Re: this is a bit lengthy, how to convert files using winamp

  • From: "Wayne Merritt" <wcmerritt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <winamp4theblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Sat, 3 Nov 2007 09:35:19 -0500

Hi. I followed these steps but my files now sound like they're playing at half 
speed. I selected MP3 for the output format, and then the only bit rate choice 
it gave me was 56KB, 24,000 hurts, 6KPBS. I think that might have a hand in 
what came out. I say that this was the only one I could choose from because 
when I tried to change the choice to 40 or 48 KB stereo, my format choice 
changed from MP3 to PCM or something. Any ideas? I've got the Lame encoder in 
the Winamp plug-ins folder.

Many thanks,
Wayne
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Chris Skarstad 
  To: pc-audio@xxxxxxxxxxxx 
  Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2007 3:06 AM
  Subject: this is a bit lengthy, how to convert files using winamp


  Hello everyone

                                                       I've seen some questions 
about this on a couple lists so I thought I'd write this up. It is a bit 
lengthy as the subject line says but I hope you'll stick with it. A while ago, 
the subject of converting files using Winamp came up, and I thought I'd explain 
the process in some detail for those who are interested.   Unfortunately, real 
audio files don't really work well with Winamp nowadays. At least, that's been 
my experience. If anyone's been able to get them to play in Winamp 5.5, please 
please let me know!
     

  However, if you have a WMA file that you want as an mp3, or if you have a cd 
track as a wav file that you want as an mp3, you can use Winamp's discwriter 
plugin to do this task.
  So, here's how you do it, step by step.  Remember, if you have an interest in 
this, save the e-mail somewhere and go back to it later so you can perform the 
steps.  

  Ok, here we go!

  1.  Fire up Winamp, you knew that one would be in there.

  2. now find the file that you want to convert and open it up in Winamp, 
either by pressing enter on it or through the open file dialogue.
  3.  Ok, now press the letter v to stop it, we don't want it to keep playing.
  4.  now here's where the fun starts. go to the preferences, control plus p of 
course.
  5.  go to the plugins section and then choose output in the tree view.

  6.  now tab over to the list of plugins, and focus on the one called the 
Nullsoft Discwriter plugin, your version number may vary but it all comes to 
the same.

  7. now, it's time to configure it so that we can tell what type of file to 
convert to.
  so tab to the configure button.  

  8. now you're going to be in a dialogue with some buttons in it. the first 
one will determine where your output file, that is to say your converted file 
will be saved. you may hear something like,output file location c:\doccuments 
and settings...my music button.
  If you press that button, a dialogue will pop up and you can then determine 
where your file will be saved.
  9. now that you've done that, you'll be back in the dialogue, and the next 
thing you'll see is a checkbox that says,output to directory containing source 
files, and by default, this is unchecked.  This is so that you can have your 
converted file in exactly the same folder as the original file was.
  so check that if you want the file to go there, i would do that for 
simplicities sake. You can always move it later.
  10. Next checkbox you'll see says, display save as dialogue for every file.  
This is so that if you're  converting an entire list of files, you'll be able 
to determine where each file goes. I would imagine that you would probably want 
them all to go in the same folder, but maybe not? so check that  if you like, i 
normally leave it as is because usually I'm only converting one file. This is 
unchecked by default.
  11.  Next up, we have a combo box that determines if there are or numbers at 
the beginning of your outputted file name.
   the choices you have are, disabled, 1 digit, 2 digits, 3 digits and 4 
digits.  
  I can't imagine why anyone would actually want 4 digits, that is unless 
you're converting literally thousands of files, which i've never done and 
probably won't ever do.  If I'm converting something from an album i like to at 
least have a number at the beginning of the file name, 01, or 02, depending on 
where you are in the playlist of files.
   but if you want to disable this, you can.

  12.  Next, we have a combo box that determines the title format, the one by 
default is  % title %. this means you get the % which equals the first 2 
numbers like we mentioned before, artist name, title  and then the track name. 
so i would keep that as is.

  13. Next we have output file type, and the choice is set to auto recommended. 
this is so you can choose different file formats. and after that there is a 
checkbox that says enable single mode, which I'm not sure about. so leave auto 
recommended as is, and the single mode check box on  my system is unchecked.
  14.  Ok, now we're getting to the good part here, hang with me folks!  this 
next checkbox will determine wether or not Winamp actually remembers what file 
you convert to a lot, so if you convert to mp3 a lot, leave this checkbox 
checked so you can just perform the final few steps.
  Now, tab once again and you'll land on a button that determines what file you 
can actually convert your file to.  for mine in particular, this button says, 
  MPEG layer 3 192KBPS, 44.1 K Hertz, stereo 
  that's usually what i convert to, but if you want something different, you 
can press this button and you can change the file type, bitrate and sampling 
rate of your file.  Note that if you don't have the radium codec installed, you 
won't be able to convert to anything higher than 56k, 22.50 k hertz stereo.
  I believe the lame encoder will fix this too, and the lame encoder should be 
very easy to find if you do  a little hunting around.
  15.  Ok, now that you've determined everything about your file,  it's time to 
actually do the conversion!  So tab past that next checkbox, i have no idea 
what the thread priority hack refers to, so just press ok and you'll be in the 
preferences again.   so now, close the preferences in the usual way.

  16.  Ok, now to convert your file, press the letter x which will, essentially 
play your file, but you won't hear any sound.  Trust me, you won't. that's just 
how this plugin works because it moves very quickly.
   If you want to know the status of your conversion, press the hotkey which 
reads your title bar, insert t for JAWS and control shift t for Window-eyes, or 
whatever one you use.  You will know your file is converted when you hear the 
name of your file, followed by Winamp stopped.  Note that while the file 
conversion happens, you may notice that software speech is slower to respond, 
and sometimes it just doesn't happen at all, but like I say the conversions 
happen very quickly.
  17.  If you followed all the steps above, congratulations, you just converted 
your first file with Winamp.  Believe me, subsequent conversions won't be such 
a long process, especially if you have the checkbox to remember your file type 
preferences.  But before you go listen to your newly created file, you have to 
switch your output plugin back to the one you ordinarily use. If you attempt to 
listen to another file, you'll just be creating more files and  you'll have a 
lot of stuff on your hard drive you don't want.  So, open the preferences 
again, tab over to the list of plugins and then choose the plugin you used 
before, i would bet it's either the Nullsoft waveout plugin or the direct sound 
one.  But the idea here is to change it back to whatever plugin you were using 
before.  so once you do that, tab to the close button and you can now go back 
to rockin with Winamp! I hope this wasn't too long but i did want to write this 
process out.  This is especially cool because when you want to convert a file 
again, all you'll need to do is switch to the discwriter plugin, play your file 
and Winamp will convert it. then all you have to do is switch back to your 
regular plugin and life's good. Hope this helped some folks!

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