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CD-Recorder V4 Knowledge Vault:
QUESTIONS:
General Questions:
- Where can I buy DART CD-Recorder V4?
- Is there a trial version of the software? Does the
trial have any restrictions on its use?
- Which operating system(s) can be used with DART
CD-Recorder V4?
- I'm using Windows 3.1 (3.x). Can I use CD-Recorder
V4?
- I'm using Windows 95. How do I install the
software?
- I'm using Windows 98. How do I install the
software?
- I'm using Windows NT 4.0 Server/Workstation. How do I
install the software?
- I'm using Windows 2000. How do I install the
software?
- What are the computer requirements for using
CD-Recorder V4?
- Do I have to have a CD-R or CD-RW drive to run the
CD-Recorder V4?
- Is there any other special hardware or equipment
that's needed to take full advantage of CD-Recorder V4?
- Is there any other special software that's needed to
take full advantage of CD-Recorder V4?
- I'm not sure how to begin. Is there any kind of
tutorial or method for helping me get started?
- How long will it take to finish a CD?
- Can I play or record MIDI (*.mid) files with
CD-Recorder V4?
- Can I play or record MPEG3 (*.mp3) files with
CD-Recorder V4?
- Can I speed up or slow down an audio track?
- Can I use the software to backup data (i.e., pictures,
emails, system folders, etc.)?
- What is the difference between the unlockable version
and the boxed version of CD-Recorder V4?
- What is the difference between CD-Recorder V4 and
DartPro 32/DartPro 98?
![[Top]](../images/up2.gif)
Downloading, Installing or Unlocking a CD-Recorder V4
Demo/Trial:
- How do I download the 30-day trial version of
CD-Recorder V4?
- What are the restrictions of the 30-day trial
version of CD-Recorder V4?
- What do I do after downloading one of the CD-Recorder
V4 demo files?
- How do I 'unzip' and Install the demo of CD-Recorder
V4?
- What does "Unlock" mean?
- How do I unlock (purchase) my 30-day trial
version of CD-Recorder V4?
- How much does it cost to purchase a copy of
CD-Recorder V4?
- How do I upgrade from CD-Recorder V4 to DartPro 32 or
DartPro 98?
- If I delete my copy of CD-Recorder V4, or buy a new
system, how do I get a new unlock code?
Recording Audio with CD-Recorder V4:
- How do I connect my turntable or stereo system to my
PC's soundcard?
- How do I control, or adjust, my soundcard's input
signal level?
- Can I record audio directly to MP3 format?
- How do I start recording a new file?
- What parameters should I set when recording a new
file?
- What do I do in the record window once I've set my
record parameters?
- How long of an audio file can I record?
- Can I cut longer recordings into shorter pieces?
- How do I get, or 'read', tracks from my audio CDs?
Editing Audio with CD-Recorder V4:
- What does DirectX mean and what are DirectX
plugins?
- Can I run my audio through plug-ins as I record
them?
- What's my first step in restoring audio with the DART
plug-ins?
- How and when do I use the CD Format plug-in?
- How and when do I use the DeClick plug-in?
- How and when do I use the DeHiss plug-in?
- How and when do I use the Resample?
- How and when do I use the Trim Length?
- Can I convert my MP3 (.mp3) files to WAVE (.wav)
format? If so, how?
- Can I convert my MIDI (.mid) files to WAVE (.wav) to
put them on a CD?
- When should I delete my original recorded files from
the hard drive?
Using the 'Producer' in CD-Recorder V4:
- What does the 'Producer' do?
- Can I run my audio through the Producer as I record
it?
- What's my first step in using the Producer with
my audio files?
- How and when do I use DeClick??
- How and when do I use DeHiss?
- How and when do I use Equalize?
- How and when do I use Fade In/Out?
- How and when do I use Normalize?
- How do I listen to my results while using the
Producer's tools?
- How do I select the files that will be run
through the Producer?
- What is the difference between a tool being
"Activated" and "Selected"?
- What is the difference between a tool being run
"On-line" or "Off-line" mode?
- What does the "Range" pull-down menu do? How do
I use it?
- What does "tagged" mean? How do I "tag" a file for
processing?
- What's the black bar at the top used for? How do I
change its settings?
- Can I process MP3 files using the tools in the Producer?
Making an Audio CD From a Playlist:
- What's a 'playlist'?
- How do I create a playlist?
- Where do I find my files to add?
- Can I save a playlist to work on it later?
- How do I adjust the order of songs on the CD?
- Can I adjust the gap time (silent section) between
songs? If so, how?
- How do I create CDs over 74 minutes in length? (i.e. use 80 or 84 minute CD
blanks)
- Can I add text info, such as artist, title,
etc., to my CD (CD+Text)?
- How do I use the CD+Text feature?
- Can I convert my MP3 (.mp3) files to WAVE (.wav)
format? If so, how?
- How do I burn audio CDs from MP3 files 'on the fly'?
- How do I remove songs from a playlist?
- How do the different playback modes ('Loop', 'Samp',
and 'Norm') work?
- How do I burn the audio files from my playlist to a
CD?
- What speed of CD burning should I select?
- How do I use the Burn-Proof support in CD-Recorder 4?
- How can I write MP3s or WMAs to a CD-ROM (or "MP3-ROM" or "WMA-ROM") to use with my MP3 player??
Troubleshooting and Problems:
- Why do I get the message, "Unable to find known CD
Recorder," when writing to a CD?
- What is "ASPI"? Why does the program mention that
there is a problem with it?
- Why do I get the message, "Protection check failed when
starting the program"?
- When I try using Write to CD, I get an illegal
operation error. What do I do?
- When I try to convert from a MIDI file to a WAV file,
I get no input. What do I do?
- When I'm in the Read Track window, and I click on
Change, the program crashes. How do I fix this problem?
- I burn CDs and they work fine on my computer but they don't work
on my car stereo or portable CD player. What's wrong?
- I can't see parts of the program (the Producer, buttons) onscreen.
Why are my windows cut off?
ANSWERS:
General Questions:
- Where can I buy DART CD-Recorder V4
Plus?
You can purchase DART CD-Recorder V4 at our online store, located at
http://www.dartpro.com/Products/Cart.asp or by using one our many resellers. Our official resellers'
link can be found at http://www.dartpro.com/products/ResellerLinks.asp.
- Is there a trial version of the software? Does
the trial have any restrictions on its use?
The free 30-day trial version
has NO restrictions for its use, other than the fact that it will revert
to a much more limited mode
after 30 days of use. Remember that you
only get 30 days of calendar use from the software, not 30 "software"
days (of use).
After 30-days, the following items will be disabled or changed:
- CD burning will be disabled
- Use of the Producer to process files will be disabled
- Files recorded or edited within the program will only be able to be
used within the CD-Recorder 4
- DirectX plug-ins will not function outside of CD-Recorder 4
- Recording time is limited to 2 min. (at CD format)
- Which operating system(s) can be used with DART
CD-Recorder V4?
CD-Recorder V4 is designed to run under Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, NT or
Windows 2000 or XP. At this time, there are no plans to support any other
operating systems.
- I'm using Windows 3.1 (3.x). Can I use
CD-Recorder V4?
No, you cannot run CD-Recorder V4 if you use Windows 3.1 (3.x). It has
been designed for, and runs only under, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT
4.0, or Windows 2000.
- I'm using Windows 95. How do I install the software?
- To install DART CD-Recorder V4, insert the setup CD-ROM into
your drive. In Windowstm 95, the installation procedure will
launch automatically, but only if the automatic insertion feature for your
CD-ROM is active.
- To install DART CD-Recorder V4 manually, go to the Control Panel,
click on Add/Remove Programs and choose SETUP.EXE on your CD-ROM
drive.
- The DART CD-Recorder V4 installation program will start, pausing
only to ask in which directory you would like to install the program (we
suggest that you use the default values) and the CD drive (or "CD
installation path") where the setup CD is located.
