mp3 compression

[marywong]

is it possoble to compress large mp3 files into smaller mp3 files, but yet of good quality using switch?

how do u do that?

thanks

[musikone]

is it possoble to compress large mp3 files into smaller mp3 files, but yet of good quality using switch?

how do u do that?

thanks

================================================================

I must answer your question in two parts.

 

Part One:

 

It _is_ possible to use Switch to start with a large .mp3 file and convert it to a smaller .mp3 file.

 

Part Two:

 

I suppose that what you want is to end up with an .mp3 file taking up _zero_ storage space and having a _superb_ sound quality. Right?

 

Well, this is not going to happen. There happens to be an old rule, called the "rule of common sense," which says that you cannot get something for nothing. As this rule applies here (indeed, it applies everywhere), when you shrink down the size of a sound file, you pay for this in reduced sound quality. Therefore, whereas you may start with an mp3 file having a "good" sound quality, whatever this may mean to you, after you shrink it down, you may end up with a new mp3 file having just a "fair" sound quality, whatever this may mean to you. The more you shrink this file, the "fairer" the sound quality becomes, until of course the sound quality becomes "poor", whatever this may mean to you.

 

Do you get the picture?

 

Good. Now let's get on with it. The smaller the "bit rate" that is used for the compression, the smaller is the resulting file size and the poorer is the sound quality. Therefore, to get a new and smaller size mp3 file, you need to use a compression bit rate which is smaller than the bit rate that was used to compress the file that you are starting with. Do not get out of jail and do not pass GO until you understand this basic fact of mp3 life!!

 

Now look at your Switch window. At the bottom of this window is the information about the Output file; this is the new file that is going to be smaller the file that you add to the window using the "add file" button. Be _sure_ that you know, before you add this file to Switch, what compression bit rate was used before you got your hands on it. Unless you have this information, you cannot get there from here. This bit rate will be given in kilobits per second (kbs).

 

After you get this file into the Switch window, go down to the bottom of the window and choose .mp3 for the output format. Then choose where you are going to put this file on your hard drive by clicking on that large button containing a few dots. This is the "browse" button which lets you select your output file location.

 

Now comes the crucial step. Click on that button that says "Encoder Settings" and you will get a dialog box which lets you select the new bit rate; i.e., for the compression that you are going to use to make the file size smaller. For example, if the original bit rate is 128kbs (of course you _do_ know what this rate is--don't you?), then you may decide that you want a new bit rate of 64kbs, which will give you a file that is one-half the size of the original, and perhaps one-half the quality, however you may wish to define "quality". If this is what you want, then choose 64kbs. If not, then choose something else that is smaller than the original bit rate.

 

Also, you will want to preserve the stereo nature of the file, assuming that it is indeed a stereo file. So don't monkey with this setting unless you wish to change the nature of the file. I assume that you wish to preserve this aspect in your new file.

 

After you have chosen your Encoder Settings, return to the main Switch window, select the file by clicking on it, and then click on the "convert" button, the last icon near the top of the page. The conversion process will now proceed (hopefully) and you will be all set with your new (and poorer sound quality) file. Whether or not this sound quality is "good" or not will depend upon your hearing and whether the fact that you shrunk the size enough to fit where you want it is sufficient psychological compensation to fool your ears into hearing that this poorer sound quality is indeed a "good" quality.

 

Get the picture?

 

Great!

 

 

Musikone

 

 

when you

[cassmow]

Hi Musikone

Do you know where I can find a list of definitions for the encoding options, please? I am familiar with the concepts you wrote about in your reply to MaryWong regarding lossy and file size, etc, but I just can't seem to find any information on exactly what each of the items under the encoding options do.

In particular I'm wondering what is the difference between using Joint and Stereo as well as the various bit rates.

The audio file formats page doesn't describe the bit rates (I'm using mp3 created in iTunes), whereas iTunes (in the advanced/importing section) seems to indicate that less than 128 kbps are mono). Also, the help section doesn't really expand too much on the information.

So, is it not possible to have a 96 kbps bit rate and stereo?

I hope what I have written above is clear. Thanks for your help.

Regards

Cass68

[musikone]

Hi Musikone

 

Do you know where I can find a list of definitions for the encoding options, please?

 

No.

 

I am familiar with the concepts you wrote about in your reply to MaryWong regarding lossy and file size, etc, but I just can't seem to find any information on exactly what each of the items under the encoding options do.

 

I do not know anything more that appears in the help file which comes with the program.

 

In particular I'm wondering what is the difference between using Joint and Stereo as well as the various bit rates.

 

I don't know what "Joint" refers to.

 

The audio file formats page doesn't describe the bit rates (I'm using mp3 created in iTunes), whereas iTunes (in the advanced/importing section) seems to indicate that less than 128 kbps are mono).

