Mpeg Layer-3

[Sudo]

Anyone know??

I have a friend that has installed dBPoweramp only to find she doesn't have the MPEG LAYER-3 option when she wants to convert an MP3 to WAV.

She installed the same version I have but although the other WAV formats are available (PCM, ADPCM etc..) she doesn't have MPEG LAYER-3.

As far as that goes.. I have installed dBpoweramp on three computers now and although I DO have the MPEG LAYER-3 option on all of them.. not ALL bit rate options are the same. For instance, the 32 kbit/s 24,000 hz Mono 4KB/s option under MPEG LAYER-3 IS available on the installation on my Windows 98 box but NOT available on my new Windows XP box.


So... anyone know what gives here?


sudo

[totalXSive]

I think you need to install Windows Media Player (version 7.1) - this should add MPEG Layer-3 to the list of WAV formats

[Sudo]

Neil,

Thanks but the MPEG LAYER-3 was available immediately upon installation on my Windows 98 and Windows 95 boxes. And both of them had only the Windows Media Player that came with OS.

Naw... gotta be something else, I must think.


sudo

[Spoons]

the only thing I can think of is there is different versions of mpeg layer 3 available. have you done a search/check on the latest codec?

[Spoons]

actually doing some more research, totalXSive is right. even if you have Windows Media Player it may be an old version?

I would recomend the latest version as well to make sure you have the latest codec.

[Sudo]

Razgo,

Like I said in my first post.. I got less options under MPEG LAYER-3 on my Windows XP box than I got on my Windows 98 box. So... help a newbie out here.. where do I check for installed codecs?

I found it interesting that I got less options on the more advanced Windows XP than I did under Windows 98.. and I haven't upgraded a Media Player on either one of them.


sudo

[totalXSive]

I think that's due to a licensing issue surrounding the MP3 codec - Fraunhofer (who own the patent for MP3) have been getting much tougher in recent years and have been asking for money from companies using MP3 technology in their programs. This is one reason why Ogg Vorbis is becoming more popular - it's open and patent free. See this article from today's Guardian newspaper: http://www.guardian.co.uk/online/sto...778312,00.html .

I think it is also because MS sells an MP3 Encoder Pack for Windows XP, so you may need to buy that. Incidently my XP Pro machine does have MPEG Layer-3 as an option, though it is upgraded from Windows 98, so that may be the reason.

[Sudo]

But, TotalXsive....

The MPEG LAYER-3 codec I'm interested in is a... WAV codec.. not an MP3.


Look guys.. maybe I should tell you what I'm using this codec for and see if there are any alternatives. I participate in a forum like this one only.. it's private. You can't get in without a password. And we play this game of "name that tune". We post movie themes, TV theme show tunes, classical pieces.. you name it. We find these files in a lot of places on the web (mostly in MP3 format) and then convert them to lower quality WAV files... upload them to our homepage servers.. and then link to them in our posts. Then we challenge others to guess what they are.


The reason I'm so interested in the MPEG LAYER-3 WAV format is that it is the best codec for posting that has minimal loss of quality and yet... can be played by those with just dial-up connections without buffering and waiting. And I've tried them all.. PCM, ADCPM, Lernout & Housepie, Voxware etc.


The MPEG LAYER-3 is by far the best. Yet.. some people I've turned on to dBpoweramp have not had the MPEG LAYER-3 WAV codec available as an option. And as I've said.. even when the codec IS available.. not all the options under it are listed.


Does this help?? Thanks again!!!


sudo

[Sudo]

Nobody can help, huh?

Well let me ask this question then.. Can anyone tell me where I can find what codecs are installed on a computer?



sudo (trying again:D )

[totalXSive]

I know what you mean (wanting a WAV file encoded using MP3), but AFAIK this isn't included by default.

You can find out what a particular machine has using DXMan from http://www.analogx.com/ - it's free. The MP3 codec file in question is called l3codec.ax - there's probably some way of copying and installing this file if you try hard enough.

[Spoon]

l3codec.acm

in either C:\Windows or C:\Windows\System

[Sudo]

Hey Guys!

Just wanted to thank you all for the help and info. You've got a great product, Spoon!


sudo