Windows Media Encoder vs. Ogg Vorbis 64k

[PhatCohiba]

Here's my delima. I've got a 256mb CF card that I want to put music on.

If I use Windows Media 9 at 64k as my primary format for PPC, I can leverage the following tools from Plus - Digital Media Edition.

Plus Audio Converter (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/plus/dme/music.asp#audio) to downgrade my MP3's & WMAs to 64k. Then create a bunch of playlists in WMP. Use Plus Sync & Go (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/plus/dme/portabledevices.asp) to download only the playlists I want to listen to in the near future. This seems like great synergy.

Or should I go open source, Use something like Advanced Encode-Decode Tools (http://www.mediatwins.com/products/aedtools.htm) to re-encode to Ogg at 64k and use the Divx Player, and find some other way to sync the songs?

The WM solution seems too easy. All pot shots welcome.

ps. I can hardly tell the difference in quality so I wouldn't mind advice from those with better trained ears on the difference between WMA 9 and OGG. (at 64k or lower)

THANKS in advance!!!

-John

[Janak Parekh]

If it sounds the same to your ears, I'd say go for the WMA solution if it's easier. I personally would rerip to 160kbps Ogg, but that's me... I can't stand 64kbps on any codec. Both WMA and Ogg are supposed to be substantially better than MP3 at low bitrates.

--janak

[spursdude]

I would go with wma files at 64kbps. I have basically NO problems playing wma's on my PPC, while I do have some problems playing my MP3s. However, don't encode with WM 9 codec - your PPC won't be able to play them, as far as I know.

Will Plus Sync & Go sync playlists? I'm just wondering, because I really don't know. I know that normally, w/o that software, PC playlists won't work on a PPC.

Anyways, my wma files work great with good file size, great quality, and no hassles. I have yet to get fed up with WMP, but many people are, and if you are one of those people, you may want to use Pocket Divx (now Pocket MVP).

Or, try both. Why not? :D

[yellowdemon]

I would go with wma files at 64kbps. I have basically NO problems playing wma's on my PPC, while I do have some problems playing my MP3s. However, don't encode with WM 9 codec - your PPC won't be able to play them, as far as I know.



My Axim plays the WM9 codec just fine.

[klinux]

WMA 9 encoding at low bit rate VBR results in music files that is about 70kbps. That result (classical and opera) sounded pretty decent to my ears.

[klinux]

Oh, forgot to add that my Axim also plays WMA 9 VBR flawlessly. It has WMP version 8.5 however.

[ipaq38vette]

I recommend 96kbps WMAs. 64kbps sound really bad on crash cymbals or any other precussion.
There isn't a setting in WMP that allows for 96kbps copy to device, so you have to rip the CDs at a 96 bitrate and then copy through ActiveSync. I know it is a pain but it is worth it.

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

If it sounds the same to your ears, I'd say go for the WMA solution if it's easier. I personally would rerip to 160kbps Ogg, but that's me... I can't stand 64kbps on any codec. Both WMA and Ogg are supposed to be substantially better than MP3 at low bitrates.
Like Janak, I'm an ogg junkie.

...but if they do sound the same, there's no reason to go with ogg if WMA provides you with all those conveniences.

[rave]

However, don't encode with WM 9 codec - your PPC won't be able to play them, as far as I know.
Actually, you could. The decoder for Windows Media Audio was locked at version 8. Which means that any audio encoded using any future Windows Media encoder will still work on the PPC. Different encoders, same decoder. :)

Incidentally, Windows Media Video decoding will be locked at version 9... so we still need that updated player... :D

[Janak Parekh]

...but if they do sound the same, there's no reason to go with ogg if WMA provides you with all those conveniences.
In my case, I don't like WMP - I play off a Microdrive, and need the caching abilities other programs provide. Ergo, WMA is out the window. Plus I have cross-platform support with Ogg. But for most people, WMA is the most convenient, by far.

--janak

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

In my case, I don't like WMP - I play off a Microdrive, and need the caching abilities other programs provide. Ergo, WMA is out the window. Plus I have cross-platform support with Ogg. But for most people, WMA is the most convenient, by far.
Yeah. I used to do MP3 at 128kbps but realized that 96kbps would work favorably for my storage needs (used to have a 512MB CF) so I switched to WMA. I'm not a big fan of WMP, but it does work beautifully when you also have CE Playlist. Quality isn't great, but mostly I listen to the music while on a plane or while running my treadmill, so it's not a big deal to me.

Now I've switched again to ogg and when using PocketMVP, you really see the difference in how much better of an audio app PMVP is compared to WMP. Even w/o caching, it never skips or stutters and if I stop a song mid-track, I will pick up the song mid-track the next day (assuming I leave the app open of course). WMP is terrible in comparison.

[Janak Parekh]

Now I've switched again to ogg and when using PocketMVP, you really see the difference in how much better of an audio app PMVP is compared to WMP.
I know. I used it back in the PocketDivX days and never went back to WMP. I've since moved on to iPlay, which is miles better than even PocketMVP, but it's not free.

--janak

[Ekkie Tepsupornchai]

I've since moved on to iPlay, which is miles better than even PocketMVP, but it's not free.
Oh! So iPlay handles ogg as well? I'll have to look into that...

[vincentsiaw]

if you want my two cents... why dont just use WMP and sync and go? it much more convinient, as for quality sake, doesnt matter much really !

[Janak Parekh]

Oh! So iPlay handles ogg as well? I'll have to look into that...
New versions have iPlay support for an additional $5. I already had my iPlay investment, so I upgraded and added Ogg. That program has a ridiculous number of features once you figure out how to use it.

--janak

[Buddha]

From a personal point of view I'd say go with OGG, as usual its a question of 'taste' but i think ogg sounds way better at lower bitrates... I find WMA sounds a little 'metallic'.

I use the following:

dBpowerAMP Music Converter(with OGG plugin): to convert mp3, WAV or whatever format to OGG ABR-48kbps (here again what bitrate you use is personal pref.) This gives you a filezize of 1 to 2MB per song. Which I think is really great and allows me to stack about 70 songs on a 128MB
card (that's more than 3,5 hours of music)
dMC File Selector: this is an add-on for dBpowerAMP for batch conversion, just select all the songs you want to convert and go do something else. :)

To play the songs on my ppc I now use the recent WinamPAQ, it plays OGG aswell as MP3 and has GREAT sound. And the best of all this? Well all these programs are free!


WinamPAQ: http://www.projecteam.org/phpwiki/index.php/WinamPAQ%20-%20PDS
dBpowerAMP: http://www.dbpoweramp.com/dmc.htm
Another cool MP3 OGG Player would be GSPlayer2: http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA032810/files/gsp175a_eng.zip


Another reason to go with something else is the fact that WMPlayer sucks, making a playlist is hell.


Good luck deciding!