Converting MP3's to and from various formats and Burning and ripping CD's

[rm']

MP3 to CD
Real easy:

• Get Nero 5
  
• Olivier Suggested using Goldenhawk CDRWIN to write one big MP3 or WAV as multiple tracks.
  
• Or convert to WAV (see below) and use any program to burn as CD-Audio
  

Note:

• DONT USE CDRW media: They dont work on 99.9% of stereos
  

MP3 to WAV
This is very easy to do with winamp so no program list this time

• Make sure that shuffle and random are off
  
• Go to preferences (press CTRL+P or use the context menu options>preferences, thanks to dianelala for telling me to include this)
  
• Select Nullsoft diskwriter as your output plugin (prefs>plugins>output)
  
• Press configure to select the directory the WAVs will go (forgot to mention this one, thanks go to Lumberjack and Reverend Ike for bringing it up )
  
• Load the mp3s you want to convert to wav
  
• Press play and wait
  
• Remember to set output back to waveOut or DirectSound afterwards, for normal playback.
  

Notes:

• The above works for other conversions like VQF to WAV, or even WAV to WAV, with the notable exception of analog CD (not 100% sure) and secure formats (read:WMA)
• For WAV to WAV (eg. for converting an 8-bit 22KHz file to CD Quality, make sure you checkmark "Convert to Format" in Diskwriter config, and make sure "PCM 44,100 KHz, 16 Bit, Stereo" is the selected format).

CDex does this too, along with Nero 5


CD to WAV
What you need is called a ripper.
Try:

• CDex
  
• EAC
  
• audiograbber
  
• audiocatalyst
  
• WinDAC (Thanks Qaxar)
  
• Nero 5
  
• CD Copy
  
• or using the CD Reader plugin (Winamp 2.81 and earlier) as input and DiskWriter as output. You can also use one of PP's plugins, the ACM output plugin instead of nullsoft's. (note, this is now the default Diskwriter with Winamp v2.77)
  

CD to MP3
use:

• CDex
  
• EAC
  
• WinDAC (Thanks Qaxar)
  
• AudioCatalyst
  
• Nero 5
  
• Zlurp
  
• MP3 Workshop
  
• or the CD Reader plugin (Winamp 2.81 or earlier) as input and MP3 Output plugin of your choice (see notes at the end of the post) as output
  

CD OR WAV or MP3 to WMA
I'm probably missing a few progs, but here goes

• Zlurp
  
• Nero 5
  
• And of course Winamp with the the CD Reader plugin as input and the WMA output plugin as output (Winamp 2.81 and earlier)
  

WAV to MP3
Lots of programs, many same as above

• Winamp with an MP3 Output plugin (See notes at the end of the post)
  
• CDex (uses LAME, included)
  
• LAME, also see LAMEbatch
  
• Nero 5
  
• audiocatalyst (uses Xing, included)
  
• Right Click MP3
  
• Zlurp
  
• plugger+, also see Autoplugger, PluggerShell or AMP3ENC 2
  
• GOGO, based on LAME (see above)
  
• BLADE, also see BLADEbatch
  

MP3 to MP3
No, youre not seing double. You might need this to save on disk space, copy file to a floppy or upload music to your portable player. The thing to note here is that even if you increase the bitrate the quality wont rise. So compressing with MP3 (or any other lossy format btw) goes only one way

• CDex -> Convert Menu -> MPEG to MPEG
  
• The free version of MusicMatch bloatware, suggestion by Bruce
  
• Winamp, with a MP3 output plugin of your choice. (See notes at the end)
  

note: i dont know about other progs, suggestions are welcome.


MIDI to WAV
RTFM
More tips here and here (2.9x/5.x)


MP3/WAV to WMA
use the WMA Output plugin (included in 2.63 to 2.9x)
or Nero 5


WMA to anything
M$ wont like it, so as to avoid legal issues, dont do it, and dont ask me how. All i can tell you is that its NOT possible with the current version.


MP3 Output Plugins

• Stephen Lhomme/Mike Lynch's out_lame plugin
  
• Justin's MP3 Output plugin as output That NEEDS AN EXTERNAL, NON-INCLUDED CODEC (see readme.txt)
  
• PP's mp3 output using the LAME encoder
  
• More
  

Notes:

• The CDReader plugin is no longer required for Winamp 2.9x and 5.x. The default in_cdda plugin now supports Digital Audio Extraction.
  
• dBpowerAMP Music Converter is freeware and can convert most formats.
  
• Although Nero is CD-burning software, it can rip, encode and decode most stuff (MP3,WAV,VQF,WMA), so it is included it these categories.
  
• Nero, Audiograbber and Audiocatalyst are not Free software, i think all others are Free or Cardware or something like that.
  
• Easy CD Creator is not included because it is not available for downloading, and has compatibility issues.
  
• The free version of MusicMatch burns very slowly and was not included, but after Bruce`s comment, i put it on the MP3>MP3 section.
  
• WinOnCD 3.7 is not available for downloading and therefore not included
  
• Feel free to post Follow-Ups to this post to comment,add more info or correct me.
  
• Please, whenever somebody posts about something covered here, link to this thread and don't post a new answer. The reason for this is to make this thread have all new info about conversions.
  
• Further tips/software here.
  

Thanks, and i hope this has helped you.

Compliments of gandalf

[Edited by Winsane October 31, 2000).]
[Edited by Kaboon on 12-20-2000 at 02:19 PM]
[Updated by DJEgg on 13th Jan 2002 & 29th May 2004]

[Winsane]

Anything to MIDI

Read these threads:
http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=19725
http://forums.winamp.com/showthread.php?threadid=18881

TS-AudioToMidi Realtime Converter
Old freeware 1.x version
Newer shareware version 3.x

Score Extractor


[This message has been edited by Winsane (edited October 30, 2000).]

[Edited by Jayn on 12-20-2000 at 02:09 PM]

[Updated by DJEgg on 15-10-2001 and 25th May 2004]

[DJ Egg]

^