Decoding Inconsistencies

marysonnie · 14th April 2009, 04:48

I've been trying to convert some .wav files to .mp3 and have been having limited success. Some .wav files will convert without a problem, and others won't. I'm not sure how they're different from each other. The .wav files will show up in my winamp library but I can't play them; however, their tags are applied to every conversion I attempted successfully thereafter.

The converted .mp3s all had the same tags as the .wav file that wouldn't convert, which didn't make sense. It said the decoder couldn't be found, but only with a certain group of files. These same .wav files would similarly not show up in iTunes while other .wav files did. I can play them with VLC but I want them in .mp3 format and to be able to play them in iTunes.

I'm really confused why some will work and others won't. Winamp can read the tags but it can't play the file...

Thank you.

Paul_Bags · 14th April 2009, 07:57

.wav files don't have tags. Something is seriously wrong. Find a program to check the .wav files, to see if they are valid/corrupt, and to check what exactly they are (stereo/mono, bitrate, etc. I forget what exactly can be done to a .wav).

marysonnie · 14th April 2009, 13:39

Yeah, I didn't think .wav files had tags either, but the track number, album title (yeah, it actually used the folder name) and song title where somehow applied to other .wav files I managed to convert to .mp3 with winamp (I went back and changed those .mp3 tags, so all is well with that).

I don't get any info on the files when I right click on them and click on properties and such (whereas with an .mp3 I'd get tag info). I got minimal info on the .wavs I could convert, but nothing on these other files. athe whole properties window was grayed out where tag info ususally is. Can a .wav be protected in some way, like an iTunes song? If so, why can I play these songs with VLC?

I'm not all that experienced with .wav files (which is why I want them converted), and you said there are programs that can give me more information on each file?

Paul_Bags · 14th April 2009, 20:09

For a random wav I tried, right click (from explorer) > properties > summery gives me:
Bit Rate: 88kbps
Audio sample rate 8 bit
Channels 1(mono)
Audio sample rate 11kHz
Audio format PCM

Winamp > Playlist > right click > view file info:
Unsigned 8 bit PCM
1 Channel(s)
11025 Hz

Irfanview > image > information:
8-bit, 11,025 Hz, Mono, 0.7 seconds

This is for a random .wav file from and old, old game. The rates on your file should be higher, and it should be stereo.

These are just some programs I had lying around. I think there are programs that get a bit more technical, but I don't know what. I'm not even entirely sure how this can help you, other than if the info looks way off it's definitely the files. I'd suggest trying irfanview (link), if it encounters a file with the wrong extension it will catch it and ask if you want to change the extension.
Which bring me to another point: are these wav files you've created yourself? If so, how did you make them?

[edit]It's also possible the wav files are simply corrupt. That could cause info to be greyed out, and it's not impossible that it could still be played at least in part.[/edit]

marysonnie · 14th April 2009, 21:13

Thank you for the link; I'll go investigate.

I got similar info for the .wav files that were working out; they gave me sample rates and didn't have tags (as .wav files don't have them) but it did provide audio info. For the other files, it merely says "Summary not available" or something to that effect; I get absolutely no other info on the files and no white slots to enter anything in. Does this mean they're corrupt?

These aren't files I made myself, but they were originally ripped from some out-of-print cd; I can't really get another version of the files. They were split from a .cue file and were either .ape or .tta files and were converted to .wav files. If they're corrupted, is there any way to uh, un-corrupt them? It's also weird that winamp can't play them but can still read the song titles and track numbers...

Paul_Bags · 15th April 2009, 05:13

You mentioned they can be played in VLC? It's sounding more and more like they are not .wav files at all but something else. My reasoning is: wav files don't have tags, you can't get info from the files, and importantly: winamp cannot play files unless they have the correct extension, my guess is VLC has no problem.

So, we need to figure out what type of file they actually are. You could rename them with common extension until they play in winamp, hit and miss. Or you could read the header and hope it has some helpful information. Now, irfanview does this for you, I think, but you could open up the files in a text editor (something basic like notepad) and read the first few lines. Could take awhile to load this way, since it has to read the entire file at once. Opened up an mp3 this way, and the first three characters were: ID3, the tagging scheme of mp3's, so heres hoping theres something obvious there.

marysonnie · 15th April 2009, 23:00

Oh my. I tried unzipping the files again and re-splitting the .cue sheet...Wow did my computer not like that. I tried converting the .wav file with VLC and first it spit out a .ps file, then it refused to work.

I'm working on opening the .wav file with notepad. It doesn't make a lot sense, but the first three characters are ID3 as well; I tried changing the tag to .mp3 but it won't play in iTunes or winamp.

