Normalise batch ATRAC files?

[CJ]

Hi All,

Is there any software for minidisc ATRAC files that would allow me to
'normalise' them in a batch?

I use minidiscs for backing tracks for my solo act and have the new MDZ RH1.
I record my midifiles to .wav and love the way that I can now convert them
to ATRAC and 'dump' them onto a minidisc rather than having to realtime
record them. The only problem is that the new tracks I've done this way play
back at much louder volume levels than the older tracks on my discs and it
would be great if I could, in some way, 'level out' the volume levels.

I did a gig last night and everything was sounding great until I played one
of my new tracks. It sounded great BUT the increase in the relative volume
was so much that I thought I had blown one of my speakers.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

TIA

Colin

[Goaty]

CJ wrote:
> Is there any software for minidisc ATRAC files that would allow me to
> 'normalise' them in a batch?

I'd normalise the wavs before converting. I haven't come across this
problem before though.

Try alt.audio.minidisc or the forum on minidisc.org

Cheers
Goaty
--
_--_|\ John Lamp - in beautiful downtown Highton
/ \ DoD#:1906 Ulysses#:10185 Vulcan Nomad
\_.--._/ Phone: 0409 512 254
v Hear no Evo, See no Evo, Fear no Evo

Militant Agnostic - I don't know and you don't either

[CJ]

>
> I'd normalise the wavs before converting. I haven't come across this
> problem before though.
>
> Try alt.audio.minidisc or the forum on minidisc.org
>
> Cheers
> Goaty

Hi Goaty,

Should've said, I already normalise the .wav files when I record them from
the midifiles.Even although they're normalised to the same level, there's
still a *little* difference between the tracks but it's acceptable.

I'm not complaining about the new netMD 'dump' ability ... it's great that
the new 'dumped' files are louder, it's just that there is such a
discrepancy between them and the older 'realtime recorded' tracks.

Regards,

Colin

[Richard Crowley]

As long as you have an ATRAC codec installed, why couldn't
you use any normalizing software?

[Julian]

On Sat, 26 Aug 2006 22:47:55 -0700, "Richard Crowley"
> wrote:

>As long as you have an ATRAC codec installed, why couldn't
>you use any normalizing software?

Which editing programs support ATRAC encoding?

[CJ]

"Julian" > wrote in message
...
> On Sat, 26 Aug 2006 22:47:55 -0700, "Richard Crowley"
> > wrote:
>
>>As long as you have an ATRAC codec installed, why couldn't
>>you use any normalizing software?
>
> Which editing programs support ATRAC encoding?
>
>
>
That was going to be my question :-)

Regards,

Colin

[Richard Crowley]

"Julian" wrote ...
> "Richard Crowley" wrote:
>
>>As long as you have an ATRAC codec installed, why couldn't
>>you use any normalizing software?
>
> Which editing programs support ATRAC encoding?

http://www.minidisc.org/minidisc_faq.html

[Julian]

On Sun, 27 Aug 2006 08:39:57 -0700, "Richard Crowley"
> wrote:

>"Julian" wrote ...
>> "Richard Crowley" wrote:
>>
>>>As long as you have an ATRAC codec installed, why couldn't
>>>you use any normalizing software?
>>
>> Which editing programs support ATRAC encoding?
>
>http://www.minidisc.org/minidisc_faq.html

That page lists over 100 topics about minidisc. Is the answer
actually somewhere on that page or are you just being funny?

Julian

[Ron Capik]

Julian wrote:

> On Sun, 27 Aug 2006 08:39:57 -0700, "Richard Crowley"
> > wrote:
>
> >"Julian" wrote ...
> >> "Richard Crowley" wrote:
> >>
> >>>As long as you have an ATRAC codec installed, why couldn't
> >>>you use any normalizing software?
> >>
> >> Which editing programs support ATRAC encoding?
> >
> >http://www.minidisc.org/minidisc_faq.html
>
> That page lists over 100 topics about minidisc. Is the answer
> actually somewhere on that page or are you just being funny?
>
> Julian

This seems to be the relevant clip from the FAQ:
=============================================
< ......snip.. >
One year after Minidisc appeared, Sony announced MD Data --
it consisted of a slightly modified Minidisc blank
and the MDH-10, an MD data drive with SCSI interface.
This permitted users to use MDs as a computer data
storage format. Unfortunately, due to the requirement
for a firewall, MD Data drives cannot read or write ATRAC
data on Audio MDs.

Despite the built-in firewall, one company does sell a system
for direct computer access to ATRAC audio data. By
modifying the firmware in Sony's original MDH-10 data drive,
EDL in Britain has been able to create the Minidisc
Transfer Editor, a PC package allowing direct computer based
transfer of ATRAC from MD to PC, with ATRAC to .wav file
conversion done on the PC. The system is intended for audio
professionals (radio stations, etc), and carries a price tag
(~US$5000) to match.
< ... >
=========================================

Thus IMHO the practical answer seems to be none,
unless I missed something in there.