 

If you don't know what bit rate is used for an mp3 file that you wish to work with, you will have no reference for creating a new mp3 file. That is, you will not know, when you set the parameters, whether or not you are creating a new mp3 file that is larger or smaller than the original file which you are converting. As to iTunes, I do not use it and am involved in classical music, for which iTunes is poorly suited.

 

Also, the help section doesn't really expand too much on the information.

 

Your best bet for more information is to see if you can search it out on the internet. There is a vast amount of information available on the subject of encoding and decoding audio files. I would suggest that you search using the keyword "codec", which stands for code and decode. One thing leads to another, but you may find yourself trapped in a technological maze. The problem is making sense of the wealth of information. When I want to learn something about this business, I just buckle down and keep with it. If I stay with it long enough, I will eventually find the answer

 

The perfect example of this dogged determination was my discovery of Microsoft's Windows Media Audio Pro 10 which, for reasons known only to Microsoft, does not seem to have yet made it into general distribution. I got my version of this advanced compression software through the dBpoweramp program, which I knew nothing about until I conducted a detailed search for the file extension .asf, which is one of Microsoft's Great Mysteries.

 

So, is it not possible to have a 96 kbps bit rate and stereo?

 

OF COURSE it is. I receive files over the internet from radio station KUSC in Los Angeles, which come directly to my hard drive in a 96kbs stereo format. I should add that I personally do not believe that 96kbs is a high enough bit rate for excellent classical music quality. That is, there is too much compression, with a quality too severely degraded. But beggars can't be choosers.....I would much prefer a bit rate such as 160kbs, or a more advanced compression technique such as wma, which is capable of excellent results with relatively small file sizes.

 

If you have something very specific that you want to do, I may be able to help you if there is a problem. But there are no guarantees about this. I am not an expert in this business; I have just used dogged tenacity and experimentation and plodding through a load of information to extract what I want to know.

 

Good luck--and ask, but be prepared for less than you would like.

 

 

Musikone

[cassmow]

Thanks for the swift reply!

 

I don't know what "Joint" refers to.

Yes, neither do I and the help file doesn't explain it.

 

If you don't know what bit rate is used for an mp3 file that you wish to work with, you will have no reference for creating a new mp3 file. That is, you will not know, when you set the parameters, whether or not you are creating a new mp3 file that is larger or smaller than the original file which you are converting. As to iTunes, I do not use it and am involved in classical music, for which iTunes is poorly suited.

 

I know the bit rate of the original file. Basically the situation is this, I use iTunes with my iPod and have most of my CD collection encoded at 192 kbps. I do have some mp3s from work colleagues that have used 128 kbps. I have a vast range of musical genres from classical, to rock, to techno (not too much as it gets boring), dance, world, pop, jazz, soul, etc. I mostly use my iPod when I'm out and about and prefer to play the actual CDs when I'm home. Now I have a new mobile phone that has mp3 playback ability. So I thought I'd download a few but at a smaller file size (accepting that I also have to downgrade bit rate & sound quality - after all it is only a phone). So I've gone to Switch and looked at the encoding options and they really don't give you any explanations there and not much information in the help file. I've looked at their audio file formats sections plus a couple of other websites but I have to admit my search has not been too extensive. I was mostly "put off" when seeing the advanced screen in iTunes and perhaps I misinterpreted it as saying less than 128 kbps was only mono.

 

 

Your best bet for more information is to see if you can search it out on the internet. There is a vast amount of information available on the subject of encoding and decoding audio files. I would suggest that you search using the keyword "codec", which stands for code and decode. One thing leads to another, but you may find yourself trapped in a technological maze. The problem is making sense of the wealth of information. When I want to learn something about this business, I just buckle down and keep with it. If I stay with it long enough, I will eventually find the answer

 

Yes, it becomes so technical that you have to have a phd to know what it all means or at least huge patience to search for the answers. I guess I assumed the people at Switch might've had more detailed information in support of their app.

 

The perfect example of this dogged determination was my discovery of Microsoft's Windows Media Audio Pro 10 which, for reasons known only to Microsoft, does not seem to have yet made it into general distribution. I got my version of this advanced compression software through the dBpoweramp program, which I knew nothing about until I conducted a detailed search for the file extension .asf, which is one of Microsoft's Great Mysteries.

 

Wow, sounds like determination!

 

OF COURSE it is. I receive files over the internet from radio station KUSC in Los Angeles, which come directly to my hard drive in a 96kbs stereo format. I should add that I personally do not believe that 96kbs is a high enough bit rate for excellent classical music quality. That is, there is too much compression, with a quality too severely degraded. But beggars can't be choosers.....I would much prefer a bit rate such as 160kbs, or a more advanced compression technique such as wma, which is capable of excellent results with relatively small file sizes.

