What File Format Should I Convert My Files To?

[mountaincountry]

Hello,
I am wondering what file format I need to convert my songs to in order to play them on most general CD players. I have tried both .WAV & .MP3, but neither of those have worked. But both formats have worked on my computer, and of course the .MP3's worked in my MP3 player.

I would be very thankful for any suggestions.

Thank you,
Jennifer

 

[Rip Van Woofer]

It's .aif (also .aiff). I think it stands for "Audio Interchange File Format".

That's the default my CD burning software uses when extracting audio tracks without compression or other processing from a CD to make a copy. The resulting CDs play on everything I've ever tried them with, from my main player in my listening room to my car stereo and Walkman-style portable, and are sonically identical as far as my middle-aged guy ears can tell.

 

[Unregistered]

Hello,
I am wondering what file format I need to convert my songs to in order to play them on most general CD players. I have tried both .WAV & .MP3, but neither of those have worked. But both formats have worked on my computer, and of course the .MP3's worked in my MP3 player.

I would be very thankful for any suggestions.

Thank you,
Jennifer

If WAV files didn't work for you there can be only one reason: you mistakenly burned them as data instead of as an audio cd. In other words, you copied the files directly to the cd like you would do if you copied the file from one directory to another on your computer.

Note that nearly all cd burning programs can convert mp3 to wav and burn directly. Just make sure you choose 'audio cd' for the format of the burned cd, not 'cd rom', 'iso-9660' or whatever else your burning progam can do.

 

[av_phile]

I want to compile favourite CD tracks into a DVD-R. Is it a must to compile WAV files into VOB files to be read in any home DVD player?

 

[Unregistered]

I want to compile favourite CD tracks into a DVD-R. Is it a must to compile WAV files into VOB files to be read in any home DVD player?

No, all dvd players can play audio cds. As long as you don't exceed the 99 track limit, the dvd player will recognize it as an audio disc and play it properly (make sure to burn 'audio cd' not data cd of any kind). The type of media (cd-r/rw, dvd-r/w, dvd+r/w) doesnt matter - its the format of the data on the disc that determines what type of player can read it.

If you were to convert the wav files to VOB files, then you would be making a DVD Video disc (with no video). That will also play correctly in a dvd player. Note that this is how dvd-audio discs include a 2 channel mix that will play in any dvd-video player and in my opinion is why dvd-audio will win over sacd in the long term - there are far more dvd-video players in existence than sacd players.

 

[av_phile]

Thanks, whoever you are, unregistered. I asked because I normally would launch AudioDVDCreator just to compile a list of 16/44.1 wav files into a DVD-R to get about 50 tracks into one. It creates a video_ts folder with VOB files and seems to take forever. So I can just use a Nero burner to create a CD audio but using a DVD-R medium, right?

Another question, it is worth the effort converting stereo CDs into 5.1 DTS audio wav files? Thanks.

 

[av_phile]

Hi unregistered,

I tried compiling about 40 wav tracks of Peter White to be burned to a DVD-R as an audio disc. Unfortunately, the Nero and SonicMyDVD softwares identified the DVD medium as not appropriate for the job. Obviously they won't burn a DVD disc with a mere wav compilation. Burning a DVD-r always defaults to a video_ts folder requiring VOB files. Seems your suggestion doesn't work. The software detects the right media for the job. Or is there another software to go around this?

 

[Unregistered]

Sorry if I sent you on a wild goose chase. It seems Nero wants to enforce the fact that a DVD-R is meant to play in a DVD player and thus will only write the data according to dvd conventions (video_ts folder and vob files as you mentioned).

 

[mountaincountry]

It's .aif (also .aiff). I think it stands for "Audio Interchange File Format".

That's the default my CD burning software uses when extracting audio tracks without compression or other processing from a CD to make a copy. The resulting CDs play on everything I've ever tried them with, from my main player in my listening room to my car stereo and Walkman-style portable, and are sonically identical as far as my middle-aged guy ears can tell.

Thank you for giving that information. I searched the web for .aiff & .aif and I wasn't able to get very far. Do you know any program or a way I can convert the songs to .aif format?

Thank you again,
Jennifer

 

[Unregistered]

Jennifer,
What format are your files currently in? What program are you using to burn a cd?

Aiff files are mainly used on Apple/McIntosh systems and are almost identical to WAV. Unless the burning program only supports aiff, you don't need them. When they are burned to cd they will no longer be aiff files anyway, unless you mistakenly burn the cd as a data cd - in which case it still won't work just like the wav or mp3 case.

 

[mountaincountry]

Jennifer,
What format are your files currently in? What program are you using to burn a cd?

Aiff files are mainly used on Apple/McIntosh systems and are almost identical to WAV. Unless the burning program only supports aiff, you don't need them. When they are burned to cd they will no longer be aiff files anyway, unless you mistakenly burn the cd as a data cd - in which case it still won't work just like the wav or mp3 case.

I have my files in .Wav and MP3 right now. I have burned the songs onto the CD's with REALPLAYER & a program that came with my computer called RecordNow. I don't have Mac or Apple.

 

[Unregistered]

Found this link for RecordNow: http://www.sonic.com/products/recordnow/recordnow/whatsnew.asp

Which version are using? Notice that the 7.2 version (non-deluxe) doesn't support burning audio cds. If that is what you are using, it will not work for you. It is as I suspected, you are burning a data cd and not an audio cd.

I never use RealPlayer so I don't know if it supports burning audio cds or not.

There are dozens of inexpensive cd burning programs. A cheap but effective way to get what you want is to go to http://www.winamp.com and download Winamp 5.04 PRO ($14.95). Its a great player and has the burning capabilities too.

 

[TJ_Jazz]

I currently use NERO 5.0 CD Burning software to burn music and back-up files onto CD-Rs... no problems.

I'm thinking of adding second DVD burner for burning data files, and possible burn mp3 or ogg file library. Perhaps an external USB 2.0 DVD burner, which can write and read data files (such as mp3 or ogg).

Anyone aware of External DVD burner with "Audio Out" - or - perhaps an add-on controller with audio out?

Ultimately I would like to upgrade from multiple audio CD-changer in car to single (or multiple) DVD disc player in the car. Result would be large audio file library for long drives.

Any thoughts?

- TJ