Difference between revisions of "FLAC"

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(container format, source)
(→‎Container format: VLC can encode this since 0.7.0)
 
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{{website|FLAC|http://flac.sourceforge.net}}
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{{website|FLAC|https://xiph.org/flac/}}
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{{xiph|FLAC}}
 
{{open}}
 
{{open}}
'''FLAC''' is short for '''Free Lossless Audio Compression'''. It is an open source [[codec]] and [[file format]] which provides a [[lossless|perfect]] quality audio file. Normally, FLAC files contain [[CD|CD quality]] audio.
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'''FLAC''' is short for '''Free Lossless Audio Compression'''. It is an open source [[codec]] and [[file format]] which provides a [[lossless|perfect]] quality audio file. FLAC files usually contain [[CD|CD quality]] audio, but can also support almost any audio data with a wide range of sample frequencies, amount of channels and bits per sample.  
  
 
FLAC provides a smaller size of file than [[PCM]] [[WAV]] (about half the size), but much larger than [[lossy]] codecs like [[MP3]]. MP3s are about 5-10% the size of WAV files, but are lower quality.
 
FLAC provides a smaller size of file than [[PCM]] [[WAV]] (about half the size), but much larger than [[lossy]] codecs like [[MP3]]. MP3s are about 5-10% the size of WAV files, but are lower quality.
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== Container format ==
 
== Container format ==
{{mux|id=flac|encoder=n}}
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{{mux|id=flac|encoder=y}}
FLAC can be used inside several [[container formats]], such as [[ogg]] and [[matroska]], but can also be stored in it's own container.
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FLAC can be used inside several [[container format]]s, such as [[ogg]] and [[matroska]], but can also be stored in its own container.
  
VLC can only decode this type of container, and cannot encode it. To encode files in FLAC format use the flac command line tool from [http://flac.sf.net FLAC's website].
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{{VLC}} can encode FLAC starting with 0.7.0.
  
 
== Source code ==
 
== Source code ==
 
{{file|modules/demux/flac.c|input demuxer}}
 
{{file|modules/demux/flac.c|input demuxer}}
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[[Category:Audio codecs]]

Latest revision as of 05:28, 8 April 2019

FLAC is short for Free Lossless Audio Compression. It is an open source codec and file format which provides a perfect quality audio file. FLAC files usually contain CD quality audio, but can also support almost any audio data with a wide range of sample frequencies, amount of channels and bits per sample.

FLAC provides a smaller size of file than PCM WAV (about half the size), but much larger than lossy codecs like MP3. MP3s are about 5-10% the size of WAV files, but are lower quality.

A CD's worth of data is...

  • 700MB as a CD
  • 700MB as WAV
  • 300MB as FLAC
  • 40MB as MP3 (128 kbps)

Container format

flac
VLC can encode and decode this container.
The module name to use at the command line is flac.

FLAC can be used inside several container formats, such as ogg and matroska, but can also be stored in its own container.

VLC media player can encode FLAC starting with 0.7.0.

Source code