FDK AAC Output inconsistent for different players

[Botrax]

DBPoweramp Reference 15.1, FDK Release 2.1

When using FDK AAC to convert files to AAC HEv2, players are not reading the files equally.

Winamp sees HEv2 files correctly, in Stereo.

iTunes and my iPod see those files as Mono and Half the sample rate.

Goldwave cannot open the FDK files.


How do I get VALID AAC HEv2 files into my iPod with DBPoweramp 15.1?

[Spoon]

Re: FDK AAC Output inconsistent for different players

Which Bitrate are you using?

[Botrax]

Re: FDK AAC Output inconsistent for different players

Slider all the way to the right, 512kbps and 56kbps, FDK AAC HEv2

Output is Stereo in Winamp, Mono in Goldwave, Mono in iTunes/iPod, Mono in Media Monkey, Mono in PotPlayer.
(Actually opens in Goldwave)

I suspect the enveloppe/formatting of the HEv2 AAC is incorrect where the player has to guess the format, reverts to Mono, where only Winamp seems to see it as Stereo, and the sound is actually Stereo.
It's an idea.

Never had this issue with Nero AAC.

[Botrax]

Re: FDK AAC Output inconsistent for different players

FDK AAC HE v2 output contains multiple channel & multiple sample rate configurations in the header tags, which is wrong. Source has only ONE channel configuration, and only ONE sample rate configuration.


Converting a 16-bit 44khz FLAC with FDK AAC HEv2 produces:
Stereo M4A 44khz in Winamp
Stereo M4A 44khz in Window File Properties
CANNOT OPEN in Goldwave (The File contains two or more incompatible streams)
Mono 22khz M4A in iTunes
Stereo 22khz in PotPlayer
Encoder : FDK v0.1.3
Encoder Settings : -b 512000 -w 22050 -p 29 --ignorelength -S -o "[outfile]" -
Audio
ID : 1
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : HE-AACv2 / HE-AAC / LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 4mn 17s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 64.0 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 70.8 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels / 1 channel / 1 channel
Channel positions : Front: L R / Front: C / Front: C
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz / 44.1 KHz / 22.05 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 1.97 MiB (94%)
Encoded date : UTC 2014-07-05 04:59:01
Tagged date : UTC 2014-07-05 04:59:01




Converting 24-bit 96khz FLAC with FDK AAC HEv2 produces:
Stereo 96khz in Winamp
Mono 48khz in Windows File Properties
Mono 48khz in Goldwave
Mono 48khz in iTunes/iPod (iPod does not support 96kz, iTunes should flat out REFUSE to transfer 96khz files, as I have seen before, but it accepts the 48khz 1 channel stream)
Stereo 96khz in PotPlayer
Writing application : fdkaac 0.2.0, libfdk-aac 3.4.12, CBR 159kbps
Audio
ID : 1
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : HE-AACv2 / HE-AAC / LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 4mn 17s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 160 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 172 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels / 1 channel / 1 channel
Channel positions : Front: L R / Front: C / Front: C
Sampling rate : 96.0 KHz / 96.0 KHz / 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 4.91 MiB (97%)
Encoded date : UTC 2014-07-05 05:03:11
Tagged date : UTC 2014-07-05 05:03:11




Converting 24-bit 96khz FLAC with FDK AAC HEv2 with DSP Resample to 44khz produces:
Stereo M4A 44khz in Winamp
Stereo M4a 44khz in Windows File Properties
CANNOT OPEN in Goldwave (The File contains two or more incompatible streams)
Mono 22khz in iTunes
Stereo 44khz in PotPlayer
Audio
ID : 1
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : HE-AACv2 / HE-AAC / LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 4mn 17s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 64.0 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 70.5 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels / 1 channel / 1 channel
Channel positions : Front: L R / Front: C / Front: C
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz / 44.1 KHz / 22.05 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 1.96 MiB (95%)
Encoded date : UTC 2014-07-05 04:56:01
Tagged date : UTC 2014-07-05 04:56:01





FDK AAC HE v2 is tagged with MULTIPLE Sample Rates and multiple Channel configurations when opening in PotPlayer. This is wrong, as it lets the player play whatever sample rate, and whatever channel configuration it wants.
I want the Output AAC format to have only ONE sample, and ONE channel tag
The source file will be 2 channel 44khz, but the AAC output file will have header tags that specify 2channel, 1 channel, 1 channel, along with 44khz, 44khz, 22khz for the same file. Goldwave seems to confirm this, as the error message states 2 or more streams, which is consistent with the header tags.
Encoder Settings are not output to tags when converting 24-bit 96khz FLAC file.

This does not seem right at all. Output format should be 2 channels, 44khz if the source is 2 channels, 44khz, not a circus of different channels and sample rates in the output that players can chose from randomly




Here is the PotPlayer file info for source 44khz FLAC, then 24-bit 96khz FLAC.
Notice, only ONE channel configuration, and only ONE sample rate configuration in the source, when compared with FDK AAC HEv2 output that tags output with multiple channel and sample rate configurations.


Audio
Format : FLAC
Format/Info : Free Lossless Audio Codec
Duration : 4mn 17s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 1 059 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Replay gain : -9.64 dB
Replay gain peak : 1.000000
Stream size : 32.5 MiB (100%)
Writing library : libFLAC 1.2.1 (UTC 2007-09-17)


Audio
Format : FLAC
Format/Info : Free Lossless Audio Codec
Duration : 4mn 17s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 2 808 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 96.0 KHz
Bit depth : 24 bits
Replay gain : -5.25 dB
Replay gain peak : 0.985048
Stream size : 86.1 MiB (100%)
Writing library : libFLAC 1.2.1 (UTC 2007-09-17)


DBPoweramp 15.1 FDK produces AAC files that are played mono 22khz on iPod
DBPoweramp 14.4 Nero produces AAC files that are played Stereo 44khz on iPod, as they should.
Both produce these funky multiple channel & sample rate configuration, but only Nero AAC is played correctly at the proper channel & sample rate configuration.

[dbfan]

Re: FDK AAC Output inconsistent for different players

It makes little sense to use HE at 512kbps, because it is designed to work at around 90kbps.

[Botrax]

Re: FDK AAC Output inconsistent for different players

It averages at around 160kbps anyways, which is fine.

Not matter the Bitrate setting, 32, 64, 80, 96, 128 or 512, AAC players are not seeing the same file. It ALWAYS reverts to 22khz on iPod and 44khz in Winamp.
I want to force to 44khz no matter the player, but the AAC output files have multiple stream configurations.

[Spoon]

Re: FDK AAC Output inconsistent for different players

HE works by halving the frequency and it stores extra information so that the 44KHz can be recreated. If the ipod is playing at 22KHz then it is not compatible with HE, in fact this page says so also (search for ipod):

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-Efficiency_Advanced_Audio_Coding

[Botrax]

Re: FDK AAC Output inconsistent for different players

AAC HEv2 44khz and 48khz DEFINITELY work on iPod Touch 5g, as this is mostly it contains at the moment. Screenshot below demonstrates DBPowerAmp 14.4 and Nero Codec accomplishing this.



I will downgrade to 14.4 to restore proper AAC encoding as my 15.1 reference AAC encoding is clearly inferior.