(Written in Feb. 2009 by Marc Nijdam) This page describes a method to backup the contents of an audio cd with FLAC lossless compression to a matroska MKA container. Compression is about 50%, and in this single mka file there may also be a cue file (with track information), EAC log file (with extracting information) and album artwork.

MKA files with flac compression play natively in VLC media player and in MS Windows on Media Player Classic (with ffdshow audio decoder installed). Once an mka file is properly encoded, media players will show buttons for navigating to previous and next tracks.

• AutoFLAC: link (Currently using version 1.2)
• Exact Audio Copy (V0.95 beta 4) link
• MKVToolnix: link

Before attempting to use AutoFLAC, EAC must be configured as detailed below. Any other EAC options may be adjusted according to your preference, but the following settings are required.

Follow the 'readme' from AutoFLAC or follow the information below:

In EAC the first menu (EAC) set:

• Enable “On unknown CDs, automatically access online freedb database”
• Enable “Show status dialog after extraction”
• Disable “Beep after extraction finished”
• Disable “Eject CD after extraction finished”

• Enable “Automatically write status report after extraction”
• Enable “On extraction, start external compressors queues in the background”
• Enable “Do not open external compressor window”

• Set “Naming scheme” to: %I\%A\%C\%N-%T
• Enable “Use various artist naming scheme”
• Set various artist naming scheme to: %I\Various Artists\%C\%N-%A - %T

• Set “Use this directory” and specify a permanent directory
• This directory must match the AutoFLAC “Output base” option

• Enable “Use external program for compression”
• Set “Parameter passing scheme” to: User Defined Encoder
• Set “Use file extension” to: .flac
• Set “Program used for compression” to the full path for flac.exe
• Set “Additional command line options to: –best -T “ARTIST=%a” -T “TITLE=%t” -T “ALBUM=%g” -T “DATE=%y” -T “TRACKNUMBER=%n” -T “GENRE=%m” %s
• Disable “Add ID3 tag”

• Set “Your E-Mail address” to an e-mail address

Start AutoFLAC, set the following options:

• Enable “All Tracks” and “Rip to image”
• Enable “Create cue sheet”
• Disable “Embed in image”

• Enable “Write log file”
• Disable “Test and Copy”
• Disable “Copy data files”
• Disable “Enable ReplayGain”
• Disable “Multi-disc set”

• Use Encoder: FLAC
• Use CD-ROM drive: select your target drive. (This option should match the drive used by EAC)
• Disable “Low priority encoding”
• Enable “Eject on complete”
• Disable “Notify on complete”

• Set the “Base directory” according to where your output file should go
• Name scheme: %I\%A\%C
• Image scheme: %A - %C

• Flac: locate flac.exe
• Metaflac: locate metaflac.exe

• Start AutoFLAC, check your settings, press OK. Once EAC is ready, FLAC is still in the background busy with coding. Depanding on your cpu speed, have some patience. (Verify flac activity by checking the process load). One finished AutoFLAC asks: “Would you like to extract another CD?”. Press Cancel.

• Start mkvmerge GUI

Another option to automate the mka process as well, would be using command line:

mkvmerge -q -o "%album%.flac.mka" "%album%.flac" --attachment-mime-type text/plain --attachment-description "EAC Log" --attach-file "%album%.log" --attachment-mime-type text/plain --attachment-description "Original CUE Sheet" --attach-file "%album%.cue" --title "%album%" --chapters "%album%.cue"

• Add the .flac file

• Add the .cue file, select it, check that its MIME type is text/plain, set in the description field: Original CUE Sheet
• Add the .log file, select it, check that its MIME type is text/plain, set in the description field: EAC Log

• In the field File/segment title, add a title, which is the title of the CD.
• In the field Chapters, Chapter file, click on the browse butten and select the .cue file again which you added in the previous tab.

You're done, click on the button Start muxing