14th April 2009, 04:48	#1
marysonnie Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 4	Decoding Inconsistencies I've been trying to convert some .wav files to .mp3 and have been having limited success. Some .wav files will convert without a problem, and others won't. I'm not sure how they're different from each other. The .wav files will show up in my winamp library but I can't play them; however, their tags are applied to every conversion I attempted successfully thereafter. The converted .mp3s all had the same tags as the .wav file that wouldn't convert, which didn't make sense. It said the decoder couldn't be found, but only with a certain group of files. These same .wav files would similarly not show up in iTunes while other .wav files did. I can play them with VLC but I want them in .mp3 format and to be able to play them in iTunes. I'm really confused why some will work and others won't. Winamp can read the tags but it can't play the file... Thank you.

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14th April 2009, 07:57	#2
Paul_Bags Major Dude Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 722	.wav files don't have tags. Something is seriously wrong. Find a program to check the .wav files, to see if they are valid/corrupt, and to check what exactly they are (stereo/mono, bitrate, etc. I forget what exactly can be done to a .wav).

14th April 2009, 13:39	#3
marysonnie Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 4	Yeah, I didn't think .wav files had tags either, but the track number, album title (yeah, it actually used the folder name) and song title where somehow applied to other .wav files I managed to convert to .mp3 with winamp (I went back and changed those .mp3 tags, so all is well with that). I don't get any info on the files when I right click on them and click on properties and such (whereas with an .mp3 I'd get tag info). I got minimal info on the .wavs I could convert, but nothing on these other files. athe whole properties window was grayed out where tag info ususally is. Can a .wav be protected in some way, like an iTunes song? If so, why can I play these songs with VLC? I'm not all that experienced with .wav files (which is why I want them converted), and you said there are programs that can give me more information on each file?

14th April 2009, 20:09	#4
Paul_Bags Major Dude Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 722	For a random wav I tried, right click (from explorer) > properties > summery gives me: Bit Rate: 88kbps Audio sample rate 8 bit Channels 1(mono) Audio sample rate 11kHz Audio format PCM Winamp > Playlist > right click > view file info: Unsigned 8 bit PCM 1 Channel(s) 11025 Hz Irfanview > image > information: 8-bit, 11,025 Hz, Mono, 0.7 seconds This is for a random .wav file from and old, old game. The rates on your file should be higher, and it should be stereo. These are just some programs I had lying around. I think there are programs that get a bit more technical, but I don't know what. I'm not even entirely sure how this can help you, other than if the info looks way off it's definitely the files. I'd suggest trying irfanview (link), if it encounters a file with the wrong extension it will catch it and ask if you want to change the extension. Which bring me to another point: are these wav files you've created yourself? If so, how did you make them? [edit]It's also possible the wav files are simply corrupt. That could cause info to be greyed out, and it's not impossible that it could still be played at least in part.[/edit]

14th April 2009, 21:13	#5
marysonnie Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 4	Thank you for the link; I'll go investigate. I got similar info for the .wav files that were working out; they gave me sample rates and didn't have tags (as .wav files don't have them) but it did provide audio info. For the other files, it merely says "Summary not available" or something to that effect; I get absolutely no other info on the files and no white slots to enter anything in. Does this mean they're corrupt? These aren't files I made myself, but they were originally ripped from some out-of-print cd; I can't really get another version of the files. They were split from a .cue file and were either .ape or .tta files and were converted to .wav files. If they're corrupted, is there any way to uh, un-corrupt them? It's also weird that winamp can't play them but can still read the song titles and track numbers...

15th April 2009, 05:13	#6
Paul_Bags Major Dude Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 722	You mentioned they can be played in VLC? It's sounding more and more like they are not .wav files at all but something else. My reasoning is: wav files don't have tags, you can't get info from the files, and importantly: winamp cannot play files unless they have the correct extension, my guess is VLC has no problem. So, we need to figure out what type of file they actually are. You could rename them with common extension until they play in winamp, hit and miss. Or you could read the header and hope it has some helpful information. Now, irfanview does this for you, I think, but you could open up the files in a text editor (something basic like notepad) and read the first few lines. Could take awhile to load this way, since it has to read the entire file at once. Opened up an mp3 this way, and the first three characters were: ID3, the tagging scheme of mp3's, so heres hoping theres something obvious there.

15th April 2009, 23:00	#7
marysonnie Junior Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 4	Oh my. I tried unzipping the files again and re-splitting the .cue sheet...Wow did my computer not like that. I tried converting the .wav file with VLC and first it spit out a .ps file, then it refused to work. I'm working on opening the .wav file with notepad. It doesn't make a lot sense, but the first three characters are ID3 as well; I tried changing the tag to .mp3 but it won't play in iTunes or winamp.