 

Cool, thanks for the info.

 

If you have something very specific that you want to do, I may be able to help you if there is a problem. But there are no guarantees about this. I am not an expert in this business; I have just used dogged tenacity and experimentation and plodding through a load of information to extract what I want to know.

 

Gee, thanks heaps for that. I think I'll just play around and see what sound quality I can bear.

 

Good luck--and ask, but be prepared for less than you would like.

Thanks again

Cass68

[Guest nchto]

Stereo is the best you can get. It is full separation. The two same channels coming in get encoded independently.

 

Joint stereo produces smaller files by looking for frames where there is no (or little) audible separation in the channels. This way it can store only one instance of the info for both channels.

 

In reality there is no difference between the two settings quality-wise, so for a smaller file size you should use joint stereo.

[cassmow]

Stereo is the best you can get. It is full separation. The two same channels coming in get encoded independently.

 

Joint stereo produces smaller files by looking for frames where there is no (or little) audible separation in the channels. This way it can store only one instance of the info for both channels.

 

In reality there is no difference between the two settings quality-wise, so for a smaller file size you should use joint stereo.

 

Thanks nchto

 

Do you know what "force" does?

Cheers

Cass68

[Guest nchto]

Mono: Use this setting for mono sound files, or to generate mono MP3 files which come from a stereo source.

 

Stereo: Takes the left and right channels of the original audio track and encodes them separately; e.g.: a 128 kbps Stereo encoding is actually two 64 kbps encodings (one for the left channel, one for the right) sandwiched together.

 

Joint-stereo: Rather than encoding the channels separately, joint-stereo encoding tries to find the similarities and differences between the two channels. This method offers improved stereo sound quality.

 

Force stereo: Same as mono, except it makes sure the mono sound is going through both left and right channels.

 

Also please see http://nch.invisionzone.com/index.php?s=&a...post&p=5109 for more information about Joint/Stereo

[cassmow]

Mono: Use this setting for mono sound files, or to generate mono MP3 files which come from a stereo source.

 

Stereo: Takes the left and right channels of the original audio track and encodes them separately; e.g.: a 128 kbps Stereo encoding is actually two 64 kbps encodings (one for the left channel, one for the right) sandwiched together.

 

Joint-stereo: Rather than encoding the channels separately, joint-stereo encoding tries to find the similarities and differences between the two channels. This method offers improved stereo sound quality.

 

Force stereo: Same as mono, except it makes sure the mono sound is going through both left and right channels.

 

Also please see http://nch.invisionzone.com/index.php?s=&a...post&p=5109 for more information about Joint/Stereo

 

Thankyou!

[marywong]

can i please ask if there is any way of finding out the bit rate of a file?

[musikone]

can i please ask if there is any way of finding out the bit rate of a file?

 

I have a positive answer for this! I have mentioned the very impressive software called "dbpoweramp" which is published by a company called "Illustrate" at the website www.dbpoweramp.com. You can download a 30-day trial version of this software.

 

When installed on your Windows computer, this software gives you an expanded ID-tag when you place your cursor over a sound file in its directory location. This tag replaces the minimal ID-tag that is included with Windows. Among other things, if the file is an mp3 file, the information which pops up in this tag shows the bit rate at which the file was compressed. Voila! I really appreciate this feature, since I have a huge number of mp3 files on my hard drive, not all of which are encoded at the same bit rate. It is really difficult to keep track of a large number of files compressed at differing bit rates.

 

You (and anyone who is serious about keeping this situation under control) will find this particular feature to be very helpful, particularly if you wish to retain your sanity. There are also many other features of dbpoweramp that you may come to appreciate as you tiptoe your way through the music minefield. I did not waste any time in purchasing a license for this software; different levels are available, although I did not explore these differences. In my opinion, at least for the limited work which I am doing, I highly recommend dbpoweramp along with Switch Plus and WavePad (at the very minimum), plus Golden Records, a dependable and easy-to-use piece of recording software; it is not necessarily limited to making computer recordings from records, despite its name; for example, I have used it to record from an FM tuner. As you are undoubtedly aware, Swift Sound has an extensive collection of software, although I have not explored it. What I do know is that the limited set of four software pieces that I have mentioned here can coexist nicely. Keep in mind (in case it needs repeating) that those who make this software available are not doing this for their health :-)

 

So get on over there to that website, if nothing else than to pick up that software which simply gives you the bit rate information about your mp3 files.

 

 

 

Musikone

[Guest nchto]

You can simply right click on the file and select properties, then click on the summary tab. If need be click on the "Advanced >>" button which should show you all the information about the file, including the Bit Rate.

[marywong]

thanks a lot.

to both musikone and nchto

[musikone]

You can simply right click on the file and select properties, then click on the summary tab. If need be click on the "Advanced >>" button which should show you all the information about the file, including the Bit Rate.

