FLAC issues

[SeeMoreDigital]

@Lensflair,

Have you tried playing the FLAC test sample I provided?

 

[trkarp]

It could be the sampling bit rate of the files that is causing your issue. My Kia audio system, for example, will play flac files with a maximum rate of 48k. I only learned this when I had multiple flac files on a USB stick and some would play fine and others weren't even recognized.

 

[atrocity]

I haven't had ANY problems running multichannel FFMPEG level 12 (which is like level 8 but better) FLAC files on a BDP-S5100. I would assume the newer Sony Blu-ray players would handle it well as well?
Interesting.

As far as I can tell, the list of things that won't play files created with the "unofficial" encoder(s) is pretty small, but it's definitely not empty.

 

[Lensflair]

@Lensflair,

Have you tried playing the FLAC test sample I provided?

Sorry. I was out of town this weekend.

I tried it last night. No, I couldn't play it. It was "an unplayable file".

 

[Lensflair]

Meaning, the FLACs that you bought are multichannel, as well as then ones your friend made. The bought ones play, the friend's don't. OK



Make a copy of a 'bought' FLAC file. (And note its file size -- the copy will of course be the same size. )

Decompress the copy (either directly to a wav file, or open it in Audacity, same thing), then re-save it to new FLAC, i.e., make it a 'home made' FLAC. Does this work via USB? Is its FLAC filesize the same as the one you bought?

If it works, your friend's FLAC codec or compression level made your hardware unhappy.

If it doesn't work, and the filesize is different, try using a different FLAC compression level, one that gets you to the same size as the original bought FLAC.

After that if it still doesn't work, something about your FLAC codec is making the hardware unhappy. Try using a different version of flac.exe.

I tried all of that. Then I tried downsizing it to 48000 Hz from 96000. Then resaved it. Still didn't work.

I will look into trying a different version of FLAC. Not really sure how to do that since it's built into the operating system.

 

[SeeMoreDigital]

I tried it last night. No, I couldn't play it. It was "an unplayable file".

Wowza... That really surprises me! Even my ASUS mobile phone can play it - albeit in stereo...

 

[Lensflair]

And if you don't want to write on a command line, download a free FLAC tool from the official FLAC site. (xACT looks good for Mac)

The OP said he tried 'exporting from Audacity' , which I assume should have worked, but there's no detail to say for sure. (The OP is using Mac, but Windows, Audacity's own flac encoder seems to be hidden in its setup files -- or at least, I can't find it as 'flac.exe')

Ok . . . Here is where the computer illiterate part of me starts. I downloaded xACT. I have no idea what to do with it. I assume encode, but after that. Not a clue. Dopey me.

 

[Guy Robinson]

If they are 7.1 or atmos files in flac export them in wav with audacity still using 96/24

 

[ssully]

Ok . . . Here is where the computer illiterate part of me starts. I downloaded xACT. I have no idea what to do with it. I assume encode, but after that. Not a clue. Dopey me.

I don't use Macs . But it seems simple enough based on this demo of the reverse process Click the icon to open xACT, choose the 'encode' tab, choose FLAC and set options to taste, drag/drop your .wav file , click the encode button, done.

No doubt foobar for Mac would work too

 

[Lensflair]

I don't use Macs . But it seems simple enough based on this demo of the reverse process Click the icon to open xACT, choose the 'encode' tab, choose FLAC and set options to taste, drag/drop your .wav file , click the encode button, done.

No doubt foobar for Mac would work too

Ok . . . I downloaded xAct and tried to make a new FLAC file. Didn't work. Still produced a file that was unreadable. Darn it!! Brought THAT file into Audacity, and that file was also fine. Opened perfectly. Something about that original file is giving everything fits. I can't figure out what.

 

[ssully]

Exactly how did you try to make a new FLAC file? What did you start with, what settings, what did you end up with? What file are you talking about, your friend's or one of the ones you bought?

