FLAC+MP3

[David Richards]

I just received my B2 back after a software change. Current version B2 June 26th 2020. It seems to be working OK now.

I was interested in trying the FLAC+MP3 compression setting. I currently have no wav files, they have all been converted to FLAC. I have been keeping an MP3 library on my PC for use in the car (it won't play FLAC).

Using the web interface on my phone I noticed that there are two settings for the MP3 compression (128k and 256k). Which one is used for FLAC+MP3?

I then selected MP3 256k intending to switch it back to FLAC+MP3, but that option had disappeared. I managed to go back to FLAC+MP3 from the front panel menu. I tried the same thing from my PC (Windows 10) and again the FLAC+MP3 option disappeared when selecting MP3 256k. Front panel menu again set it back to FLAC+MP3.

I also noted that when Compression is displayed on the B2 menu, the information line beneath says "FLAC, MP3 or None", there is no mention of both.

I closed the web interfaces and did a save and then selected "Compress Now". There was brief disc activity, but no flashing of the red LED. The display shows 3 MP3, but these may have already been there. Judging by the one album per hour metric, there wasn't time for these to have been created by the B2. What exactly should happen with existing FLAC files?

Thanks again. The B2 sounds even better now, having been without it for a few days.

DR.

[Edwyn Corteen]

Hi David

No idea on compression, I would think it will be 128k, when selecting compress now my B2 starts right away crunching very slowly through the FLAC files converting a copy to MP3, I see the red light flashing away for hours and hours. I don't think the FLAC+MP3 compression option has made it fully to the Webui, stick to changing it on the B2.

I think the main idea behind this is to leave the normal compression on FLAC and add the hidden MP3 files so that those of us that want copies for the car etc can setup a playlist and export the ones we want easily, will take ages for all albums to be converted though!

[David Richards]

I would hope it was 256k. That is why I thought I'd change it to MP3 256k and then back to FLAC+MP3 in the hope that it would use the higher setting. I currently rip my CDs to my PC at 320k for car use.

Interestingly, Windows Media Player will play FLAC, even though you cannot rip to it.

[Chris Jones]

Hi you can rip to FLAC using windows media player, that how I rip all my CD's  I have ripped over 600 and never had an issue with either album art work or ID tags, It might be worth checking that you have the latest version fro window 10

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Guys,

I have looked at the 'mirror' mp3 file sizes and they would appear to be compressed at 128K rate.

Regards,

Peter.

[David Richards]

csjon, you are quite right. I wonder if I hadn't noticed it as I had nothing that would play FLAC or if it got added without my noticing? It doesn't matter either way. It gives me another option to store my music.

[Leslie Brownlee]

David, Windows 10 WPA  should rip to FLAC also.

[Leslie Brownlee]

Oops, that should have read. Windows 10 - WMP  should rip to FLAC also.

[Brennan Support]

Hello David

There was a problem with the first release of the FLAC+MP3 feature - it would not start unless there was at least one WAV file.

This was remedied this morning.

Also removed a temporary wav file that Peter brougt to our attention

Martin

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Guys,

I have 'Web Upgrade'd to 'B2B Jul 01 2020' this morning. The 'flac+mp3' feature is now restarting OK.  Also, the 'mirror' count in 'b2db' has been corrected.  I'm letting the B2 trawl through the 'music' file for a while to see how it goes.

Regards,

Peter.

[PMB]

Hi David,

The compression setting is either FLAC or MP3 256k or MP3 128k or FLAC + MP3 or None, not a combination.

And as Peter says it appears that FLAC + MP3 compresses to MP3 128k.

I suggest selecting FLAC (if that is your preferred compression), let all WAV files compress and then select FLAC + MP3.

FLAC + MP3 will not attempt to compress MP3 128/256k files.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[eric houston]

I am experiencing a strange situation. Updated to 1/7/20 Software, Ran a Scan Disc (as suggested in the update note), Checked compression Mode was FLAC + MP3 and started compression. Display dimmed as it entered standby, then briefly showed Compressing 1 of 18215, then started a Scan Disc then, almost immediately showed Warning HDD Read Only! at which point I powered down using the proper method (pressing & holding Play Stop until the clock has returned after having displayed Saving). Done the same thing 3 times now. Probably going to abandon trying any more unless I am doing something very stupid.

