Problem with ripped WMA files

[mr.pessimist]

I am having trouble with the .wma files that I rip from CDs and burn to (data)disc. I have a Clarion mp3/wma player that I use to play data discs and I have trouble with the files that I rip with dBpoweramp. I spent two hours today trying to figure out the problem and I still have no solution. I first thought there might be a problem with using WMApro10 codec so I switched to v9.2 and that did not help.

I then used Windows Media Player to rip the disc and used the .wma files from that rip and they worked fine in my player. I checked what codec WMP was using and it said v9.2.

I took two files I had created,one with dBpoweramp and one with WMP, and compared the audio properties. Everything lines up perfectly except the WMP rip includes "CD TOC" in its properties. Not sure if that makes any difference. I also tired using an older version of dBpoweramp with old WMA codecs (v9.0 and 9.1) and that did not help at all.

I've used dBpoweramp 12.2 (wma v10 and 9.2) and 11.5 (wma v9.0 and 9.1)and that did not make a difference. I'm not sure if dBpoweramp is putting some sort of meta data in with its rips that is creating a problem with my player. I've used many different ripping programs and all of their output files work great in my player except for dBpoweramp.

I believe this same problem occurs when doing file conversions...

[xoas]

Re: Problem with ripped WMA files

What settings did you use when you were ripping/converting these tracks/files to WMA with Music Converter? The WMA setting in particular allows you to choose several options with respect to the Codec itself (WMA 9.2, WMA Audio Voice 9, WMA 10 Professional, WMA 9.2 Lossless, ACELP.net) and within each of these are options for Quality settings or CBR settings, and then for bitrate, channels and frequency. So what have you tried? Have you applied any DSP effects to the tracks you have ripped/converted?

Do these files ripped with dB Music Converter play ok on your computer?

Can you Preview/Play these tracks prior to burning to data disk?

Can you play WMA tracks from Music Converter that have been burned to data disk be played from the disk through your computer OK?

What is the nature of the problem with these tracks when you try to play them from disk on your Clarion player?

While you may be correct about the MetaData, my guess is that the problems lies elsewhere but this remains to be seen. I think that what information you can furnish might help better isolate the source of the problem.

Best wishes,
Bill

[mr.pessimist]

Re: Problem with ripped WMA files

I have only tried WMA10, WMA9.2, WMA9.1, WMA9.0 across dBpoweramp versions 12.2 and 11.5. These are 128kbps CBR 44.1kHz files. I have not used voice, lossless, or any DSP effects.

All files play fine on my computer, from HDD or disc.

When I play these on my stereo they basically lock up the player and I have to reset it to get the disc out.

I can only think this is a dBpoweramp problem as other rippers I use give me no problematic files.

[Spoon]

Re: Problem with ripped WMA files

Once you have installed WMA10 onto your system, anything which encodes will use the WMA10 encoder, Microsoft designed it like that. So even if you install R11.5 with WMA4, it is really wma 10.

It could be your player does not like wma10 files, even though the standard encoded files should be readable even with the oldest wma decoder.

[mr.pessimist]

Re: Problem with ripped WMA files

Well it seems to be totally working now. I had R11.5 installed, so I uninstalled it and rebooted the computer. I then downloaded R12.3 and only installed the "Windows Media Audio 9 Pro" codec. I then ripped some discs and they played fine in my car deck! I did notice that when I was in the main CD ripper window, the center section where the codec settings are adjusted it said "Windows Media Audio 9 encoder settings". That was the first time I'd see that. All of the other installs showed "Windows Media Audio 10 encoder settings"