How do Iget results?

[LimeyCliff]

I downloaded the free trial 7 days ago and have not been able to figure out how to use it. Nothing works.

[xoas]

Have you been able to install the program?
Did you install with administrative priviledges?
What is your operating system?
What are you trying to do and what results are you getting?
Have you reviewed the Help files (Start>All Programs>dBpowerAMP Music Converter>Help>dBpowerAMP Music COnverter Help)?

Perhaps with a few details we can help you get things working.

Best wishes,
Bill

[LimeyCliff]

Bill, thanks for replying.

Program installed okay.
No Administrative priviliges in the installation.
Operating system is XP Professional.
I am trying to burn a CD with music files on the hard drive. A window opens but that is all. Nothing is shown how to do anything no buttons to click.
Help files do not give a clue on what to do.

[ChristinaS]

You must be signed in as administrator in order to install these programs and at least as a power user in order to use them.

[LtData]

You CAN use the program as a limited user, but you must be in an administrator account to install the program and also allow everyone to write to the dBpowerAMP Install directory (defaults is Program Files\Illustrate\dBpowerAMP). Also, for Audio CD Input, select "Windows Built-In (Limited)" as the CD Communication set.

[LimeyCliff]

Are we talking about the same program?
The one I am having trouble with is a limited time program to try before buying

[xoas]

I assume from your second post that you are trying to install and use dCW (dBpowerAMP CD Writer). This program also requires dBpowerAMP Music Converter (dMC), so that also needs to be installed (unless it was already).

What LtData says about installation holds for both programs. Audio CD Input is one of the features of dMC and is the preferred interface for ripping audio from CD but has little to do with creating a CD from files on your computer. If you were using dCW to copy a CD, however, then this feature would be impportant to you.

Best wishes,
Bill

[LimeyCliff]

This is getting confusing.
I have the program installed and am trying to burn a CD from files already on my hard drive. The help files states this can be done. I find nothing in the help files that tells how, and also nothing shows how when I try to run the program.

Cliff

[xoas]

First, dBpowerAMP CD Writer (dCW) relies upon dBpowerAMP Music Converter (dMC).
You can get them separately or together. Each has a 30 trial which alows unlimited access to all features of each prgram.

Each program (or the 2 together) should be installed while you are logged in to your computer with administrative priviledges. If you do not, the odds are fairly great that they will not work correctly and you may have some trouble trying to uninstall them.

If the programs are properly installed, you should be able to access a feature called "dMC Configuration". This is accessed Start>All Programs>dBpowerAMP Music Converter>COnfiguration>dBpowerAMP Music Converter Configuration. The very first page should tell you about whether you do or do not have dCW (dBpowerAMP CD Writer) installed and the status of your trial period for dCW and/or for the Power Pack (the part of dBpowerAMP Music Converter that you actually register/pay for, all the rest of dBpowerAMP Music Converter is free of charge).

If dCW is properly installed, it has its own Help file (Start>All Programs>dBpowerAMP Music Converter>Help>dBpowerAMP CD Writer Help). The Help file for dCW is very detailed as to how to create a cd from files on your computer, so either you are not looking in the right place or perhaps the program is not installed properly. You can also access the dCW Help file from the ? icon on the main page for dCW (accessed from Start>All Programs>dBpowerAMP Music Converter>dBpowerAMP CD Writer).

From your description, it does not appear that you have dCW properly installed and you may not have dBpowerAMP Music Converter correctly installed either. If dMC is properly installed, you may have downloaded but not installed dCW.

So:
Step 1: See if you can open dMC Configuration;
Step 2: If you can, see if this shows dCW (dBpowerAMP CD Writer) as being installed.
From there, either research the dCW Help file (if dCW is installed) or reinstall dCW.

If you need further help, please tell us what you have tried out of these steps and what results you found.

Best wishes,
Bill

[LimeyCliff]

I have found that the program works fine on my Windows 98 computer but not on the computer running XP Profesional. Both are installed the same way.
What does one do now??

[Spoon]

Doesn't work doing which task? ripping audio cd? converting an audio file, or writing an audio cd?

[LtData]

Make sure your reading the right help files, if you installed dBpowerAMP CD Writer there are help files for both dBpowerAMP Music Converter and dCW installed.

