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How to download and convert FLAC on the fly?

Humanfly

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Joined
Jan 16, 2025
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Hi. I have 250gb of music on Microsoft onedrive cloud storage, most of it FLAC. What would be the easiest way to download it to my Samsung S24 with on the fly conversion to say 320K ( or any other space saving format that is considered audibly indistinguishable from lossless here)? Simple step by step instructions greatly appreciated. Cheers.
 
I use Audio Converter on my android DAP to convert files for my iPhone, you can download the folder, select the desired conversion codec and convert all the files on that specific folder to another folder and let it run in the background, you have multiple codecs available, try a few different options and use what better suits you.
 
If you download the FLAC files, you can use Foobar2000 to quickly convert them to different formats.

I would suggest that storage is so cheap these days you do not need compress your files to lossy MP3; keep the original FLACs.
 
If you download the FLAC files, you can use Foobar2000 to quickly convert them to different formats.

I would suggest that storage is so cheap these days you do not need compress your files to lossy MP3; keep the original FLACs.
Thanks.
I am hoping to retain FLAC files on the laptop while making a converted set for downloading to my phone which does not have expanded storage. Any tips on accomplishing this is greatly appreciated. Laptop is currently downloading the FLAC files from onedrive cloud and I have installed foobar2000. Cheers
 
I am hoping to retain FLAC files on the laptop while making a converted set for downloading to my phone which does not have expanded storage. Any tips on accomplishing this is greatly appreciated. Laptop is currently downloading the FLAC files from onedrive cloud and I have installed foobar2000. Cheers
This is easily done using the Foobar2000 Converter function after dumping everything into a new playlist. (Mark all with Ctrl-A, right-click, Convert.) Make a new preset if need be. It's fairly self-explanatory overall, you may just need to consult the list of available field names.
 
hi, i think you're going to get used to foobar2000 in no time, for the most part it's intuitive Plus the online documentation/support is great (each component has documentation). i'm familiar w/ a few players, foobar2000 offers all the functionality one can think of. the interface can be fully customized, from EQ to playlist, VU, Spectrogram, waveform seek bar, auto gain, etc.

after you have your FLACs, i'd convert them on needed basis, after all 250GB is a respectable number, lots of files. also, if interested i could write (or you can find it on their webpage, search for "foo_upnp") about how to connect your laptop to your phone w/ foobar so that it acts like a media server, playing on one and listening on both devices, grab files/albums/playlists to your phone from laptop's library or current playlist, etc. this can work over local network or over the internet (router ports setup is needed).
(there is also the option to use the phone as a wifi remote for the foobar playing on the laptop, website, component, remote)

1. load the album you want in a playlist.
2. foobar menu, edit > select all (or crtl +a)
3. right click > convert and click on the "..."

after each setting in the converter setup, hit back to the main menu. at the end you will save everything as a preset that will be accessible as a 'quick convert'.
3a. output format, select the desired settings by clicking on a format, you can edit all the presets (depending on the device you're going to play the files on, decent quality options range from 192kbps vbr to 320kbps cbr). if mp3 is not present in the list, you need to download LAME encoder and drab/drop it in foobar's components page (file>preferences>components)
3b. after selecting format, select destination folder for the converted files. i prefer to set up a separate folder but there are other options...
(i don't think there's any need to do any "processing, so skip that but you may want to take a look in there, see what's what)
3c. (still in the converter setup) in "other" select 'transfer metadata' and 'pics'
3d. click "Save"
4. click 'convert'

for the next conversion operation, you repeat steps 1,2 and then select the preset you have saved. you may save several presets, say different formats, compression rates, etc.

if your files are numbered (right click a song, properties, track number) and you were to load a playlist from you laptop to your phone that say contains an album of 2CDs, in the phone's library it will group the files by the track number as song 1 from CD1, track 1 CD2, track 2 CD1, etc. so the order is not properly maintained. the solution is to import the folders CD1/2 separately, hope it makes sense.

good luck.

ps: read the FAQ section on foobar2000's webpage under 'Support'
 
hi, i think you're going to get used to foobar2000 in no time, for the most part it's intuitive Plus the online documentation/support is great (each component has documentation). i'm familiar w/ a few players, foobar2000 offers all the functionality one can think of. the interface can be fully customized, from EQ to playlist, VU, Spectrogram, waveform seek bar, auto gain, etc.

after you have your FLACs, i'd convert them on needed basis, after all 250GB is a respectable number, lots of files. also, if interested i could write (or you can find it on their webpage, search for "foo_upnp") about how to connect your laptop to your phone w/ foobar so that it acts like a media server, playing on one and listening on both devices, grab files/albums/playlists to your phone from laptop's library or current playlist, etc. this can work over local network or over the internet (router ports setup is needed).
(there is also the option to use the phone as a wifi remote for the foobar playing on the laptop, website, component, remote)

1. load the album you want in a playlist.
2. foobar menu, edit > select all (or crtl +a)
3. right click > convert and click on the "..."

after each setting in the converter setup, hit back to the main menu. at the end you will save everything as a preset that will be accessible as a 'quick convert'.
3a. output format, select the desired settings by clicking on a format, you can edit all the presets (depending on the device you're going to play the files on, decent quality options range from 192kbps vbr to 320kbps cbr). if mp3 is not present in the list, you need to download LAME encoder and drab/drop it in foobar's components page (file>preferences>components)
3b. after selecting format, select destination folder for the converted files. i prefer to set up a separate folder but there are other options...
(i don't think there's any need to do any "processing, so skip that but you may want to take a look in there, see what's what)
3c. (still in the converter setup) in "other" select 'transfer metadata' and 'pics'
3d. click "Save"
4. click 'convert'

for the next conversion operation, you repeat steps 1,2 and then select the preset you have saved. you may save several presets, say different formats, compression rates, etc.

if your files are numbered (right click a song, properties, track number) and you were to load a playlist from you laptop to your phone that say contains an album of 2CDs, in the phone's library it will group the files by the track number as song 1 from CD1, track 1 CD2, track 2 CD1, etc. so the order is not properly maintained. the solution is to import the folders CD1/2 separately, hope it makes sense.

good luck.

ps: read the FAQ section on foobar2000's webpage under 'Support'
Thank you for this, your assistance is much appreciated.
 
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