Batch Converter makes files twice as large -Sound Forge - PC

Subject:Batch Converter makes files twice as large Posted by: ftrobaugh Date:6/10/2001 4:56:44 PM Has anybody else experienced Batch Converter making files twice as large when they apply Normalization? Ted
Subject:RE: Batch Converter makes files twice as large Reply by: CDM Date:6/10/2001 6:25:39 PM There must be a big bug here. I just normalized 12 16bit 44.1 mono files and they all ended up 32 bit IEEE.
Subject:RE: Batch Converter makes files twice as large Reply by: beetlefan Date:6/11/2001 6:54:41 AM No, my friend, it is NOT a bug. I ran into that at first as well but quickly realized that you have to tell it to convert to 16-bit on the script tab at the bottom. Just highlight the part where it gives the sample and bit rate 16-bit, 44.1 and you're in business. You can convert those 32-bit float files to 16-bit no sweat. You see, 32-bit float is one of SF's internal processing rates, and it converts all files to 32-bit before it works on them. This is a good thing because if you just process a 16-bit file at 16-bit, you actually lose quality. If you convert back to 16-bit for CD-R, fo instance, the program will dither the file to avoid distortion caused by simple truncation. But, dither also adds noise, so you have the option to use noise shaping to move some of that noise to a place where it is less perceptible to the human ear. This can also serve to lower the perceptable noise floor so your music sounds cleaner. You figure, 32-bit is twice the size as 16-bit, so your file is twice as large. Again, no problem. Most quality audio software processes at 24, 32, or even 64-bit nowadays.
Subject:RE: Batch Converter makes files twice as large Reply by: CDM Date:6/11/2001 8:48:40 AM No, I'm afraid your logic is a little off. If you select "save same as source file", you should get a file that's the same as the source. Whether SF chooses to do the processing as 32 bit is irrelevant. The files should be converted back to 16 bit. There should NOT be an extra step for this. The setting for specifying what to save the file as would be for actually CONVERTING a file to a different format, bit depth or sample rate. This is a bug.
Subject:RE: Batch Converter makes files twice as large Reply by: beetlefan Date:6/11/2001 11:54:10 AM I guess it depends on how you look at it. You call it a bug, I call it bad programming, which leads to bugs. I suggest using the workaround until they get around to fixing it. Do you think they should have beta tested it? I don't think they did. Where is that Ted guy from SF?

Subject:Batch Converter makes files twice as large

Posted by: ftrobaugh

Date:6/10/2001 4:56:44 PM

Has anybody else experienced Batch Converter making files twice as large when they apply Normalization?

Ted

Subject:RE: Batch Converter makes files twice as large

Reply by: CDM

Date:6/10/2001 6:25:39 PM

There must be a big bug here. I just normalized 12 16bit 44.1 mono files and they all ended up 32 bit IEEE.

Subject:RE: Batch Converter makes files twice as large

Reply by: beetlefan

Date:6/11/2001 6:54:41 AM

No, my friend, it is NOT a bug. I ran into that at first as well but quickly realized that you have to tell it to convert to 16-bit on the script tab at the bottom. Just highlight the part where it gives the sample and bit rate 16-bit, 44.1 and you're in business.

You can convert those 32-bit float files to 16-bit no sweat.

You see, 32-bit float is one of SF's internal processing rates, and it converts all files to 32-bit before it works on them. This is a good thing because if you just process a 16-bit file at 16-bit, you actually lose quality. If you convert back to 16-bit for CD-R, fo instance, the program will dither the file to avoid distortion caused by simple truncation. But, dither also adds noise, so you have the option to use noise shaping to move some of that noise to a place where it is less perceptible to the human ear. This can also serve to lower the perceptable noise floor so your music sounds cleaner.

You figure, 32-bit is twice the size as 16-bit, so your file is twice as large. Again, no problem.

Most quality audio software processes at 24, 32, or even 64-bit nowadays.

Subject:RE: Batch Converter makes files twice as large

Reply by: CDM

Date:6/11/2001 8:48:40 AM

No, I'm afraid your logic is a little off. If you select "save same as source file", you should get a file that's the same as the source. Whether SF chooses to do the processing as 32 bit is irrelevant. The files should be converted back to 16 bit. There should NOT be an extra step for this. The setting for specifying what to save the file as would be for actually CONVERTING a file to a different format, bit depth or sample rate.

This is a bug.

Subject:RE: Batch Converter makes files twice as large

Reply by: beetlefan

Date:6/11/2001 11:54:10 AM

I guess it depends on how you look at it. You call it a bug, I call it bad programming, which leads to bugs. I suggest using the workaround until they get around to fixing it.

Do you think they should have beta tested it? I don't think they did.

Where is that Ted guy from SF?