a word) between them. (I already have a topic open about Winamp insisting on calling every file associated with it "Winamp Media File" regardless of what I tell it to do.)
Also, for the conversions, I've been using CBR because I have, in the past, had problems with VBR not displaying the time correctly. I've recently heard it could be because there's some tag I'm not using properly. So.. assuming I can fix that... I'll want to encode with VBR. (But.. do I use VBR -0 or -1 or -2 or what? I want it transparent to the original wav, but optimized better than CBR.)
I need to have this all completely done by tomorrow morning (Fri 3-20-2008) at 10am PDT, as I will be going out of town for the weekend and will be taking my player (Creative Zen 16GB which I just received today) with me.
Since dBPowerAmp won't let me do mp3, RazorLame ONLY works with mp3 and wav, and the one other prog (Monkey's Audio) I have only works with APE vs WAV, what would you recommend that will do everything? I won't require an open-source program, but I do require a free non-ad-supported program.
Since I did post that I need to have it done by a certain time... why not post my basic system specs here... is it possible that maybe I gave myself too little time, even if I have a program downloaded, installed configured, and started running within the next 2 hours? Mobo = Gigabyte GA-MA69G-S3H, CPU = Athlon 64 X2 4000+, RAM = G.Skill 2 x 1GB DDR2-800 Dual Channel, HD (the one on which the data is) = 750GB Western Digital SATA2 16MB 7200rpm, DVD/CD = Lite-On 20x DVD+-RW
Would it be faster to use one prog to convert APE back to WAV, copy the entire folder tree to another location (I DO have enough HD space with room to spare), use THAT folder to convert WAV to MP3 with the delete original files option checked, then mass transfer everything in that folder tree to my portable player?