- I'm using Windows 98. How do I install the software?
- To install DART CD-Recorder V4, insert the setup CD-ROM into your
drive. In Windowstm 98, the installation procedure will launch
automatically, but only if the automatic insertion feature for your CD-ROM
is active.
- To install DART CD-Recorder V4 manually, go to the
Control Panel, click on Add/Remove Programs and choose SETUP.EXE
on your CD-ROM drive.
- The DART CD-Recorder V4 installation program will
start, pausing only to ask in which directory you would like to install
the program (we suggest that you use the default values) and the CD drive
(or "CD installation path") where the setup CD is located.
- I'm using Windows NT 4.0 Server/Workstation. How do I install the
software?
- To install DART CD-Recorder V4, insert the setup CD-ROM into your
drive. In Windowstm NT, the installation procedure will launch
automatically, but only if the automatic insertion feature for your CD-ROM
is active.
- To install DART CD-Recorder V4 manually, go to the Control Panel,
click on Add/Remove Programs and choose SETUP.EXE on your CD-ROM
drive.
- The DART CD-Recorder V4 installation program will start, pausing only
to ask in which directory you would like to install the program (we
suggest that you use the default values) and the CD drive (or "CD
installation path") where the setup CD is located.
- I'm using Windows 2000. How do I install the
software?
- What are the computer requirements for using CD-Recorder V4?
The following are really more recommendations than requirements, as the
program can run (albeit much slower) on a system with less power than the
one described below. However, digital audio programs can be very taxing on
a system, so the better computer you use, the better the software will run.
As with most things computer-related, your mileage will vary. Here's what
we suggest:
- Recommended CPU: 200MHz Intel Pentium? (or equivalent) or better
- System Software: Microsoft Windows 95?, 98?, Me (Millenium), NT 4.0, and Windows 2000
- Memory: 16 MB RAM or higher
- Hard Disk Space: 1.2 GB Disk
- Sound Card: 16 Bit Windows compatible (for analog recording & MIDI rendering)
- CD-R or CD/RW: SCSI or EIDE CD-R or CD-RW drive (for writing music CDs)
- Do I have to have a CD-R or CD-RW drive to run the CD-Recorder V4?
You don't actually HAVE to have one of these to use the software. However,
you'll get very little use out of the program if you can't burn CDs (that
is what it's made for, after all). There are users who run CD-Recorder V3
simply for the restoration filters (DeClick and DeHiss) and for the ability
to convert MP3 files to WAV files or MID files to WAV files.
Getting the best out of the software, though, requires a CD-R or CD-RW
device.
-
Is there any other special hardware or equipment that's needed to take
full advantage of CD-Recorder V4?
Not really. As long as you have the external gear (turntable, cassette
player, microphone, etc.) and a computer with soundcard, you should be
ready to go. Of course, if you have a CD-R or CD-RW drive, you'll be able
to get even more out of the product.
-
Is there any other special software that's needed to take full advantage
of CD-Recorder V4?
No. As long as you're using a supported operating system, a supported
CD-R or CD-RW drive and a functioning soundcard, then you should have
everything you need.
We DO, however, recommend having a quality MP3 encoder software
(since ours currently doesn't support this feature). WinAmp, Xing player,
RealPlayer/Jukebox, or MusicMatch and others can do a great job for most
users.
-
I'm not sure how to begin. Is there any kind of tutorial or method for
helping me get started?
We offer a few different methods to guide you on your way to restoring
your audio collection, or simply making CDs from MP3 files.
- The online Help system: Located within the program itself
(under "Help" / "Contents"), the online Help system can answer many basic
questions on features, use of the program, and other often used functions
(such as recording audio, using the DirectX plug-ins, or writing an audio
CD). This should be your first line of defense when you need to find out
more about how to get the most from the software.
- The Guided Tour: All CD versions of the CD-Recorder V4 include
a multimedia tutorial designed to show you how to use the basic functions
of the program. You can play sections related to specific topics, or view
the entire 20-minute presentation. NOTE: 'Unlockable' versions of
CD-Recorder V4 (including demo trial versions) don't include the Guided
Tour, as the file size would be very prohibitive for most users.
- Web-based Help: The Knowledge Vault you're reading right now
is another excellent place to find answers you're searching for on
CD-Recorder V4. You can see answers by topic or simply browse and read.
- DART Forums: We offer several online forum discussions groups
for letting you exchange ideas and get help from other DART software
users. You may find an answer to your question, be able to answer someone
else's questions, or just find it interesting reading. Plus, the forums
(like this FAQ) are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. DARTech support
professionals, who can address many different topics, moderate the forums.
-
How long will it take to make my own finished CD?
The best answer we can give for this is ... it depends. If you simply
want to make a copy of an existing audio CD, it can take anywhere from 148
min. and go down from there. We got 148 minutes from a 74-minute CD, using
a 1x read and 1x write for all tracks, with NO editing or cleaning taking
place. If you'd like to do some sort of editing or cleaning to 1 or more
audio tracks, this will increase the amount of time it will take. Much of
this is a subjective decision. You'll simply have to decide for yourself
how far you'd like to take a particular project. Some will be happy with
little or no changes, some may want to do more extensive work.
-
Can I play or record MIDI (*.mid) files with CD-Recorder V4?
CD-Recorder V4 allows you to convert MIDI (*.mid) files that you've
recorded, or downloaded from the Internet, into the WAVE format. This is
necessary to put this type of audio onto a standard audio CD. You can
also play MIDI files with this software, but you cannot record it, in the
conventional sense.
-
Can I play or record MPEG3 (*.mp3) files with CD-Recorder V4?
CD-Recorder V4 allows you to convert MPEG3 (*.mp3) audio files that you've
recorded, encoded, or downloaded from the Internet, into the WAVE format.
This is necessary to put this type of audio onto a standard audio CD.
You can also play MP3 files with this software, but you cannot record or
encode them, in the conventional sense.
-
Can I speed up or slow down an audio track?
Currently, no. We are looking at this feature, but have no plans to
include this feature in any future update. If this changes, we'll make
appropriate announcements on our Webpage and on this page as well.
-
Can I use the software to backup data (i.e., pictures, emails, system
folders, etc.)?
At this time, no. CD-Recorder V4 is only capable
of making 'Red Book' audio CDs that contain audio data. No capabilities
for data backup or formatting is included with this version. There are
various programs on the market that are capable of making data CDs, such
as Adaptec's EZ CD Creator and Golden Hawk Technology's CDRWin.
-
What is the difference between the unlockable version and the boxed
version of CD-Recorder V4?
The boxed version of CD-Recorder V4 comes with an online guided tour and
manual (on the CD) but the unlockable version does not. Also, if you
delete and reinstall an unlockable version, on the same computer or a
different computer, you'll have to get another (different) unlock code
before it can be run again. If you are a registered user of an unlockable
version you can also obtain a new unlock code via our Webpage, on the CD
Recorder V4 Registered User Unlock Menu (more details on this are
available in the next section).
-
What is the difference between CD-Recorder V4 and DartPro 32/DartPro
98?
DartPro 98 is a more professional program and is used in
re-mastering, professional restoration and recording studios, while
DartPro 32 is more geared toward the advanced home user or audio
hobbyist. You can still use DartPro 98 at home, it is all a matter of how
professional you want to be in restoring, mastering, or simply recording
your music. For a complete checklist of all the differences between our
products, visit the Comparison Chart on our Website.
Downloading, Installing or Unlocking a CD-Recorder V4 Demo/Trial:
-
How do I download the 30-day trial version of CD-Recorder
V4?
- Go to the DartPro homepage. (On this Website under the "Home"
button.)
- Click on the "Try" link directly below the CD jewel case image
of CD-Recorder 4.
- Click on the "TRY - Free Download" button on the left part of
the screen under the CD jewel case image of CD-Recorder 4.
