MP3 conversion from FLAC

[Andy Brierley]

Hello all,

New member, new user. Had my b2 a few weeks and it’s all starting to make sense. I have about 4000 tracks on it so far, ripped and converted into FLAC, but only after I got that far discovered the options to rip as FLAC and MP3. I’ve tried changing the compression to MP3 only and have started it retrospectively mirroring the existing FLACs as MP3. However, when the process is interrupted it seems to start repeating some it’s already done. With only 1800 left to go it might restart with 2500 left. 

Any advice would be valuable. 

[Daniel Taylor]

I'm not sure if it's necessary, but I will try to clarify.  You can convert from WAV (native CD format) to any of the following:  FLAC (only), MP3 (only), or FLAC + MP3 (both).  If you want your already converted to FLAC files to also be converted to MP3 (128k), then select FLAC+MP3.  In that case, it will continue converting from WAV to FLAC, and then when it's done with that, it will start converting from FLAC to MP3.  I think the mirrored MP3 files will be stored in a folder that is stored within the album folder.  Those mirrored files are there for exporting to a USB stick for use in the car (or whatever).  You cannot play them on the B2, as the B2 will play the higher resolution FLAC files.

I did not find most of that spelled out on the Brennan website.  So I wrote it from memory.  If I've stated any of that in error, someone please post a correction.

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Andy,

I think that you have fallen victim to what I would describe as a bug in the WebUI, that being that the WebUI does not show the 'flac+mp3' option which is what you require if I have understood your post.

To select this option, you need to use the front panel control to find this option.

So, from the front panel, go to 'Settings' --> 'Compression' --> 'Flac+mp3' and click on this.

Be aware that the 'flac+mp3' option is very slow and will take about 1 hour per CD ripped to complete.  However it is a really good option as the 'mirror' MP3 files came be copied very easily to a USB device, thus making it very portable.

Regards,

Peter.

[Andy Brierley]

Thank you both for your replies

The problem I have is not setting the machine or understanding why I’m doing it. From 4000 FLAC tracks I want to produce mirrored MP3s to export to play in my car. I know how to do this, and yes it takes forever. The problem is each time the process, a week so far, is paused or stopped, when it is restarted the remaining number of tracks to be converted is bigger than the point it had got to. To be quite clear, for example, before pausing the process..

Converting 45 of 1678 tracks

Upon restart

Converting 1 of 2179 tracks

[Peter Lowham]

Hi Andy,

Yes, that is rather strange.

Could you run 'Scan Disk' and then could you post the WebUI 'Settings & Status' details (# flac, # wav, # mp3, # AAC, Total Tracks, Total artists, Total albums, Disk Used)?

Then, using the B2 remote control, press the 'Info' button twice and record the 'Mirrored' number.

Also, what version of software is your B2 running on?

Then we can see how to progress the issue.

Regards,

Peter.

[Andy Brierley]

Hi Peter,

I’m sorry, I did reply but it seems to have vanished!

Whilst waiting for approval for this forum I decided to delete the mirrored mp3s on the basis that I was doing something wrong, and when I found out how to do it properly, I’d start again from scratch. As to the software, I’m on the latest version, 1 June. 

Many thanks