View source for EAC and AAC (qaac)

{{EAC guides|sort=AAC}}{{Locked‏‎}}
‎<onlyinclude><!-- Edits made between the 'onlyinclude' tags will also change the text in the EAC and ALAC (qaac) article -->
= Software Needed =
* [https://www.exactaudiocopy.de/en/index.php/resources/download/ Exact Audio Copy]
* [https://github.com/nu774/qaac/releases qaac - CLI QuickTime AAC/ALAC encoder]
* Apple Application Support (e.g. iTunes)

= Installation =
'''Note:''' This guide assumes that EAC has been configured for secure ripping, if not please review [[EAC_Drive_Options|this]] guide.
* Download the latest version of [https://github.com/nu774/qaac/releases qaac - CLI QuickTime AAC/ALAC encoder]
* Uncompress the zip archive into a directory (e.g. {{code|'''C:\qaac'''}}). Alternatively you can uncompress just the files from the '''x64''' directory (64-bit) or just the files from the '''x86''' directory (32-bit) into a directory (e.g. {{code|'''C:\qaac'''}}).
* <span id="check">Check for '''Apple Application Support'''</span>
*: If you believe that you already have the required '''Apple Application Support''' (e.g. iTunes installed) you can run this check:
*# Open a command prompt window (press {{key press|Win|R}}, then type {{code|'''cmd'''}} and press {{key press|Enter}}). 
*# Change directory to where the '''qaac''' or '''qaac64''' file is located (e.g. type {{code|'''cd\qaac'''}} and press {{key press|Enter}}).
*# Type {{code|'''qaac64.exe --check'''}} (for 64-bit) or type {{code|'''qaac.exe --check'''}} (for 32-bit) and press {{key press|Enter}}.</br>A version number should be displayed.

* If you do not already have the required '''Apple Application Support'''
*: You can install iTunes.
*# Download [https://www.apple.com/itunes/download/win64 iTunes64Setup.exe] (64-bit) or [https://www.apple.com/itunes/download/win32 iTunesSetup.exe] (32-bit) and install.
*# Run the '''[[#check|check]]''' for '''Apple Application Support''' above.
 
* Alternative to installing iTunes
*: It is possible to extract the necessary '''Apple Application Support''' files without installing iTunes.
*# Install [https://www.7-zip.org/download.html 7-zip], if not already installed (the script used below requires it).
*# Download [https://www.apple.com/itunes/download/win64 iTunes64Setup.exe] (64-bit) or [https://www.apple.com/itunes/download/win32 iTunesSetup.exe] (32-bit) and move to the directory where you extracted the '''x64''' (64-bit) or the '''x86''' (32-bit) '''qaac''' files above.
*# Download [https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nu774/makeportable/master/makeportable2.cmd makeportable2.cmd] and move to the same directory.
*# Double-click on the {{code|'''makeportable2.cmd'''}} file.
*# The script will create a new subdirectory ({{code|'''\QTfiles64'''}} or {{code|'''\QTfiles'''}}) in the same directory. 
*# Run the '''[[#check|check]]''' for '''Apple Application Support''' above.
*#: If all is working as expected, '''makeportable2.cmd''', '''iTunesSetup.exe''', and/or '''iTunes64Setup.exe''' are no longer needed.

= Configuration =

* Open EAC and insert a CD into the drive.
* Click the '''EAC''' menu and select '''Compression Options'''.
* Click the '''External Compression''' Tab, and put a tick in the box for '''use external program for compression'''.
* Change '''Parameter Passing Scheme''' to '''User Defined Encoder'''.
* Change '''Use file extension''' to '''.m4a''' (alternately you can use '''.mp4''').<!-- DO NOT suggest just MP4 for the general user, m4a (mp4 audio only) is default in qaac -->
* Click the '''Browse''' button and locate the '''qaac.exe''' or '''qaac64.exe''' that you unzipped earlier.
* Remove the ticks from '''Use CRC check''' and '''Add ID3 tag'''.
* Tick '''Check for external programs return code'''.
* If you are using EAC 1.0b2 or newer, then in the '''Additional command line options''' box, copy and paste from the following example(s):‎</onlyinclude>

AAC ABR (Small file size):
 <font style="color:green">-a 96 -q 1</font> --title "%title%" --artist "%artist%" --band "%albumartist%" --album "%albumtitle%" --genre "%genre%" --date "%year%" --track "%tracknr%/%numtracks%" -o %dest% %source%