- Enter your name and email address. These are required to be able to
download the free 30-day trial version.
- Click on the "Download Now!"
link under the CD jewel case image of CD-Recorder 4.
If given the option, choose to "Save to disk" (or other similar
"Save to...") option. It is recommended that you choose to save to the
Windows Desktop, since this will make finding the file much, much easier.
-
What are the restrictions of the 30-day trial version of
CD-Recorder V4?
There are NO restrictions when using the 30-day trial demo version of
CD-Recorder V4. The program will ONLY function fully, however, for 30
days.
After 30 days, it will revert to a much more limited mode, with the
following restrictions:
- CD burning will be disabled.
- Use of the Producer to process files will be disabled.
- Files recorded or edited within the program will only be able to be
used within the CD-Recorder 4.
- DirectX plug-ins will not function outside of CD-Recorder 4.
- Recording time is limited to 2 min. (at CD format).
-
What do I do after downloading one of the CD-Recorder V4 demo
files?
- The CD-Recorder V4 demo is in a "zipped" (*.zip) format. This
means it is compressed and packaged, and to use the demo you must unzip the
file first.
- If you do not have an unzip utility, we HIGHLY recommend that you
download WinZip(r), which is free, from www.winzip.com.
- After downloading and installing WinZip(r), you should be able to
unzip the downloaded demo file and move on to the next step, unzipping and
installing CD-Recorder V4.
-
How do I 'unzip' and install the demo of CD-Recorder V4?
- Open WinZip from the start menu or via the icon on your desktop.
- Follow the WinZip "Wizard" instructions to unzip the CD-Recorder V4
setup files.
- After unzipping CD-Recorder V4's setup, you are ready to run the
setup file that will install it.
- To install CD-Recorder V4, open up the Windows Explorer. Browse to
the directory folder where you unzipped the CD-Recorder V4 setup files,
and locate the file called "setup.exe."
- Double click on "setup.exe" and follow the onscreen
instructions to install CD-Recorder V4.
After you finish installing, you are ready to use the CD-Recorder V4 demo!
-
What does "Unlock" mean?
Unlockable software means that you can download the full version of the
software, but it has limitations on it. To be able to use the full version
you must unlock the software by purchasing an Unlock code that is unique
to your system. After purchasing the Unlock code you will be able to use
the software as if you purchased the CD.
-
How do I unlock (purchase) my 30-day trial version of CD-Recorder
V4?
Note: The regular demo version of CD-Recorder V4 will revert to a
limited mode after 30-days. To lift these restrictions, and make the
program fully functional forever, you must unlock the trial version by
buying full unlock codes.
After downloading and installing the 30-day CD-Recorder V4 trial
(which you may already have done), start the
program and go to "Help", then to "Unlock".
- Open the program, go to "Help", get into the
"Unlock" menu.
- Write down the current Code Entry and Computer ID numbers.
- Hit "Register Later". You MUST hit "Register Later" until you
are entering a valid unlock code. If you do NOT hit "Register Later" at
this point, the CodeEntry number will be reset, making any unlock string
that you get from the Website invalid. If you accidentally hit "OK", get
back in to the "Unlock" menu, get the two numbers again, and hit "Register
Later".
- Close the program.
There are two ways of unlocking (buying) the program to make it a
fully functioning version:
A. On our Website, by clicking on "Buy" under the CD jewel case
image of CD-Recorder 4.
- Or -
B. Contact us at:
Email: Info@DARTPro.com
Fax: (952) 844-9025
To unlock the 30-day trial via our Website:
- Click on the "Buy" link below the CD jewel case image on
our Home page.
- Then, click on the "Buy - Download" link to the left.
- Follow the instructions in "How to purchase the Unlock code On-line
and use the Secure Registration and Purchase Form (the link in step #3) to
purchase your unlock code. If you've followed along here, you will
already have performed the first couple of steps.
- when you have finished entering your information into the form, click
on the "Submit" button and your unlock code will be displayed on
the screen.
- Write down your unlock code.
- Open the trial version of CD-Recorder V4.
- Click on "Help" in the menu bar, and select "Unlock."
- Now enter your new unlock code and email address into their
respective fields and click "OK".
If you receive a message that the "Application Authorization
complete!",
you have successfully unlocked CD-Recorder V4, and you are ready
to use all of the features!
Please note that if you have to reinstall the software for ANY REASON,
that you will have to go through this process again (although you don't
have to pay again...the process is slightly different). It is HIGHLY
recommended that you print this set of instructions for future use.
-
How much does it cost to purchase a copy of CD-Recorder V4?
You can unlock your demo version of CD-Recorder V4, or purchase a CD copy
of CD-Recorder V4 for the price of $39.95 (CD version price does not
include standard shipping cost of $8 US / $15 Int'l).
Current users of DART products can also upgrade to CD-Recorder 4 for a
price of $24.95 plus shipping/handling, if CD-ROM is ordered. Shipping
for this is $8 US for US orders and $15 US for international shipments.
-
How do I upgrade from CD-Recorder V4 to DartPro 32 or DartPro
98?
To upgrade from CD-Recorder V4 to DartPro 32 or DartPro 98, you may
contact us at DARTECH support.
You can also download the demo versions of Dart XP or Dart XP Pro and
unlock them on this Website in the Products section.
-
If I delete my copy of CD-Recorder V4 or buy a new system, how do I get
a new unlock code?
First, download and install the latest trial version of the
product you own from our Website.
After installing the latest trial/demo version,
here's what you need to do to get a valid full unlock code:
Please note that if you have to reinstall the
software for ANY REASON, you will have to go through this
process again. It is HIGHLY recommended that you print this set of
instructions for future use.
Let us know if you have questions or problems
getting your new code.
Recording Audio with CD-Recorder V4:
-
How do I connect my turntable or stereo system to my PC's soundcard?
The first step you'll need to take to get started recording is to set up
your sound card's connection to the "outside world." There are many
different types of soundcards and audio cards on the market, so the
information we provide here can only give you general guidelines on how
your connections will be made. Please be sure to refer to your sound
device's printed or online documentation when setting up to record from
its inputs. More information on soundcard troubleshooting, as well as
links to many major manufacturers' Websites, can be found in the support
area of our Webpage
(www.dartpro.com).
- You will need to have a stereo patch cable, sometimes called a "Y" cable.
- One end of the cable will be a single 1/8" DIN connector that plugs into the computer.
- The other end will need to have Dual female RCA connectors to plug into the stereo.
- A typical computer soundcard has the following types of physical inputs/outputs available:
* One 1/8" DIN input jack for a microphone (Mic)
* 1/8" DIN "Line In", or similar audio (music) input jack
* 1/8" DIN "Line Out", or similar audio output jack
* An 1/8" DIN output (or outputs) to the speakers
NOTE: Some soundcards now feature an additional input and/or output for
digital signals (signals already converted from analog to digital).
CD-Recorder V4 can also record from these inputs, assuming that you have set up the digital output to input (and vice versa, if necessary) from your external digital device (CD player, DAT machine or stereo receiver with digital output). You must also be certain that your soundcard has selected the digital input as being "active". Check your soundcard documentation for more info on setting this up.
Don't be too concerned if you don't see all of the possible input/output
types available. The only ones that you NEED to have are the speaker
output and the Line Input. Check your soundcard's documentation for more
information on which jacks do which functions. Some users don't always
get printed information, and in that case, your soundcard manufacturer's
Website will also be a good resource for information.
Plug the single DIN connector on the patch cable into the audio input
plug-in on the computer sound card. (See Fig. 1 below.)
(Figure 1)
Click to enlarge
On the back of the stereo, choose one of the following to connect to the
PC (the PC will appear as just another component to the stereo):
- "Aux. Out" (for Auxiliary), or "Line Out", or "Tape2", or "Tape Out", etc.
