From: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org (alloy-digest) To: alloy-digest@smoe.org Subject: alloy-digest V6 #282 Reply-To: alloy@smoe.org Sender: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Errors-To: owner-alloy-digest@smoe.org Precedence: bulk X-To-Unsubscribe: Send mail to "alloy-digest-request@smoe.org" X-To-Unsubscribe: with "unsubscribe" as the body. alloy-digest Sunday, October 28 2001 Volume 06 : Number 282 Today's Subjects: ----------------- Re: Alloy: MP3 encoding queries. ["Keith Stansell" ] Alloy: I'm baaaaaaaaaack.... ["David Abbitt" ] Re: Alloy: MP3 encoding queries. ["Chris & Beena Cracknell" Subject: Re: Alloy: MP3 encoding queries. Hi Crackers, You may also want to try using a program like Real Jukebox from RealNetworks. The free version will not rip to CD quality MP3's , but it will rip to CD quality Real Audio files that are based on the same encoding minidisks use. These tend to be a bit smaller and may be easier for your computer to encode and playback. Just be sure to uncheck the "secure music files" option when you go through the setup, otherwise you'll have trouble moving the files to another computer or sharing them. The only drawback is that they are not as universally used as MP3, but should work fine for making your CD collection easy to get to. You can get it at http://www.realjukebox.com (look for realjukebox basic link). It also has a nice interface for selecting and playing your files. Something you may want to check in your encoding software is to see if it is using digital audio extraction instead of analog recording, and see if there are any error correction settings for CD reading. I too am on a project to encode my CD collection (over 350). I have an older computer that I tried to sell to my brother (unfortunatley got jostled during shipping, didn't work for him, I got it back and working) that I am now converting into a "MP3" server. It has video out, so I plan on using my TV as the monitor and my stereo as the "speakers". It will be networked to my main computer so I can access the files there also. - -Keith Gooble gobble gooble gobble - one of us, one of us.... - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris & Beena Cracknell" To: Sent: Friday, October 26, 2001 6:49 PM Subject: Alloy: MP3 encoding queries. > > I was suprised the other day to discover I've got about 100 CDs. What else > is interesting is that I rarely ever listen to them on my CD player. Usually > I listen to them on my computer. So I thought, why the hell don't I just rip > all my audio CDs and burn my entire collection on CD-ROM. Sounds like a good > idea, eh? Then I won't have to change CDs so often. > > Well the problem is, I don't seem to be able to do this without ending up > with really sucky MP3s. I keep getting all these bizarre little skips and > stutters and pops and chirps in the MP3s. > > Does anyone know of a simple to use CD-Ripper that encodes to MP3 that will > function on a P-166 with 32meg running under windows and is freeware? > > I've tried Media Producer and Zlurp and they both have this problem. > > Now is this a problem with the Ripper or am I just totally inept when it > comes to doing this? > > Crackers > (frustrated by technology from hell!!!) > > Ghastly's Ghastly Comic - http://ghastly.keenspace.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2001 10:57:52 -0700 From: "David Abbitt" Subject: Alloy: I'm baaaaaaaaaack.... Dabbitt here. After taking a prolonged break from the gang at Alloy, I'm happily resubscribed. Hope everyone's well, and looking forward to participating in lively discussion about all things Dolby and even some things not so Dolby. Kissie Kissie... - -Dabb _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2001 14:42:37 -0400 From: "Chris & Beena Cracknell" Subject: Re: Alloy: MP3 encoding queries. - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Clayton" > Chris, are you sure the skips are happening when you rip the mp3s, not > when you play them back? Well the little audio burps always happen in the same spot so I suspect that it's something amiss with the actual MP3 itself and not just a computer hiccup during playback. > Either way, a P-166 might be a little > underpowered to deal with mp3 audio, especially if you do *anything* else > with the computer at the same time--especially during the ripping phase, > when the audio has to be captured perfectly. Well I've been making sure I don't do anything else with my computer at all during the ripping process and all other programs are shut down. I suppose I could play the CDs and then capture the audio in real time, save it as a WAV and then encode it into an MP3... but that will take a lot of time to go through 100 CDs. Of course that would make me only encode the CDs I really listen to. I doubt that "barking dog christmas carols" CD my brother got me as a gag gift will make it to that list. > The program I've come to use is Exact Audio Copy, which tries its > darnedest to read the CD data with (or despite) whatever hardware you may > have. You can get it at www.exactaudiocopy.de , though be warned that it > only claims to be beta quality and it has crashed on me on several > occasions--I'm just too lazy to look for anything better, I guess. :) I'll give that one a try. Thanks. Crashes I'm used to. I keep saying I'm going to get a new computer but then never do. The last big expenses were my new mixer and my new microphone, both of which were desperately needed and both of which kick ass. The next thing I want to get is a dedicated hard-disk digital recorder. Computers are all fine and well, but god damnit I hate the interface. Moving things with a mouse is no substitute for real knobs and buttons to press. There are some really neat Roland HD recorders that might do the trick for around $1000. Plus the advantage of a dedicated HD recorder is that's all it has to deal with, recording and manipulating digital video. The operating system that runs it doesn't also have to run my graphic editing software and my word processing software and all that other crap that bloats the system. That's why I still love my Atari ST computer for MIDI use. There's no multi-tasking. It just does one thing and that's all. Never crashes, never sputters, never drops a beat. Oh... incidently gang. A fan of my webcomic sent me a little picture after seeing my chatroom avitar (I added a chatroom to the comic this week feel free to use it to discuss all things Dolby if you want). http://ghastly.keenspace.com/images/ghastlyclark.jpg It would seem my secret identity has been discovered. Crackers (Up, up and away from hell!!!!!!) Ghastly's Ghastly Comic - http://ghastly.keenspace.com ------------------------------ Date: Sat, 27 Oct 2001 15:17:44 -0700 From: "David Abbitt" Subject: Re: Alloy: MP3 encoding queries. To comment on the subject of audio "burps" or skips on MP3 files: I've found that the speed of the CD/DVD-ROM drive being used can also have an effect on the audio quality of the ripped-out MP3 file. I've also experienced audio skips when ripping MP3 files on my laptop, which is a P2-MMX 200mhz with 128Megs of RAM and a very slow CD-ROM drive. The computer plays CDs just fine, but has trouble ripping off them. - -Dabbitt _________________________________________________________________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 28 Oct 2001 01:04:10 -0400 From: "Chris & Beena Cracknell" Subject: Re: Alloy: MP3 encoding queries. - ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Abbitt" > To comment on the subject of audio "burps" or skips on MP3 files: I've > found that the speed of the CD/DVD-ROM drive being used can also have an > effect on the audio quality of the ripped-out MP3 file. Bingo! Problem solved. Just put the CD to rip in the faster drive and she went without a hitch. Thanks! Crackers (Right ripped from hell!!!!!!) Ghastly's Ghastly Comic - http://ghastly.keenspace.com ------------------------------ End of alloy-digest V6 #282 ***************************