mp3 to mp2 without quality loss?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

I've got a 128 kbps mp3 file that I would like to convert to a 128 kbps mp2
file. The problem is I'm always losing some quality during the process,
even if the 2 bitrates are the same. If I want an mp2 file with no
noticeable quality loss, I have to encode it at least at 224 or 256 kbps.
Is there a way to convert the mp3 file into a same-bitrate mp2 file without
quality loss? (There has to be a way since both files are virtually the
same size) Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 16:39:53 -0400, "Ampersand"
<ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote:

>I've got a 128 kbps mp3 file that I would like to convert to a 128 kbps mp2
>file. The problem is I'm always losing some quality during the process,
>even if the 2 bitrates are the same. If I want an mp2 file with no
>noticeable quality loss, I have to encode it at least at 224 or 256 kbps.
>Is there a way to convert the mp3 file into a same-bitrate mp2 file without
>quality loss? (There has to be a way since both files are virtually the
>same size) Thanks!
>
I don't think it's possible. The 128 kbs mp3 is already
highly compromised in terms of sound qual. compared to the
original Wave.

To convert it to mp2, the mp3 is uncompressed (no change in SQ
there) and then recompressed *again* to 128kbps resulting
in even more loss.

I know of no programs that can do this without the intermediate
step (uncompressing and recompressing)

Dave

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

On Sat, 10 Jul 2004 16:39:53 -0400, "Ampersand"
<ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote:

>I've got a 128 kbps mp3 file that I would like to convert to a 128 kbps mp2
>file. The problem is I'm always losing some quality during the process,
>even if the 2 bitrates are the same.

Rather, precisely because the 2 bitrates are the same. Mp2 needs about
the double bitrate than mp3 for the same quality.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

I have tried to convert my 128 kbps mp3 file to a 160 kbps mp2 file, and the
quality loss seemed much less worse than when I tried it at 128 kbps. I'm
sure I'd have to use a higher mp2 bitrate in order to lose almost no
quality, but as the sound is usually strictly dialogue, I don't think the
difference will be very noticeable. It seems like you have to use a bitrate
at least 1½ times higher for an mp2 file to sound nearly the same as an mp3
file.


"Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message
newsrYHc.74595$_p5.1551138@wagner.videotron.net...
> I've got a 128 kbps mp3 file that I would like to convert to a 128 kbps
mp2
> file. The problem is I'm always losing some quality during the process,
> even if the 2 bitrates are the same. If I want an mp2 file with no
> noticeable quality loss, I have to encode it at least at 224 or 256 kbps.
> Is there a way to convert the mp3 file into a same-bitrate mp2 file
without
> quality loss? (There has to be a way since both files are virtually the
> same size) Thanks!
>
>

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message news:<dJAIc.35149$UO6.770868@wagner.videotron.net>...
> I have tried to convert my 128 kbps mp3 file to a 160 kbps mp2 file, and the
> quality loss seemed much less worse than when I tried it at 128 kbps. I'm
> sure I'd have to use a higher mp2 bitrate in order to lose almost no
> quality, but as the sound is usually strictly dialogue, I don't think the
> difference will be very noticeable. It seems like you have to use a bitrate
> at least 1½ times higher for an mp2 file to sound nearly the same as an mp3
> file.
>
>
> "Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message
> newsrYHc.74595$_p5.1551138@wagner.videotron.net...
> > I've got a 128 kbps mp3 file that I would like to convert to a 128 kbps
> mp2
> > file. The problem is I'm always losing some quality during the process,
> > even if the 2 bitrates are the same. If I want an mp2 file with no
> > noticeable quality loss, I have to encode it at least at 224 or 256 kbps.
> > Is there a way to convert the mp3 file into a same-bitrate mp2 file
> without
> > quality loss? (There has to be a way since both files are virtually the
> > same size) Thanks!
> >
> >

