Unnecessary transcoding during sync

[DuncanGJ]

iPod video 5.5 gen, supports ALAC playback.

Example file being transcoded:

Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from '/Users/...../Music/Freddie Gibbs & Madlib/Piñata/02 Scarface.m4a':
  Metadata:
    major_brand     : M4A 
    minor_version   : 512
    compatible_brands: M4A isomiso2
    title           : Scarface
    artist          : Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
    composer        : 
    album           : Piñata
    genre           : hip hop
    track           : 2/21
    disc            : 1/1
    date            : 2014-03-18
    compilation     : 0
    encoder         : 
    MEDIA           : CD
    MusicBrainz Album Release Country: US
    LANGUAGE        : eng
    SCRIPT          : Latn
    MusicBrainz Album Type: album
    CATALOGNUMBER   : MMS-023
    MusicBrainz Album Status: Official
    ORIGINAL YEAR   : 2014-03-18
    ORIGINALDATE    : 2014-03-18
    BARCODE         : 989237002325
    ISRC            : US2S71422002
    LABEL           : Madlib Invazion
    publisher       : Madlib Invazion
    MusicBrainz Album Comment: limited edition
    Album Artist Credit: Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
    Artist Credit   : Freddie Gibbs & Madlib
    ALBUMARTISTS    : Freddie Gibbs
    ALBUM_ARTISTS   : Freddie Gibbs
    ALBUMARTISTS_CREDIT: Freddie Gibbs
    ARTISTS         : Freddie Gibbs
    ARTISTS_CREDIT  : Freddie Gibbs
    ALBUMARTISTS_SORT: Gibbs, Freddie
    ARTISTS_SORT    : Gibbs, Freddie
*
*
*
 Duration: 00:02:06.87, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 909 kb/s
  Stream #0:0[0x1](und): Audio: alac (alac / 0x63616C61), 44100 Hz, stereo, s16p, 905 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      handler_name    : SoundHandler
  Stream #0:1[0x0]: Video: mjpeg (Baseline), yuvj420p(pc, bt470bg/unknown/unknown), 500x500 [SAR 1:1 DAR 1:1], 90k tbr, 90k tbn (attached pic)
[STREAM]
index=0
codec_name=alac
codec_long_name=ALAC (Apple Lossless Audio Codec)
profile=unknown
codec_type=audio
codec_tag_string=alac
codec_tag=0x63616c61
sample_fmt=s16p
sample_rate=44100
channels=2
channel_layout=stereo
bits_per_sample=0
initial_padding=0
id=0x1
r_frame_rate=0/0
avg_frame_rate=0/0
time_base=1/44100
start_pts=0
start_time=0.000000
duration_ts=5594820
duration=126.866667
bit_rate=905370
max_bit_rate=N/A
bits_per_raw_sample=16
nb_frames=1366
nb_read_frames=N/A
nb_read_packets=N/A
extradata_size=36
DISPOSITION:default=1
DISPOSITION:dub=0
DISPOSITION:original=0
DISPOSITION:comment=0
DISPOSITION:lyrics=0
DISPOSITION:karaoke=0
DISPOSITION:forced=0
DISPOSITION:hearing_impaired=0
DISPOSITION:visual_impaired=0
DISPOSITION:clean_effects=0
DISPOSITION:attached_pic=0
DISPOSITION:timed_thumbnails=0
DISPOSITION:non_diegetic=0
DISPOSITION:captions=0
DISPOSITION:descriptions=0
DISPOSITION:metadata=0
DISPOSITION:dependent=0
DISPOSITION:still_image=0
DISPOSITION:multilayer=0
TAG:language=und
TAG:handler_name=SoundHandler
[/STREAM]
*
*
*
[FORMAT]
filename=/Users/..../Music/Freddie Gibbs & Madlib/Piñata/02 Scarface.m4a
nb_streams=2
nb_programs=0
nb_stream_groups=0
format_name=mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2
format_long_name=QuickTime / MOV
start_time=0.000000
duration=126.866667
size=14426517
bit_rate=909712
probe_score=100
TAG:major_brand=M4A 
TAG:minor_version=512
TAG:compatible_brands=M4A isomiso2

[DuncanGJ]

realizing that I didn't add any context to this issue. I think this could stem from the fact that my iPod model is unidentified and podkit is falling back to the most conservative sync configuration, which includes transcoding ALAC files, despite the fact that my device supports their playback (5.5 gen).

[jvgomg]

@DuncanGJ could you please confirm if you were using the "max" quality setting?

I have no doubt that the device not being classified is part of the problem but I want to be clear that the default quality is "high", which will not attempt to use lossless file types.

[DuncanGJ]

@jvgomg good question. Once I saw that it was transcoding, I killed the sync and re-ran it with max quality. Transcoding happened in both instances.