converting cd`s to different format?

[jaffer]

I got myself about hundred music cd´s..Some original,some very good pirated..
I had to toss dvd station from hp´s old pc to my newer(little 2014)pc..
The region is not set..I tossed in Gun`s Roses CD..
My win7 7 understand it´s CDFS..When I opened it there was 
tracks from 1 to onward size of 1kb..I tried windows media player from open..
It did not found any media..With Vlc media player I had to go somewhere in the settings
and choose cd..After that It was There as D:/cdda and I could playback it.
I have never let either of one of them access"metadata"or internet(I fogot what that was)
Maybe that why it´s always track 1,2 etc..
I don´t want to up the tracks to HD..Just preserve them on outer drive..
Probably as MP3(I´m not sure about this format)
Do I have to re-install vlc..or tinker winmedia player?
I remember that long ago it listed songs instead of just tracks.
Is there a program to change the format without changing quality?

[RobertX]

I thought the solution was to always transfer to FLAC and play on an audio media player; I use Winamp.

FLACs do a good job of keeping ripped quality sound, but the price is higher file size.

Me, I don't mind quality as long as the music is good, ,but for you, you can try XLD, dBpoweramp Music Converter, and iTunes.

Are you ripping CDs or converting pre-ripped audio files?

I asked ChatGPT by the way, it's not my taste in converting files that's to be credited.

[jaffer]

Ripping CD´s to copy in harddrive those that still work..
I guess there´s no simple program to quick check CD if it has a scratch that breaks the song(s)?
I tried with vlc ticking cd transform,start track 0 and MP3..It asked file name and I thought it would transmute whole cd contents..
It played songs on backround(there was for some reason PC´s window of sata and dvd drive on screen..probably I had left it on background)
It seemd to convert or something..It even stopped couple of times(seemd buffering)I got tired and fell to sleep..
Today I checked the GNR named MP3 and it was 0 kb or mb..
Today I opened Win Media Player and it recognized that htere was audio cd in..
Of course Unknown artist etc..For a dumb like me there was copy cd and mp3..
I tried to fetch metadata via WMP..I guess for win7 http metadata..microsoft does not work anymore..
At least check the page etc..Probably does not work for anyone anymore..
I quess it´s manual renaming..
It was oddly fast to copy songs with win media player..
But over 90 of these(almost all Finnish music)some are pirated or bootlegs(if thats the right term)which have been bough by previous owner on Estonian market places long ago..Like double cd´s of Finnish bänd called"Yölintu"and that all that reads on cd..covers gone and text is crooked on the name..
I know the songs but not names..oh dear..there was more then 128kbs but..actually up to 300kbs
but is 128kbs original bitrate of old cd´s?(no wonder it was fast),probably no difference with old creative speaker pair..

[SectorVector]

1) See if you can use a newer version of Windows Media Player. Maybe it might be able to access the metadata on the CD
2) Try an alternative like Winamp (freeware).

3) On VLC, this might get the track titles, but requires Net access.
VLC: Tools -> Preferences -> Interface (tab) -> Privacy / Network Interaction -> Allow Metadata Network access.

I don't have Win 7, nor a CD drive. So, unable to cross-check much.
Edit: Think i used to use Nero from TPB.

PS: Please divide your post into logical paragraphs, for readability. Thanks. :-)

[SmashAndGrab]

Not sure exactly what you want.  I am thinking you want to turn audio cds into flac with correct tags.  This might be worth checking out:

https://www.exactaudiocopy.de/

Maybe also watch a youtube video or two:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58RmQsGGbeQ


I have not used this software myself or watched that video but seems like what you trying to do.

[FS_Crawler]

Using this for years now, on all Windows versions:

https://cdex.mu/

It takes an audio CD parially or in whole and rip's it to your HD. Fast, no probs, if the name/artist/title is in the database, it will be inserted automatically. I never dealt with FLAC, a high quality MP3 is 1/4 the size with the same quality. I don't have 1.000 $ high end audio at my PC or Mobile.

And btw... it's free ;-)

[RodneyYouPlonker]

The program you want to use to do things correctly is EAC.  EAC can be hard to get working right and you will have to do research into what are the best settings to go with depending on the type of drive you are using to copy...

Correction, high quality mp3 is actually one third of the size of a FLAC file.  I can prove it to you if you want I have a torrent that contains both MP3 and FLAC exactly the same rips but just the 2 formats and I've already measured each track and they are one third the size in comparsion.  FLAC is more for archiving purposes, MP3 is totally fine and you're right you'll only hear the difference on some ridiculous priced speakers like something you would find in some fancy hifi store.  For Mr. Average you'll find that MP3 is totally great and much saving in size also leaves more space for more tracks...

