What is the best codec/rez choice for 80G iPod?

[trtlrock]

Hi. I have dMC 12.2 reference. I have about 2000 CDs. I would like to use dMC to rip them via the multi encoder method. One will be FLAC for my lossless needs (Squeezebox, Sonos, etc).

I also have an 80G iPod that will be entirely devoted to this CD collection, solely for in-car purposes. FWIW, I have a very good car stereo system & want the best audio quality available. The collection is 85% rock, fwiw.

I have downloaded the beta v6 Nero AAC & will be using that, unless anyone tells me that's a bad idea.

If I wanted to fit all 2000 CDs on the iPod, which rez should I rip to...i.e. VBR @ 400kps? VBR @ 300kps? VBR vs CBR vs ABR? I'm confused as to which yields the best quality.

What if I only wanted to fit about 1000 CDs on the iPod, which choice would I use then?

I would also like to have my album art show up on the iPod, and am confused as to how my choice will impact this, if at all.

Lastly, I believe I have checked off & "activated" every tag known to man, and I obviously want items properly & fully tagged. Don't know if that impacts my choice either...

Thanks in advance for the help, and sorry for the newbie questions. I'm very new to all this, and confess that I'm drowning in a sea of information... :o

[bhoar]

Re: What is the best codec/rez choice for 80G iPod?

If I wanted to fit all 2000 CDs on the iPod, which rez should I rip to...i.e. VBR @ 400kps? VBR @ 300kps? VBR vs CBR vs ABR? I'm confused as to which yields the best quality.

What if I only wanted to fit about 1000 CDs on the iPod, which choice would I use then?

Ripfactory has a calculator for this, though you could also code up your own spreadsheet (as I have)...

http://ripfactory.helpserve.com/index.php?_m=downloads&_a=viewdownload&downloaditemid=12

Note that last time I tried it, entering a large number (over 3000 somewhere at the otherwise default settings) of CDs caused it to crash.

-brendan

[Spoon]

Re: What is the best codec/rez choice for 80G iPod?

For car usage then 160 kbps to 220 kbps is plenty, infact this range is transaprent which means even in a quiet envioronment most people cannot hear a difference to a cd.

Having all tags should not cause any issues.

[trtlrock]

Re: What is the best codec/rez choice for 80G iPod?

For car usage then 160 kbps to 220 kbps is plenty, infact this range is transaprent which means even in a quiet envioronment most people cannot hear a difference to a cd.

Having all tags should not cause any issues.

Thanks for the answers. Is VBR my best choice, as I gather it is geared towards quality while still achieving "max" compression?

[Spoon]

Re: What is the best codec/rez choice for 80G iPod?

VBR is best on most encoders.

[LtData]

Re: What is the best codec/rez choice for 80G iPod?

Also, make sure you use the beta m4a codec so that you get album art.