Thanks, Kevin. that helps somewhat. I'm afraid I haven't been succinct and/or clear enough in explaining the things that are confusing me. I'll read some more program documentation and see if I can grasp certain concepts better, especially the variables for setting options for whichever ripping format I choose to employ. I don't understand most of the options in the CdEx properties tab for this, nor in Windows Media Player's equivalent settings, and it's too overwhelming to figure out how to best ask all the questions I have.
One thing about which I can ask for clarification . First of all, I certainly understand that it's important when burning CDs to use whatever types of disc are compatible with players. I know some CD players can't play some discs people burn on their computers. But I have yet to figure out whether that's actually an issue about which type of disc to use (that's what I thought it was about) or, as you guys seem to be suggesting, what format you've created the files on your PC with. Here's what I don't get: Whether you rip your audio tracks to .mp3 or .wma, don't they all get converted to .wav files by the programs you use to burn them back to CD? In which case, how would it threaten incompatibility to have used .wma instead of .mp3? Can you see why I don't understand this cautionary advice? By the way, I mostly rip audio tracks with an eye toward either sending them to friends or eventually burning them onto a homemade CD to give to friends, also. I don't really rip audio tracks in order to substitute my PC for my perfectly good stereo system. I do use a Discman type portable player sometimes, and being a few years old, it doesn't seem to play any CDs I or friends have created ourselves, even though the more recent model changer in my stereo has no problem with the same CDs. But I always expected that, having heard much about it already in reading about all this here and there. thanks, daniel ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kevin Lloyd" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "PC audio discussion list. " <Pc-audio@pc-audio.org> Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2005 10:53 AM Subject: Re: Understanding and comparing compression formats Hi Daniel. CDEX will allow you to use a number of encoders to rip your music and allow you to use constant or variable bit rates. The WMA format is available but not all bit rates are supported for the version of the encoder included. Saying that, the default Lame encoder is regarded as one of the best MP3 encoders around and in comparison tests I've done myself and read about, it out performs WMA with most music genres. With regards to your question on burning the compressed MP3 or WMA files to CD, well, you have the choice when burning to either create an audio CD for play in a standard CD player which will convert the compressed file into WAV and then CDDA or you can burn the files to a data CD which will burn them exactly as they are on your hard drive. That is, compressed. There are increasing numbers of players on the market now, both portable and genuine hi-fi, that will play these data CD's with your MP3 music. This means you could have 10 albums or more on a single disc. Kelly's point was exactly this that MP3 is still the most popular compressed format and most well supported. You wouldn't want to rip a collection of CD's into WMA and find that you couldn't play them on anything else but your computer. Maybe you might now but chances are you'll want to take them with you at some point and want to invest in a portable player. Having them ripped into MP3 will give you a much greater choice of player when that day comes. Regards. Kevin E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: "Yardbird" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "PC audio discussion list. " <Pc-audio@pc-audio.org> Sent: Sunday, May 08, 2005 2:17 AM Subject: Re: Understanding and comparing compression formats > Hi Kelly, > thanks for responding. I have a copy of CdEx, though I forget the version. > But it doesn't offer any .wma possibilities at all, only .mp3 and .wav. > Does this mean I have an old version of it? Someone else loaded it onto my > system for me. If I can update and see a more comprehensive array of > compression options, that'd be reassuring. > > Also, I confess I don't understand about wither a compressed file can play > on a CD player: From what I've learned so far, I have the impression that > if you burn an .mp3 or other compressed music file to a CD, it will be > converted, either manually or, in some programs, automatically, to a .wav > file to be burned. Isn't this so? If it is, then what does it matter > whether the file on your hard drive is .mp3 or .wma? > > Please explain further. I'm educating myself with your help. > thanks, > Daniel > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Kelly Pierce" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "PC audio discussion list. " <Pc-audio@pc-audio.org> > Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2005 3:28 PM > Subject: Re: Understanding and comparing compression formats > > > the options you mentioned with Windows media ripping are also available in > ripping MP3s with CDEX. remember it is in Microsoft's