Converting .WMA audio file for car CD?

[Delphi123]

Dear friends:

I have a 28 MB audio file in WMA format which I would like to convert to a format that can play on a car CD. I have the program Audacity but I am not sure how to do this. Or is there another way to do this. Would appreciate your advice.

Thank you.

Benjamin

[sadgoat]

first of all, does your car stereo play mp3's?

[Delphi123]

Dear sadgoat:

Thanks for writing. Not sure. But I would be happy to convert the WMA file to either wave or mp3. I have Nero 6.6 and Audacity. Can you specify how I should do this?

Thank you so much.

Benjamin

[TheCheekMaster]

you need to find out if your car stereo plays MP3's - is there not a user guide for audacity... you will need to create an audio cd, if your car stereo does not play MP3's

[uripyores]

...But I would be happy to convert the WMA file to either wave or mp3. I have Nero 6.6 and Audacity. Can you specify how I should do this?
Try this online converter - I just tested it with WMA to MP3.

Online file converter (http://www.zamzar.com/)

It's handy if you just have a few to convert.


That's assuming it plays mp3s.

[Delphi123]

Dear friends:

I would like to convert the WMA file to a format that will play on ANY standalone CD player. What do you suggest?

Benjamin

[uripyores]

You can burn your MP3 files into an audio CD using either WMPlayer or whatever other software you have. [Nero etc]

You can burn WMAs into audio CDs as well in WMPlayer - so no need to convert.
Just select 'audio cd' in the drop down menu.

[godfatherrr]

i highly suggest making an audio cd not mp3, because though most do nowadays, many standalone/car cd players dont support mp3.

[Delphi123]

Dear Godfatherr:

Thanks for writing.

That's just the point. I have a 28MB .WMA audio file. How do I convert it to audio CD format so I can burn it? And which program should I use to burn the audio CD: WMA, Nero 6.6? But first and foremost what is the audio CD format, please, and how do I convert the WMA file to it?

Thanks so much.

Benjamin

[uripyores]

You can just do it in Windows Media Player. It burns WMA files to audio cds - converting at the same time. Select audio cd in the drop-down menu.

[godfatherrr]

windows media player will not convert it to audio cd format (CD-DA), it will just make it so that the cd is playable(as whatever the format is:mp3,wma,etc.) and not data (readable by computer only).

what you want to do is convert it from wma to CD-DA (audio cd)

i would suggest going here (http://www.audioright.com/ez-cd-burner/index.htm) and clicking on "download order" right above features.

when you have the program running, click "add" find the song you want to burn and add it. once its in the program, make sure the box next to it is checked. then put your blank cd in and click the the button with the RED arrow on it, and it will burn.

viola!


hope this helps.

[uripyores]

windows media player will not convert it to audio cd format (CD-DA), it will just make it so that the cd is playable(as whatever the format is:mp3,wma,etc.) and not data (readable by computer only).

what you want to do is convert it from wma to CD-DA (audio cd)

From Microsoft http://support.microsoft.com/kb/297015
Copy audio files from the hard disk to an audio CD
1. In Windows Explorer, choose the files that you want to copy to the audio CD, and then click the Copy to Audio CD Web View task.
2. In WMP, verify that the files that you wish to copy are in the playlist and that they are selected.
3. Click Copy Music.
Note: You can copy .wma, .mp3, and .wav file types to an audio CD.


Step by Step Guide (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/windowsmediaplayer/getstarted/burncd.mspx)

[godfatherrr]

i was not stating that wma,mp3, and wav files cannot be copied to audio cds. that is very true, but they remain just that wma, mp3 and wav, just on a cd. when you try to play that cd the player must be compatible with wma mp3 or wav. the program i was forwarding to converts it into the actual audio cd format which is CD-DA, the same format used when you buy an album in a store.

[Delphi123]

Dear friends:

I downloaded E-Z CD Burner. It's the perfect program for converting and burning WMA, MP3 and Ogg audio files into a CD-DA format. Unfortunately, it is only a demo. It won't work unless you register, which costs $20. I will try to find a freeware version somewhere.

Thank you.

Benjamin

[godfatherrr]

are you sure youve downloaded audioRight burner?

because i have used it with no problem without payin a dime.

after a certain amount of burns it will need registration but it should solve your current problem.

[Delphi123]

Dear friends:

There is one more puzzling factor in this matter of converting my WMA file and burning it as a CD-DA. The original WMA file is 28MB and is an audio interview lasting nearly two hours (114 minutes). Yet, it was copied from a CD that played on my computer but not on a standalone CD. How do you burn a two hour CD onto a CD that by definition is limited to a max of 80 minutes. Would really appreciate a clarification.

Thank you.