Out of interest, why do you even want to create mp2 audio? I presume
you're making it for a PAL DVD right? (mp2 is not part of NTSC DVD
standard). Why not create ac3 instead? Much better quality, and
smaller file sizes.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"stankley" <pstankley@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:728c4cea.0407130333.5bf0a587@posting.google.com...
> "Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message
news:<dJAIc.35149$UO6.770868@wagner.videotron.net>...
> > I have tried to convert my 128 kbps mp3 file to a 160 kbps mp2 file, and
the
> > quality loss seemed much less worse than when I tried it at 128 kbps.
I'm
> > sure I'd have to use a higher mp2 bitrate in order to lose almost no
> > quality, but as the sound is usually strictly dialogue, I don't think
the
> > difference will be very noticeable. It seems like you have to use a
bitrate
> > at least 1½ times higher for an mp2 file to sound nearly the same as an
mp3
> > file.
> >
> >
> > "Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message
> > newsrYHc.74595$_p5.1551138@wagner.videotron.net...
> > > I've got a 128 kbps mp3 file that I would like to convert to a 128
kbps
> > mp2
> > > file. The problem is I'm always losing some quality during the
process,
> > > even if the 2 bitrates are the same. If I want an mp2 file with no
> > > noticeable quality loss, I have to encode it at least at 224 or 256
kbps.
> > > Is there a way to convert the mp3 file into a same-bitrate mp2 file
> > without
> > > quality loss? (There has to be a way since both files are virtually
the
> > > same size) Thanks!
> > >
> > >
>
> Out of interest, why do you even want to create mp2 audio? I presume
> you're making it for a PAL DVD right? (mp2 is not part of NTSC DVD
> standard). Why not create ac3 instead? Much better quality, and
> smaller file sizes.

Nope I was creating an NTSC DVD. I thought it was standard; worked the
first time anyway. And are you sure ac3 gives smaller file sizes?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

Ampersand wrote:
> "stankley" <pstankley@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:728c4cea.0407130333.5bf0a587@posting.google.com...
>> "Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message
> news:<dJAIc.35149$UO6.770868@wagner.videotron.net>...
>>> I have tried to convert my 128 kbps mp3 file to a 160 kbps mp2
>>> file, and the quality loss seemed much less worse than when I tried
>>> it at 128 kbps. I'm sure I'd have to use a higher mp2 bitrate in
>>> order to lose almost no quality, but as the sound is usually
>>> strictly dialogue, I don't think the difference will be very
>>> noticeable. It seems like you have to use a bitrate at least 1½
>>> times higher for an mp2 file to sound nearly the same as an mp3
>>> file.
>>>
>>>
>>> "Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message
>>> newsrYHc.74595$_p5.1551138@wagner.videotron.net...
>>>> I've got a 128 kbps mp3 file that I would like to convert to a 128
>>>> kbps mp2 file. The problem is I'm always losing some quality
>>>> during the process, even if the 2 bitrates are the same. If I
>>>> want an mp2 file with no noticeable quality loss, I have to encode
>>>> it at least at 224 or 256 kbps. Is there a way to convert the mp3
>>>> file into a same-bitrate mp2 file
>>> without
>>>> quality loss? (There has to be a way since both files are
>>>> virtually the same size) Thanks!
>>>>
>>>>
>>
>> Out of interest, why do you even want to create mp2 audio? I presume
>> you're making it for a PAL DVD right? (mp2 is not part of NTSC DVD
>> standard). Why not create ac3 instead? Much better quality, and
>> smaller file sizes.
>
> Nope I was creating an NTSC DVD. I thought it was standard; worked
> the first time anyway. And are you sure ac3 gives smaller file sizes?


It definitely will. If you're starting from a wave file, it compresses it
approx. 10:1.
Not sure about your case though.