AAC ABR (iTunes High Quality):
 <font style="color:green">-a 128 -q 1</font> --title "%title%" --artist "%artist%" --band "%albumartist%" --album "%albumtitle%" --genre "%genre%" --date "%year%" --track "%tracknr%/%numtracks%" -o %dest% %source%

AAC True VBR mode (90):
 <font style="color:green">-V90</font> --title "%title%" --artist "%artist%" --band "%albumartist%" --album "%albumtitle%" --genre "%genre%" --date "%year%" --track "%tracknr%/%numtracks%" -o %dest% %source%

AAC Constrained VBR mode (iTunes Plus):
 <font style="color:green">-v 256 -q 2</font> --title "%title%" --artist "%artist%" --band "%albumartist%" --album "%albumtitle%" --genre "%genre%" --date "%year%" --track "%tracknr%/%numtracks%" -o %dest% %source%

AAC Constrained VBR mode (Maximum Quality):
 <font style="color:green">-v 0 -q 2</font> --title "%title%" --artist "%artist%" --band "%albumartist%" --album "%albumtitle%" --genre "%genre%" --date "%year%" --track "%tracknr%/%numtracks%" -o %dest% %source%

AAC Constrained VBR mode (Maximum Quality) with <font style="color:DarkOrange">cover</font>:
 <font style="color:green">-v 0 -q 2</font> --title "%title%" --artist "%artist%" --band "%albumartist%" --album "%albumtitle%" --genre "%genre%" --date "%year%" --track "%tracknr%/%numtracks%" <font style="color:DarkOrange">%hascover%--artwork "%coverfile%"%hascover%</font> -o %dest% %source%

<font style="color:green">'''Note:''' The green portion is where you would change the compression level.</font> <br />
[[Image:EACandQAAC.png|frame|center|600px|QAAC configured for AAC (Advanced Audio Coding)]]

* Do not worry about the bit rate is shown in the bit rate drop down box; this will be ignored, as will the quality setting below it.

== Copy Image & Create CUE Sheet ==

When extracting to an Image & CUE Sheet, the Tags (artist, album title, track titles, track numbers, etc.) are located in the CUE Sheet so you don't need to tag the Image. 
{{panel|title=Note:|There is a BUG in EAC where Track#2 information is used for all track related [[EAC_placeholders|placeholders]] when you use {{code|[Test & ]Copy Image & Create CUE Sheet > Compressed...}}. If you do decide to tag the Image, make sure to only use placeholders that are intended for the entire CD.|color=yellow}}

AAC Constrained VBR mode (Maximum Quality) with No Tags:
 <font style="color:green">-v 0 -q 2</font> -o %dest% %source%

AAC Constrained VBR mode (Maximum Quality) with No Tags (except for the <font style="color:DarkOrange">cover</font>):
 <font style="color:green">-v 0 -q 2</font> <font style="color:DarkOrange">%hascover%--artwork "%coverfile%"%hascover%</font> -o %dest% %source%

<!-- overcomplicated for general user, should be described as an advanced option with more detail on how to use %bitrate%
-- available bitrates for 2ch 44100Hz in QAAC are 64,72,80,96,112,128,144,160,192,224,256,288,320
-- available bitrates in EAC are 32,40,48,56,64,80,96,112,128,160,192,224,256.320,384,512,640,768,896,1024

 --title "%title%" --artist "%artist%" --band "%albumartist%" --album "%albumtitle%" --genre "%genre%" --date "%year%" --track "%tracknr%/%numtracks%" %islow%-a %bitrate%%islow% %ishigh%-v %bitrate%%ishigh% %source% -o %dest% 

* '''High quality''' in EAC = Constrained VBR mode = VBR on in iTunes.
* '''Low quality''' in EAC = ABR mode = VBR off in iTunes.
* Note: for other encoding modes (such as CBR, True VBR, HE-AAC, etc.), edit the parameters between the %islow% and/or %ishigh% tags. See [https://github.com/nu774/qaac/wiki/Command-Line-Options Command Line Options]. -->
= qaac command line usage =
* [https://github.com/nu774/qaac/wiki/Command-Line-Options Command Line Options]


[[Category:EAC Compression Guides]]
[[Category:EAC External Compression Guides]]
[[Category:EAC and AAC]]