- Each one will be labeled as either an input or output, along with: L (Left) or R (Right) (See Fig. 1 above).
- Pick one of these output pairs (L /R is one pair).
- Plug the dual-end RCA connectors into the output pair (L /R).
- Match the color coding on the cables and receptors for L & R. These are usually red and white, but can be red and black.
-
How do I control, or adjust, my soundcard's input signal level?
After DART CD-Recorder V4 is installed, you must set your input recording
volume:
- Double-click on the icon next to the clock that looks like a speaker. This will bring up the "Volume Control". If you don't see this control, you may also be able to access by going to "Start" / "Programs" / "Accessories" / "Multimedia" or "Entertainment" / "Volume Control"
- Click on the "Options" menu and select "Properties."
- Under "Properties" select "Adjust volume for" as "Recording" and make sure all of the volume controls are selected/checked on the bottom of the "Properties" dialog box. Click on "OK."
- Now the "Recording Control" Dialog box will appear. Make sure that the proper line is selected (Usually "Line-In" or "Line"). The proper option must be selected or you will not be able to record any of the input. To select the proper line, you must make sure the correct "Select" option box is checked.
- Use the vertical slider to adjust the input level of the source you
are recording from to the proper volume. The proper volume would be when the DART CD-Recorder V4 can record a soundfile and there is no clipping of the sound while recording.
-
Can I record audio directly to MP3 format?
Currently, no. This version of CD-Recorder V4 doesn't include the
capability to record, or encode, audio information into the MPEG3 (MP3) format. However, there are several free players available on the Internet that CAN encode audio to MP3. Just a few examples are: WinAmp, Xing, RealJukebox, and MusicMatch.
-
How do I start recording a new file?
NOTE: First, make sure that all of your audio connections are sound and that you've adjusted your input level on your soundcard with the directions given above. If you don't have these items taken care of first, the following steps will not yield a useable recording.
Unless the audio you want is on an existing audio CD, you should record
from your external audio source as if it were a vinyl record, cassette, or
other similar analog source. If you want to get tracks from an audio CD,
use the "Read Track" function described below.
Within CD-Recorder V4, select the "Record" button (the button that
looks like a vinyl record). A dialogue box appears asking you to name the
new file that will be recorded and in what hard drive and/or folder you'd
like it to be saved. We HIGHLY suggest having a folder on your system that
does nothing but store your audio (for example, "C:\My Audio"). Select
the folder where you want to save the file, type in the name you want your
new recording to have and then click on "Save".
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What parameters should I set when recording a new file?
You should now be in the "Record" dialogue box. You need to select the
correct Sample Rate, Channel Type, and number of bits you want to use when
recording your new file.
- Sample Rate: We suggest that if you are recording from a record, LP, or tape that you use 22KHz Sample Rate. However if you are recording from a Mini-Disc, DAT Tape, or any high fidelity audio source you should select the 44Khz Sample Rate.
- Channel Type: Unless you are recording from a mono source (only one channel, no left or right output), you should probably leave "Stereo" selected. Stereo means that thee are two pieces of an audio recording, one channel represents the left output, and the other channel represents the right output.
- Number of Bits: Finally, select the number of bits (8 or 16).
Selecting 8-bit gives you less quality than 16; however, it will be half
the size of a 16-bit sound file.
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What do I do in the record window once I've set my record parameters?
- Now that your decibel level is where you want it, and you've set
your parameters, you can start recording the input. Start the audio source
that you'll be recording and click the "Record" button in the
record
dialog box. You are now recording everything that you hear from the audio source.
- When the music from the source stops playing or you want to stop
recording, click the Stop button in the record box and stop your
audio source. Next click on "OK".
You should now see your audio file in the file list box (in the middle
portion of the file panel).
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How long of an audio file can I record?
You can record any file up to the amount of empty hard drive space that you have in your system.
The software currently 'caps' recordings at 2GB in length. This means that you can record 2048MB of data. At 44.1kHz, 16-bit stereo (CD format for audio), this would amount to roughly 200 minutes of audio data. You can, of course, also record more tracks, but we will always have to work with whatever empty hard drive space is available.
-
Can I cut longer recordings into shorter pieces?
Yes, just use the following 'Unpack' process to break longer recordings
into smaller pieces.
- Select the recorded file that you want to Unpack.
- Go to the toolbox menu and click on "Unpack."
- You will then see a dialog window containing the following controls:
- Minimum Separation time (in seconds): You have to set this according to the smallest amount of silence between your songs. It gives the program a base to begin looking for silences beyond what you specified.
- Detection Threshold: The selection (anything between 1 and 1000) should be made in accordance with the recording level and intensity of background noise. If the threshold is too low detector may fail to localize silences between subsequent tracks; if it is too high silent parts of the recording may be mistakenly classified as breaks.
- The "Find" button: In case there is a piece of silence at
the beginning of the recording, even if it is fairly short, you can press
the "Find" button situated next to the detection threshold box and
the value of the threshold will be adjusted automatically.
- After making the necessary selections, you are ready to Unpack. Click
the Process button.
- You should now see the Verify Cuts dialogue Box with the following items:
- Total number of cuts proposed: This is the total number of
cuts that the program suggests.
NOTE: You may have some tracks that you don't want. After making
the cuts you can just delete these. Sometimes it is better to accept all
of the cuts (unless they are in the middle of a song) and just delete the
files that you don't want in your playlist.
- Cut No.: When you select the Cut number, you can listen to the
cut by clicking Play. If you decide you do not want that cut, click
Reject.
- Change: This allows you to change the file name prefix of the
tracks you are separating.
- Playing Time (seconds): This is the length of time (seconds)
in between each song.
- Process: Click Process when you are satisfied with your cuts
and selections, and the program will begin to unpack your songs.
- Cancel: Click Cancel if you are unsatisfied with your cuts and
the program will not do anything to your original sound file. After
clicking cancel, you can try the Unpack utility again with a higher or
lower threshold, respectively.
- After making all of the necessary selections and you are happy with
your cuts, you can click on "Process" to unpack your sound
file.
When the Unpack utility is complete, you should see all of your tracks,
separated and named with the correct track number following the file name
prefix.
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How do I get, or 'read', tracks from my audio CDs?
- If the audio track you want is on an existing audio CD, click on
the
"Read Track" button (it is the button that looks like a CD with
music notes on it).
- Select the tracks that you want to record. If you are not sure which
track you want, you can listen to the CD using the controls near the
bottom of the dialogue box.
- After selecting the track that you want, click on the "Add"
button. If all you are doing is copying the entire CD, you can click on
the "Add All" button.
- Before you begin to copy tracks from your CD, you should select the
correct read speed of your CD-ROM drive from the drop down list labeled
"Read Speed."
- You may want to change the file name prefix if you are recording from
multiple sources so you don't get confused about which file is which. To
do this, click on the "change" button, type in the appropriate
name, and click "OK."
- The program will now begin copying the CD tracks you have selected.
- Repeat these steps until you have all of the songs you want to
record.
Remember, you have a limit of seventy-four minutes when you are recording
on to CDs.
Editing Audio with CD-Recorder V4:
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What does DirectX mean and what are DirectX plugins?
DirectX technology, designed by Microsoft for the Windows family of
operating systems, allows you to create and run multimedia applications
(called 'Plug-Ins') on any Windows-based PC, no matter what the hardware.
Dart CD-Recorder V4 includes five DirectX plugins:
- DeClick: This plugin removes those infamous pops and clicks
that are often heard when playing a record.
- DeHiss: This plugin reduces the high frequency "hiss" that
accompanies many audio recordings.
- Trim Length: CDs are capable of holding up to 74 minutes worth
of audio data. This means that when you write your music to a CD, you need
to stay within that 74-minute limit. Obviously, you will not always be
able to stay exactly with in 74 minutes, and that is where the Trim Length
plugin comes in to play. The Trim Length Plugin allows the user to fit all
of the songs into the 74-minute limit without affecting the audible output
of your music.