interest to make > windows Media appear to be a much more attractive experience than the > infinitely portable and compatible MP3 format. With MP3 encoding, files can > be encoded on various levels of quality, with fixed or variable bit rates in > full stereo. > > One thing to consider is the likelihood that the files you rip can be played > on other people's computers with different kinds and versions of software > and on portable devices in the present and future. many CD players can play > MP3 files but only a fraction of these can also play Windows Media files. > to verify this, just go to bestbuy.com and review the portable CD players > available for sale. Most play MP3 files but only one can also play windows > Media files as well. > > I encode most of the music I rip in MP3 at 256 bit in full stereo at the > very highest quality. > > Kelly > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Yardbird" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "PC-Audio" <Pc-audio@pc-audio.org> > Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2005 12:39 AM > Subject: Understanding and comparing compression formats > > > > I've just been learning how to rip music from CDs to my hard drive using > > several different programs, and the one that interests me most at present > > is > > Windows Media Player because of the variety of formats it offers. > > > > As I explore and test these formats, one thing confuses me: You can rip > > Windows Media Audio files about six different ways, not counting the > > lossless option. Now, I'm aware that .mp3 ripping can be adjusted to use > > bit rates higher than the default 128 in order to restore a little of the > > information that a lower bit rate strips out. > > > > but understanding that is simple compared to the range of .wma options. > > Here's the main thing that puzzles me. In the WMP menu for setting your > > rip > > options, there are *two* sets of .wma options, each with its own range of > > sound quality level. > > > > First is the .wma choice that uses a slider to provide you with,as I > > recall, > > three levels of sound quality. I've ripped the same track with all three, > > and not only listened to them-- the differences are audible to me, > > although > > pretty subtle compared to the difference between any of them and a less > > compressed lossless or uncompress .wav version. Still, for saving space, > > I > > appreciate the compression, so I remain interested. > > > > Okay. So the smallest .wma sound quality level creates a really small > > file, > > much smaller than the same tune ripped to .mp3. And it doesn't sound any > > worse than the .mp3, was my impression. The next higher levels create > > larger files, with the highest quality level creating a file for any given > > track that's about the same size as a 192 bit rate .mp3. If I go this > > way, > > I'd suppose that's the method I'd use, so you get a little better sound > > quality than an .mp3 for the same file size. > > > > But then, right beneath this on that menu, there's a variable bit rate > > .wma > > option, again set by a slider, but this time starting at 0 per cent and > > going up. Zero per cent of what? And, more to the point, if this has to > > do > > with changing bit rates (doesn't the other method, I wonder? How else > > would > > you change quality except by varying the bit rate?) where are the > > indications for *what* bit rate this slider takes you through? > > > > So that's it. I'm really wondering about this stuff as I try to settle on > > a > > preferred rip method to set for my usual use. Does anyone understand > > whatever it is I'm not getting about these two adjustable .ma formats? Is > > there anywhere to read a simple primer about them? I don't feel the need > > to > > do research if someone can just explain what it is I'm not understanding. > > But just in case there's some online information about this that would > > clarify it all, that would be fine, too. > > > > Thanks, > > Daniel > > > > > > > > -- > > No virus found in this outgoing message. > > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > > Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.11.5 - Release Date: 5/4/2005 > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > PC-Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... > > http://www.pc-audio.org > > > > To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > PC-Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... > http://www.pc-audio.org > > To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > -- > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.11.6 - Release Date: 5/6/2005 > > > > > -- > No virus found in this outgoing message. > Checked by AVG Anti-Virus. > Version: 7.0.308 / Virus Database: 266.11.6 - Release Date: 5/6/2005 > > > _______________________________________________ > PC-Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... > http://www.pc-audio.org > > To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ PC-Audio List Help, Guidelines, Archives and more... http://www.pc-audio.org To unsubscribe from this list, send a blank email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- No virus found in this incoming message. 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