Later...

Ron Capik
--

[CJ]

"Ron Capik" > wrote in message
...
> Julian wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 27 Aug 2006 08:39:57 -0700, "Richard Crowley"
>> > wrote:
>>
>> >"Julian" wrote ...
>> >> "Richard Crowley" wrote:
>> >>
>> >>>As long as you have an ATRAC codec installed, why couldn't
>> >>>you use any normalizing software?
>> >>
>> >> Which editing programs support ATRAC encoding?
>> >
>> >http://www.minidisc.org/minidisc_faq.html
>>
>> That page lists over 100 topics about minidisc. Is the answer
>> actually somewhere on that page or are you just being funny?
>>
>> Julian
>
> This seems to be the relevant clip from the FAQ:
> =============================================
> < ......snip.. >
> One year after Minidisc appeared, Sony announced MD Data --
> it consisted of a slightly modified Minidisc blank
> and the MDH-10, an MD data drive with SCSI interface.
> This permitted users to use MDs as a computer data
> storage format. Unfortunately, due to the requirement
> for a firewall, MD Data drives cannot read or write ATRAC
> data on Audio MDs.
>
> Despite the built-in firewall, one company does sell a system
> for direct computer access to ATRAC audio data. By
> modifying the firmware in Sony's original MDH-10 data drive,
> EDL in Britain has been able to create the Minidisc
> Transfer Editor, a PC package allowing direct computer based
> transfer of ATRAC from MD to PC, with ATRAC to .wav file
> conversion done on the PC. The system is intended for audio
> professionals (radio stations, etc), and carries a price tag
> (~US$5000) to match.
> < ... >
> =========================================
>
> Thus IMHO the practical answer seems to be none,
> unless I missed something in there.
>
> Later...
>
> Ron Capik
> --
>
>

Thanks Ron but the new MZ RH1 does that now ... and I've got it. As I said,
my problem is the volume discrepancy between older tracks already recorded
'realtime' and the new tracks I've transferred via USB, using the NetMD
capability. The RH1 allows me to transfer tracks back and forwards between
MD and PC and what I'd like to do is bring the tracks into the PC, normalise
the ATRAC tracks so that none of them 'jump out' in volume from the others
and then transfer them back onto the MD. There just doesn't seem to be
editing software that allows me to do with ATRAC what I'm already able to do
with .WAV.

At the moment, at gigs, I'm having to remember which tracks have been
transferred by NetMD/USB and then significantly 'duck' the volume on that
channel of the mixer before starting playback ... Of course, I'm going to
forget one day and blow a pair of perfectly good EV drivers :-)

Regards,

Colin

[Richard Crowley]

You might want to ask your question in one of the MD-
specific forums where you will be much more likely to
find someone with current MD/ATRAC experience than
here.

[CJ]

"Richard Crowley" > wrote in message
...
> You might want to ask your question in one of the MD-
> specific forums where you will be much more likely to
> find someone with current MD/ATRAC experience than
> here.

Thanks Richard and the other guys, for the advice, but I have asked on MD
specific groups and forums and it seems the prog' I'm looking for ain't been
born yet.

Cheers,

Colin

[Richard Crowley]

"CJ" wrote ...
> "Richard Crowley" wrote ...
>> You might want to ask your question in one of the MD-
>> specific forums where you will be much more likely to
>> find someone with current MD/ATRAC experience than
>> here.
>
> Thanks Richard and the other guys, for the advice, but I have asked on
> MD specific groups and forums and it seems the prog' I'm looking for
> ain't been born yet.

*IF* they ever come up with a proper ATRAC codec,
(likely over Sony's dead body) it wll allow you to read/
write/process ATRAC files from any audio aplication,
including the ones that do batch normalizing.

[Chevdo]

In article >,
says...
>
>
>"Richard Crowley" > wrote in message
...
>> You might want to ask your question in one of the MD-
>> specific forums where you will be much more likely to
>> find someone with current MD/ATRAC experience than
>> here.
>
>Thanks Richard and the other guys, for the advice, but I have asked on MD
>specific groups and forums and it seems the prog' I'm looking for ain't been
>born yet.

Yes it has, and it costs $5000, as the portion of the FAQ Ron posted indicates:

"...with ATRAC to .wav file conversion done on the PC..."

So you see, that system does NOT do what your MZ-RH1 does. Your MZ-RH1
converts ATRAC to PCM wav BEFORE sending it to the PC. It does all its ATRAC
conversion on board. So even if a windows ATRAC codec existed, how would you
get the ATRAC files out of your MZ-RH1 and onto your PC without having the
MZ-RH1 convert them to PCM waves? You couldn't, because the MZ-RH1 isn't
designed to transfer ATRAC files over USB. That's why you'd need that
DATA MD modified by the British company, and the custom (presumably
reverse-engineered, or liscenced from Sony) ATRAC codec they wrote into their
software to do it. And that'll cost you $5000.

