Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

[Notac]

I appreciate that you are trying to have all the codecs in house so that you can support them, but the new aac/m4a encoder has no real options.

With the old Nero, I could chose VBR - Quality 1 and force HE profile, this would give me a file of approx 225bits.

The new encoder has no option to choose between abr, cbr and vbr,

I set the bitrate to max and choose the HE profile and it gave me approx 112 bitrate cbr LC profile

Can you please package up the Nero encoder for this release as I now have no way to encode to aac/m4a with my new rips that is consistent with my prior rips.

Only other option is to find historical install of older version of dbpoweramp and codecs

[justtosay]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

I too ask that nero option should be brought back. I think admin previously mentioned nero will still be offered but nowhere I can find download from m4a page.
I see that change to fdk-aac gives certain advantage like not depending on nero but why delete nero support for that?
Few problems from fdk-aac to list are 1) like above, not much option other than cbr 2) being an open source library derived from the Android library, its quality doesn't fare well with comparison to its big brother FhG encoder(mostly same).
I never really had any problems with dbPoweramp and it worked to my expectation so far without any complaints to be made. However a new version offering smaller option set than previous version? I now cannot do what I used to do with previous version with new version! Please bring back the option.

[justtosay]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

It would also be nice to see qaac encoder as package as well (apple will continue to offer itunes/quicktime, right?)...but I'd not be too critical on that.

[dbfan]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

It would make little sense to use HE at 200kbps, unless I miss understand you

[Notac]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

It would make little sense to use HE at 200kbps, unless I miss understand you

The reason I chose those options, was that it gave me a file , encoder at LCVBR at approx 205kbps without having to mess with all other settings.

This new encoder has no options other than bit rate.
Where are the options for ABR, CBR and VBR

How would I get a file from this new encoder in VBR at approx 205kbps

I have looked at it again and cannot see how to change from CBR to VBR

[Spoon]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

The codec cannot do VBR, but that is not to say if you encode at around 205kbps CBR that the results would be worse than the nero codec, as far as I know this FDK codec beats the nero codec hands down.

[justtosay]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

I see your point, but you did mention that nero will still be available: http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthre...l=1*post135956
Was there external pressure from nero to specifically not offer nero aac option anymore?
Also, I believe "beats the nero codec hands down" was FhG aac encoder bundled with winamp, not fdk aac, which is similar and related but not the same: http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/...dpost&p=830395
There is no doubt that fdk aac is another good option to have, but can we have previous option back along with new option?

[justtosay]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

hmm? is my comment somehow being moderated? I can't seem to find my reply to admin's post uploaded moments before

[ffm76600]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

Hey Nottac

You have to try in the "converting option" the "LC AAC", "HE AAC" and "HE V2 AAC" options for the FDK codec

[Notac]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

My intention is not to tick anyone off, but can you explain why dbPoweramp is now using a codec that you have stated cannot do VBR, whereas both the Nero and Apple AAC encoders can.
This program is a great product, but I feel like it has taken a step backwards by giving us a codec that has less abilities then its predecessors.
As you will well know, VBR will give a smaller file than CBR but at the same quality if all other settings are kept the same. The difference in saving on a single album may be small, but when you have over 200 albums on your phone, the space saving counts.
Any hope of a VBR option in this new Codec, if not, can we have the Nero option back and let the people decide which version they prefer (you can always put the previso that you no longer support the Nero and will only be supporting the FDK version)

Thank you

ffm76600 - Thank you, I am aware of the profile options, it was the ABR, CBR and VBR settings that I was asking about.

[Spoon]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

Because it is a better codec, I seem to remember a listening test on Hydrogenaudio.org and it was better than the nero, even without vbr.

[Notac]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

Because it is a better codec, I seem to remember a listening test on Hydrogenaudio.org and it was better than the nero, even without vbr.

you seem to remember a listening test.

I purchased this product ages ago because of the good reviews and was not disappointed.
Unfortunately, I cannot agree with you on this topic as you have unilaterally decided to replace one codec with another which has less functionality.
That is a backwards step in anyones book.

you have given me no choice so I will just have to find another converter program that uses either the nero or apple aac codec so I can encode the way I have done previously

I will no longer be directing friends and colleagues to your product

[rayray]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

I had successfully used dBpoweramp, during the 30 day trial, to convert audio to the highest quality AAC that would work with my head unit (with the old Nero encoder). I had not needed to convert any more music, so I didn't end up buying it then. By now I have replaced my operating system with Windows 8, and upon attempting to use the program for my needs, it failed completely. Not only am I missing the VBR option, which I always used. The audio doesn't even work on my head unit at all, even when encoding at a lower 320kb/s. I seriously would've purchased this time around, but I've been spending the better part of the 30 day trial just attempting to get the Nero encoder to work. No matter where I put the Nero encoder, with either the old version 14.3 that actually shows it in the list, or the new version 15 with no support at all, I can't get it to work.

Well guess what. I was about to give up and say you've lost my money... but I figured it out. The waybackmachine has my back: https://web.archive.org/web/20130925...entral-m4a.htm
So everyone who couldn't get Nero to work, just stick to an older version of poweramp, such as 14.3: http://www.oldversion.com/windows/db...converter-14-3 and the codec from above. I really can't believe I had to spend this much of my own time to get something to work, that *used* to work. I would be infuriated if I had paid for the upgrade, only to find out the only useful feature to me has been nerfed. Luckily I have only wasted my time, not a dime. Looks like I'll be installing a virtual machine any time I want to convert music...

[jproudfo]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

Well guess what. I was about to give up and say you've lost my money... but I figured it out. The waybackmachine has my back: https://web.archive.org/web/20130925...entral-m4a.htm
So everyone who couldn't get Nero to work, just stick to an older version of poweramp, such as 14.3: http://www.oldversion.com/windows/db...converter-14-3 and the codec from above. I really can't believe I had to spend this much of my own time to get something to work, that *used* to work. I would be infuriated if I had paid for the upgrade, only to find out the only useful feature to me has been nerfed. Luckily I have only wasted my time, not a dime. Looks like I'll be installing a virtual machine any time I want to convert music...

Thanks for that useful tip... Unfortunately, I don't like the new encoder, either. It doesn't seem to work on some of my hardware, which is forcing me to go back to Nero. I also find it odd that it doesn't support VBR. Hopefully, we'll get this option back in the future release. I don't want to be stuck on 14.3 forever.

[Spoon]

Re: Issue with the new AAC/M4a encoder

The AAC encoder is independent of dBpoweramp version, however if you install R15 you would need to force the 32 bit install to work with this 32 bit only codec, see:

http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?33251-dBpoweramp-R15-Compatibility&p=143358