post: journal entry week starting 2 December 2024

docs/posts/2024/december/02.md

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+---
+title: Long Cold Winter
+date: 2024-12-02
+authors:
+  - practicalli
+categories:
+  - practicalli
+tags:
+  - neovim
+  - codec
+  - opus
+---
+
+Converted some audio files to Opus codec, which provides a really optimum compression and allows for relatively low bit rates and results in much smaller files with the same quality.
+
+Neovim upcoming changes
+
+- neovim 0.11
+- astronvim v5
+- [mason-tool-installer.nvim](https://github.com/WhoIsSethDaniel/mason-tool-installer.nvim) to simplify mason config in astronvim v5 - discussed in Atronvim Discord community
+
+<!-- more -->
+
+
+## converting audio with
+
+The Opus codec has excellent compression ability and music and spoken word can be encoded in a relatively low bit rate.
+
+128k variable bit rate encoding provides near transparent encoding. libopus uses [variable bit rate by default](https://ffmpeg.org/ffmpeg-codecs.html#libopus-1).
+
+Opus recommended bit rates are:
+
+- Music: 96 to 128k (I use 96k)
+- Audiobooks: 32k
+
+I had some books that were already encoded at 96k bit rate.  Converting them to 32k bit rate reduced the file size by a third without any noticeable drop in quality.
+
+Using zsh pattern matching allows for a very simple script to convert multiple files in the current directory, saving them in a separate `32k` directory (otherwise the script may have converted all the new opus files it created).
+
+!!! EXAMPLE "Convert Opus encoded files to 32k bit rate"
+
+    ```shell
+    #!/usr/bin/zsh
+
+    # Convert Opus audio files to 32k bitrate
+    # zsh specific parsing of current directory
+    # converted files saved in `32k` directory
+
+    for x in *.opus ; do
+      ffmpeg -i "$x" -b:a 32k -c:a libopus "32k/${x:r}".opus
+    done
+    ```
+
+!!! EXAMPLE "Convert raw WAV files to Opus 96k bit rate"
+
+    ```shell
+    #!/usr/bin/zsh
+
+    # Convert wav files to 96k bit rate Opus encoded files
+    # zsh specific parsing of current directory
+
+    for x in *.wav ; do
+      ffmpeg -i "$x" -b:a 96k -c:a libopus "${x:r}".opus
+    done
+    ```
+
+
+## Book List
+
+I have time to read and reread some of the physical books before I dispatch them to one of the book buying companies for a second chance at life.
+
+- The Goal - Goldratt
+- Critical Path - Goldratt
+- Its Not Luck - Goldratt
+- The Mythical Man Month (20th anniversary edition) - Fred Brooks
+- Death March - Yourdon
+- Agile Retrospectives (there is a 2nd edition to read)
+
+
+---
+Thank you.
+
+[:globe_with_meridians: Practical.li Website](https://practical.li){target=_blank .md-button}
+
+[:fontawesome-brands-github: Practical.li GitHub Org](https://github.com/practicalli){target=_blank .md-button}
+[:fontawesome-brands-github: practicalli-johnny profile](https://github.com/practicalli-johnny){target=_blank .md-button}
+
+[:fontawesome-brands-mastodon: @practicalli@clj.social](https://clj.social/@practicalli){target=_blank .md-button}
+[:fontawesome-brands-twitter: @practical_li](https://twitter.com/practcial_li){target=_blank .md-button}