Mike

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message news:<TqTIc.54517$UO6.1229126@wagner.videotron.net>...
> "stankley" <pstankley@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:728c4cea.0407130333.5bf0a587@posting.google.com...
> > "Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message
> news:<dJAIc.35149$UO6.770868@wagner.videotron.net>...
> > > I have tried to convert my 128 kbps mp3 file to a 160 kbps mp2 file, and
> the
> > > quality loss seemed much less worse than when I tried it at 128 kbps.
> I'm
> > > sure I'd have to use a higher mp2 bitrate in order to lose almost no
> > > quality, but as the sound is usually strictly dialogue, I don't think
> the
> > > difference will be very noticeable. It seems like you have to use a
> bitrate
> > > at least 1½ times higher for an mp2 file to sound nearly the same as an
> mp3
> > > file.
> > >
> > >
> > > "Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message
> > > newsrYHc.74595$_p5.1551138@wagner.videotron.net...
> > > > I've got a 128 kbps mp3 file that I would like to convert to a 128
> kbps
> mp2
> > > > file. The problem is I'm always losing some quality during the
> process,
> > > > even if the 2 bitrates are the same. If I want an mp2 file with no
> > > > noticeable quality loss, I have to encode it at least at 224 or 256
> kbps.
> > > > Is there a way to convert the mp3 file into a same-bitrate mp2 file
> without
> > > > quality loss? (There has to be a way since both files are virtually
> the
> > > > same size) Thanks!
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> > Out of interest, why do you even want to create mp2 audio? I presume
> > you're making it for a PAL DVD right? (mp2 is not part of NTSC DVD
> > standard). Why not create ac3 instead? Much better quality, and
> > smaller file sizes.
>
> Nope I was creating an NTSC DVD. I thought it was standard; worked the
> first time anyway. And are you sure ac3 gives smaller file sizes?

Many DVD players do support mp2 audio, but NTSC DVD makers do not need
to support it to have a compliant DVD player - therefore it's best
avoided. According to the excellent www.dvdrhelp.com site
(www.dvdrhelp.com/dvd) the standard for NTSC is:


Video:
Up to 9.8 Mbps* (9800 kbps*) MPEG2 video
Up to 1.856 Mbps (1856 kbps) MPEG1 video
720 x 480 pixels MPEG2 (Called Full-D1)
704 x 480 pixels MPEG2
352 x 480 pixels MPEG2 (Called Half-D1, same as the CVD Standard)
352 x 240 pixels MPEG2
352 x 240 pixels MPEG1 (Same as the VCD Standard)
29,97 fps*
23,976 fps with 3:2 pulldown = 29,97 playback fps (NTSC Film, this is
only supported by MPEG2 video)
16:9 Anamorphic (only supported by 720x480)


Audio:
48000 Hz
32 - 1536 kbps
Up to 8 audio tracks containing DD (Dolby Digital/AC3), DTS,
PCM(uncompressed audio), MPEG-1 Layer2. One audio track must have DD
or PCM Audio.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"stankley" <pstankley@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:728c4cea.0407130333.5bf0a587@posting.google.com...
> "Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message
news:<dJAIc.35149$UO6.770868@wagner.videotron.net>...
> > I have tried to convert my 128 kbps mp3 file to a 160 kbps mp2 file, and
the
> > quality loss seemed much less worse than when I tried it at 128 kbps.
I'm
> > sure I'd have to use a higher mp2 bitrate in order to lose almost no
> > quality, but as the sound is usually strictly dialogue, I don't think
the
> > difference will be very noticeable. It seems like you have to use a
bitrate
> > at least 1½ times higher for an mp2 file to sound nearly the same as an
mp3
> > file.
> >
> >
> > "Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message
> > newsrYHc.74595$_p5.1551138@wagner.videotron.net...
> > > I've got a 128 kbps mp3 file that I would like to convert to a 128
kbps
> > mp2
> > > file. The problem is I'm always losing some quality during the
process,
> > > even if the 2 bitrates are the same. If I want an mp2 file with no
> > > noticeable quality loss, I have to encode it at least at 224 or 256
kbps.
> > > Is there a way to convert the mp3 file into a same-bitrate mp2 file
> > without
> > > quality loss? (There has to be a way since both files are virtually
the
> > > same size) Thanks!
> > >
> > >
>
> Out of interest, why do you even want to create mp2 audio? I presume
> you're making it for a PAL DVD right? (mp2 is not part of NTSC DVD
> standard). Why not create ac3 instead? Much better quality, and
> smaller file sizes.

