7 replies to this topic

[robinduncan]

Hi....
I recorded an interview onto my minidisc player but now I need to have copies of it on audio CD. Someone told me I had to transfer it via the line-in because of Sony's copyright issues, so I copied it onto my PC hard drive using RealPlayer. Problem is, the (RealAudio) file is too large to copy onto one CD. I need to know how I can split the file so that I can fit the interview onto 2 audio CDs. I got the impression tonight that it was finally possible to copy directly from the MD to PC via the USB using SonicStage 3.2 so I downloaded it - but I can't work it out... please... somebody help me!!!
Robin

[Syrius]

Holy smokes. How long did the interview last? 2 hours? Can you convert the RealAudio file to Wav or MP3? If you can convert to wav, maybe you can turn it into a FLAC, which takes less space.

May I also suggest you stop using RealAudio? It's not that good anymore, honest. Biggest piece of Bloatware ever.

If you still have the disc, I suggest you re-record to your PC but using Audacity this time. Use WAV or a lossless format or high-bitrate lossy format if possible.

[Roamer]

If you have a legacy MD, there is no way to upload via USB. Only HiMD will do.
As Syrius suggests, try to make a wav file. Then you can split/burn/convert to other format (FLAC, mp3 ...).

[robinduncan]

Holy smokes. How long did the interview last? 2 hours? Can you convert the RealAudio file to Wav or MP3? If you can convert to wav, maybe you can turn it into a FLAC, which takes less space.

May I also suggest you stop using RealAudio? It's not that good anymore, honest. Biggest piece of Bloatware ever.

If you still have the disc, I suggest you re-record to your PC but using Audacity this time. Use WAV or a lossless format or high-bitrate lossy format if possible.

Hey thanks a lot Syrius and Roamer!

To be honest I thought this would be a lot easier... I'll try and find a way to convert the file formats - but (and I know this is sooo basic) is wav the normal format for an audio CD? Would normal CD players be able to read FLAC format files?

I also forgot to say that I want to divide my interview into tracks anyway (it's a mixture of interview and live music). Anyone know how to do that?

I'll certainly be forgetting about RealPlayer. They just talk rubbish when I write to them. Cheers!
Robin

[mrsoul]

Hey thanks a lot Syrius and Roamer!

To be honest I thought this would be a lot easier... I'll try and find a way to convert the file formats - but (and I know this is sooo basic) is wav the normal format for an audio CD? Would normal CD players be able to read FLAC format files?

I also forgot to say that I want to divide my interview into tracks anyway (it's a mixture of interview and live music). Anyone know how to do that?

I'll certainly be forgetting about RealPlayer. They just talk rubbish when I write to them. Cheers!
Robin

This is the software you need:
CD WAVE

It will allow you to line in and record in WAV and then cut into tracks with the option of saving those files in FLAC, Mp3, Ogg, etc. It's one of the easiest and most reliable tools for this purpose. You can use it in full and then pay for it since it is shareware but it is not crippled on 1st use. I can't recommend this program enough for this purpose. It's how I did all of my old uploading from MD deck to PC before the days of Hi-MD.

Good luck and let me know if you need any more help with that program (it's really simple and ease to use with full help files).

M

[robinduncan]

This is the software you need:
CD WAVE

It will allow you to line in and record in WAV and then cut into tracks with the option of saving those files in FLAC, Mp3, Ogg, etc.  It's one of the easiest and most reliable tools for this purpose.  You can use it in full and then pay for it since it is shareware but it is not crippled on 1st use.  I can't recommend this program enough for this purpose.  It's how I did all of my old uploading from MD deck to PC before the days of Hi-MD. 

Good luck and let me know if you need any more help with that program (it's really simple and ease to use with full help files).

M

Hey mr Soul, thanks a lot for the advice. You've almost saved my life! ...I downloaded CD wave straight away and it's just about perfect: easy to use, and does exactly what I need it to! ...One major problem though, although I'm sure it's easily resolved. I created a WAV file by recording through the line out. I've worked out how to cut into tracks, which is great, but while my initial file is only 78 minutes long - it takes up 1.15 GB on my hard drive!!! I'm guessing I recorded on too high a quality... can I sort that now, or do I have to re-record this thing over again? Basically I want to split my recording onto two normal, standard audio CDs which can be read on the most basic CD player... It has to be possible, even for me...
;-)
foreverly grateful,
Robin

[mrsoul]

I've worked out how to cut into tracks, which is great, but while my initial file is only 78 minutes long - it takes up 1.15 GB on my hard drive!!! I'm guessing I recorded on too high a quality... can I sort that now, or do I have to re-record this thing over again? Basically I want to split my recording onto two normal, standard audio CDs which can be read on the most basic CD player...

Just save it in WAV format after you split the long initial track. Yes, over a Gb is normal for that much time in WAV format. If you want to archive the file, use FLAC and it will be about 1/2 the size of the WAV. If you have NERO, you can even get a plugin that allows you to burn FLAC to CD which will play in any CD (it basically coverts on the fly). Once you have the file split and saved in WAV (or FLAC). You can delete the initial WAV master file. Make sure you have a playing CD before you delete anything.

Here's how it works: CD WAVE writes to disc as you record. Nothing is saved in a buffer or temp file. Once you have it recorded, set the track splits and then save the split tracks. You will be creating 2 new files if you split in 1/2 or 3 files if you have 3 track splits, etc. Then burn those split tracks to CD. Use 700Mb as a general guide for 80 min CD blanks. Then you can delete the master file that was created as you recorded.

If you don't have NERO and the FLAC plugin, just save in WAV format (Click on that Disk symbol and don't change the File Output format and then pick a folder and there you go...) and use your CD burner software to burn those WAV files to CD.

Does that help? Good luck.

Here's a snapshot of what you need to set for the record settings: this will create a 44/16bit WAV file that will play on any CD player...

[attachmentid=572]

Attached Files

•  CDWAV.jpg   30.93K   40 downloads

[robinduncan]

Just save it in WAV format after you split the long initial track.  Yes, over a Gb is normal for  that much time in WAV format.  If you want to archive the file, use FLAC and it will be about 1/2 the size of the WAV.  If you have NERO, you can even get a plugin that allows you to burn FLAC to CD which will play in any CD (it basically coverts on the fly).    Once you have the file split and saved in WAV (or FLAC).  You can delete the initial WAV master file.  Make sure you have a playing CD before you delete anything. 

Here's how it works: CD WAVE writes to disc as you record.  Nothing is saved in a buffer or temp file.  Once you have it recorded, set the track splits and then save the split tracks.  You will be creating 2 new files if you split in 1/2 or 3 files if you have 3 track splits, etc.  Then burn those split tracks to CD.  Use 700Mb as a general guide for 80 min CD blanks.  Then you can delete the master file that was created as you recorded.

If you don't have NERO and the FLAC plugin, just save in WAV format (Click on that Disk symbol and don't change the File Output format and then pick a folder and there you go...) and use your CD burner software to burn those WAV files to CD. 

Does that help?  Good luck.

Here's a snapshot of what you need to set for the record settings:  this will create a 44/16bit WAV file that will play on any CD player...

[attachmentid=572]

Thanks Mr. Soul, everything worked perfectly. My faith has been restored (not in Sony, just generally ;-) It's really not that complicated. I feel I can take on the world...
thanks a lot,
Robin