Music Server Newbie Experiences and Questions

[LuvMyQuad]

If you can install the Madnox skin then I can help show you the settings. I downloaded the latest version today and there is an option to force their music visualisations so that it is used no matter how you play music, even when I use a 3rd party iPad app I get that screen (my Alice Cooper screenshot). This fixes any Kodi visualisation issues.

With Linux you'll need to use one of the free Windows programs to remote into Kodi and copy the Madnox files to the 'add ons' folder. Madnox does not install from Kodi itself. Once copied you can run Kodi, select the Madnox skin then do the Madnox skin settings. Maybe I can start a new thread on using Kodi to play music and setup Madnox?

As far as DVDAE, I think it shows video files only if there are no audio (DVD Audio) files. There are other threads on QQ that might provide good info. Otherwise try AudioMuxer (free).

Homer,

What OS do you run Kodi with? Also, since you also have Foobar at your disposal, what is it that makes you prefer Kodi over Foobar? It may be worth it to load a copy of Foobar on my windows laptop just for the SACD conversion features.

For everyone else, I still have found nothing that will convert DTS music disks (from DTS entertainment). I tried AudioMuxer last night. Like the others, it will not recognize the files. I also noticed that the file structure is very strange. There is a file listed for each song title. They have a .cda extension and file size is listed uniformly as 1kb ???? I guess I just don't understand those disks. Any enlightenment would be appreciated.

 

[HomerJAU]

I'm running Kodi from OpenELEC (Linux) as a dedicated media player in my main listening area. My Intel NUC starts instantly and boots directly to Kodi so it acts like a media player not a PC.

I use it for all my music, music videos, movies etc. as it supports all the files I have and video frame rates (24, 25, 29.97, 30 Hz etc). Also Kodi has a really nice UI and has great remote control apps, especially for music playlists which I always use (select any song or music video in any order, play while selecting more songs/videos. Select songs on my iPad while playing a music video without upsetting the main video (TV) screen.

I missed the detail of your DTS Entertainment discs (DTS CDs right?). Foobar will play and convert them to 5.1 FLACS if you install the DTS decoder from the Foobar website, if you enable an option in the conversion dialog. (I will screen capture that soon - I'm on my iPad now)

 

[HomerJAU]

To enable the Foobar DTS conversion (after installing the DTS decoder plug-in):

In the Converter Setup dialog, select 'Processing'. Then enable this option:

 

[LuvMyQuad]

To enable the Foobar DTS conversion (after installing the DTS decoder plug-in):

In the Converter Setup dialog, select 'Processing'. Then enable this option:

View attachment 25583

OK, I will try to set this when I get a chance later today.

In the meantime I did download a copy of AudioMuxer, Foobar. and the associated flac encoder, and decoders for DTS and DFF. After playing with it for a few hours last night, I have questions.

Using foobar to convert .dff to flac is easy and smooth. I transferred one stereo and one 5.1 album so far. The flac files produced a bit depth of 24 bits as I selected in foobar. The sample rate was 88.4kHz (I think). I did not see any option to choose an alternate sample rate. Is a choise possible? I've tried to consistently use 24/96 wherever I can when converting. There are several flac encoders to choose from on the flac site. Did I choose the wrong one?

 

[JanBakker]

OK, I will try to set this when I get a chance later today.

In the meantime I did download a copy of AudioMuxer, Foobar. and the associated flac encoder, and decoders for DTS and DFF. After playing with it for a few hours last night, I have questions.

Using foobar to convert .dff to flac is easy and smooth. I transferred one stereo and one 5.1 album so far. The flac files produced a bit depth of 24 bits as I selected in foobar. The sample rate was 88.4kHz (I think). I did not see any option to choose an alternate sample rate. Is a choise possible? I've tried to consistently use 24/96 wherever I can when converting. There are several flac encoders to choose from on the flac site. Did I choose the wrong one?

I think Foobar has a built in resampler but the Sox resampler does a better job, you can download it from the Hydrogen Audio forum. Can't give you a link 'cause I'm banned as a guest :yikes for whatever reason ).

But I can get you close

 

[JanBakker]

Here's a screenshot with settings and stuff:

 

[LuvMyQuad]

I think Foobar has a built in resampler but the Sox resampler does a better job, you can download it from the Hydrogen Audio forum. Can't give you a link 'cause I'm banned as a guest :yikes for whatever reason ).