And how should I create my ac3 file? The only free software I know is
BeSweet, but the author itself says it creates useless ac3 files and that
you shouldn't use it for anything important. I have also heard quality
wasn't really good when encoded with BeSweet. Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote:

>And how should I create my ac3 file? The only free software I know is
>BeSweet, but the author itself says it creates useless ac3 files and that
>you shouldn't use it for anything important. I have also heard quality
>wasn't really good when encoded with BeSweet. Any ideas? Thanks!

I had bad results when I tried AC3 from BeSweet. My older DVD player
choked on it although the newer one seemed to be able to deal with it.

I usually use mp2 for NTSC DVDs. My understanding (could be wrong) is
that the NTSC standard is supposed to require either LPCM or AC3 as
the main audio track, but I think mp2 is part of the standard for
alternate audio tracks; so all players should support it. Anyway,
although people may tell you that mp2-only audio won't work on some
NTSC DVD players, I've yet to hear of any specific models that have a
problem with it.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

On Sun, 18 Jul 2004 12:17:09 GMT, DeepOne@ix.netcom.com wrote:

>although people may tell you that mp2-only audio won't work on some
>NTSC DVD players, I've yet to hear of any specific models that have a
>problem with it.

Mp2 is the audio format of VCD. If the DVD player supports VCD -as is
usually the case- then it's more than likely that it shall also play
Mp2 for DVD. So, maybe Mp2 is not a theoretical standard, but it can
be a standard "de facto".

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop (More info?)

"Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message news:<PzmKc.51463$mU1.1790225@weber.videotron.net>...
> "stankley" <pstankley@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:728c4cea.0407130333.5bf0a587@posting.google.com...
> > "Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message
> news:<dJAIc.35149$UO6.770868@wagner.videotron.net>...
> > > I have tried to convert my 128 kbps mp3 file to a 160 kbps mp2 file, and
> the
> > > quality loss seemed much less worse than when I tried it at 128 kbps.
> I'm
> > > sure I'd have to use a higher mp2 bitrate in order to lose almost no
> > > quality, but as the sound is usually strictly dialogue, I don't think
> the
> > > difference will be very noticeable. It seems like you have to use a
> bitrate
> > > at least 1½ times higher for an mp2 file to sound nearly the same as an
> mp3
> > > file.
> > >
> > >
> > > "Ampersand" <ampersand@yourbestfriend.com> wrote in message
> > > newsrYHc.74595$_p5.1551138@wagner.videotron.net...
> > > > I've got a 128 kbps mp3 file that I would like to convert to a 128
> kbps
> mp2
> > > > file. The problem is I'm always losing some quality during the
> process,
> > > > even if the 2 bitrates are the same. If I want an mp2 file with no
> > > > noticeable quality loss, I have to encode it at least at 224 or 256
> kbps.
> > > > Is there a way to convert the mp3 file into a same-bitrate mp2 file
> without
> > > > quality loss? (There has to be a way since both files are virtually
> the
> > > > same size) Thanks!
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> > Out of interest, why do you even want to create mp2 audio? I presume
> > you're making it for a PAL DVD right? (mp2 is not part of NTSC DVD
> > standard). Why not create ac3 instead? Much better quality, and
> > smaller file sizes.
>
> And how should I create my ac3 file? The only free software I know is
> BeSweet, but the author itself says it creates useless ac3 files and that
> you shouldn't use it for anything important. I have also heard quality
> wasn't really good when encoded with BeSweet. Any ideas? Thanks!

Soft Encode. No longer sold, but if you do a Google you'll find downloads.