Sorry if some of this is redundant to other quicker respondents...MrClive;640672 Wrote: > From what I've read up in other forums I can rip to FLAC and then > convert a copy to MP3 so that this I can still use ITunes to sync with > my Ipods > > Can anyone recommend the best way of doing this? If you are on Windows you can use 'EAC' (http://www.exactaudiocopy.de/) and latest version of 'MAREO' (http://www.webearce.com.ar/) which will simultaneously encode your CDs into FLAC and mp3 or any other formats. Both are free. Latest version of EAC will even fetch album art.
MrClive;640672 Wrote: > As I've got probably approx 200+ CD's what's the most efficient way of > doing this? I'd probably be using my laptop to do this although I am > toying with the idea of getting a Vortexbox server at some stage. With that number of CDs the only cost-effective way to do it yourself is one at a time. Figure you should be able to rip 8-10 CDs per hour. Vortexbox is a nifty tool for ripping and serving but won't significantly increase ripping efficiency -- still manual. There are services that will rip CDs for you; typically about a dollar per CD plus two-way shipping. MrClive;640672 Wrote: > Is there an alternative path? That depends on whether you can get beyond your belief that there is something deficient about how 'iTunes does the same thing' (http://designwsound.com/dwsblog/hifi-computer-faq/cas-5-cd-ripping-for-mac-itunes/). If you like iTunes and are comfortable with it why not use it to encode your CDs to Apple Lossless? Quality is the same as FLAC -- and as the original CD -- and I think latest versions of iTunes have the ability to convert to AAC on the fly when uploading tracks to an iPod. (Maybe someone more familiar with latest iTunes can confirm/deny?) If so, that saves you from having to store two libraries. The risk is that you may give up future compatibility should you move away from the Squeezebox system: Squeezebox Server can decode and stream Apple Lossless but almost any music server can handle FLAC. Should that happen there are several free applications that will convert Apple Lossless to FLAC without any loss of quality. For anyone just starting out in this area here is a truly GREAT resource that will answer many questions and save a lot of your time: 'The Well-Tempered Computer' (http://www.thewelltemperedcomputer.com/) -- Apesbrain ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Apesbrain's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=738 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=88774 _______________________________________________ discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/discuss
