png vs. jpg

[dw2546]

is there an option somewhere that allows me to NOT force jpg artwork? the png files always look nicer/cleaner and i've yet to come across a player that barfs when it hits a png album cover. i would like to do this in the converter as well as the id tag editor. a 5mb png will always look better than a converted 119k jpg and i don't mind larger sound files in the end.

let me know, thanks.

sorry if this was previously covered somewhere, i searched the forums and spent some time googling around before posting here.

[Spoon]

Re: png vs. jpg

CD Ripper will always write a jpg as this is what it reads from the internet for its art.

[dw2546]

Re: png vs. jpg

Thank you for the reply. I wasn't specific enough. When I get to the album art part I almost always remove the one CD Ripper finds on the internet and I load a local file. The files I select are always either scans or large resolution, high quality images I locate online. If the file I select is a JPG the image is embedded without altering the size or appearance. If the file I select is a PNG (which in some cases I definitely do want) the image is converted to a very low file size and the quality isn't as good as the original. The same is true whenever I right click a folder or set of files and select Edit ID-Tag.

I had read some changelogs back around version 4 or 5 where an internal change was made to force PNG files to be automatically converted to JPG because some players can't handle files with embedded PNG images. The players I use have never had an issue with any music files with embedded PNG images so I was looking for an option to disable the automatic PNG>JPG conversion in favor of the source image. I don't believe such a setting exists but I would definitely like this... even if the option is off by default to cater to the built-in internal conversion solution that's been in place (and working for everyone else) for so long.

Thanks for your time!

[garym]

Re: png vs. jpg

Thank you for the reply. I wasn't specific enough. When I get to the album art part I almost always remove the one CD Ripper finds on the internet and I load a local file. The files I select are always either scans or large resolution, high quality images I locate online. If the file I select is a JPG the image is embedded without altering the size or appearance. If the file I select is a PNG (which in some cases I definitely do want) the image is converted to a very low file size and the quality isn't as good as the original. The same is true whenever I right click a folder or set of files and select Edit ID-Tag.

I had read some changelogs back around version 4 or 5 where an internal change was made to force PNG files to be automatically converted to JPG because some players can't handle files with embedded PNG images. The players I use have never had an issue with any music files with embedded PNG images so I was looking for an option to disable the automatic PNG>JPG conversion in favor of the source image. I don't believe such a setting exists but I would definitely like this... even if the option is off by default to cater to the built-in internal conversion solution that's been in place (and working for everyone else) for so long.

Thanks for your time!

When converting, add "ID TAG PROCESSING" DSP, and under the manipulations tab, you'll see options about album art. One of these options is a checkbox to always convert to jpg. Untick this box.

[dw2546]

Re: png vs. jpg

garym, thank you for the reply. I didn't know that option existed anywhere so I ran a quick test. I put in a new CD and went to DSP > Add DSP Effect > ID Tag Processing. The Force embedded to JPG manipulation was not checked. I've never messed with this area and I recently did a clean install of Reference 16 so I'm pretty sure this wasn't unchecked because of something I had done previously. Since it was already unchecked I removed the DSP effect.

I put in a music CD, removed the initially loaded artwork, added a local PNG file and then ripped it. The artwork was converted to JPG.

I then added the DSP effect leaving the conversion option unchecked. I ripped the CD again and it still converted the PNG to JPG.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong?

Is there a way to also accomplish this (no PNG>JPG conversion) after the CD is ripped using the Edit ID-Tag menu? The reason I ask is because sometimes I revisit older rips and update artwork if I locate something better.

Thanks again!

[garym]

Re: png vs. jpg

garym, thank you for the reply. I didn't know that option existed anywhere so I ran a quick test. I put in a new CD and went to DSP > Add DSP Effect > ID Tag Processing. The Force embedded to JPG manipulation was not checked. I've never messed with this area and I recently did a clean install of Reference 16 so I'm pretty sure this wasn't unchecked because of something I had done previously. Since it was already unchecked I removed the DSP effect.

I put in a music CD, removed the initially loaded artwork, added a local PNG file and then ripped it. The artwork was converted to JPG.

I then added the DSP effect leaving the conversion option unchecked. I ripped the CD again and it still converted the PNG to JPG.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong?

Is there a way to also accomplish this (no PNG>JPG conversion) after the CD is ripped using the Edit ID-Tag menu? The reason I ask is because sometimes I revisit older rips and update artwork if I locate something better.

Thanks again!

Hmmm. Not sure why this is converting your png files. I only use jpg so never noticed this. Spoon will have to chime in. EDIT: and it may be that when ripping the art is always converted to jpg. My instructions were for when one is using the converter rather than the ripper. If this is the case, then there needs to be some option in the ripper artwork handling as you requested.

[dw2546]

Re: png vs. jpg

thanks again. i've had no luck so far. i have to convert high quality (large size) png to 100% quality jpg before adding them as album art each time and the quality still isn't as good as the original png. if i forget to do this and use a png on accident, cd ripper and id tag editor convert the png to jpg automatically, somewhere at around 85% or 86% quality.

i wish there was a master setting to control the conversion (on/off) and a slider to allow adjusting the overall quality of this conversion (if/when it's turned on). in my case i really don't need the quality adjustment because i wouldn't use the jpg converter; but for anyone who does use it i would think they would want to be able to control it.

maybe this is a feature request, i don't know. i need png ability in cd ripper and in the id tag editor.

by the way, r16 is sweet!

[garym]

Re: png vs. jpg

thanks again. i've had no luck so far. i have to convert high quality (large size) png to 100% quality jpg before adding them as album art each time and the quality still isn't as good as the original png. if i forget to do this and use a png on accident, cd ripper and id tag editor convert the png to jpg automatically, somewhere at around 85% or 86% quality.

i wish there was a master setting to control the conversion (on/off) and a slider to allow adjusting the overall quality of this conversion (if/when it's turned on). in my case i really don't need the quality adjustment because i wouldn't use the jpg converter; but for anyone who does use it i would think they would want to be able to control it.

maybe this is a feature request, i don't know. i need png ability in cd ripper and in the id tag editor.

by the way, r16 is sweet!

Hopefully Spoon can chime in on this. It seems like this may be a bug. Not sure...

[dw2546]

Re: png vs. jpg

spoon, if it isn't currently possible to save the original png image in audio files can this option be added to future versions... not only when ripping but also when editing id tags?