[LimeyCliff]

As I stated, "I have found that the program works fine on my Windows 98 computer but not on the computer running XP Profesional. Both are installed the same way."
Nothing works on my XP machine except the conversion and that is not right as the converted file is much larger than the original.

[LtData]

Did you re-install dMC with Administrative access? dMC HAS to be installed with administrator rights on Win2k/XP. You can use it with a limited account after you configure a few things as I stated above.

[LimeyCliff]

You wrote.
Did you re-install dMC with Administrative access? dMC HAS to be installed with administrator rights on Win2k/XP. You can use it with a limited account after you configure a few things as I stated above.
>>>>>

I have no idea what you are talking about. What the heck is Aministrative access??

[LtData]

On your XP machine, is your account an "Administrator" account or a limited-user account?

[LimeyCliff]

On your XP machine, is your account an "Administrator" account or a limited-user account?I have no idea.

[LtData]

Go to Control Panel and then click on "User Accounts" Under the name of your account, it will say either "Computer administrator" or "Limited Account" or possibly "Power User".

[LimeyCliff]

Go to Control Panel and then click on "User Accounts" Under the name of your account, it will say either "Computer administrator" or "Limited Account" or possibly "Power User".

It shows Computer Administrator

[LtData]

Did you install just dBpowerAMP Music Converter (dMC) or dMC and the dBpowerAMP CD Writer (dCW)? (Note that instaling the CD Writer also installed dMC).

If you installed dCW, did you try reading the help files for it and not just the general dMC help files?

[LimeyCliff]

Did you install just dBpowerAMP Music Converter (dMC) or dMC and the dBpowerAMP CD Writer (dCW)? (Note that instaling the CD Writer also installed dMC).

If you installed dCW, did you try reading the help files for it and not just the general dMC help files?


All the above are installed.
I have read all HELP files.

[LtData]

Have you tried right-clicking on your desired files, selecting "Convert To" and then choosing "Audio CD"?

[LimeyCliff]

Have you tried right-clicking on your desired files, selecting "Convert To" and then choosing "Audio CD"?

Yes, same results as when I try to convert a file on my hard drive.

[ChristinaS]

OK, what type of file are you trying to convert from and what type of file are you trying to convert to?

If you are not seeing file extensions you should enable them: http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=5361

Unless the file you are converting from is a wav or mp3, you will need to have the proper decoding codec installed. Check out Codec Central to get all required codecs: http://www.dbpoweramp.com/codec-central.htm

If you are using dMC to convert files, you also have to have the encoding codec for the file type you are converting to. Note that CDA is not an audio file type. If you want to convert to .cda you have to use dCW to burn an audio cd.

If you are using dCW to burn audio cd's then you only have to worry about configuring dCW properly to find your cd burner drive.

[xoas]

I'm going to start with reviewing what we think we know:

You are trying to use dBpowerAMP Music Converter (dMC) and dBpowerAMP CD Writer (dCW) to burn a CD from audio files on your computer. Your computer runs a Windows XP operating system. You are the primary user of this computer and always log-in on this computer in the same way (which involves having administrative priviledges). You have no problem with these programs on another computer running Windows 98. When you try to open dCW a blank window opens and nothing else happens.

If there is anything wrong with this description, please let us know.

You have further indicated that you get the same results if you right-click a file for your CD, select Convert To and select Audio CD. I do have a question about this. When you right-click a file and select Convert To and Audio CD you should have a little window open up showing the progress of the conversion and after the conversion is complete you should see the dCW Window open up. Do you see the conversion progress window or not? I assume that you do get to the blank dCW screen.

If this description of your problem seems to be accurate and complete, I am going to recommend that you try uninstalling and re-installing dCW only.

If this problem is still there after uninstalling and re-installing, I would like to ask you to open up dMC Configuration (Start>All Programs>dBpowerAMP Music Converter>Configuration>dBpowerAMP Music Converter Configuration). On the first screen (the Versions Tab), what do you see for Version Information for dMC, for Power Pack and for dBpowerAMP CD Writer? If any are missing, please let us know. Otherwise, please provide the version information and and registration status (if given) for each (or you can select the Copy To Clipboard option at the bottom of the dMC Configuration screen and post it with your reply).

Hope the uninstall/reinstall procedure works. Please keep us posted.

