LAME settings are ignored in GKnot...

[Buzz Lightyear]

I use GKnot 0.27 with all the standard tools that come with it.
When encoding mp3-sound, I like to use custom parameters in GKnot (--alt-preset 128), but they are completely ignored, and I end up with abr 128, not --alt-preset 128. (I use the "use BeSweet" option in GKnot)
Why is that?

Please take a look at the logfile:

************************************************
BeSweet v1.5b8 by DSPguru.
--------------------------
Using azid.dll v1.8 (b825) by Midas (midas@egon.gyaloglo.hu).
Using lame_enc.dll v1.28 (4/6/2002), Engine 3.92 <http://www.mp3dev.org/>.

Logging start : 02/06/03 , 20:55:20.

E:\PROGRA~1\GORDIA~1\besweet.exe -core( -input D:\temp\jarokt AC3 T02 2_0ch 192Kbps DELAY 0ms.ac3 -output D:\temp\jarokt AC3 T02 2_0ch 192Kbps DELAY 0ms.mp3 -logfile D:\temp\jarokt AC3 T02 2_0ch 192Kbps DELAY 0ms.log ) -ota( -hybridgain ) -azid( -L -3db -s surround -c normal ) -lame( --alt-preset 128 ) -profile( Gordian Knot 0.27 )

[00:00:00:000] +------- BeSweet -----
[00:00:00:000] | Input : D:\temp\jarokt AC3 T02 2_0ch 192Kbps DELAY 0ms.ac3
[00:00:00:000] | Output: D:\temp\jarokt AC3 T02 2_0ch 192Kbps DELAY 0ms.mp3
[00:00:00:000] | Floating-Point Process: Yes
[00:00:00:000] +-------- AZID -------
[00:00:00:000] | Input Channels Mode: 2/0, Bitrate: 192kbps
[00:00:00:000] | Output Stereo mode: Dolby surround compatible
[00:00:00:000] | Total Gain: 0.000dB, Compression: Normal
[00:00:00:000] | LFE levels: To LR -3.0dB, To LFE 0.0dB
[00:00:00:000] | Center mix level: BSI
[00:00:00:000] | Surround mix level: BSI
[00:00:00:000] | Dialog normalization: No
[00:00:00:000] | Rear channels filtering: No
[00:00:00:000] | Source Sample-Rate: 48.0KHz
[00:00:00:000] +-------- LAME -------
[00:00:00:000] | 'abr 128' preset is used
[00:00:00:000] +---------------------
[02:09:35:808] Gain of 3.0dB had been asserted to file.
[02:09:35:808] Conversion Completed !
[02:09:35:808] Actual Avg. Bitrate : 125kbps
[00:23:48:000] <-- Transcoding Duration
Logging ends : 02/06/03 , 21:19:08.
**************************************************************

As you can see, LAME should use the "--alt-preset 128", but the logfile says "'abr 128' preset is used".
?????

[KoVaR]

lame command line should look like this

--preset --alt-preset 128

[Rash]

As far as I know, Lame does not support --alt-preset anymore.

You should read the USAGE file or type "lame --help" or "lame --preset help" for more help. In none of these helps there are any mention to --alt-presets anymore. ;)

Lame site -> http://lame.sourceforge.net/

[DSPguru]

'abr 128' preset iZ alt-preset 128 :D.

[Buzz Lightyear]

Originally posted by Rash
As far as I know, Lame does not support --alt-preset anymore.

You should read the USAGE file or type "lame --help" or "lame --preset help" for more help. In none of these helps there are any mention to --alt-presets anymore. ;)


Do you really think I didn't even read the help?

GKnot 0.27 comes with LAME 3.91.
lame --preset help gives you this:
***********************************
LAME version 3.91 MMX (http://www.mp3dev.org/)
(Win32 binaries from http://mitiok.cjb.net/)

Presets are shortcuts for common or carefully tuned settings.
Several separate collections of preset profiles are available.
For more preset details, refer to --preset longhelp.

basic- presets covering a wide span (fixed rates unless used with -v or VBR):
phone (16 kbps) mw-us (40 kbps) radio (128 kbps) studio (256 kbps)
phon+ (24 kbps) sw (24 kbps) tape (128 kbps)
lw (24 kbps) fm (112 kbps) hifi (160 kbps)
mw-eu (24 kbps) voice (56 kbps) cd (192 kbps)

alt- presets highly tuned for utmost quality via blind listening tests:
VBR presets for steady quality
--alt-preset standard
--alt-preset extreme
--alt-preset insane
ABR presets for best quality at a given average bitrate:
--alt-preset <bitrate value>

r3mix- VBR preset for steady quality with little excess:
--preset r3mix
****************************************

@KoVaR and Rash:
As you can see, there (still) are the usual --alt-preset XXX settings available. Nothing wrong with the syntax.

@DSPguru:
-abr 128 is NOT the same as --alt-preset 128! (Why should there be 2 different command-lines for exactly the same settings?)
I couldn't find a clear statement about this in the LAME "command line switch reference" or with LAME.exe --help but it's very easy to proof. Just take some audio file and encode it with LAME 2 times. I just did this and with --abr 128 it took me 28 seconds to encode a 4min50sec mp3 file. With --alt-preset 128 it took me 54sec (!).
Furthermore the files have different file-sizes, and are totally different if you compare them (on byte-level).
So --abr 128 != --alt-preset 128 !
(I think you should know that, as a ..guru ;) )

[Rash]

Well, I mentioned the official LAME help file, the one you download on LAME site. Not the help that comes with GKnot. ;)

[Buzz Lightyear]

@Rash:
You're right. The official site doesn't mention --alt-preset's. In fact the "usage" file that comes with LAME never mentions the --alt-presets (v3.91 (the one that comes with GKnot), v3.92, v3.93.1). But if you take a look at the "/help/switchs.html" file that comes with the LAME binaries, you'll find the --alt-presets in every version.
(Btw, the helpfile that comes with GKnot IS the original LAME help. There are no differences exept for the filename.)

To sum it up: As I see it, that's a bug in BeSweet, because it doesn't pass the right parameters to LAME.
input: besweet.exe -core( -input D:\te .... -lame( --alt-preset 128 ) ....
result: [00:00:00:000] | 'abr 128' preset is used
Or is there another explanation? Hope someone can help... :)

[DSPguru]

lol :D

@Buzz
I AM the one who write those info messages, i could write anything i want.
whenever someone uses alt-preset 128, i print 'abr 128' preset. if you'll use the regular abr mode, you'll see another message!!

[Buzz Lightyear]

Alriiiiiiiiiiight. Now I understand. :)
So the only "problem" ist that BeSweet prints "abr" instead of "--alt-preset". That's a little confusing imho... :confused:
Thanks (to all) for the replys and especially to DSPguru for explaining.

Buzz Lightyear to Star Command: Signing off! :D

[DSPguru]

Originally posted by Buzz Lightyear
Buzz Lightyear to Star Command: Signing off! :D dismissed!