[yazarim]

Sorry if this can seem dumb, but I really need some help. I have around 300 Operas (opera music, you know, Pavarotti and company) recorded from RADIO broadcastings on VHF, ONLY MUSIC. But the only way to record a complete opera (2, 3 hours, or more) is a VHF. Now I am transfering these operas on AIFF files, which are huge, sometimes more than 1 gigaB for 1 act (and opera acts can be 3 or 4). I was thinking to burn these huge AIFF files on DVDs, but nobody (here in my country) seems to be able to tell me what I should do. I mean, I have a 2 years old G4 PowerMac without DVD burner, and before buying a G5 with SuperDrive I would like to be sure that I will be able to burn (and listen on a DVD player) my broadcasted operas burned on DVDs. Can anybody be so kind as to give me some advice? Would be very, very grateful. Many thanks in advance

[k_munic]

Hi Yazarim,

the answer isn't that simple - because: can your DVD player playback audio-only dvds? in what format?

I like the prg Toast6, easy to handle, lots of formats (all?), not expansive. it offers quiet a lot of file-/disk-formats, to burn e.g. a data only dvd, containing e.g. .aiff - BUT! I'm quiet sure, your dvd standalone is NOT able to playback such a disk (your Mac could)

so, first of all, we have to find out, what format your dvd player likes.- some people tell of dvd standalones, which are able to accept dvd-r with mp3 - you could convert your .aiff as, letssay 160kB mp3 (which should be "good enough" even for a opera, esp., recorded from tv/radio) and burn such a disk.

btw: if mp3, a whole opera should fit on a single cd-r!

have a look in the manual of your dvdplayer first.

[yazarim]

btw: if mp3, a whole opera should fit on a single cd-r!

have a look in the manual of your dvdplayer first. [/B]

Many thanks indeed, precious answer, because - older opera fan as I am - I do not know one thing about mp3, so now I will learn something about it. The first problem is: How can I change my AIFF files in MP3 files? Well, there is surely a software to do this. Ah, ok, I see that I can save my recordings making them with WireTap Pro. But the recordings already done? And with WireTap there is no editing, which there is with Sound Studio, but without the save as MP3

My DVD player (if I understand well) can play DVD-Video, Video CD, CD and dts-Digital Out (my God, what is this?)

The last pages of the instructions are about reading MP3 disks

Ooooh, double-faced dumb that I am, I see now that I can convert my AIFFs to MP3s with iTunes, which I had never not only used but even opened... I will immediately try and see what happens with these MP3 files burned on a CD.

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by yazarim:
Ooooh, double-faced dumb that I am, I see now that I can convert my AIFFs to MP3s with iTunes, which I had never not only used but even opened... I will immediately try and see what happens with these MP3 files burned on a CD.

"double-faced dumb" - that's nice. is that an Italian expression? I like it.

And no, you're not dumb for not realizing that iTunes can also convert files, so relax.

Your DVD player will probably (! - check the specifications; most can) be able to play standard mp3 CDs, so just go into the iTunes preferences and

under "Import", choose "mp3", set to highest possible for maximum quality and then to "VBR" (variable bit rate, this will increase the bit rate depending upon how much is happening musically to improve sound quality)

under "Burn", choose "mp3 CD".

Even at highest setting, you should be able to get about 5 hours + on a single CD-R, and your DVD player will be able to play them.

-s*

[yazarim]

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:

"double-faced dumb" - that's nice. is that an Italian expression?

No, it is not italian, I have invented it now, just to say that I am twice a stupid.

But you know something? Stupid or not, I have already here with me — better I am listening from my DVD standalone player — my first MP3 CD, with all of Mussorgski's Khovancina conducted by Mr Gergiev at La Scala in 1998. Wonderful opera. And with all the comments and interviews broadcast that evening by RAI (which I obviously can skip). Rich!

So all of you have been really precious. Many, many thanks. Hope to be able to reciprocate in some way.

[k_munic]

Originally posted by yazarim:
… Hope to be able to reciprocate in some way.

Quite easy, have alook in the forums here, and answer any question you can

I experienced the Mac community very helpfull, friendly, funny and wise…

two things to mention: another great source for helpfull hints is Apple's own support forum at http://discussions.info.apple.com/ (but, Macnn is of course a very good choice)

secondly:
"highest bitrate possible" - the audiofanatics discuss this point very … intense. some/many say, even for classical music, beyond 160kB there is no audible difference…- and, don't forget: you source/raw material is "just" radio recordings (<< not highest quality in technical terms).

enjoy your music and your Mac!

