[FFmpeg-user] flac format

[Cley Faye]

>
> If you convert the WAV to an other format you will have an approximation
> of the original data with the limitations of the codec of choice. FLAC
> claims to be lossless and offering about 50% storage savings.
>
> Storage is inexpensive why change the format and lose the original?


For the record, FLAC is lossless: going wav -> flac -> wav recreate the
exact same file, byte by byte.

I can see a few cases where smaller size for the same data is better: it
use less storage (obviously), transfer faster over internet/over other
networks, less memory bandwidth with hardware decoder (granted FLAC
hardware decoder are not that common). I see no advantage, when possible,
to not compress stuff, especially when the process is very fast in both
directions. Processing power is inexpensive too :)