Need Help With Converting Audio Formats

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Need Help With Converting Audio Formats

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ShockaR
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Post: #1

Need Help With Converting Audio Formats

I just decided to do the move from RealPlayer to WindowsMediaPlayer (snif snif lol).
Anyway I know have a bunch of music I can't add to my library because there in the .rmj formated (realaudio).
Now I need help on converting them to mp3 or .wma so I can add them to my library in WindowsMediaPlayer.
I was wondering if anyone knew if there is soem kinda program or some way to do this...?

Much appreciated. Ty in advance :beer:

04-13-2004 05:52 AM

Dark Biene
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Post: #2

so, I found this way in the net

Quote:

This works - I've just tried it:

1) Rename the file extension from RMJ to RA. These are both real audio file types, and are in the same exact format. You can use a free program called Smart Rename from cNet (http://www.download.com); I just renamed the file in Windows Explorer.
2)Then you need to convert these RA or RMJ files to mp3. You can use dBpowerAMP Music Converter 9.0 (http://www.dbpoweramp.com/download.htm). After downloading this, you will need to download a codec from the dbpoweramp website that converts RA files to wav or Mp3: http://www.dbpoweramp.com/codec-central-ra.htm
Important: To make the RealAudio Decoder to work, you need to have installed RealAudio v8 (http://www.oldversion.com/download....b6072056d61598a). Real Alternative 1.11 can be used instead of RealAudio v8 (I haven't checked if this works - I used RealAudio 8).

And here are all the codecs (for so many file formats!): http://www.dbpoweramp.com/codec-central.htm
These programs are free.

The program converts in real time, so if the song is 2 minutes long, it will take two minutes for the conversion. You can normalize the tracks, and select a whole bunch to be done at one time.

Sound quality is good, and you can burn these onto a cd.

Source: Link

but i think there must be an easier way :-)

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04-13-2004 06:11 AM

ShockaR
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Post: #3

lol sounds kinda long. I can do it but alot of downloading to do :/
I'll give a couple hours to see if someone can post with a simplar way, if not, i'll do it the way it says in your post.
Ty btw Smile

04-13-2004 06:57 AM

Mertsch
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Post: #4

....
this sounds more complicat then it is ... with DBpowerAMP encoding is VERY VERY EASY !!!
you will see ... just install the main package ... any thing else will just pop up during you work ... when you try to read in realmedia you will be linked to codec central and so one ...

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04-13-2004 08:32 AM

XIII
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Post: #5

Long live DbPowerAmp 8) . This is a very cool program. The best thing is that it is free.

04-13-2004 01:00 PM

Hancoque
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Post: #6

I just want to note, that converting from one lossy to another lossy format always degrades sound quality. So the new audio files, you will have after the conversion, won't probably sound as good as they used to in the old format. It's good to hear that you turned your back on real audio, though. But I advise you to not use wma, use mp3. It's cross platform and most compatible. There exist other good formats, but they're more for enthusiasts and not that widespread. If you don't want any (more) degradation of sound quality, than you might stick with the old files and use them with Real Alternative and from now on create new files in mp3.

04-13-2004 01:47 PM

ShockaR
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Post: #7

Ok ty all for help and advice. I made them mp3 format, didn't make them wma.
Yes u was right, I notice a sound degrade but ah well thats what I get for not using WMP in the first place :/.
lol cyas

04-13-2004 06:31 PM

XIII
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Post: #8

I wonder if you can convert it to uncompress file format first such as the WAV and then convert it to compress file type that you want such as the MP3. In this way you "MIGHT" not loss any sound quality. I am not sure about this cause i have not tested it yet.

04-14-2004 03:40 AM

Hancoque
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Post: #9

Hmm, that's a misconception I see every once a while. If something is compressed into a lossy format, you strip away information to reduce the file size. This information is lost and cannot be restored. So if you convert a lossy file format into an uncompressed wave file you don't lose any quality, but you do not gain any, too. What's lost is lost. It's also no difference if you convert from one lossy to another lossy format while using an interim wave file or not. In case you use an interim wave file the decompressed data is simply written to hard disk instead of RAM before it's compressed again. So it's pretty important which format you choose, considering future developments, that you don't have to convert everything, which is really in no way advisable.

So, if there comes out a new superduper audio format, you don't gain any quality by converting all your old files into the new format. Don't do it. Smile

04-14-2004 01:34 PM

XIII
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Post: #10

what i meant was by converting to .wav and then converting it back to compress file format is not that you can gain quality but to prevent further reduction of quality.

04-14-2004 02:28 PM

Hancoque
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Post: #11

As I said, you lose further quality by compressing that wave file. Please read my text again.

04-14-2004 02:38 PM

XIII
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Post: #12

Yeah you are right i get a bit confuse converting to .wav and then compress file format , the compression still ocur twice. Shame on me :oops: .

I get what you mean now. The best way is to rip your music from your CD all over again. LOL

04-14-2004 02:51 PM

ThudZ3ro
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Post: #13

believe it or not I'm an audio engineer with my own recording studio and a few CD's on the market. You can't remove data from a WAV file when converting and compressing to a different format and then get it back by changing the file format back (you lose about 90% of the original file). When it's gone, it's gone for good. Pick the format you want to use and then rip fresh from your source material. What format you choose to rip to depends upon your needs...

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04-14-2004 04:49 PM

Mertsch
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Post: #14

btw
equal how much or if even quality is lost when converting with dbpoweramp any format will first be decompressed to .wav

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04-14-2004 06:07 PM

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