Is it possible to transcode network streams to flac?

[soundgals]

Hi new here and only just starting to try out Minim.

I was wondering if it's possible to transcode an MP3 or AAC stream to flac. I realise this may be a slightly unusual request; but I want to use a renderer that can only handle flac streams. For example it can handle the excellent flac Czech Classical Radio stream just fine. I was thinking if BBC's AAC 320kbps or similar High Quality MP3 and AAC streams could be transcoded to flac this renderer should be able to handle it.

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks,

geoff

[simoncn]

(17-11-2014 16:02)soundgals Wrote:  Hi new here and only just starting to try out Minim.

I was wondering if it's possible to transcode an MP3 or AAC stream to flac. I realise this may be a slightly unusual request; but I want to use a renderer that can only handle flac streams. For example it can handle the excellent flac Czech Classical Radio stream just fine. I was thinking if BBC's AAC 320kbps or similar High Quality MP3 and AAC streams could be transcoded to flac this renderer should be able to handle it.

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks,

geoff

At present, FLAC isn't supported as a transcoding output type. I am very surprised that there is a renderer that can only handle FLAC. Which renderer is this?

[soundgals]

(17-11-2014 16:56)simoncn Wrote:  

(17-11-2014 16:02)soundgals Wrote:  Hi new here and only just starting to try out Minim.

I was wondering if it's possible to transcode an MP3 or AAC stream to flac. I realise this may be a slightly unusual request; but I want to use a renderer that can only handle flac streams. For example it can handle the excellent flac Czech Classical Radio stream just fine. I was thinking if BBC's AAC 320kbps or similar High Quality MP3 and AAC streams could be transcoded to flac this renderer should be able to handle it.

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Thanks,

geoff

At present, FLAC isn't supported as a transcoding output type. I am very surprised that there is a renderer that can only handle FLAC. Which renderer is this?

Thanks for the fast response. In fact the renderer/player in question can handle a variety of formats when playing files directly from the hard drive; but when it comes to streaming over the net (radio; etc) it can only handle flac streams. The name is HQPlayer and what it can do to improve the sound of ordinary 16bit 44.1khz Redbook CD is amazing.

The author doesn't support any lossless formats such as MP3 or AAC because he believes, quite rightly I think, that they have no place in a High Quality player.

My feeling though is that the quality of BBC Radio 3 at 320kbps to take one example is high enough that it could still greatly benefit from the DSP engine in HQPlayer.

Assuming it were theoretically possible to transcode these MP3/AAC streams to flac, would it be likely that such a player would recognise them as a flac stream?

After all, nothing would change in the make up of the url in the M3U playlist; but the server would begin to stream flac as soon as one of these urls were queried.

[simoncn]

(17-11-2014 17:23)soundgals Wrote:  Thanks for the fast response. In fact the renderer/player in question can handle a variety of formats when playing files directly from the hard drive; but when it comes to streaming over the net (radio; etc) it can only handle flac streams. The name is HQPlayer and what it can do to improve the sound of ordinary 16bit 44.1khz Redbook CD is amazing.

The author doesn't support any lossless formats such as MP3 or AAC because he believes, quite rightly I think, that they have no place in a High Quality player.

My feeling though is that the quality of BBC Radio 3 at 320kbps to take one example is high enough that it could still greatly benefit from the DSP engine in HQPlayer.

Assuming it were theoretically possible to transcode these MP3/AAC streams to flac, would it be likely that such a player would recognise them as a flac stream?

After all, nothing would change in the make up of the url in the M3U playlist; but the server would begin to stream flac as soon as one of these urls were queried.

How do I select a network stream to play in HQPlayer? I downloaded the Desktop trial version for Mac. The UI gives the option to add local file folders but I don't see a way to enter a network stream or a UPnP server library.

[soundgals]

Quote:How do I select a network stream to play in HQPlayer? I downloaded the Desktop trial version for Mac. The UI gives the option to add local file folders but I don't see a way to enter a network stream or a UPnP server library.

It accepts m3u playlists listing the urls(s) for the stream. You can add the playlist by selecting it using the open folder icon towards the top of the screen.

[simoncn]

(17-11-2014 18:56)soundgals Wrote:  It accepts m3u playlists listing the urls(s) for the stream. You can add the playlist by selecting it using the open folder icon towards the top of the screen.

This won't work with MinimStreamer because the stream URL in the physical .m3u file isn't the URL that MinimServer creates to route the stream via MinimStreamer. This MinimStreamer URL is exposed to UPnP control points via a UPnP playlist container.

[soundgals]

OK, I understand and thanks for looking into it anyway. I'll carry on learning about MinimServer/Streamer as I'm sure I can use it in other ways.

Geoff