=============================================================

Admittedly, I was unaware that audio compression bit rate information was hiding behind that "Advanced" button that was hiding behind that "properties" entry on the contextual menu that was hiding behind a right-click of the mouse on an mp3 audio file. Phew! Lots of good old-fashioned hiding going on there :-)

 

The reason that I used the word "was" is that what I now have installed on my computer is Windows Audio Media Pro 10, obtained via the dbpoweramp software. After the installation of this Microsoft upgrade (in their roundabout and devious manner), when I _now_ right-click on an mp3 file and subsequently click on "properties," this brings up a separate tab called "Audio Properties" which lists a useful bundle of audio information, including the bit rate that is available in the manner that you describe in this post to which I am responding. Currently, with this installation on my computer of the new Microsoft WMA Pro 10 software, an"Advanced" button is still there; however, the dialog box which comes up when this button is clicked is very different. The audio file properties are now relegated to that "Audio Properties" tab.

 

What I thought was due to dbpoweramp software when I posted my latest response, was really due to that auxiliary installation of the WMA Pro 10 software (Release 3).

 

This being said, this does not alter the fact that the dbpoweramp software itself is highly recommended for all of the goodies and additional flexibility which it offers. The fact that I found out about the bit rate information which is now given in both the Audio Properties tab under "properties" in the right-click contextual menu AND in simply moving the cursor over the filename in the hard drive directory is incidental to this discussion. The ability to move down a list of mp3 files and rapidly get the bit rate information of the files without clicking on a filename is an added plus, which I am sure that those following this discussion will appreciate, assuming that they do not have Windows Vista, which I believe uses the procedures developed in WMA Pro 10. I cannot check this, since I do not have Windows Vista, nor will I ever have it, based upon what I have been reading about it. I won't miss it!

 

 

Musikone

[marywong]

thx musikone.

i m now downloading the software.

1 more question,

i have successfully converted the files down to a smaller size, however, the names are all messed up and the song file is extended by a long silence.

e.g. i convert 2 songs at a time, song 1 is called ABC' and song 2 is called 'DEF' both lasts for 3:20minuets. after the conversion, song 1 is now called 'DEF' and song 2 is called 'ABC' and both lasts for 3:55minutes and song . n tht extra 35 seconds is just silence.

 

how can i prevent this from happening?

[musikone]

thx musikone.

i m now downloading the software.

1 more question,

i have successfully converted the files down to a smaller size, however, the names are all messed up and the song file is extended by a long silence.

e.g. i convert 2 songs at a time, song 1 is called ABC' and song 2 is called 'DEF' both lasts for 3:20minuets. after the conversion, song 1 is now called 'DEF' and song 2 is called 'ABC' and both lasts for 3:55minutes and song . n tht extra 35 seconds is just silence.

 

how can i prevent this from happening?

----------

I don't understand what you have done; your description is not clear. When you say that you convert 2 songs at a time, I do not understand why you are doing this. You are using Switch, aren't you? Why don't you just put all of the songs that you want to convert into the Switch window and then go through the simple conversion procedure.

 

You will have to be more explicit about exactly what you are doing, step by step, if I am going to be able to help you.

 

 

Musikone

[marywong]

sorry for the confusion. perhaps i should rephrase myself

basically. i converted all the songs at once using switch.

and after the conversion, the names of the songs are all messed up. they got mixed up.

n for some songs. the song is extended with a long silence at the end of the song.

like. the song finishes, then there is this long period of silence.

 

do you understand my situation or is this still unclear?

 

thx for helping out.

[musikone]

sorry for the confusion. perhaps i should rephrase myself

basically. i converted all the songs at once using switch.

and after the conversion, the names of the songs are all messed up. they got mixed up.

n for some songs. the song is extended with a long silence at the end of the song.

like. the song finishes, then there is this long period of silence.

 

do you understand my situation or is this still unclear?

 

thx for helping out.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

As a general rule, I can only recommend that the conversion of a music file be done _from_ a copy of the file on your computer's hard drive _to_ another location on your hard drive. If (and when) this procedure is successfully completed, you can then copy the converted file to wherever......

 

But I am almost certain that this is not the way that you have gone about this, even if you would like to. Probably because you cannot do it this way. If you are unable to copy these files onto your hard drive from wherever(?) without screwing them up, then this inability does not derive from any problem with Switch, against which your frustration seems to be directed.

 

Rather, it is virtually certain that you have met up with your friendly Digital Rights Management (DRM). This is a camouflaged phrase referring to "copy protection", which is so endearing to users and makes certain that they cannot transfer their music from one place to another place which the copyright holder of the music does not want them to transfer it. Give me the straight scoop here (I believe that I know it already) and we can proceed.

 

Musikone