But I can get you close

Thanks Jan. I found the link for soX. Ill investigate it eventually.

The other issue I have is when using AudioMuxer to convert 24/96 DVD audio to 24/96 Flac . I use the option to convert video sound tracks to flac audio and specify an IFO in the video TS folder. It also seems to run smoothly enough. But when its all said and done, I end up with a single flac file and a cue sheet of some type that defines where chapters begin and end. I am not sure how to use this to get the music files into a separated track format. Im pretty certain i'm probably specifying something wrong.

 

[JanBakker]

Make sure you select "load in audiomuxer and split in chapters"at the bottom of the pop-up screen like this:

 

[0tto]

Thanks Jan. I found the link for soX. Ill investigate it eventually.

The other issue I have is when using AudioMuxer to convert 24/96 DVD audio to 24/96 Flac . I use the option to convert video sound tracks to flac audio and specify an IFO in the video TS folder. It also seems to run smoothly enough. But when its all said and done, I end up with a single flac file and a cue sheet of some type that defines where chapters begin and end. I am not sure how to use this to get the music files into a separated track format. Im pretty certain i'm probably specifying something wrong.

for DSD you use foobar so why you not use same foobar for DVD-A conversion to flac?

 

[JanBakker]

for DSD you use foobar so why you not use same foobar for DVD-A conversion to flac?

I think he's talking about DVD-V in this case.

 

[0tto]

sorry, i didn't paid attention.
so foobar do not works with video directory on the disk?

 

[JanBakker]

sorry, i didn't paid attention.
so foobar do not works with video directory on the disk?

No, just dvd-a (audio ts folder).

 

[0tto]

No, just dvd-a (audio ts folder).

thanks, i didn't know.

 

[JanBakker]

thanks, i didn't know.

:brew

 

[LuvMyQuad]

Everything discussed above is correct as far as I know. Yes I was talking about the audio portion of a DVD-V, specifically a 24/96 DTS stream, which is the least lossy stream on things like the Jethro Tull re-issues and PF Division Bell, Gilmour's OAI, etc. It certainly would be nice to have a single utility that can do all these conversions though.

 

[JanBakker]

Audiomuxer can do all but dsd (not sure about dvd-a, I'm using Foobar for that), I'm not aware of a program that can do all of them, sorry.

 

[HomerJAU]

OK, I will try to set this when I get a chance later today.

In the meantime I did download a copy of AudioMuxer, Foobar. and the associated flac encoder, and decoders for DTS and DFF. After playing with it for a few hours last night, I have questions.

Using foobar to convert .dff to flac is easy and smooth. I transferred one stereo and one 5.1 album so far. The flac files produced a bit depth of 24 bits as I selected in foobar. The sample rate was 88.4kHz (I think). I did not see any option to choose an alternate sample rate. Is a choise possible? I've tried to consistently use 24/96 wherever I can when converting. There are several flac encoders to choose from on the flac site. Did I choose the wrong one?

You should probably stay with 88.2kHz for SACD, it's not worth the effort to resample to 96KHz, it can't add new audio information and some would argue it adds audio artefacts, especially if not resampling by a factor of 2. I'm sure there's lots of discussion on various audio forums.

Also, some DVD-As are 88.2kHz not 48 or 96KHz.

BTW: Foobar has a Sox resampling plugin you can download from the Foobar website.

 

[JanBakker]

You should probably stay with 88.2kHz for SACD, it's not worth the effort to resample to 96KHz, it can't add new audio information and some would argue it adds audio artefacts, especially if not resampling by a factor of 2. I'm sure there's lots of discussion on various audio forums.

Also, some DVD-As are 88.2kHz not 48 or 96KHz.

BTW: Foobar has a Sox resampling plugin you can download from the Foobar website.

I only see this one .

 

[LuvMyQuad]

To enable the Foobar DTS conversion (after installing the DTS decoder plug-in):

In the Converter Setup dialog, select 'Processing'. Then enable this option:

View attachment 25583

Homer, I don't see this option anywhere I foobar. ... preferences- converter- then I get a listing with the converters in it but I cant bring up any dialog.

 

[HomerJAU]

Not sure why the Sox resampler is no longer on the Foobar website.

Here it is (on my Google drive): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B67BGVX7nHIlRldjazVHX2RsdEk/view?usp=sharing