Subject:Burn mp3 disk with markers

Posted by: KenJ62

Date:10/23/2010 1:09:11 PM

I'm using SFS10. I have a 5 1/2 hour seminar captured from four old analog tapes. I would like to create a (one) CD with four chapter markers corresponding to the beginning of the four tapes.

Please humor me. I have gone bleary-eyes pouring through the documentation. After spending hours working with these awful sounding tapes using the parametric EQ plugin they sound much better. But I don't need to put them on four CDs, I need to put them on one CD with four chapter markers. I don't need music fidelity for presenting a teaching class from 30 years ago.

I used SFS10 to convert the Sony .w64 file to mp3 using the 64 Kbps, FM Radio Quality Audio preset. It sounds fine, to me. I added four markers, just like I would for video. The 'N' chapter marker from VMS was not available in SFS. The resultant mp3 file is 148 Mb on disk, which ought to fit onto a 650 Mb CD. However, when I go to Tools/Burn, only Track-at-Once is available. So, SFS did not make real CD chapter markers. When I select Track-at-Once I get an error message warning about non-standard bitrate. That's fine with me, so I select OK. Now I get the Audio CD window saying at the bottom that I need 162 minutes for my audio on an 80 minute disk!

My file is actually small enough to fit on 650/700 Mb CD media but SFS doesn't seem to know that. Can you help?

Subject:RE: Burn mp3 disk with markers

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:10/23/2010 2:37:29 PM

You can only have track markers with an Audio CD, and an Audio CD is only uncompressed stereo 16bit 44.1KHz. And in that format, an Audio CD only holds 80 minutes. So, if you want to burn Audio CDs you'll have to make 5 of them to hold the whole 5.5 hours.

You can burn MP3 to a data disc, but it won't be an Audio CD. It may play in some newer players that handle MP3 data discs, but it won't play in older CD players.

Subject:RE: Burn mp3 disk with markers

Reply by: KenJ62

Date:10/23/2010 2:57:51 PM

Thank you. Yes, I know. (BTW, thanks in advance for putting up with my ignorance in this area)

"Audio CD" must only apply to music - a "standard". mp3 IS audio - and I want to put it on a CD! Isn't audio just data?

Looking at some of the newer boomboxes, they can play mp3 disks although they don't say if they will play ANY mp3 - no matter what parameters (sample, bitrate, etc)

Some of them now come with thumbdrive slots. Now there's a lot of room for audio!

Why can't I have markers on "data" CDs? How do people carry zillions of songs on portable mp3 players without markers?

Do I really need to BUY an application specifically to make mp3 disks that are compatible with current portable CD players?

Subject:RE: Burn mp3 disk with markers

Reply by: musicvid10

Date:10/23/2010 3:20:18 PM

You've overthought the process.

Short answer; yes, you can burn four .mp3 files to a cd data disc. That disc will play in many modern players and the files will be accessible as "tracks." Some players will honor id3 metadata.

However, that will not be a redbook audio cd. Google for the the difference between an audio cd and data cd.

Subject:RE: Burn mp3 disk with markers

Reply by: Chienworks

Date:10/23/2010 4:28:06 PM

None of the SonyCreativeSoftware programs burn data discs. You'll have to do the actual burning with pretty much any disc burning program you can get your hands on. Chances are you may already have something installed on your computer. If not, lots of folks here recommend ImgBurn. Google for it; it's free.

If you want to break up the sections then save each section as a separate MP3 file. Most every SonyCreativeSoftware program will handle this task. Any player that handles MP3 files will show a listing of the files and let the listener choose which file to play.

Subject:RE: Burn mp3 disk with markers

Reply by: KenJ62

Date:10/23/2010 7:09:35 PM

Thanks, guys.

I already tried ImgBurn just before returning here and I was able to burn the four mp3 files to CD media. Both CD players here are old and don't support mp3 so I guess I will have go out and stimulate the economy just a little bit and buy something that will.