[Spheric Harlot]

Originally posted by k_munic:
secondly:
"highest bitrate possible" - the audiofanatics discuss this point very … intense. some/many say, even for classical music, beyond 160kB there is no audible difference…- and, don't forget: you source/raw material is "just" radio recordings (<< not highest quality in technical terms).

*cough*Let's not open that can of worms.*cough*

I just figured that since the original intent was to get it on DVD as it is, I'd suggest the path of least quality loss. And at two entire operas per CD-R, he might as well do 320kbps VBR, right?


Yazarim, thanks for reporting back. It's always nice to know you've helped someone to a happy solution.

Enjoy!

-spheric*

[k_munic]

Originally posted by Spheric Harlot:
…
*cough*Let's not open that can of worms.*cough*
…*

hahahaha! <rotfl> as an "old school" european, I do know Pandora's box - but, even in a discussion about bitrates (spheric, I wouldn't dare!!!), I learn new phrases.

I cannot improve my ears, but my english!

thanx for that

PS: of course, you're right: highest quality means highest bitrate; and, talking 'bout compression (mp3), you can think about the level of compression; a radio taping is far, far away from "highest quailty" - so, I was right. as usual, many ways lead to Rome.

[yazarim]

But the best solution, I discovered this morning, having bought a LaCie DVD burner, is Toast + Jam. Rather expensive, but very good. You get perfect DVD Music Albums.

Now I need one more little bit of experience. I would like to create a QuickTime Movie with a few of my travel Photos (I have almost 4000 of them). And I would like to put a little music in the movie. But iPhoto 2.0.1 tells me that it does not find iTunes 3. It is normal, since I have iPhoto 4.1.7. Anybody of you geeks knows why my iPhoto does not see my iTunes? Thanks

[k_munic]

Originally posted by yazarim:
B…since I have iPhoto 4.1.7. …

If you have iPhoto 4, you should have iM 4 (they are both part of the same package)… somewhere on your disk? somewhere on your installer disks? somewhere in your iLife4 package…?

the iLfe apps "like" to work together with the same numbers - 2 with 2, 3 with 3… you got the idea ?

[yazarim]

Originally posted by k_munic:
the iLfe apps "like" to work together with the same numbers - 2 with 2, 3 with 3… you got the idea ?

Yes, but, if this is the case, I would like to know why those people at Apple bundle in Panther "iPhoto 2" and "iTunes 4", which do not like to work together. To compel the (paying) user to buy also iLife?
In any case, I will try with iMovie, if I don't get bored in the meantime, which is very likeable

[jrs]

Originally posted by yazarim:
Sorry if this can seem dumb, but I really need some help. I have around 300 Operas (opera music, you know, Pavarotti and company) recorded from RADIO broadcastings on VHF, ONLY MUSIC. But the only way to record a complete opera (2, 3 hours, or more) is a VHF. Now I am transfering these operas on AIFF files, which are huge, sometimes more than 1 gigaB for 1 act (and opera acts can be 3 or 4). I was thinking to burn these huge AIFF files on DVDs, but nobody (here in my country) seems to be able to tell me what I should do. I mean, I have a 2 years old G4 PowerMac without DVD burner, and before buying a G5 with SuperDrive I would like to be sure that I will be able to burn (and listen on a DVD player) my broadcasted operas burned on DVDs. Can anybody be so kind as to give me some advice? Would be very, very grateful. Many thanks in advance

Hi-

Although i have never TRIED this approach, the feature set of roxio's toast 6.0 claims to be able to create a Music DVD, which I would imagine is actually a video DVD with music only (and maybe a slideshow?)

from their datasheet:
"Create party mixes on a DVD with hours of full quality audio.
On-screen menus help you navigate to that perfect track."

What I have done (using a PC) was to convert the files to mpeg, and combine (mux?) them with a still image using tmpgenc, forming an mpeg-2 file with sound and still blank image. I was able to fit ~35 cds worth of music, dolby digital encoded, on to one single-layer dvd, so my wife can play it on her car dvd player.

hope that this helps...

[yazarim]

Originally posted by jrs:
... the feature set of roxio's toast 6.0 claims to be able to create a Music DVD, which I would imagine is actually a video DVD with music only (and maybe a slideshow?)

As I said in a former message, the solution I found (music with text - who sings, who conducts, where, when and so on - indexes and still images) is Toast 6 + Jam 6. Costly but efficient

[ReggieX]

The new Toast+Jam audio DVD feature is very nice, and easy to make. I plan on backing up some of my old radio tapes this way, using the video part for all the information and cover art, etc.