- Resample: This plugin performs sample rate conversions between
both standard and nonstandard sampling rates. You can use this utility to
alter the sampling rate of the digital recording. Since all CD players
"read" audio signals with a 44.1kHz speed you have to convert all audio
files to this standard rate prior to putting it on a CD.
- CD Format: This plugin converts your sound file from its
original format to 44.1khz (44,100-hertz) 16-bit stereo sound, which is
the format that CDs use.
You may also find other DirectX plugins included in the DirectX bin that
other developers might have created.
-
Can I run my audio through plug-ins as I record them?
The only way to use DirectX plug-ins currently is to apply them to audio
that has already been recorded. DirectX filters will only process output
and are not available to apply to input signals to the computer. You
would simply have to record your audio "dry" and then apply your DirectX
effect or filter later on during the playback/editing process.
-
What's my first step in restoring audio with the DART plug-ins?
You'll really have to decide for yourself what, if any, kind of
restoration or cleaning that a recording needs to have performed on it.
If there are too many clicks (for your tastes) then you'll want to use the
DeClick plugin, if there's too much hiss (high end), then you'll want to
use the DeHiss plugin. Since the decision of what processes to use on a
file is so subjective, you'll want to experiment with the different
filters to become comfortable with their use. At that point, you'll be
able to better determine which functions may be necessary and the best
settings to use.
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How and when do I use the CD Format plug-in?
You can use the DART CD Format plug-in if you need to change the sample
rate of a particular WAVE file (it will NOT work with MP3 files) to the
format it will need when put on the CD. The most common reason to do this
would be to prepare audio to be put onto CD (example: resample from 48kHZ
or 22KHz to 44.1kHZ). This plug-in is similar to the "Resample" plug-in,
but ONLY allows for the sample rate (44.1kHz), bit depth (16-bit), and
stereo format that is used on a regular 'Red Book' audio CD.
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How and when do I use the DeClick plug-in?
To remove the clicks and pops from an audio file, you need to use the
DeClick DirectX plugin.
- Select the file that you want to clean up.
- Go to the DirectX plugin dialogues box (the icon that looks like a
power plug). The DirectX plugins are located in the Toolbox menu under
DirectX.
- Select the DART DeClick plugin and click OK.
Within the DeClick dialog window, you can use the following options to
control the filter:
- Smoothing: This filter is used to smooth/reconstruct the
signal in the
first stage of the noise canceling procedure. Selecting greater values of
the smoothing factor may result in a sound that is relatively clean, but
muffled and dull. Un-checking the smoothing box will turn off smoothing.
We recommend that you keep the smoothing at its default values until you
are more familiar with how it works.
- Postfiltering: Postfiltering is effective in reducing tape
hiss and
surface noise. It can provide considerable rates of noise suppression on
silent parts in the recording, and still retain sharpness and freshness of
the original sound in its louder parts where the noise is less audible.
Un-checking the Postfiltering box will turn off Postfiltering. We
recommend that you keep Postfiltering at its default values until you are
familiar with how it works.
- Outlier Detector: The outlier detector is a device used to
localize
impulsive disturbances throughout your sound file. Setting the detector at
low values could cause the file to sound like there more clicks than
before or make the music sound like it is clipping, because to low of a
detection threshold would set off too many false alarms. On the other
hand, when relatively large values of detection threshold are adopted, the
detector may become to "tolerant" and fail to isolate small noise pulses.
Un-checking the detection threshold will turn of the device. However, if
smoothing and Postfiltering are unchecked as well then the resulting file
will be identical to the original one.
- Maximum Length of Detection Alarms: The maximum length of
detection
alarms, which can be chosen in the range <1,100>, determines the maximum
number of samples in a row that can be scheduled for reconstruction in the
automatic detection mode. We recommend you use the default value of 50.
- You may want to change the name of your new file, and you can do this
by clicking on the "Change" button. When the dialogue box pops up,
enter the name you want to use, and click Save.
- You are now ready to De-Click. Click on the Process button.
- After the processing is complete, your file will be created with the
resulting changes.
You can now play the new file to make sure it is to your liking.
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How and when do I use the DeHiss plug-in?
To remove the tape hiss or other high frequency hiss from an audio file,
you need to use the DeHiss DirectX plugin.
- Select the file that you want to clean up.
- Go to the DirectX plugin dialog (the icon that looks like a power
plug). The DirectX plugins are also located in the Toolbox menu under
DirectX.
- Select the DART DeHiss plugin and click OK.
Within the DeHiss dialog window, you can use the following options to
control the filter:
When tuning the renovation filter, you have to rely on your own subjective
evaluation of the results. Even though, as the Romans used to say, "De
gustibus non est disputandum" ("There is no accounting for tastes"), we
beg you: please, do not forget about the signal in your pursuit of
removing the noise. Adopting values that are too large in the gain factor
may result in a sound that is noiseless, but sounds DEAD.
- After setting your values for the filter, you need to choose the name
and location where the new filtered file will be saved. You can do this
by clicking on the "Change" button. When the dialog box pops up,
select
the folder where you want to file saved and enter the name you want to
use, then click Save.
- You are now ready to De-Click. Click on the Process button.
- After the processing is complete, your file will be created with the
resulting changes.
You can now play the new file to make sure it is to your liking.
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How and when do I use the Resample?
You can use the DART Resample plug-in if you need to change the sample
rate of a particular WAVE file (it will NOT work with MP3 files). It will
allow you to convert a file's sample rate from its current value to any of
the default values, or to a 'custom' value. The most common reason to do
this would be to prepare audio to be put onto CD (example: resample from
48kHZ or 22KHz to 44.1kHZ). This plug-in is similar to the "CD Format"
plug-in, but allows for greater flexibility with regards to the sample
rates choices that are available.
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How and when do I use the Trim Length?
Suppose there are exactly 3 minutes left on your recordable CD and the
recording you would like to include is 3 minutes and 5 seconds long ...
The easiest way to cope with such a situation is to 'shorten' the material
while keeping the original sampling rate unchanged. Of course, all length
alterations affect the pitch of the audio signal. However, if the changes
are not significant, e.g., if the new length does not differ by more than
+/- 5% from the old one, pitch variations remain practically unnoticeable.
The Trim length utility allows you to freely adjust the length of the
recording by means of specifying the new length expressed as a percentage
rate of the original one (to set this rate use the scroll buttons or type
in a desired value). If the attempted changes are not cosmetic, i.e., they
exceed the +/- 5% safety margin, the red 'safety alert' light is turned on
to warn you of possible hazards.
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Can I convert my MP3 (.mp3) files to WAVE (.wav) format? If
so, how?
CD-Recorder V4 DOES allow you to convert MP3 files that you've encoded, or
downloaded from the Internet, into the WAVE format. This is necessary to
put this type of audio onto a standard audio CD.
- Select the MP3 file that you want to convert to Wave, from the middle "File Panel".
- Click on "Decode Files", which is under the List menu.
- If you are unsure of the file you want, you can audition the MP3's by selecting them and using the "Play" button.
- If you would like to change the directory or name of the WAVE file that will be created, click on the "Change" button (NOTE: By default, the WAVE will be saved to the same folder where the MP3 exists on your hard drive).
- After you have named your file, you can click Save. At the bottom of the screen there are a number of selections. If you're preparing these MP3s to be put onto an audio CD, you should select 44kHz, 16-bit stereo.
- Sample Rate
- Channel type
- Number of Bits
- After making the appropriate selections, you can click OK and the program will begin conversion.
- After conversion is complete, you should see the new file that you named. This file will be in .wav format, and the original MP3 will not be replaced.
Keep in mind that versions of 4.1 or higher can perform this conversion "on the fly", during the actual creation of the audio CD.