[Julian]

On Sun, 27 Aug 2006 18:45:27 -0700, "Richard Crowley"
> wrote:


>*IF* they ever come up with a proper ATRAC codec,
>(likely over Sony's dead body) it wll allow you to read/
>write/process ATRAC files from any audio aplication,
>including the ones that do batch normalizing.

I found this ATRAC3 codec which does work with Sony's Sound Forge:

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Sony_ATRAC3_Audio_Codec.htm

Don't know if it does what you need.

Julian

[CJ]

"Julian" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 27 Aug 2006 18:45:27 -0700, "Richard Crowley"
> > wrote:
>
>
>>*IF* they ever come up with a proper ATRAC codec,
>>(likely over Sony's dead body) it wll allow you to read/
>>write/process ATRAC files from any audio aplication,
>>including the ones that do batch normalizing.
>
> I found this ATRAC3 codec which does work with Sony's Sound Forge:
>
> http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Sony_ATRAC3_Audio_Codec.htm
>
> Don't know if it does what you need.
>
> Julian
>
>
>

Thanks Julian - I'll give it a try.

Regards,

Colin

[Bob Cain]

Chevdo wrote:
> In article >,
> says...
>>
>> "Richard Crowley" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> You might want to ask your question in one of the MD-
>>> specific forums where you will be much more likely to
>>> find someone with current MD/ATRAC experience than
>>> here.
>> Thanks Richard and the other guys, for the advice, but I have asked on MD
>> specific groups and forums and it seems the prog' I'm looking for ain't been
>> born yet.
>
> Yes it has, and it costs $5000, as the portion of the FAQ Ron posted indicates:
>
> "...with ATRAC to .wav file conversion done on the PC..."
>
> So you see, that system does NOT do what your MZ-RH1 does. Your MZ-RH1
> converts ATRAC to PCM wav BEFORE sending it to the PC. It does all its ATRAC
> conversion on board.

Incorrect. It's uploaded as ATRAC by Sony's Sonicstage application
and converted within the application. This allows the recordings to
be retained and played on the PC in the compressed ATRAC if that's how
the recordings were done.


Bob
--

"Things should be described as simply as possible, but no simpler."

A. Einstein

[Chevdo]

In article >,
says...
>
>Chevdo wrote:
>> In article >,
>> says...
>>>
>>> "Richard Crowley" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>> You might want to ask your question in one of the MD-
>>>> specific forums where you will be much more likely to
>>>> find someone with current MD/ATRAC experience than
>>>> here.
>>> Thanks Richard and the other guys, for the advice, but I have asked on MD
>>> specific groups and forums and it seems the prog' I'm looking for ain't
been
>>> born yet.
>>
>> Yes it has, and it costs $5000, as the portion of the FAQ Ron posted
indicates:
>>
>> "...with ATRAC to .wav file conversion done on the PC..."
>>
>> So you see, that system does NOT do what your MZ-RH1 does. Your MZ-RH1
>> converts ATRAC to PCM wav BEFORE sending it to the PC. It does all its
ATRAC
>> conversion on board.
>
>Incorrect. It's uploaded as ATRAC by Sony's Sonicstage application
>and converted within the application.
>
>

Since I don't have a minidisc player that uses Sonicstage, I can't verify that,
but I doubt it.

> This allows the recordings to
>be retained and played on the PC in the compressed ATRAC

So Sonicstage has playback capability? If so, how do you know it is playing
back compressed audio and not PCM? Can you save an ATRAC file to your hard
drive? If so, what is the file extension? Can you send me one though Usendit?

[CJ]

>
> So Sonicstage has playback capability? If so, how do you know it is
> playing
> back compressed audio and not PCM? Can you save an ATRAC file to your
> hard
> drive? If so, what is the file extension? Can you send me one though
> Usendit?
>
>

Yes, Sonicstage has playback capability. I've just checked some tracks that
I've backed up from some older discs and they're back in the PC with the
file extension .omg - obviously something to do with the OpenMG logo on the
software. Don't know if that's PCM or ATRAC.

Regards,

Colin

[CJ]

"CJ" > wrote in message
. uk...
>
>>
>> So Sonicstage has playback capability? If so, how do you know it is
>> playing
>> back compressed audio and not PCM? Can you save an ATRAC file to your
>> hard
>> drive? If so, what is the file extension? Can you send me one though
>> Usendit?
>>
>>
>
> Yes, Sonicstage has playback capability. I've just checked some tracks
> that I've backed up from some older discs and they're back in the PC with
> the file extension .omg - obviously something to do with the OpenMG logo
> on the software. Don't know if that's PCM or ATRAC.
>
> Regards,
>
> Colin
>

Just checked again in Sonicstage 'Help' and .omg is ATRAC3 format.

Regards,

Colin