Rip Audio From DVD and Mantain Original Quality

[winopener]

My media library consists of more than just music. I have audio books, movies TV shows, and motion comics. My media drive is a 10 TB external USB hard drive with an addition 10 TB drive being used as a mirror backup. Currently the drive is 4.39 TB full. That's NOT fitting on a thumb drive.

For now... i still have a 512Mb thumbdrive working and as today there are 512Gb thumbs... it's only a matter of when, not if. It's quite shocking how are falling the prices for flash memories, while disk-based storage is at the same level than years ago.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

For me the only thing flac gets me is a solution to the existing problem. I don't run into the multi channel issue that much and the only reason it matters to me is because I wanted to be able to add the complete Dark Side Immersion set to my library. I'm still thinking it over. You guys are a huge help and not at all like the people I meet in other forums. Every other forum I've ever visited is filled with arrogant idiots who think their way is the only right way instead of trying to help me solve whatever issue I came looking for help with. You guys have answered my questions without being arrogant idiots and I appreciate that.

A few things to keep in mind that really haven't been made clear yet.

1. FLAC files wont play everywhere, MP3 typically does. For example, I cant play stereo FLAC in either of the two family cars. I can play MP3 in both.

2. If you already have a drive full of MP3 tracks, converting them to FLAC will not produce any better sound quality. The sound quality was already lost when the originals were converted to MP3.

 

[VSCurtis]

A few things to keep in mind that really haven't been made clear yet.

1. FLAC files wont play everywhere, MP3 typically does. For example, I cant play stereo FLAC in either of the two family cars. I can play MP3 in both.

2. If you already have a drive full of MP3 tracks, converting them to FLAC will not produce any better sound quality. The sound quality was already lost when the originals were converted to MP3.

Thanks for bringing these issues to my attention. Yes, my entire library is currently MP3 format. 110 GB worth. and I'm aware of the limited support where flac is concerned. Not a big fan of flac or MKV files for that very reason. I do appreciate your efforts to provide me with all the facts.

 

[VSCurtis]

I do have a question, is it possible to convert an existing MP3 to 5.1 format.? This is the Software Engineer/Problem Solver in me rearing his head. My brain says NO. You can't get six channels from two. But if there's a logical process involved that can be translated into a repeatable process then maybe. It wouldn't be difficult to copy the two channels to produce left and right front and rear. I'm sure tweaks would be involved and I have NO idea what would be involved in the mid and sub woofer channels. Is this a quantifiable process or just a pipe dream? If it is possible, how would it be done? Thanks in advance for indulging my native software engineer instincts.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

I do have a question, is it possible to convert an existing MP3 to 5.1 format.? This is the Software Engineer/Problem Solver in me rearing his head. My brain says NO. You can't get six channels from two. But if there's a logical process involved that can be translated into a repeatable process then maybe. It wouldn't be difficult to copy the two channels to produce left and right front and rear. I'm sure tweaks would be involved and I have NO idea what would be involved in the mid and sub woofer channels. Is this a quantifiable process or just a pipe dream? If it is possible, how would it be done? Thanks in advance for indulging my native software engineer instincts.

There are software packages out there that can upmix stereo to 5.1 like Specweb or Dolby PLII, to name a few. The results you get range from amazing to meh, depending on the source material. You can also play back the stereo track and have the upmix done on the fly, and my guess is that is how most stereo is heard as multichannel.

 

[Marplot]

If you really want to convert Stereo to 5.1 using LuvMyQuad's list, you should consider reriping into flac for a better quality source. At best your mp3 will start at 320kb.
Using To One In Paradise from Alan Parsons Project Tales Of Mystery And Imagination as an example:
mp3 converted from CD at highest values. 10.6 MB 44.1 khz 320 kbs
CD version 29 MB flac 44.1 khz 875 kbs
HD Stereo version 98.5 MB 96khz 2994 kbs
5.1 DTS 209 MB 96khz 6241 kbs
5.1 PCM 223 MB 96khz 2994 kbs
5.1 DTS-HD MA 259 MB 96khz

 

[VSCurtis]

Thanks guys I may consider this as a viable option. I will look into the software programs you mentioned. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I pull a converted file into an audio program like Adobe Audition and the conversion was successful I should see six different channels displayed. Is this correct?

 

[winopener]

Thanks guys I may consider this as a viable option. I will look into the software programs you mentioned. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I pull a converted file into an audio program like Adobe Audition and the conversion was successful I should see six different channels displayed. Is this correct?

Correct.

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Thanks guys I may consider this as a viable option. I will look into the software programs you mentioned. Correct me if I'm wrong, but if I pull a converted file into an audio program like Adobe Audition and the conversion was successful I should see six different channels displayed. Is this correct?

Yes. If you ripped a 6 channel file it will show up as 6 individual channels. On some tracks the 3rd and/or the 4th (the center and LFE channels) may show no or very little activity. This is because some 5.1 files are really 4.0 files.

 

[JonUrban]

Welcome to the forum and while there may be a few arrogant idiots that check in here from time to time, when they do the regular folk generally take care of them!

.flac is clearly the way to go for multichannel, but as others have said, if you already have done all of the work to MP3 than in one respect, the damage is done and reconverting those files gets you nothing, ZERO, so don't waste the time, but at least you have a sortable accessible library where you don't have to futz with media.

However, once you create a few 5.1 archived albums, be they .flac, .wav, or whatever, you may find yourself wanting more. As a big Rush fan, you do realize that there are actually quite a few Rush albums released with 5.1 mixes in various formats. Some rarer than others.

Check out the forum surround polls and search for Rush. Maybe you'll be surprised! (Make sure you check both the HiRez polls (SACD, DVD-A, BluRay) and the DVD polls.

 

[HomerJAU]

I do have a question, is it possible to convert an existing MP3 to 5.1 format.?

Remember Mp3 is a lossy conversion, something gets removed during conversion to make the file smaller. Mp3 was created for small portable files. If you process your original mp3 to make 5.1, then convert to mp3 again, you will have to do a 2nd lossy conversion to mp3. (double the loss).

As someone here mentioned earlier, you should do all future conversions to a lossless format like FLAC. At least then you can always go back to a lossless file (backup) in future without need to re-rip disc, the slowest task in the chain by far.

 

[VSCurtis]

All of your points are well taken and appreciated guys. Thanks for all your help and support. You guys are one of the best forums I've dealt with. You're answered my questions without attitude. Thanks again.

 

[Marplot]

I am coming up on two years a member and can count on one hand the number of times I have thought someone out of line.
My biggest beef is the quality recommendations have led me to spend quite a bit of money on music outside my normal wheelhouse; not really much of a complaint.

 

[VSCurtis]

I am coming up on two years a member and can count on one hand the number of times I have thought someone out of line.
My biggest beef is the quality recommendations have led me to spend quite a bit of money on music outside my normal wheelhouse; not really much of a complaint.

I joined to get some answers to the initial question in this thread. The group here has been awesome in answering my questions. I'm an IT guy and I've spent some time in IT forums looking for assistance with one issue or another. I inevitably run into one or more people with egos as big as a house who think they are IT gods and all should bow down to them. All that does for me is bring out my bad side so I leave with a bad taste in my mouth. I've been very impressed with everybody here. No egos just people who love music and want to help others enjoy it too.