convert.conf settings for using mplayer to decode AAC

[4mula1]

I'm trying to get my convert.conf setup to use mplayer to transcode AAC to FLAC and mp3. I followed the AppleLosslessUnix wiki page and have been able to convert the AAC to wav, but I stream music to work and the wav output is just a little bit bigger that my pipe can handle.

I can't seem to figure out the syntax to use for mplayer to pipe the output into Lame. Here's what I currently have in my convert.conf:

[mplayer] -novideo -ao pcm $FILE$ | [lame] ...

What am I missing?

[bpa]

Mplayer doesn't work like a standard linux app and you can't pipe
directly. This is what you need.

mov mp3 * *
[mplayer] -novideo -ao pcm:file=/dev/fd/4 $FILE$ 4>&1 1>/dev/null | $lame$ --silent -q $QUALITY$ -b $BITRATE$ - -

[4mula1]

Thanks again, bpa. The Wiki wasn't clear on how to use mplayer for transcoding and you hit the nail on the head. Searching the forums for mplayer turned up a LOT of results for AlienBBC.

I hope you're staying up late tonight because I'm going to try to install AlienBBC this evening...

[mherger]

> Mplayer doesn't work like a standard linux app and you can't pipe
> directly.

Except if you have flipflip's patched version? (just as a sidenote: I had
troubles using mplayer on SlimCD, as the slimserver user wasn't allowed to
read/write(?) from/to /dev/fd/3, and I could not give the appropriate
permissions. SlimCD is therefore using flipflip's patch to pipe data
through. - Thanks again for the pointer!)

--

Michael

-----------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.herger.net/SlimCD - your SlimServer on a CD
http://www.herger.net/slim - AlbumReview, Biography, MusicInfoSCR

[SteveEast]

> Mplayer doesn't work like a standard linux app and you can't pipe
> directly.

Except if you have flipflip's patched version? (just as a sidenote: I had
troubles using mplayer on SlimCD, as the slimserver user wasn't allowed to
read/write(?) from/to /dev/fd/3, and I could not give the appropriate
permissions. SlimCD is therefore using flipflip's patch to pipe data
through. - Thanks again for the pointer!)

Michael, should I be using a special convert.conf entry for SlimCD/mplayer/AAC or is the one from bpa OK?

Thanks,
Steve.

[bpa]

If you are using Michael's special mplayer with flipflips mods then I think the entry will be something like.

mov mp3 * *
[mplayer] -novideo -ao pcm:file=- $FILE$ 2>/dev/null | $lame$ --silent -q $QUALITY$ -b $BITRATE$ - -

You need to check the existing equivalent rtsp entry and probably copy the entry from the "-ao" up to end of line.

[ChrisNY]

I am using the LAME/FAAD2 method described in the Wiki to play AAC files. This brings up 2 questions:
1. Is there any inherent benefit to using LAME/FAAD vs. Mplayer?

2. If I install AlienBBC and Mplayer, will Mplayer interfere with the LAME/FAAD method that I've selected for AAC?

I just put together a dedicated Ubunutu box for Slimserver and my music files. I am slowly weaning myself off of my Windows Slimserver instance and just got the AAC stuff set up in Ubuntu last night.
Definitely learning quite a bit about Linux from this project. Made my fair share of mistakes, but I'd say that's how most folks learn Linux.

-Chris

[SteveEast]

If you are using Michael's special mplayer with flipflips mods then I think the entry will be something like.

mov mp3 * *
[mplayer] -novideo -ao pcm:file=- $FILE$ 2>/dev/null | $lame$ --silent -q $QUALITY$ -b $BITRATE$ - -

You need to check the existing equivalent rtsp entry and probably copy the entry from the "-ao" up to end of line.

Thanks bpa, the above worked perfectly. I had previously looked for the rtsp entry in convert.conf, but it wasn't there. I don't understand how it can appear on the File Types page but not in the convert.conf file.

Steve.

[SteveEast]

Thanks bpa, the above worked perfectly. I had previously looked for the rtsp entry in convert.conf, but it wasn't there. I don't understand how it can appear on the File Types page but not in the convert.conf file.

Steve.

Oh, now I see...it's in Plugins/Alien/custom-convert.conf.

Steve.

[bpa]

In addition to convert.conf which is the Slimserver official file, a user can also have slimserver-convert.conf in the server directory and custom-convert.conf in the Plugins directory (e.g. Plugins/Alien). These user defined custom files remained between upgrades and also I think can override the standard convert.conf entries.