To do this, simply build your playlist with MP3 files and select the "Write to Audio CD" feature. Only do this with MP3 files that are "final" versions (ones that include all edits that you want to commit to the CD). The necessary conversion from MP3 to audio CD format will be done while the data is on its way from the hard drive to the CD burner. We do NOT recommend that you burn in this fashion at speeds faster than 8x.
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Can I convert my MIDI (*.mid) files to WAVE (*.wav) to put them
on a CD?
CD-Recorder V4 allows you to convert MIDI (*.mid) files that you've
recorded, or downloaded from the Internet, into the WAVE format. This is
necessary to put this type of audio onto a standard audio CD.
- Click on "Convert MIDI to Wav", which is under the "List"
menu.
- In the top left part of the screen, select the directory your MIDI
are in using the left box. The files should appear in the right box.
- Find and select the MIDI file that you want to convert to Wav.
- If you are unsure of the file you want to use, you can audition the
MIDI files by selecting them and using the "Play" button.
- It may also be necessary to make changes to your soundcard's MIDI
setup. You can access MIDI input/output level controls by clicking on the
"Settings" button. The settings listed have the following
functions
(depending on the audio card some sliders may be mutually coupled and/or
inactive):
- MIDI Output: This controls the output volume that
CD-Recorder V4
will use when playing the MIDI file to the computer's soundcard.
- MIDI Input: This controls the input volume that CD-Recorder V4
will
use when playing the MIDI file to the computer's soundcard.
- Wave Input: This controls how loud the audio recording volume
will be
when recording the signal generated by the soundcard. NOTE: It may be
necessary to make additional changes to your Windows "Volume Control"
mixer window to allow the audio signal from the soundcard to be seen by
our software. Use the following guidelines below if you don't seem to be
getting any wave input when testing MIDI playback in the "Settings"
window:
- Double-click on the icon next to the clock that looks like a
speaker.
This will bring up the "Volume Control". If you don't see this control,
you may also be able to access by going to "Start" / "Programs" /
"Accessories" / "Multimedia" or "Entertainment" / "Volume Control"
- Click on the "Options" menu and select "Properties."
- Under "Properties" select "Adjust volume for" as
"Recording" and make sure all of the volume controls are
selected/checked on the bottom of the "Properties" dialog box. Click on
"OK."
- Now the "Recording Control" dialog box will appear. Make sure that
the proper line is selected (Usually "Stereo Out" or "Mix Out" when
recording MIDI output). The proper option must be selected or you will not
be able to record any of the input. To select the proper line, you must
make sure the correct "Select" option box is checked. NOTE: You
must come back and change the selected input when going back and forth
from recording MIDI or recording audio from the soundcard.
- Use the vertical slider to adjust the input level of the source you
are recording from to the proper volume. The proper volume would be when
the DART CD-Recorder V4 can record a soundfile and there is no clipping of
the sound while recording.
- Current Mixer Device: Some computers (or users) have more than
1 available MIDI device they can use. If you have more than 1 device, you
can select which one you'll use by using this pull down menu.
- Use Windows Mixer settings: If you wish to accept the current
Windows multimedia mixer settings for MIDI input/output AND Wave input,
check the 'Use Windows mixer settings' box at the top of the
dialog.
- You may also need to set the "Single Instrument" that Windows will use
to play this MIDI file. You can do this in Windows by going to Control
Panels / Multimedia / MIDI . Make sure that the soundcard's 'synth' or
'synthesizer' is selected instead of an MPU-401, or other listing. If
you're not sure on this, contact our support professionals for help on the
proper selection.
- NOTE: You can actually use this feature to convert a MIDI playing in the PC
(via a software player/sequencer) to an external MIDI keyboard or
'rack-mount' sound module. Just select the proper MIDI out port (MPU-401 or
compatible, usually) in the window mentioned above and set your sound card
to record normally from the Wave In port. This is a more advanced feature
and we recommend you contact us before setting it up to verify your
configuration.
- If you would like to change the directory, or name, of the converted
MIDI file, click on the "Change" button. After you have selected
the folder where it will be saved or re-named your file, you can click
Save.
- At the bottom of the screen there are number of selections that
you'll see for how the wave file will be recorded:
- Sample Rate (44.1kHz recommended)
- Channel type (stereo recommended)
- Number of Bits (16-bit recommended)
- After making the appropriate selections, you can click OK and
the program will begin conversion.
After conversion is complete, you should see the new file that you named.
This file will be in .wav format, and the original MIDI file will not be
replaced.
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How and when should I delete my original recorded files from
the hard drive?
We wouldn't recommend deleting files that you've recorded and/or edited
from your hard drive until after you've had a chance to burn your CD AND
listen to it. Once you've verified that the burnt CD is correct and
sounds good, then you'll want to free up that drive space.
You can delete unwanted audio files by selecting them in the middle File
panel window. After selecting the file, you'll want to right-click on the
file and select "Delete" from the menu displayed. This will delete
the selected audio track from your system.
Using the 'Producer' in CD-Recorder V4:
-
What does the 'Producer' do?
DART CD-Recorder V4 allows you to process audio files in the 'Producer'
prior to listening to the playlist or saving it on a CD. The list of
available processing functions in the Producer includes:
- DeClicking: removing clicks, pops and record scratches
- DeHissing: reducing wideband, high frequency noise
- Equalizing: shaping the frequency content of an audio signal
- Fading in/out: modifying the volume of the recording at its
beginning and/or end
- Normalizing: adjusting the dynamic range of an audio signal
To start processing, press the PRODUCER button (situated on the
toolbar) or select the Producer command from the Toolbox menu. The
Producer Panel will appear, replacing the File Panel. On the left-hand
side of the Producer Panel you will find several blocks, each representing
a different processing tool.
To activate the tool, click on the indicator inside the corresponding
block; after clicking the indicator will turn green. To select a tool
without changing its activity status, click on the corresponding block
(which should NOT turn on the green light). The control panel for the
selected tool is shown on the right-hand side of the Producer Panel.
-
Can I run my audio through the Producer as I record it?
The only way to use the Producer currently is to "process", to apply its
changes, to audio that has already been recorded. The Producer's filters
will only process output and are not available to apply to input signals
to the computer. You would simply have to record your audio "dry" and
then apply your changes in the Producer during the playback/editing
process.
-
What's my first step in using the Producer with my audio files?
Prior to using the Producer, you'll need to add some WAVE (*.wav) or MP3
(*.mp3) files to your playlist. These are the files that MAY be processed
by the Producer. It offers various options as to which of these files
will be processed, and how.
NOTE: If you create a playlist that has both MP3 and WAVE files, that ONLY
WAVE files can be processed with the Producer. MP3 files will be 'hidden'
while you are using the Producer on WAVE files in the playlist. After you
finish with the Producer, the MP3 files will return, in their same
location, on your playlist. If you wish to process an MP3 file with the
Producer, you MUST convert that file to a WAVE file first. Please see the
section in the online Help, or this page, on converting MP3 files to WAVE
files.
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How and when do I use DeClick?
The Sensitivity slider allows you to control the sensitivity of the
outlier detector (click detector). If the sensitivity is too small, the
detector may become too tolerant and fail to isolate small noise pulses;
if the sensitivity is too large it may be overly fussy, i.e. raise too
many false alarms introducing noticeable signal distortions.
The Click size slider can be used to specify the maximum number of samples
in a row that can be scheduled for reconstruction (anything between 1 and
100). Don't select values that are larger than necessary.
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How and when do I use DeHiss?
The Reduction rate slider allows you to control the degree of noise
attenuation (noise reduction). If the reduction rate is too small, the
restored signal will contain an audible residual noise; if it is too
large, the sound will become dull, muted and/or distorted.
The High frequency attenuation slider can be used to suppress the high
frequency components of an audio signal. It allows you to trade off
between the richness of the sound and the level of residual noise.
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How and when do I use Equalize?