[dueda]

Id like to add that Flac isn't the only lossless format, there're others; but Flac is the current mainstream.
Also MP3 256 or 320 (kbps) will be good enough for most people's neuroaural capacity.

Anyway, a good decompression machine will help, of course, like not having many apps running along your media player of choice.

[SmashAndGrab]

The program you want to use to do things correctly is EAC.  EAC can be hard to get working right and you will have to do research into what are the best settings to go with depending on the type of drive you are using to copy...

Correction, high quality mp3 is actually one third of the size of a FLAC file.  I can prove it to you if you want I have a torrent that contains both MP3 and FLAC exactly the same rips but just the 2 formats and I've already measured each track and they are one third the size in comparsion.  FLAC is more for archiving purposes, MP3 is totally fine and you're right you'll only hear the difference on some ridiculous priced speakers like something you would find in some fancy hifi store.  For Mr. Average you'll find that MP3 is totally great and much saving in size also leaves more space for more tracks...

I know this is a debate and people say you cannot tell the difference between FLAC and MP3 of a certain bit rate blah blah blah....

But I seriously must have super hearing because this has never even been a contest for me (and I have shitty speakers).  Of course you can enjoy an MP3 okay depending, but it almost always feels less than and not quite as crisp and satisfying.  With the size of storage most people have access to these days -- if you are a fan of the music you are listening to I cannot understand why you would want to listen to anything but a lossless format like FLAC.  You get good sound at a reasonable size.

The size of your MP3 files may on average be one third the size of your FLAC files, but that should be determined mainly by the bit rates and to some extent the FLAC file compression level.  In the case of MP3 V0 the size can swing because it is dependent on what sound is being compressed at what time.  To store the absolute most music using a given amount of space and also have it sound decent, I guess V0 makes the most sense.

I agree with good enough when you cannot tell enough of a difference.  I can tell the difference between 16.44 and 24.96 but I don't appreciate it enough more that it is worth the space to me.  I don't really feel like I am missing out listening to 16.44 but I do feel that way when I listen to MP3.  It is possible that is the experience most people have when comparing MP3 to 16.44 FLAC.  If that is how most people hear it then I guess people should listen to MP3, but that blows my mind because I can tell and feel the difference.

[RodneyYouPlonker]

The program you want to use to do things correctly is EAC.  EAC can be hard to get working right and you will have to do research into what are the best settings to go with depending on the type of drive you are using to copy...

Correction, high quality mp3 is actually one third of the size of a FLAC file.  I can prove it to you if you want I have a torrent that contains both MP3 and FLAC exactly the same rips but just the 2 formats and I've already measured each track and they are one third the size in comparsion.  FLAC is more for archiving purposes, MP3 is totally fine and you're right you'll only hear the difference on some ridiculous priced speakers like something you would find in some fancy hifi store.  For Mr. Average you'll find that MP3 is totally great and much saving in size also leaves more space for more tracks...

I know this is a debate and people say you cannot tell the difference between FLAC and MP3 of a certain bit rate blah blah blah....

But I seriously must have super hearing because this has never even been a contest for me (and I have shitty speakers).  Of course you can enjoy an MP3 okay depending, but it almost always feels less than and not quite as crisp and satisfying.  With the size of storage most people have access to these days -- if you are a fan of the music you are listening to I cannot understand why you would want to listen to anything but a lossless format like FLAC.  You get good sound at a reasonable size.

The size of your MP3 files may on average be one third the size of your FLAC files, but that should be determined mainly by the bit rates and to some extent the FLAC file compression level.  In the case of MP3 V0 the size can swing because it is dependent on what sound is being compressed at what time.  To store the absolute most music using a given amount of space and also have it sound decent, I guess V0 makes the most sense.

I agree with good enough when you cannot tell enough of a difference.  I can tell the difference between 16.44 and 24.96 but I don't appreciate it enough more that it is worth the space to me.  I don't really feel like I am missing out listening to 16.44 but I do feel that way when I listen to MP3.  It is possible that is the experience most people have when comparing MP3 to 16.44 FLAC.  If that is how most people hear it then I guess people should listen to MP3, but that blows my mind because I can tell and feel the difference.

To settle the debate on the entire subject, why not just release a torrent and put both the FLAC and the MP3 at the highest bitrate of 320kbps at a constant bitrate setting and then let the people who download from you decide if the same rips are difficult to tell apart?  Just let the people who download from you decide for themselves and then the debate will be decided by your downloaders, the people who take interest in your files?