Mp3s

expat · 22-12-2005, 14:21

Can anyone advice me on a good program for converting music to mp3s so that I can load them on my I pod A free one would be nice being Christmas an all.

Neil · 22-12-2005, 14:34

windows media player does it

shakermaker · 22-12-2005, 14:36

yeh go on options and select the 'rip music' tab.
then on the format bit jus click the arrow and change the rip format to mp3 and all the songs you rip off cd will be mp3 files.

Margaret Pilkington · 22-12-2005, 14:44

Yeah, Windows Media Player is really easy to use too!

entwisi · 22-12-2005, 15:12

Why not use iTunes to do it? That should have come with your iPod. Audiograbber is another good one for free. Personally I don't like Media player as it is a resource hog on your system.

Think long and hard about what format you want your music in. MP3 is a pretty much standard format although technically it isn't the best. iTunes uses AAC by default(Apples own standard) and Media player uses WMA by default. Your iPod may not play wma files likewise media player doesn't like AAC if I remember correctly. Then you get into Ogg Vorbis , FLAC and numerous other formats depending on what player(s) you want to use them on, your views on global domination and the tightness of your wallet.

Ian

Neil · 22-12-2005, 17:12

Which is the best quality while still remaining a small file size?

entwisi · 23-12-2005, 08:07

Variable Bitrate MP3 is quite good as it adjusts teh sampling rate depending on the music. Ogg Vorbis is my personal favourite. I don't use wma probably because as most people know I don't use Windows as my Operating System. I can play it back via Mplayer and Xine which are clever enough to pick up the windows codec if you have dual boot or there is a package of codecs that you can install which covers pretty much anything you could ever throw at it.

A lot of 'best quality' is subjective. You may listen to one and 'prefer' the sound over another. I will hear it differently and prefer the other way round. Thats HiFi for you. We all hear differently and have preferences to what it should sound like. I sold top end HiFi for nearly three years and people always asked which is the best system/speaker etc. I used to tell them that you need to make up your own mind. Shut your eyes and listen hard. Then go with what your ears tell you. I don't ever recall having a dissatisfied customer.

K.S.H · 28-12-2005, 19:28

Just downloaded a good one from here

Get`A`Grip · 28-12-2005, 21:01

Windows media player 10 or Real player both convert to mp3 , though real player seems to be better when sending them to your mp3 player.

entwisi · 28-12-2005, 21:06

Heh coincidentally to the last poster I use a program called GRIP under Linux with a choice of backend encoders.