[vorbis-dev] vorbis API calls

[Monty]

> I've got a question about the new API function
> vorbis_encode_init_vbr(). Do I have to call vorbis_encode_init()
> before to set the bitrate(s)? And what is a good default value for the
> "base_quality" parameter?

No.  Call one of 'vorbis_encode_init_vbr()' or 'vorbis_encode_init()'.
These are the high level calls that do encode setup for vbr or bbr in
one step.

I'm filling in the last pieces of the full interface now.  The
remaining vorbis_encode_setup_vbr(), vorbis_encode_setup_managed(),
vorbis_encode_setup_init(), and vorbis_encode_ctl() are for the fully
tweakable interface setup and I'll have them documented later for rc4.

> I read on the mailing list that ABR use in Ogg Vorbis is not so good.

No, that's not what we meant; ABR forces bitrate management on an
encoder that's VBR natively and always has been.  The ABR/BBR/CBR is
good, but not nearly as good as the VBR.  The VBR is so sweet as to
make a strong man weep.  VBR quality will always beat ABR for a given
file size.  Bitrate management should only ever be used when there's
a reason to do so (like streaming).

The only reason I'm adamant about using VBR is that users used to MP3
are, by default, going to latch onto bitrate settings, and end up
shooting themselves in the foot by producing ABR files instead of
higher quality VBR for no good reason.  Those who stream, naturally,
have a very good reason to use bitrate management, and they should not
be discouraged from doing so.

Monty

--- >8 ----
List archives:  http://www.xiph.org/archives/
Ogg project homepage: http://www.xiph.org/ogg/
To unsubscribe from this list, send a message to 'vorbis-dev-request at xiph.org'
containing only the word 'unsubscribe' in the body.  No subject is needed.
Unsubscribe messages sent to the list will be ignored/filtered.