Basic Info Needed for New User

[Guest]

I am confused between the terms recording an "Audio CD" and recording "mp3s".
Windows Media Player will copy a CD to disk using its own format. If I wanted
to save in the MP3 format I would need a special module.
What is the format when a CD is burned? Is it compatible with players that
state that they play mp3s?

 

[Mike Williams [MVP]]

I am confused between the terms recording an "Audio CD" and recording "mp3s".
Windows Media Player will copy a CD to disk using its own format. If I wanted

An Audio CD is the type that plays in your typical hifi deck or automobile.

to save in the MP3 format I would need a special module.

MP3 CDs are data CDs (ie act like 700MB floppy disks) that just happen
to have music files on them. MP3 is a compressed audio format, so you
can hold many more tracks than an audio CD.

You don't need WMP to create data/MP3 CDs. You can do that by copying
the files to a data CD using Windows Explorer.

What is the format when a CD is burned? Is it compatible with players that
state that they play mp3s?

MP3 CD players are almost guaranteed to handle Audio CDs. The reverse is
not true. A data CD could also be made up of WMA or other audio-format
files, but there are fewer devices which cna play those formats. You
would have to check the specifications of a drive tos ee whether it can
play back:
* audio CDs (pretty much a given)
* MP3
* WMA
* DVD Audio
* SACD (Super-Audio)
* etcetera etcetera etcetera

 

[Guest]

The common name for user created music cds seems to be mp3. Are most of them
actually WMA or do the majority of people obtain the mp3 add-on?

Do non cd players such as a Rio play WMAs or do they come with mp3 software
or are you required to by the add-on?

 

[Prilosec]

The term "MP3" has become a somewhat generic term for compressed music
files. Players that play WMA files, AAC files (iPod), ATRAC (Sony) are all
called "MP3 players". There is, of course, an actual MP3 format. You can
burn a "data CD" using Windows Media Player. You have to choose the option
"data CD". This copies your compressed files (WMA or MP3) onto the CD-R.
Just copying files to a CD-R using windows explorer DOES NOT WORK (OK, in
95% of cases it does not). Drag and drop to a CD-RW is called various things
(my H-P drive calls it "Drive Access"). This is actually a special "packet
writing" feature, available on CD-R or usually an RW. This will almost NEVER
play on a DVD player, MP3 CD player, etc.. In fact, it typically only plays
on the PC where you recorded it. You can easily use EZ CD Creator or some
other software that proably came with your computer or CD burner (HP is
called "Record Now") . Windows Media Player has a built-in burner that can
do this, too. Honestly, I have had better luck and faster burns using either
EZ CD Creator or Record Now (different PCs). Just pick the "data CD" option,
or you will get an "audio CD", which is the same format as a CD you buy at
the store (.cda or uncompressed PCM audio). If you burn an "audio CD" you
get max 80 minutes of music, but it will play on anything (car, DVD,
portable, boombox, etc.). If you burn a "data CD" you will have to have some
kind of player that can play the files. MP3 is the most widely used format
and the most universally supported (many new cars come with an MP3/CD
player). Not so many cars, etc. play a WMA file, so you if you want a data
CD that plays on the most players, rip your records into MP3 (Windows Media
Player 10 has this option built in for free). There are also a boatload of
other free MP3 rippers availble (CDex, etc.). If you have Windows XP, get
Windows Media Player 10 (free). There is no "add-on" for MP3--it comes with
it.

 

[Mike Williams [MVP]]

The common name for user created music cds seems to be mp3. Are most of them
actually WMA or do the majority of people obtain the mp3 add-on?

MP3 is simply one music file format of dozens, albeit the most popular.

Do non cd players such as a Rio play WMAs or do they come with mp3 software
or are you required to by the add-on?

Some play WMAs. You should do your own research with the manufacturer's
websites etc. Products come and go in the market-place very quickly.
Caveat emptor.

 

[Guest]

My Windows media player is supposed to automatically convert a burned audio
cd into the cd format but when my family tried to play it on a regular cd
player not on the pc just the cd player boom box it did not play. How do I
get it to burn the cds to the right format to play on any old cd player??
Thanks for any help

 

[Mike Williams [MVP]]

My Windows media player is supposed to automatically convert a burned audio
cd into the cd format but when my family tried to play it on a regular cd
player not on the pc just the cd player boom box it did not play. How do I
get it to burn the cds to the right format to play on any old cd player??
Thanks for any help

Make sure you burn an AUDIO cd and not a DATA/MP3 CD. In v10, that
option is at the bottom of the burn window.