Syntrillium Backup Forums :: View topic - Setting the default bitrate for mp3 conversion?

AeroJJ · Posted - Mon Jul 21, 2003 6:32 pm

Hi!
I've done a quick search for info on this but it didn't turn up anything, so here goes;

Every time I use the batch convertion script in CE2K to convert a load of wav files to mp3s, they come out at 128kbps. Now I only ever really want my mp3s to be at least 190(?)Kbps, so having to go through a load of files and convert them all from wav format to mp3 by hand is incredibly time consuming. How can I reset the default rate?

Thanks!

Pro_Support · Posted - Mon Jul 21, 2003 9:19 pm

In the dialog where you add the files that the batch script will be performed on: After adding the files and setting the output format to MP3, click 'Scan List', then click 'Change Options'. That will open the dialog to allow you to change the MP3 options.

AeroJJ · Posted - Tue Jul 22, 2003 5:50 am

Thanks, but I had already tried that. When I click 'scan list' it comes up with one option (44,100, 16 bit Stereo). When I open the 'change options' dialogue, I select 192 Kbps from the list.

It just keeps resetting to 128 Kbps, so the mp3s always come out as 128Kbps. I have also tried saving an mp3 encoder preset for 192 Kbps, which it seems to do successfully each time. However, the next time I try to use the preset, it isn't there anymore.

I have since checked all the other mp3s that I thought I had saved individually at 192 Kbps, but they also seem to be 128 Kbps!!

Any ideas what is going wrong?

Pro_Support · Posted - Tue Jul 22, 2003 2:37 pm

Ok, so the problem is not only happening to the batched files. It also affects the files you saved individually, huh? Hmmmm...

Try this: do a search on your computer for a file called "coolmp3.ini". It's probably in the folder where Cool Edit is installed to, but it might be in the Windows folder or in a "Documents and Settings" folder.

This file contains information about MP3 save settings, and deleting it will reset the MP3 save settings back to the default. So, with Cool Edit closed, you'll want to delete this file. Restart Cool Edit and try to save an MP3 again, just like before.

If that doesn't fix the problem, then let me know. Also, let me know how you are checking to verify that these files are 128kbps.

AeroJJ · Posted - Wed Jul 23, 2003 7:25 pm

Thanks for your reply - unfortunately it's still not saving mp3s at anything other 128 Kbps. I'm checking the bitrate by opening the file in Windows Media Player and right clicking the file > properties.

Firstly I'll just give you a bit of background: I've got a multiboot system with 3 bootable XP partitions, 'Audio', 'General/FlightSim', and 'Audio Test'. CoolEdit is installed on all three (which shouldn't be a problem; 1 licence, 1 PC, right?), but the same thing is happening on each partition. I doubt if it's a conflict with another application as the Audio and General partitions don't have anything the same apart from the basic XP install and the drivers. The drivers installed are for my Asus AMD m/b, G-Force 4 and Audigy s/c.

Now I did a search for coolmp3.ini and it turned up on the 'Audio Test' partition, but not the 'General' partition (I haven't had chance to check the main Audio partition). I deleted the coolmp3.ini file on the test partition, but it made no difference - it was still saving as 128 Kbps.

I don't know what difference it makes, but I have also d/l the dx, audio clean-up and tweakin plugins - and no, it isn't the trial version I'm running :)

It's all a bit wierd, isn't it?

AeroJJ · Posted - Sat Jul 26, 2003 6:36 am

-bump-

Anyone got any ideas on this, pleeeeeeease? Big Grin

Pro_Support · Posted - Sun Jul 27, 2003 10:11 am

Well, first you might want to use a different program to check these files, just to make sure that Windows Media Player is not reporting this incorrectly. (I know that if you simply click on the file in the 'File' > 'Open' dialog, it will show you the bitrate. At least CEP 2.x does this...)

Also, if you haven't allready tried it, try installing the demo of CEP 2.1 and see if it behaves any differently.

AeroJJ · Posted - Mon Aug 04, 2003 1:46 pm

Thanks - I've checked the bitrate in a number of programs including CE2K, and it always comes out as 128 Kbps.

Also, whenever I have opened the dialogue in CE2K to change the bitrate and then closed it afterwards, the drop-down selection is always back to 128 Kbps when I re-open the dialogue.

Surely if the selection of other bitrates was working, the selection would stay the same if I re-opened the dialogue straight away? ie, it wouldn't keep flicking back to 128 Kbps...?

I've downloaded the demo of CEP 2.1 and I'll see if that does the same when I get chance to play around with it.

Thanks

2Bdecided · Posted - Tue Aug 05, 2003 7:18 am

Check that you don't have "convert to mono" checked.

Check that the file isn't mono, and is a reasonable sample rate (e.g. 44.1kHz, 48kHz etc - not 11kHz or something).

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
David.

motorhead6 · Posted - Tue Aug 05, 2003 1:25 pm

You might just have to do the conversion to MP3 manually.

AeroJJ · Posted - Tue Aug 05, 2003 5:02 pm

Thanks 2Bdecided - the audio files aren't mono and are usually 48kHz (I know that for certain as they're mixdowns from Cubase). I have none of the settings as convert to mono, and anyway, I'm curious as to why that would be a problem... is it impossible to have a mono mp3 file at 192 Kbps, but possible at 128 Kbps? I know for certain that it is not saving them as mono, because I have checked them by re-opening in CE2K.

motorhead6 - thanks, but I have already downloaded RazorLame as a temporary solution; the problem is that I have paid for a piece of software that doesn't seem to function correctly. It's supposed to be able to save mp3s at other rates than 128 kbps, but it won't work.

Thanks for the response anyway though, both of you! Big Grin