Very early B2 adopter -  2tb model with SD card protruding Currently at 40214 tracks in 2331 albums, 653 artists, 647.79 Mb used.

Any suggestions welcomed

Regards

Eric

[Edwyn Corteen]

I can confirm that the 1st July update fixes the no WAV file bug, also for those with NAS connection, once the hidden MP3 files have been produced there is an extra folder in each Album folder labelled mirror containing all the MP3 files, so another way to grab any required.

Another fabulous FREE upgrade Thanks Martin!

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Eric,

I am running the 'flac+mp3' option currently on the same (early model) B2 as you are and using the same version of software, and my compression is running fine, so I don't think that there is any issue with the model type.

What I do think is that your B2 has hit a corrupt track which it is trying to convert, and that is causing your B2 to go into 'protective mode' i.e. the HDD is switched to 'Read only' mode in order to preserve itself.  The B2 does not handle corrupt tracks very well at the moment, so it drops into 'Protected mode'.

Each time you reboot, the B2 is trying to start compression again, and that is why I think that this is the problem.

Currently I am helping another forum member who had a similar problem just running ''flac only' and a corrupt track was the issue.  The way to see if this is the case is to identify the Artist/Album and track, and then delete the track.

If you change the compression mode back to 'flac', then go into 'Settings' -- 'Maintenance' -- 'Use HDD' and reboot, the B2 should reboot cleanly.  Then do the deletion of the latest track (I would delete the album if you still have the CD)

Let us know how you get on with this.

Regards,

Peter.

[eric houston]

Hello Peter, I have followed your suggestion: reset compression to Flac only, deleted the last album loaded, set compression back to Flac + MP3, tried to Compress Now. Same result as before - Compressing 1 of ..., switch into Scan Disc, rapidly followed by Warning HDD Read Only. Now to re-load the album.

Thanks anyway

Regards

Eric

[Daniel Taylor]

When background compression starts for the mirrored MP3 files, it starts at the beginning of the order in which the tracks were ripped originally.  So because of that, I think it's unlikely that the problem file is the most recent one ripped.  I don't know what the display shows when doing the background compression.  Check to see if it shows which file it is working on.  If that doesn't help, you'll have to get the b2db file for a list that shows the order.  Then inspect the HDD via NAS to see which ones have been converted, and try to find out where conversion stopped.  Once you locate that album, you will probably be able to find the bad file.  Delete the problem file, or, if you have to, delete the whole album.  Then start compression again and see how it goes.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Guys,

The B2 display does not display any information that would help in locating the bad track.  Instead, I used the'b2db' file today to track down a problem which was also stopping the B2 from compressing in this situation.  In my case it was a track name with a 'bad' character in the track title.  I removed the character and the compression resumed.

You can get the 'b2db' file by plugging a USB stick (a low capacity stick is fine as the file is very small) into USB C, then go to 'Settings' -- 'Maintenance' -- 'b2db to USB C'

Then plug the USB stick into your PC/ Mac and use an editor like 'Notepad++' (free off the Internet) to open the 'b2db' file.  This file lists the order in which the B2 works its way through the 'music' folders and files.

You will need either a NAS connection or a product like 'Bitvise' (free from the Internet) to give you access from your PC/Mac to the music folders and files on the B2.

You follow the 'trail' of music folders that have a folder called 'mirror' in each '.flac' album folder. You work your way down the 'music' folders working from the 'b2db' list until you find a '.flac' album folder that does not have a 'mirror' folder.  The go one album folder back up the list and that is where the bad track is.

If you want to try this process, let us know here and I'll provide more details.

Regards,

Peter.

[Edwyn Corteen]

Hi Peter

When you wake up the B2 using the webui you can look at the debug log files, the last files worked on are clearly seen so can give a clue as to which file is causing a problem (click cog then spanner to see the logs)

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Edwyn,

Really nice one, I hadn't thought of that!  Thanks for the information, that is very helpful.

Regards,

Peter.

[PMB]

Hi Eric,

I think Peter meant you to set FLAC compression and let the B2 compress any tracks that are still in WAV format. When this is completed select FLAC + MP3 and then Compress NOw.

If the B2 stops compressing as before, open the debug window as Edwyn suggests and see what track the B2 was trying to compress. This may be the problematic one and should be deleted.

Paul

Brennan Support.