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Post by barryjh on Aug 11, 2020 17:44:57 GMT
Just a note of caution for Audacity users using the latest (2.4.2) version in Windows 7. Some recent .mp3 BT files that I downloaded would not open in this latest version. I re-installed version 2.4.1 and the downloaded files opened OK. I'm not sure why? It could be 2.4.2 is configured for Windows 10 onwards? but if anyone comes across the same problem when running 2.4.2 in Windows 7 then revert back to 2.4.1 which is still available on the Audacity website ..
Rgds, Barry |
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Post by garystrat on Aug 12, 2020 5:38:48 GMT
Hi Barry,
I don't use Audacity, but the update information states that it now supports LAME's gapless playback information allowing MP3 to be imported and exported without additional padding.
Could it be you need to update LAME if you are running an older version?
LAME appears to be the MP3 decoder that Audacity uses, so it would make sense that the problem is in this area.
Regards
Gary
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Post by George Lewis on Aug 12, 2020 7:53:47 GMT
Hi Barry,
According to info on the Audacity forum, as well as LAME "padding" improvement, 2.4.2 now checks MP3 files for errors and refuses to load them if it's not safe.
MP3 errors don't matter much when loaded into a player since they will either play or not.
However, certain MP3 errors have apparently caused problems when imported into an Audacity project including loss of data !
I'm using Audacity 2.4.2 with Windows 7 64 bit and just tried importing several MP3 files shown as having various errors such as null streams or unknown streams when scanned by MP3 Diags. All of them imported OK so it must depend on what type of error Audacity considers a no no.
It would be interesting to re-encode one of those MP3 files using 2.4.1 or another audio converter and then see if 2.4.2 will load it.
Hi Gary, just for info 2.4.2 now uses built in encoders for MP3 so no provision to upgrade. According to the forum "gurus" it doesn't use LAME for imports but only exports.
Regards
George
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Post by barryjh on Aug 14, 2020 19:13:51 GMT
Hi Gary / George,
Thanks for your help,
I have just had a closer look at the files that would not load into 2.4.2 and they were both VHBL Box files and both files carried an embedded picture. I am wondering if the files were seen as corrupt by 2.4.2 because of this. The 2 files were "See See Rider" and "Here I Stand" ... both are mp3 files but +pics.. The laptop I am using is an HP Pavilion 64bit Intel Core i5 with 8GB RAM and it is dedicated to my music storage and recording via Audacity. I suppose I can continue with 2.4.1 until I am forced into changing to a newer PC sometime in the future. I understand Microsoft no longer support Windows 7 so I ramped up the security package by installing "Bitdefender" earlier this year ... I have not had any reason to suspect that the Bitdefender software has become overzealous in it's protection activity so I guess we are looking at 2.4.2 in isolation and maybe it just sees the media pics within the mp3 files as corrupt. I don't have any other converter to try and the free versions are limited to <3mins file size. It will be a case - of if it ain't broke don't fix it - for now and stick with 2.4.1. I could load Ableton Lite if need be in future but I just like the simplicity of Audacity and really prefer to stay with it until I am forced move beyond 2.4.1 for any reason.
Rgds,
Barry
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Post by garystrat on Aug 14, 2020 21:20:12 GMT
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Post by George Lewis on Aug 15, 2020 2:35:10 GMT
Hi Barry, This is a bit intriguing ! I use the MP3 cover image tag to store mini chord charts on BT's where I back a singer. Audacity 2.4.2 loads them all with no issue. I downloaded Daniel Corbont's Here I Stand BT from Box which I think is the VHBL you refer to. It has a picture of someone seated at a keyboard (Daniel ?) and is about 10mB in size. Could you post the link you used to download it. Again it imports into 2.4.2 with no issue. However, my Audacity does have Ffmpeg installed. On the surface that shouldn't be a factor with an MP3 file as ffmpeg is supposedly only used for files with extensions that aren't handled by it's regular built in import functions. Such as MP4 and other video files or video audio files etc. If you don't have the ffmpeg library installed in Audacity, I suggest you do that, even for 2.4.1 and definitely for 2.4.2. Make sure you do it exactly as per the Audacity instructions. manual.audacityteam.org/man/installing_ffmpeg_for_windows.htmlAs a workaround, use 2.4.1 to export those BT's as WAV files ... use 32 bit floating. Then load them into 2.4.2 and export them as MP3. A reasonably easy to use and free converter is XMedia recode if you want to recode the MP3 without using Audacity www.xmedia-recode.de/en/Cheers George |
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Post by barryjh on Aug 15, 2020 15:11:59 GMT
HI Gary/George,
Thanks for the help.
I will download Ffmpeg and, now you both mention it, Audacity did flag up some options around the problem including installation of Ffmpeg. It also advised to try importing the files as Raw Data but that did not work. I'll check the Audacity folders to make sure Ffmpeg is not already in there. If it is I will check the installation against the advice you gave and the link to Audacity Guide. Thanks again for all your help. I'll let you know how I get on ASAP.
Regards,
Barry
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Post by barryjh on Aug 26, 2020 16:29:45 GMT
Hi Georg/Gary,
Your advice worked .. I downloaded ffmpeg as instructed and am now up and running again. It would be good if ffmpeg could be incorporated within the initial Audacity download but I guess there are some restrictions preventing that.
Thanks again guy's my tail is wagging again!
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Post by garystrat on Aug 26, 2020 20:32:12 GMT
Hi Barry,
Thanks for the update, pleased it’s all working for you again!
Regards
Gary
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