Benjamin

[godfatherrr]

Those labels are to scale of retail CDs with an uncompressed bitrate, thereby making it a very large file. most music files have much lower bitrates, allowing hours of audio on a single "80 minute" disk. the thing to pay attention to is the 700 MB, that is real. so the lower the bit rate, the smaller the file, therefore allowing alot more than the labeled time.

really hope that clears things up....

best of luck delphi,

GF

[Delphi123]

Dear godfatherrr:

Thanks for the fine explanation, but what are the practical implications for my attempt to burn the 28 MB 114 minute WMA audio interview and to burn it in CD-DA format? Please help and please be specific.

Thank you.

Benjamin

[godfatherrr]

well this brings us back to the very post itself. many conventional cd players play mp3s and WMAs, but many don't. the reason for converting to CD-DA is so that you can play the CD on virtually any cd player. if this is not your intent please correct me. that is the main "practical" reason for converting to CD-DA.

I hope this answers all your questions,

GF

[sadgoat]

sorry i took so long to respond. and sorry to disagree with you godfatherrr (and im no expert), but i burn my mp3's onto regular cd's frequently using windows media player and these cd's will play on ALL cd players. i have used these cd's on old cd players that most defintly dont support mp3's. so delphi, just open up windows media player, click burn audio cd, and then drag and drop in all the songs you want, then press burn. this should work fine for you and also wont cost you a dime. if you want more options, using your nero 6.6 should give you more options.

[godfatherrr]

well it goes against all logic, but if its the easiest way to do it, how can i argue! :D :D

Good luck with everything Delphi,


Happy New Year,

GF

[Delphi123]

Dear friends:

I've taken the advice of several forum members and tried to burn the WMA file in Windows Media Player. The procedure was simple enough. The audio interview played in WMP and then dragged and dropped the 28 MB file and then hit "Start burning". The interview played for 1:54 minutes (not 1:14 -- that was a mistake) and it played the entire interview on my speakers. But at the end of the process there was nothing on the CD and when I inserted it into a standalone CD player, it was immediately ejected by the CD player. Under My Computer properties, the CD shows nothing.

What have I done wrong, please?

By the way, E-Z CD Burner (i.e. RightBurner) is NOT free. It costs $20.

Thank you .

Benjamin

[godfatherrr]

ok why dont we just do this the rough way. use nero to burn it in its original format (or mp3) and see if it works on the player you want it to. if not we will start on another foot.

[Delphi123]

Dear godfatherr:

Did as you suggested: opened Nero 6.6, chose Create data/audio CD, then added the 28 MB audio file. Then inserted a 700 CD-R. Nero refused to burn it saying that there was insufficient space on the CD, namely only 700 MB instead of the expected 1000 MB for the 154 minute audio interview.

Thank you.

Benjamin

[sadgoat]

what i would then suggest is to use a mp3 splitting software, and then burn it. i just found this and tested it quickly and it works just fine.
http://www.yaosoft.com/

ps:when you were burning your cd using wm player did you wait until it ejected the cd and said the burn was complete? just asking because when wmp burns, it goes through each song with a little progress bar and although after these all finish it may look done, but thats just the first part, and then it burns it.

[Delphi123]

Dear sadgoat:

Thanks so much for suggesting the mp3splitter. I downloaded it and installed it. It looks simple enough, but I am not really sure how to use it. I set the breakpoint somewhere in the middle but I can't figure out how to actually initiate the splitting process. Could you help, please. Please be precise.

Thank you.

Benjamin

[sadgoat]

ok when you start it up select option 2 (by time). now since your file is 114 min big approximately and we want to split it in half so it will fit on 2 disks. so tell it to make each section 58 min (i know 57 min is half but if we say 57 min and your total file length is 114min and 1 sec long we would get 3 sections). now on the output mp3 files part press change. this is where the split up audio parts will go so tell it to go to where you keep your audio in a new folder or just to the desktop. now just press next and it should do its thing.

[Delphi123]

Dear sadgoat:

Thanks so much for the instructions. But I am not happy with one thing: the need to put the interview on two disks. The original CD from which I copied the WMA file and converted it to mp3 managed to put the entire file of 114 minutes on one disk. Isn't there a way I can do this? That is, is it possible to split the file into TWO TRACKS so that the interview plays the two slices seamlessly or with pauses and fade-in and fade-outs?

Hope you can help.

Thank you.

Benjamin

[Delphi123]

Dear friends

Is there another way to solve this problem?

Thank you.

Benjamin

[ahtesh]

Hi Friends,
I do face similar problem as that of Delphi. I have a speech of 92 minutes in WMA format, recorded using Digital voice recorder and when downloaded to Computer and tried to burn on Nero, I get same "insufficient space on the CD" message.
How do I split and make 2 Tracks on same CD as Delphi has asked ??

Regards,
Ahtesh