The Producer's EQ is a 10-band graphic EQ that allows you to shape the
frequency content of your audio, similar to the EQ controls on your home
or car stereo.
The Band sliders (individual sliders controlling a general frequency
range) allow you to change the frequency content of an audio signal. Each
slider corresponds to a different frequency band.
The Gain slider allows you to change the volume of an audio signal. Each
time you amplify a certain signal component (by moving a band slider above
its neutral position) or increase the volume of the recording (by moving
the gain slider to the right of its neutral position), make sure that the
signal is not clipped. When clipping occurs, the Clip indicator lights up.
Since clipping may result in audible sound distortions and it should be
avoided. To eliminate clipping, reduce the volume of the recording using
the gain slider.
The Presets pull-down menu allows you to load one of nine standard
equalization presets (Flat, Bass cut/boost, Treble cut/boost, Mid
cut/boost, Side cut/boost).
At this time, you cannot save your own custom presets.
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How and when do I use Fade In/Out?
The Fade in slider allows you to gradually increase the volume at the
beginning of the recording. The Fade out slider allows you to gradually
decrease the volume at the end of the recording.
The fade in/out time can be anything between 20 ms (milliseconds) and 20 s
(seconds).
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How and when do I use Normalize?
The Normalization level slider allows you to adjust the dynamic range of
an audio signal. When the slider is in its rightmost position the entire
available dynamic range is used, i.e. the maximum peak value of the
normalized signal attains its largest allowable value (just below the clip
level). This is generally encouraged, as it will attain the best possible
recording to CD.
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How do I listen to my results while using the Producer's tools?
The preview panel, situated beneath the tools' control area, allows you to
preview the results of processing.
To check a particular tool's results, click that tools button (Fade, for
example) on the left side of the Producer Panel, and choose Selected from
the Tools checklist. Then, choose the processing Mode (On-line or
Off-line) and Range (All, From cursor, Local). Finally, press the Play
result button.
If your computer is fast enough to work in the on-line mode, DART
CD-Recorder V4 will allow you to listen to the results of processing while
changing the tool's settings. Each time you modify any of the settings,
the green Ready light will go off. It will be switched on again as soon as
the results obtained under the new settings are available. At any time
during the test, you can press the Play source button to bypass
processing and listen to the original recording.
If your computer is too slow to perform changes in real time, choose the
Off-line processing mode. In cases like this, all experiments will be
performed off-line on a short fragment of the recording centered on the
cursor (local preview area).
To check the results yielded by all activated filters, choose
Activated
from the Tools checklist. Note that you can only preview in the
Off-line/Local mode, if more than one tool is activated.
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How do I select the files that will be run through the
Producer?
There are three methods to select which playlist file(s) will be changed
when using the Producer. You can make this selection in the Producer
window, just above the "Process" button.
-
"All" files: This will "process", or apply selected changes to, all
files in the current playlist.
- "Tagged" files: This will "process, or apply selected changes
to, all "tagged" files in the playlist. Tagged files are the ones with
the "x" in the box directly to the left of the track name in the playlist.
You can add or remove the tag by clicking on that checkbox.
- "Selected" file: This will "process", or apply selected
changes to, only the currently selected, or highlighted, file in the
playlist. When choosing this option, only one file can be selected at a
time. To process more than one file at a time, use the "Tagged" option
and tag the files that will be changed.
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What is the difference between a tool being "Activated" and
"Selected"?
Within the CD-Recorder V4 Producer, tools can be either activated or
selected (or both). The difference basically determines how a file, or
group of files, will be processed when all changes are ready to be
made.
"Selected" tools: When you click on a tool's button (on the tool's
name, for example) to access that tool, it is "selected". When selected,
the button will highlight, but the green light indicator will NOT. When
having a tool selected, you can make changes and preview them (either in
off-line or on-line mode). However, if you select "Process", no changes
in a "selected" tool will be made UNLESS you change the "Tools" menu from
"Activated" to "Selected". Selected tools ONLY run in On-line mode.
"Activated" tools: When you click on the green light indicator of a
tool's button, it will turn "on". This means that the selected tool is now
"Activated". You can activate any series of tools by clicking on their
green light in this fashion. By activating a series of tools, you're
indicating that you want all of these tools to act upon the audio that
will be changed. For example, if you "activate" DeClick, DeHiss, and Fade
(by turning each of their green lights "on"), the settings for those 3
filters will be applied to the files that will be processed (determined by
the "Files to process" menu). In this example, any changes that might
have been made to Equalizer or Normalize will be ignored, since they were
NOT activated. Previewing any number of audio files through more than 1
activated tool MUST be done in "Off-line" mode. There is NO way of
changing this. The only way to preview a tool in On-line mode is to
activate only 1 tool at a time.
-
What is the difference between a tool being run "On-line" or
"Off-line" mode?
"On-line mode": Tools run in this mode allow you to hear changes as
they are being made. This means that, if your computer is fast enough,
you'll be able to play the file, make changes to the selected tool (EQ,
for example), and hear the effect of those changes in 'real-time' (on the
fly). This is VERY useful for quickly obtaining the results you're
looking for, as you can quickly and easily adjust the tools to your
taste.
"Off-line mode": Tools run in this mode do NOT allow you to hear
changes as they are being made. Instead, you would have to make a change,
then click on "Play result", and the result will be created and then
played. This is generally slower than the "On-line" mode, but it is
required when "activating" several tools at once. It may also be
necessary if you computer isn't quite fast enough to handle the processing
required to run in "On-line" mode.
-
What does the "Range" pull-down menu do? How do I use it?
The "Range" menu allows you to choose what area of the selected file you
will listen to when previewing changes in the Producer's window. There
are three options for the Range:
- "All": This will start preview playback at the beginning of
the file and play through till the end.
- "Cursor": This will start preview playback from the current
cursor position (in the Overview bar) and continue to the end of the
file. Cursor position is indicated by the position of the vertical yellow
bar in the "Overview" bar at the top of the Producer's window. To change
the cursor's position, left-click the Overview bar in the location you'd
like playback to start. You'll also see the black area (which denotes
"Local playing time") move with the cursor as well.
- "Local": This is short for "Local playing time". When
choosing Local, a small section of the audio, centered on the current
cursor position, will be played. You can change the amount of time that
will be played by going to the "View" menu and selecting "Options".
You'll be able to enter a value between 0.1 seconds and 100 seconds in the
"Local playing time in Producer" control. The black area of the Overview
bar indicates the current "Local" section.
-
What does "tagged" mean? How do I "tag" a file for processing?
Tagging a file happens in the playlist, the far right section of the main
window. After adding tracks to your playlist, they can be tagged for a
variety of reasons (removal, processing, etc.). You can tag a file, or
group of files, by clicking on the empty box to the left of the track(s)
listing in the playlist. When an "X" is in that box, the file(s) is/are
"tagged". You can click the box again to remove a tag from a file. This
is important to remember, as you can set the Producer to process only
tagged files with a set of filter changes, and then switch your tags (to a
different set of files) and process those differently.
-
What's the black bar at the top used for? How do I change its
settings?
The "Overview" strip is a graphic representation of the selected audio
file (the highlighted playlist item). The position within the soundfile
is indicated by the yellow cursor. To change the cursor position, place
the mouse pointer anywhere on the overview strip and depress the left
mouse button - this will allow you to sample different fragments of an
audio file when tuning processing tools. The black strip around the
cursor marks the local preview area. To change the size of this area,
adjust the local preview time using the Options dialog available from the
View menu.
-
Can I process MP3 files using the tools in the Producer?
As long as you are using CD-Recorder 4.1 or higher, you can use the
Producer's tools to edit an MP3 file, without having to convert that MP3 to
a WAVE file first. The Producer will convert the MP3 files to WAVE files
(in CD Format) prior to the editing process.