Best wishes,
Bill

[dbample]

If I were LimeyCliff one of the things I would do before proceeding any further would be to uninstall everything, then re-install all Illustrate programs (dMC, dBpowerAmp, etc.) while logged-on as "Administrator". Then try to run these programs while still logged-in as "Administrator".

This is just to remove any doubt whether something is not set up correctly in the user account (with administrative privileges) that Cliff is using, and also to remove any doubt if Illustrate programs install and run exactly the same while logged-in as "Administrator" versus user with administrative privileges.

This may not make any difference, but at this point it does not hurt to try.

[Spoon]

Nothing works on my XP machine except the conversion and that is not right as the converted file is much larger than the original.

If you were to take one of the Wave files in c:\windows\media that come with windows and convert it to mp3, then it would possibly be bigger than the original, because the source files are already compressed. To answer your statement above you would have to say what you were converting from and to (settings of both).

[xoas]

I think there is much to recommend dbample's approach of uninstalling all Illustrate programs and re-installing. I am fairly convinced that the administrative rights is not the issue here. But there is a possibility that there is a problem with dMC (Music Converter) which may contribute to or be in addition to the problem with dCW (CD Writer). If there is a problem with dMC it would be better to correct that sooner rather than later and so uninstalling/re-installing these programs would facilitate that.

I'm willing to see what LimeyCliff tries and what he finds.

Best wishes,
Bill

[LimeyCliff]

I unistalled, then reinstalled the program and the results are exactly the same.
I created an audio in the mp3 format with a size of 2739 kb. When I converted the file using the 64 kbps setting the file was 4871 kb.
Cliff

[Tigerman]

What is the frequency of the source file and what is the frequency of the output file?
Maybe you can upload the source-file or a few screenshots, so they can see what you are trying to convert.

[dbample]

I unistalled, then reinstalled the program and the results are exactly the same.
I created an audio in the mp3 format with a size of 2739 kb. When I converted the file using the 64 kbps setting the file was 4871 kb.
Cliff

Cliff,

Could you please provide more detailed information about what you did. For example could you clarify if you did the above while logged-in as "administrator"? Also - "the program" - are you referring to dMC only? If yes, what about the other Illustrate components like CD writer and the Amp/MMC - did you uninstall them and then re-install them logged in as "administrator"?

It would be helpful (since your problem is widespread and persistent) to just pick one file like the one above and report exactly what you did, every minute detail by every minute detail. Also, how did you create this mp3 file - is it from ripping a song from a CD? If not, what exactly did you do?

[LtData]

Cliff has already mentioned that he is an Administrator user on what I assume is his regular account.

[dbample]

Yes, I am aware of that.

[LimeyCliff]

I created two files using Sound Capture which makes mp3 files, the files were from an audio tape. The file sizes of the mp3s were 3278 kb and 2883 kb but when converted they were much bigger even though I used the 56kbps setting and mp3(lame).
Cliff

[xoas]

OK. You start out with mp3 files recorded from audio tape using Sound Capture. You are converting them (with dBpowerAMP Music Converter-dMC) to mp3 at 64 kbs and these are larger than the original mp3 files.
Here is what would help us understand this better:
1. Put your mouse over one of the source mp3 files (recorded with Sound Capture), or right-click on one of then, select Properties, click on the ID Tag tab. Find information there about file extension, bits, frequency, channels, and bitrate.
2. Convert this file to mp3 (lame) at 64 kbs and whatever other settings you use (or use an already converted version of the file you used in step 1), right-click, record the same information for this file as you did the file in step 1.
3. Post this information here.

I assume that this apparent quirk is occurring entirely outside of dB CD Writer. If this conversion file size issue occurs in CD Writer and NOT with dMC, please let us know.

Best wishes,
Bill

[ChristinaS]

What is the frequency of the source file and what is the frequency of the output file?
Maybe you can upload the source-file or a few screenshots, so they can see what you are trying to convert.
It wouldn't be the frequency. The bitrate will make the difference as will the channels.

He'd not have priviledges to upload anything here.

The 56kbps will be referring to a dial-up modem quality, not an audio file bitrate. So probably the actual bitrate used by Sound Capture (don't know that program) was no more than 48kbps, which will mean the same duration of file at 64kbps will be at least 33% larger as a file size.

Of course if VBR also comes into play then the file sizes are less predictable.

Another possibility is joint stereo instead of 2-channel stereo. That occupies less space than 2-channel, but more than mono, to varying degrees, depending on the audio content.

