How to re-encode mpc files at reduced quality?

drmrbrewer · 19 July 2005, 07:01 pm

Hi there

I have a bunch of mpc files encoded to some sort of default quality, producing files typically between 3 and 7 MB each.

Is there a straightforward way of re-encoding these to a lower quality to produce smaller files? I want to keep the higher quality files, but want to have smaller versions to allow me to pack more music onto my small Palm SD card where quality really isn't important.

I assume it will be a two step process -- decode and then encode -- but perhaps someone can give me a little hint as to the quickest and easiest way of doing this (if it is possible at all). Re-encoding from the various original CDs is not an option (not because I don't have them, but because there is limited time in this life)!

Thanks!

Mike

Shy · 19 July 2005, 07:39 pm

Using foobar2000 you can encode from any format it supports to another (and sometimes the same) format, including from mpc to mpc.
Other programs might be able to do that, but I'm not familiar with all of them, so if anyone knows, feel free to mention it.
Since you mentioned the files' sizes are between 3 and 7 mb, I assume they were encoded using the --standard or --xtreme quality. --radio is not recommended unless you don't mind significant quality loss (it is called "radio" after all

) and reencoding in general is of course not recommended.

drmrbrewer · 19 July 2005, 07:49 pm

Hi there. Thanks for the reply. I've not used Batch Encoder before. I assume I just batch decode to wav and then batch encode back to mpc using the lower quality setting?

I know you said --radio has significant quality loss, but I'm tempted by --thumb

I would never be playing back through decent headphones, and quite often only through the Palm's internal speaker, just to get a flavour of the music when out and about! I presume --thumb (or even --telephone!) would be good enough for this purpose? The more music I can cram on, the better

I can save higher-quality listening for when I'm back home.

Cheers,

Mike

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shy

Using foobar2000 you can encode from any format it supports to another (and sometimes the same) format, including from mpc to mpc.
Other programs might be able to do that, but I'm not familiar with all of them, so if anyone knows, feel free to mention it.
Since you mentioned the files' sizes are between 3 and 7 mb, I assume they were encoded using the --standard or --xtreme quality. --radio is not recommended unless you don't mind significant quality loss (it is called "radio" after all

) and reencoding in general is of course not recommended.

drmrbrewer · 19 July 2005, 08:06 pm

Whoah! I'm sure your post said something different just before I hit the reply button! Anyhow, I can't immediately see how to convert using foobar, so I'll stick with Batch Encoder -- seems to work OK converting to wav and then back to mpc. Not sure whether any tag info is preserved, but I don't care too much so long as the filename stays the same.

Thanks,

Mike

Shy · 19 July 2005, 09:16 pm

Yes, sorry, I realized I was totally wrong about MPC Batch Encoder so I edited my post quickly (it can't encode directly from mpc).

(For encoding with foobar2000, you need to mark Diskwriter during the installation and configure it in the foobar2000 preferences, choose Musepack from the presets and choose mppenc.exe's location. Then you mark the files on your playlist that you want to convert, right click and choose the conversion option.)

drmrbrewer · 19 July 2005, 09:38 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shy

Yes, sorry, I realized I was totally wrong about MPC Batch Encoder so I edited my post quickly (it can't encode directly from mpc).

(For encoding with foobar2000, you need to mark Diskwriter during the installation and configure it in the foobar2000 preferences, choose Musepack from the presets and choose mppenc.exe's location. Then you mark the files on your playlist that you want to convert, right click and choose the conversion option.)

Thanks, I really appreciate it. I'll take a closer look at foobar2000.

Cheers,

Mike

user · 31 July 2005, 07:28 pm

a basic tutorial for (an older version of) foobar2000 is located at www.High-Quality.ch.vu
exactly here:
http://www.angelfire.com/magic2/hq-a...ort-guide.html

transcoding:
http://www.angelfire.com/magic2/hq-a...-lossl-mpc.htm

19 July 2005, 07:01 pm	#1
drmrbrewer Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 16	How to re-encode mpc files at reduced quality? Hi there I have a bunch of mpc files encoded to some sort of default quality, producing files typically between 3 and 7 MB each. Is there a straightforward way of re-encoding these to a lower quality to produce smaller files? I want to keep the higher quality files, but want to have smaller versions to allow me to pack more music onto my small Palm SD card where quality really isn't important. I assume it will be a two step process -- decode and then encode -- but perhaps someone can give me a little hint as to the quickest and easiest way of doing this (if it is possible at all). Re-encoding from the various original CDs is not an option (not because I don't have them, but because there is limited time in this life)! Thanks! Mike

31 July 2005, 07:28 pm	#7
user Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: in the great wide open Posts: 11	a basic tutorial for (an older version of) foobar2000 is located at www.High-Quality.ch.vu exactly here: http://www.angelfire.com/magic2/hq-a...ort-guide.html transcoding: http://www.angelfire.com/magic2/hq-a...-lossl-mpc.htm __________________ users' guides: www.High-Quality.ch.vu

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19 July 2005, 07:39 pm	#2
Shy Admin Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 372	Using foobar2000 you can encode from any format it supports to another (and sometimes the same) format, including from mpc to mpc. Other programs might be able to do that, but I'm not familiar with all of them, so if anyone knows, feel free to mention it. Since you mentioned the files' sizes are between 3 and 7 mb, I assume they were encoded using the --standard or --xtreme quality. --radio is not recommended unless you don't mind significant quality loss (it is called "radio" after all ) and reencoding in general is of course not recommended.

19 July 2005, 08:06 pm	#4
drmrbrewer Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 16	Whoah! I'm sure your post said something different just before I hit the reply button! Anyhow, I can't immediately see how to convert using foobar, so I'll stick with Batch Encoder -- seems to work OK converting to wav and then back to mpc. Not sure whether any tag info is preserved, but I don't care too much so long as the filename stays the same. Thanks, Mike

19 July 2005, 09:16 pm	#5
Shy Admin Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 372	Yes, sorry, I realized I was totally wrong about MPC Batch Encoder so I edited my post quickly (it can't encode directly from mpc). (For encoding with foobar2000, you need to mark Diskwriter during the installation and configure it in the foobar2000 preferences, choose Musepack from the presets and choose mppenc.exe's location. Then you mark the files on your playlist that you want to convert, right click and choose the conversion option.)