What audio *format* (sample rate and bit depth) is your friend's file? And for the files you bought?

You need to describe the process in more detail, from start to finish.

 

[Lensflair]

Exactly how did you try to make a new FLAC file? What did you start with, what settings, what did you end up with? What file are you talking about, your friend's or one of the ones you bought?

What audio *format* (sample rate and bit depth) is your friend's file? And for the files you bought?

You need to describe the process in more detail, from start to finish.

FLAC Files will work on my Sony player if put on a jump drive. FYI, I erase the jump drives and only put one album on each drive, so the drive "shouldn't" be an issue.

The ones I bought were Flac files. 96000 Hz 24 bit. They work fine. The one my friend gave me were ALSO Flac files 96000 Hz 24 bit. They don't.

My friends files open perfectly in Audacity. I resaved them to a new Flac file. That still didn't work. I tried to save them to 48000hz. That didn't work.

I tried resaving them again, creating a new Flac file in xAct. That didn't work either. Again, I brought the xAct version into Audacity, and it opens fine. Still, my Sony player doesn't recognize the file.

 

[himey]

FLAC Files will work on my Sony player if put on a jump drive. FYI, I erase the jump drives and only put one album on each drive, so the drive "shouldn't" be an issue.

The ones I bought were Flac files. 96000 Hz 24 bit. They work fine. The one my friend gave me were ALSO Flac files 96000 Hz 24 bit. They don't.

My friends files open perfectly in Audacity. I resaved them to a new Flac file. That still didn't work. I tried to save them to 48000hz. That didn't work.

I tried resaving them again, creating a new Flac file in xAct. That didn't work either. Again, I brought the xAct version into Audacity, and it opens fine. Still, my Sony player doesn't recognize the file.

Did you try outputting a wav file?

 

[Lensflair]

Did you try outputting a wav file?

No.

Not exactly sure how to do that, or in what form it would have to be in for my DVD player to play it.

 

[himey]

No.

Not exactly sure how to do that, or in what form it would have to be in for my DVD player to play it.

It is a more standard pcm file format but most people don't use it because its larger file size and the tagging compatibility.
Load the FLAC into Audacity. Select all. Export selected audio as a wav file, rather than a FLAC. Both formats will be in the standard list of output options. Make sure 24 bit is selected.

 

[jamesc]

The UBP-X800M2 will play almost anything you throw on a USB drive, including multichannel FLAC, multichannel DSF, and EAC-3 DD+ Atmos files. About the only thing I've found it won't decode properly from USB are Dolby TrueHD Atmos files... it'll play Dolby TrueHD just fine off of disc though. It sounds like something is off with your friend's file.

 

[barfle]

I don’t know with any certainty that I (or someone else) haven’t already made this suggestion, but goldwave (www.goldwave.com) opens FLAC files, allows playback and editing, and also has a very large choice of file formats for storage. It’s fairly cheap, easy to use, and has a free trial.

You could probably use it to open the files, then store them with a slightly modified filename and see it that helps.

 

[Lensflair]

It is a more standard pcm file format but most people don't use it because its larger file size and the tagging compatibility.
Load the FLAC into Audacity. Select all. Export selected audio as a wav file, rather than a FLAC. Both formats will be in the standard list of output options. Make sure 24 bit is selected.

I'll try that. Thank you. I'll have to look at the owners manual to see how to play wav files. Wondering if I put them on a DVD will they play, or if I can still keep them on a jump drive.

 

[Lensflair]

It is a more standard pcm file format but most people don't use it because its larger file size and the tagging compatibility.
Load the FLAC into Audacity. Select all. Export selected audio as a wav file, rather than a FLAC. Both formats will be in the standard list of output options. Make sure 24 bit is selected.

It seems like 16 bit is the only option.

 

[himey]

It seems like 16 bit is the only option.

Did it play in 16 bit wav? Since you are just troubleshooting the issue, it isn't a big deal. There shouldn't be a limitation.