[LimeyCliff]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Tigerman
What is the frequency of the source file and what is the frequency of the output file?
Maybe you can upload the source-file or a few screenshots, so they can see what you are trying to convert.

I do not know what screen shots you would like to view.

In answer to XOAS
The source file information.
The file ext is .mp3
The Bits I cannot find. There is a Bitrate of128 Kbps
Frequency is 44100
Channels - 2 Sterio

Converted file information.
File ext is .mp3
The Bits I cannot find. There is a Bitrate of130 Kbps
Frequency 44100
Channels 2 [joint sterio (midside)]

[xoas]

Bits might be labelled "Sample Size" (right between "Sample Rate" and "Bit Rate") in the PopUp Tag information you get with the mouse over. On right-click, Properties ID Tag, it will be labelled "Bits" and is located right under Frequency and Channels.

I should also have asked whether the bitrates (in both cases) are constant bitrate (or CBR), variable bitrate (vbr) or average bitrate (abr). This will be listed in the line on Encoder Settings.

Also, can you give us the file sizes for both this source file and your converted file, please.

Best wishes,
Bill

[Spoon]

Also, can you give us the file sizes for both this source file and your converted file, please.

and more importantly the Length in seconds.

[LimeyCliff]

I should also have asked whether the bitrates (in both cases) are constant bitrate (or CBR), variable bitrate (vbr) or average bitrate (abr). This will be listed in the line on Encoder Settings.

I am unable to find any of these.

I am also unable to find any reference to bits.
The original size is 3275 KB
The converted size is 3350 KB

[ChristinaS]

All that is in the properties of the file. When you hover over the file name you should see all the pertinent information. Or by right-clicking the file name the properties should list all that. You can add columns to the display in Windows Explorer in View > Choose Details.

If you cannot get the hover to show the yellow pop-up window you may have not enabled it in dMC Configuration. If you still cannot get that to work you'll probably need to uninstall and reinstall everything.

Since the difference between original size and converted size is very small, it's probably the difference between one being CBR and the other being VBR or ABR, for essentially the same bitrate specified.

I don't think you get to see bits for mp3 files, I believe they are always 16-bit.

[xoas]

Track length (in seconds) as Spoon points is a significant variable also. Given that there is a (minor) difference in bitrates, it may be that this is the primary factor, although it probably comes about as a result of using a vbr (or possibly an abr) setting.

I do see bits displayed for mp3 files on my system (displayed as Sample Size in pop=up tag information), but I am running the r12 alpha2 demo (which has some advanced tagging features). But in this case, bits doesn't have any significance.

Cliff might want to look at similar comparisons for some of his other tracks with more significant differences in pre- and post-conversion file sizes. If these still seem perplexing to him he might want to post the pre- and post-conversion information (file size, playing time in seconds, channels, bitrates, frequency, and variable, average or constant bitrate (if he can find this)) here for further examination. If it would be simpler, he might post screenshots of the file tags for the pre- and post conversion files (for this he would need to right-click the files, select properties, and click on ID Tag).

If Cliff thinks this is no longer an issue for him, we still have his other issue (dCW not displaying a functional screen). But I think we should stick with this conversion problem until Cliff is satisfied with the results.

Best wishes,
Bill

[LtData]

I am running dMC r11.5 and do not see the bits on the "Edit Tag" of an mp3 file.

[xoas]

OK. Then it's fair to assume that Cliff can't see bits either (which as Christina has pointed out is not really at issue here anyway). But thanks for the clarification.

Best wishes,
Bill

[LimeyCliff]

How would I post a sceen file?

Cliff

[ChristinaS]

How would I post a sceen file?

Cliff
Sorry, you cannot upload anything to the forum. You'll have to find a website that offers image hosting - there are free ones out there like http://photobucket.com/ .

[LimeyCliff]

XOAS says, "If it would be simpler, he might post screenshots of the file tags for the pre- and post conversion files (for this he would need to right-click the files, select properties, and click on ID Tag)."

ChristinaS says, This cannot be done.

I am confused.

Cliff

[LtData]

You can't upload pictures to this forum. However, you can use a webhosting picture site, such that ChristinaS mentioned above, to upload your picture to and then post the link to the picture on this forum.

[LimeyCliff]

Where do I go from here?

Cliff

[LtData]

Have you taken screenshots of your problem area and posted them to a site such as photobucket?

