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Lou, I think WAV is a way to store PCM data too. I think it's just another CODEC like FLAC, but let's see what the computer experts say. -- Tom Fine ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lou Judson" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Monday, May 18, 2015 12:44 PM Subject: Re: [ARSCLIST] Is it time to rethink FLAC ? > Thanks Richard, but I don’t think so. I own a SD 744 and as the manual you quote says, it records > uncompressed PCM but can store in a variety of compressed formats, one of which is FLAC. To me at > least, that only reinforces my point - FLAC is a way to store PCM or WAV, not an actual recording > format. > > In other words, it compreses digital audio, but is not digital audio in itself. That is not to say > it isn’t effective and good, just that it is not a format but rather a compression scheme. I would > only use it to store audio for long term… not as preservation… > > Like rtf is a way to store ASCII data, but isn’t writing without it. > > I don’t know why I care so much, except that it seems the Australian claims are not what they > think they are. > > <L> > Lou Judson > Intuitive Audio > 415-883-2689 > > On May 18, 2015, at 9:21 AM, Richard L. Hess <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >> On 2015-05-18 11:49 AM, Lou Judson wrote (in part): >>> According to my understanding, FLAC is a non-lossy compression scene >>> applied to WAV and PCM files, not a digital encoding format in >>> itself. If that is so, then one must start with WAV (or other PCM >>> format) files in order to get to FLAC. Therefore FLAC is an >>> accessory, not a proper format. >>> >>> If this is so, then it can only be seen as a storage format, not a >>> recording format, and the argument is academic. >>> >> And that is precisely how the National Library of Australia's software seems to be using it. >> However, it is a recording format in one instance which I own: >> >> From the Sound Devices 722 firmware version 2-67 manual: >> >>> Thank you for purchasing the 722. The super-compact 722 records and >>> plays back audio to and from its internal hard drive or CompactFlash >>> medium, making field recording simple and fast. It writes and reads >>> uncompressed PCM audio at 16 or 24 bits with sample rates between 32 >>> kHz and 192 kHz. It also writes and reads data compressed FLAC and >>> audio compressed MP2 and MP3 files. >> >> >> From the current Samplitude ProX2 manual: >> >>> The following formats are supported and read directly by Samplitude: >>> Wave files (.wav), MP3/MPEG files (.mp3, .mpg, .mus), QuickTime >>> files (.aif), MS Audio files (.asf, .wma), Ogg Vorbis (.ogg), FLAC >>> (.flac), MIDI files (.mid), video files (.avi), and playlists (.m3u, >>> .cue). >> >> Samplitude and the RME Fireface UFX both directly record in WAV files. >> The Fireface UFX uses a poly WAV file (as do the SD products) to avoid >> having many open files. >> >> Samplitude exports to FLAC directly through commands. >> >> So, at least in my world, FLAC support is fairly broad, but, Lou, as you state, it is not used >> directly for recording (in my world) except for the SD722 (and I do not use that feature). >> >> When Exact Audio Copy rips a CD to FLAC it first rips to WAV and then runs the external FLAC >> compressor, but although that is the way it is often used, the presence of the SD capability >> indicates to me that it is a stand-alone format, not an accessory. >> >> Cheers, >> >> Richard >> -- >> Richard L. Hess email: [log in to unmask] >> Aurora, Ontario, Canada 647 479 2800 >> http://www.richardhess.com/tape/contact.htm >> Quality tape transfers -- even from hard-to-play tapes. > >