Using lame options with ffmpeg.

[ron999]

Hi
When using libmp3lame with ffmpeg is there a way to use lame options?

ffmpeg -i foo -acodec libmp3lame foo.mp3

For example:- --vbr-new, --abr <bitrate>, -V (n) and -q <arg>

I think it is possible to pipe ffmpeg to lame then use the options.
But is it possible to do it without a pipe.

ffmpeg -i foo -f wav - | lame --vbr-new -V 4 - foo.mp3

[mc4man]

is there a way to use lame options

I don't think so, you'd need to use ffmpeg options, to whatever extent.
I believe you could get a vbr with -aq n, probably close the the -V n

I'd just pipe to lame instead
(is there a reason you don't wish to?

[ajgreeny]

Use

ffmpeg -i file.wav -acodec libmp3lame -ab 128k file.mp3

To convert audio wav file to mp3.

-acodec is the audio codec libmp3lame.
-ab is audio bitrate.

But that may not be quite what you are asking.

[ron999]

Thanks mc4man
(The reason for not using a pipe is because I want to make some bespoke pre-sets for WinFF)

Yes, you are correct.
Using -aq n seems to give vbr.
I converted the same file with lame and ffmpeg to compare and contrast.

Using these comands:-

lame -q 0 -V 0 foo.wav testlame.mp3
ffmpeg -i foo.wav -acodec libmp3lame -ab 320k -aq 0 testffmpeg.mp3

The results look very similar:-

Complete name : testlame.mp3
Format : MPEG Audio
File size : 5.37 MiB
Duration : 3mn 9s
Overall bit rate : 238 Kbps
Writing library : LAME3.98r

Audio
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Format_Settings_Mode : Joint stereo
Duration : 3mn 9s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 238 Kbps
Minimum bit rate : 32.0 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Stream size : 5.37 MiB (100%)
Writing library : LAME3.98r
Encoding settings : -m j -V 0 -q 0 -lowpass 19.5 --vbr-new -b 32

Complete name : testffmpeg.mp3
Format : MPEG Audio
File size : 5.54 MiB
Encoding settings : Lavf52.78.0

Audio
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Format_Settings_Mode : Joint stereo
Bit rate mode : Variable
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Stream size : 5.54 MiB (100%)

[mc4man]

ffmpeg -i foo.wav -acodec libmp3lame -ab 320k -aq 0 testffmpeg.mp3

I'd think you could remove that, sort of at odds with vbr, though possibly ffmpeg ignores it

[ron999]

Yes the result is the same without -ab 320k.

[andrew.46]

Hmmmm.... so I presume that lame -q 0 to -q 9 is equivalent to FFmpeg -aq 0 to -aq 9? I guess if I was not so naturally lazy I would grab a wav file and test this myself . Nice if there were some decent documentation of this sort of feature...

Andrew

[mc4man]

so I presume that lame -q 0 to -q 9 is equivalent to FFmpeg -aq 0 to -aq 9?

Never really tested here either - I wouldn't be surprised if they diverge a bit. i remember once seeing some docu on it, though at the time the option didn't work so well (or at all, I forget.

Ot
What's an alt. method, though certainly of limited value with all the alternatives, is to use named pipes with mplayer to convert to mp3 w/lame. what i used it for wmal > flac, wmal > mp3
( though it is interesting, when doing as a 'batch named pipes' conversion, to see it work -