[xoas]

First, my apologies for not anticipating the problem about not being able to post a screenshot here.

If you wanted to, you can make a screenshot by following these directions:

a. Arrive at the window (in this case the ID Tag) that you want to send.
b. Hold "Alt" key and "print screen" key, this will copy the Screen.
c. Open MS-Paint from Start>Programs>Accessories>Paint.
d. Select Edit menu and choose paste option from it.
e. Save it as ".bmp" file at a convenient location on your computer

Then, as LtData suggests, you can post this elsewhere and post a link to it in a message here.

However, it may be quicker and less hassle just to post the details from the ID Tags of the files in question (before and after conversions of mp3 files to mp3). The details that will be helpful are: bitrates, frequency, channels, file size, playing time and (if available) whether the file in question is variable bitrate, average bitrate or constant bitrate. We would need this information about both the original (pre-conversion) mp3 file as well as for the post-conversion .mp3 file.

Should you wish to address a different problem (such as the issue you raised with dB CD Writer not working on your XP system) I would advise you to start a different thread.

Best wishes,
Bill

[ChristinaS]

e. Save it as ".bmp" file at a convenient location on your computer


Nooooo! Not as .bmp ! This makes huge files! Save as .jpg or .gif .

[xoas]

Well 563 kb for an ID Tag falls short of my criteria for "huge" in an absolute sense but jpg or gif (at 35 kb and 25 kb, respectively) would be much better choices. Thanks for pointing that out.

Best wishes,
Bill

[ChristinaS]

.bmp to .jpg is like what uncompressed PCM .wav is to .mp3, or .avi to .mpg .

You'd never post an uncompressed PCM wav on the web as a matter of course.

[LimeyCliff]

Having been a Visual basic programmer for over 7 years of which I have marketed several programs my support for those programs is by me.
This Poweramp program is not worth my time in trying to get support when there is no support staff. I wish I knew how to get my purchase price returned.

I thank those who have tried to help me.

Cliff

[LtData]

You cannot get a refund for dMC once you have downloaded the registered install.

[ChristinaS]

Having been a Visual basic programmer for over 7 years of which I have marketed several programs my support for those programs is by me.
This Poweramp program is not worth my time in trying to get support when there is no support staff. I wish I knew how to get my purchase price returned.

I thank those who have tried to help me.

Cliff
This is truly amazing. At one point you will have to be able to recognize which problems are due to your own misunderstanding of the instructions or a faulty machine, because these are really the only 2 possibilities here.

You had 30 days of free trial had you availed yourself of that common sense option, time enough to test and figure out if the product meets your expectations.

[LimeyCliff]

There is no misunderstanding on my part.

I did exactly the same thing on my computer that runs Windows 98 and everything is okay.

The program WILL NOT RUN on the computer with XP Professional.

Cliff

[LtData]

Since other people's computers run dMC just fine with XP, it has to be something you are or are not doing on your computer, or how it is configured. Win98 and WinXP are ENTIRELY different beasts in respect to installing and running programs.

To clarify something:
You can convert one file on the Win98 machine but are unable to convert this same file on the WinXP machine, right? You are trying to burn an Audio CD but it doesn't work? Or are you wondering why your converted files are larger than the originals still?

[ChristinaS]

I downloaded the free trial 7 days ago and have not been able to figure out how to use it. Nothing works.



I wish I knew how to get my purchase price returned.




What purchase price???

Is this the same issue ? :confused:

[Spoon]

We have to have strict rules on purchasing because once you purchase the power pack a sizable portion of that is paid in mp3 License fees + Credit card processing fees. For that reason we give a fully functional 30 trial. All I can say is there is something wrong with your Windows install, there are roughly 10 Million installions of dBpowerAMP, the majority in Windows XP, if you were to fresh install Windows XP and then dBpowerAMP everything will work as should (there have been countless cases over the years where wierd installed 3rd party plug-in, CD copy protections, so-on and so-on stop dBpowerAMP from functioning).

[Spoon]

BTW I am locking this thread as it has become a 5 page, farce.

time in trying to get support when there is no support staff

I have posted many times on this thread, yet the questions I asked (simple ones such as the length in seconds of the source material were never answered, there is no helping you I am sorry to say), so for the sake of everyones sanity discussion is closed.

[ChristinaS]

Amen! :thumbup: