Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

[xoas]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

I think I have a better solution. I will be sending 2 files to Frew and Christina.
Going on what Christina noticed about being able to convert larger files I took a different approach.

Using Power Pack, I used the Add Silence DSP to add 10 seconds of silence at either end of the file and converted straight to 16 bit, 1 channel Wav at 44.1 kHz.

I then took the file and removed the silence. I tried two ways, hence the 2 files.
The first method was to trim 10 seconds from either end of the file, using the Trim DSP.

The other method was to use the Remove Silence DSP to remove silence at the beginning and end of the track with a detection of 5 ms.

I tried to see if I could add and remove/trim silence in a single conversion and this did not work for me. It is possible that either method may require a little fine tuning.

In any case, looking forward to see what you think.

Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen

Addendum: This method will also work with the bird test file converting to WMA Lossless and back to wav (at 16 bit mono, 44.1 kHz.). Unfortunately, this would not work with the earlier smaller file we worked with so I would not go rushing to batch apply this add/remove to files unless you need it.

[ChristinaS]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

Do you know of any tool that will sort wavs (in folders full of wavs) by bit rate, or by sampling rate? That would be nice.

I do tend to do batch conversions of same file types, but not same bit rates, and same sample rates.

I wish I knew what type of bird it is.

Thanks for your help.

If anyone has any solutions to this problem that really should be solved with DMC, please let me know.

Thank you very much,

Frew

As a matter of fact, you can define numerous columns that can be viewed in a folder when you are using the Details view. I am using Windows 2000 and this works very nicely.

When using Windows Explorer, go to the folder where you have you files that you want to organize. Click View > and select Details. Click again View > Choose columns and then have fun selecting all those you like to see.

You can click on the particular column you'd like to sort by so they get grouped together.

A big footnote here:

A very interesting thing I just noticed: the bitrate appears there as well. Your original bird test file has a bitrate of 80kbps while those converted to 16-bit 44.1KHz have a bit rate of 688kbps. The duration appears, but unfortunately in the case of your file it is detected at 0.00 - which we know is not right.

A stereo file I have (16-bit, 44.1Khz, 2-channel stereo) had no bit rate specified, nor a duration - it came from a program that extracts the wav from an mpg video file. In the file properties, when I look at summary, it has an Average data rate of 176.400 Kb/second. It doesn't say anywhere if those are K bits/second or K bytes/second. Hmmm.. I ran it through dMC to convert to the same exact specs and it acquired the bitrate information and duration - 1388kbps, or exactly double the mono file - which makes sense - and duration of 4.06 which is correct. The file is exactly the same size (time and bytes), incidentally after dMC converted it, so I don't suppose anything untowards happened to it in this extra conversion. I cannot hear it if it happened.

What good any of this is I don't know, but we'll see.

[frew]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

Hello Bill,

Thanks for the 2 files.

That's an interesting possibility that you suggest. I'll look into that a bit.

I should mention that although the end results of the two files are very close to the original bird test wav, they are still cut off a tiny bit at the end...and the "trim" one produced a little tiny click at the end. I notice the very end of the bird sound is slightly cut off, not faded out gently like the original bird wav. I know that's very minute, yet it is noticeable to me.

I would not want to get into the habit of snipping off tiny end portions because sooner or later the end portion is going to be very significant in certian sound files.

Perhaps that's just a matter of tweaking the silence removal settings, which I do not have by the way. But if I were convinced that the silence removal settings could be tweaked to remove only true silence, I may go that route.


By the way, a few notes back Spoon mentioned this problem as a bug to be looked into. I wonder if he may have any ideas on the nature of this particular problem?

Thank you very much for your help with this interesting problem.

Frew

[frew]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

Hello Christina,

Thanks for your ideas on the sorting of siles.

I've got 98SE, and my details view is limited to the basics I guess.

I have no options to view by sampling rates, etc. Just things like name, date, size, modified...

I was wondering if there might be a known search tool for searching audio files that would return results based on sampling rates, etc. Or a sorting tool for sorting by bit rates, etc.

Thank you for you ideas and help,

Frew

[ChristinaS]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

Hello Christina,

Thanks for your ideas on the sorting of siles.

I've got 98SE, and my details view is limited to the basics I guess.

I have no options to view by sampling rates, etc. Just things like name, date, size, modified...

I was wondering if there might be a known search tool for searching audio files that would return results based on sampling rates, etc. Or a sorting tool for sorting by bit rates, etc.

Thank you for you ideas and help,

Frew

Frew, too bad you don't have the option to get more details.

I found a program (not tried it though) that is supposed to let you organise your audio files in many ways: http://www.audiotoolsdirect.com/File_Managers/ . There are other intersting sounding utilities there.

I'm fresh out of ideas concerning your bird test file. Bill has covered so many aspects of that that my head is bursting. I've been listening to that poor tweety so many times I think I can sing it myself quite on pitch too :p

I think that if Spoon can fix dMC to correctly identify and retain the exact duration of the audio file, then maybe one day dMC will be able to correctly convert these ultrashort files as well.

[frew]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

Thanks for the link Christina. This looks like what I am looking for. It sorts by bit rate, and by sampling rate, etc. Nice.

I know what you mean about this process. It's a bit tedious. You two have been wonderful for sticking with this for so long.

Well, it is nice to get things worked out, then one doesn't have to think about them anymore and can move on to other fun things.

In the mean time, I need to get this problem solved so I can be assured that all my batch conversion processes produce results that I am truly pleased with...ie where the quality and character of the source files is not damaged from the conversion process.

Thanks for all your help.

If any other ideas ever come to mind about this, please let me know about them.

Thank you,

Frew

[ChristinaS]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

Frew, Bill, I found a program that I think converted the file just fine.

I compare the wav patterns side by side and it looks good. Err... the audio sounds good too :p


Blaze Media Pro from http://www.mystikmedia.com/ . Shareware, free to test for 15 days, buy for $50. They have many other interesting programs.

Frew, PM me your email address and I'll send you the file. I sent it to Bill already.

Here is the screen shot of the wav pattern of the original and the converted file:

[frew]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

Well I may want to check into other options like the one you mention at some point.

I was hoping to be able to have all my audio converting tasks done by DMC.

Hmmm...when it get's into that price range there are lots of audio conversion options out there actually.

Something for me to consider I suppose.

Thanks for the idea.

Frew

[ChristinaS]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

Well I may want to check into other options like the one you mention at some point.

I was hoping to be able to have all my audio converting tasks done by DMC.

Hmmm...when it get's into that price range there are lots of audio conversion options out there actually.

Something for me to consider I suppose.

Thanks for the idea.

Frew

Well, get the trial version and convert all you can with it for now.

[frew]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

I may do that. I'll let you know.

I just remembered something you mentioned a while back about using Nero to CD and back...hmmmm...I might check into that since I have Nero.

I'll let you know how it works.

Thanks,

Frew

Edit:
Oh well, Nero does not allow files under 2 seconds.

Maybe I'll try that trial version, although Awave Studio may be very interesting too, with other cool audio features too.

Seeya,

Frew

[frew]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

I found a little freeware tool that does the job.

Try it on the bird wav, it works.

http://nch.com.au/switch/index.html

Of course it does not provide the rich diversity of DMC...in no way is it any kind of replacement for all that DMC can do, but for this particular little problem I am having, I have a little solution here it appears.

If you'd like, let me know what you think about this.

Thank you for all your wonderful help and ideas,

Frew

[xoas]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

I tried Switch and I think the output and interface are very good-probably better than the Blaze Converter (which introduces somewhat greater compression although this is almost certainly inaudible) and better than other third party converters I have been looking at. And the price is certainly right.

The only concern I have is that is that Switch may not be quite well-suited to batch conversions. Just doing the Bird test file and the earlier Maraca file together, the program had a kind of delay with the second file. You can reduce this by sorting files by frequency first (the bird test-Maraca files converted at once had the pause, two versions of the bird file converted together had no pause).

So I think you have found what you need, at least until dMC improves its ability to handle very small files (which depends on Spoon's schedule and his priorities).

Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen

[ChristinaS]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

Hmmm.... Switch also made a neat conversion on that bird test file (oh, boy, I'm hearing tweeties everywhere now :D )

The wave patterns all look both similar and different in details, but I cannot hear any difference.

Can't beat free, can you?

Blaze of course can handle some other things which I happen to be interested in at the moment, like video capture and conversion. Not that I'm likely to buy it, what with all the freebies that abound, but I'll have to test it and see if it's easier to use than the other programs I have which give me tons of headaches.

You can't have too many converters, can you? :p

[frew]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

Wow, you two have been amazingly helpful.

You've also been fun.

I feel like I can come here and really get some high quality support for these technical issues.

Thanks again for all your wonderful help, tests, and ideas.

Frew

[Spoon]

Re: Odd Sampling Rates Will Not Convert_Why Not?

Could someone post me that bird wave file please:

http://www.dbpoweramp.com/email.htm