- If you have DART's MP3 encoder for CD-Recorder installed, the new WAVE
files will be able to be re-encoded to MP3 after the edits have been made.
This allow for MP3 to MP3 audio editing with the Producer's tools).
- If you do NOT have DART's MP3 encoder for CD-Recorder installed, the
Producer will simply save the results to a new WAVE file (in the same
folder where the MP3, that was edited, is located).
Making an Audio CD From a Playlist:
- What's a 'playlist'?
A playlist is a description of files that will be put on to an audio CD.
It can consist of as little as 1 song, or as many as 99 (up to 74 minutes
worth). When creating a playlist, you're deciding what files you've
recorded (and want to put on CD) will be track 1, or track 2, for example.
You can also determine the 'gap time' (silent spaces) between the tracks
burnt to the new CD (this is described below in "Can I
adjust the gap time (silent section) between songs? If so, how?")
NOTE: We also support creating playlists and audio CDs greater than the
standard 74 minute length. To get more information on that feature, click
"How do I create CDs over 74 minutes in length?"
-
How do I create a playlist?
Creating a playlist simply means selecting audio files from the middle
portion of the File Panel and adding them to the right panel, the Playlist
panel. When you first start CD-Recorder V4, you'll be in a 'new list'
window, meaning that you're already working on a new playlist. You can
also choose to load a playlist that you've been working on previously.
To load an existing playlist, use the "List" menu and select
"Load". Open the playlist you've been working on to continue the
process of putting it on CD.
-
Where do I find my files to add?
- To choose the WAVE or MP3 files that you want in your playlist, go
to the directory folder that they are located in (in the File panel's left
side) and select them. To select only the files that you want, hold down
the "Ctrl" key and click on the files. When you are done choosing the
files you want, click on the "Add" button.
- If you want all of the files in the selected folder to be added to
the play list, simply click "Add All."
Repeat steps one and two until you have all of the files you need in your
play list.
-
Can I save a playlist to work on it later?
CD-Recorder V4 allows you to save a play list you're working on and come
back to it later. Keep in mind that if you delete any audio files that a
play list references that they will not be available to burn to your
CD.
- Go to the "List" menu.
- Choose the menu item called "Save" or "Save As".
- You will now be prompted to enter a name for the play list. Name the
play list so that you will remember what it contains. Doing this will save
you time and energy in the future when you have more play lists.
- When you have entered the new name, click Save.
Now, the next time you need those audio files all you have to do is open
up the play list that contains them.
-
How do I adjust the order of songs on the CD?
While working on files you've added to the playlist, you may wish to
change the order of songs in your current list. You can adjust the order
of tracks in a playlist by using the 'up' and 'down' arrow buttons at the
upper and lower portions of the playlist window respectively. These will
move the currently selected playlist item in the direction shown. When
you're happy with your order, you're ready to move to the next step.
-
Can I adjust the gap time (silent section) between songs? If
so, how?
Setting the gap time between tracks recorded to the CD is very easy with
CD-Recorder V4. Simply double-left click on a playlist item and you'll
get a dialog that gives you information about the file (sample rate, size,
etc.) and the option to set the amount of silence (in seconds) that will
FOLLOW the track. You'll also have the option to set this gap time for
all tracks in a playlist.
-
How do I create CDs over 74 minutes in length? (i.e. use 80 or 84 minute CD
blanks)
You have to enable this feature by selecting it in the Options menu.
To enable this, go to View / Options / Devices and click on the option
labeled Allow CD-R overburn. Select your Maximum audio CD capacity below.
In the current version (4.1.3 - as of this entry), the maximum allowed is
84 minutes, 59 seconds. This may be increased in future versions.
NOTE: We've seen that trying to 'squeeze' extra audio data onto a CD
designed for longer playing times can cause some players not to read it
properly. If you're having problems, we recommend that you try disabling
this feature or simply create lower maximum audio CDs.
Also NOTE: We don't currently test the capability of either the CD-R/CD-RW
or media to automatically set the maximum. You should use the your CD
burner drive's capabilities as your guide. If you try to use 84 min. CD
blanks with a burner that only supports 80, you should set 80 as your
maximum. Check the CD-R or CD-RW documentation for information on max.
media length supported.
-
Can I add text info, such as artist, title, etc., to my CD
(CD+Text)?
We've recently added support (in version 4.1.3 and later) for creating
audio CDs with embedded CD+T (CD+Text) information. CD+Text is an extension
of the existing audio CD standard ("Red Book") that adds the ability to
store text information like album titles, artist names, and song titles on a
music CD. This information is stored in such a way that it doesn't interfere
with the normal operation of any CD players or CD-ROM drives. But, the
player or drive must support reading it for it to be displayed (whether it's
in PC software or home component CD player).
Many audio CDs don't already have this information, so you'll have to add it
yourself. We've included a handy feature for that, which can map and insert
that information when using the CDDB CD information database (now GraceNote)
. This online resource can "identify" the contents of thousands of CDs,
from many artists, over the Internet. NOTE: If the Display CD Text
information option is not enabled, all CD Text details will be ignored and
replaced with the CDDB information - provided it is available and enabled.
NOTE: Your CD-ROM or CD burner (CD-R or CD-RW) must support reading or
writing of the CD+T format (check the manufacturers website for drive
specs.) to be able to use this feature. Some support reading, others both
and some only writing. If any menu options for using CD+T information are
"grayed", your selected drive doesn't support it or there's no CD+T
information on the CD.
-
How do I use the CD+Text feature?
- Reading CD Text discs: CD Text becomes an increasingly popular extension to audio CDs. For example,
most of the CDs published by Sony after 1997 are CD Text encoded.
DART CD Recorder allows you to add CD Text information to your playlist at
the time you are saving the original CD Text audio tracks. To read a CD Text
info you need a CD-ROM drive or CD recorder which supports CD Text and which
is supported for this feature by DART CD Recorder. You will know whether
this is the case after opening the Read track dialog - when the CD Text
format is enabled the Display CD Text information checkbox, placed in the
lower part of the dialog, is active.
To copy audio tracks along with the associated CD Text information, activate
the CD Text display (check the Display CD Text information checkbox) and
make sure the lifted tracks will be automatically added to the playlist
(check the Add tracks to the playlist checkbox). Then select tracks for
reading and press OK.
NOTICE: If the Display CD Text information option is not enabled, all CD Text
details will be ignored and replaced with the CDDB information - provided it
is available and enabled.
- Managing CD Text information: DART CD Recorder allows you to add CD Text information to a created playlist
and, if your CD recorder supports this feature, to record a CD Text audio
disc. To provide, modify or view CD Text information corresponding to a particular
playlist item evoke the File info dialog by double-clicking the item (or by
choosing the Info command from the shortcut menu, which appears after
clicking the item with the right mouse button).
The basic CD Text details (3 lines of text) are displayed (when available)
inside the CD-R group. To provide, modify or view the entire CD Text
information, evoke the Edit CD Text information dialog by clicking the Edit
button in the CD-R group.
To provide or check information about the entire collection, i.e. about all
playlist items, evoke the Disc information dialog by clicking the Edit
button situated in the Disc info group, at the top of the Edit CD Text
information dialog. If some of the disc details are common for all playlist
items (performer, songwriter, composer etc.), fill in the corresponding
sections of the disc info and press the Fill empty tracks button to copy
this information to all track records. In many cases this should save you a
lot of typing. Then fill in the remaining disc details.
NOTICE: Since a typical playlist is a compilation list, you have to fill in the
'Disc information' part of CD Text by yourself - this part is not copied
from a CD Text disc, even if all playlist items originate from the same CD.
- Creating CD Text discs: Creating a CD Text disc requires a CD recorder which supports the CD Text
feature and which is supported for this feature by DART CD Recorder. You
will know whether this is the case after opening the Write to CD dialog -
when the CD Text format is enabled the Write CD Text information checkbox,
placed in the middle part of the dialog, is active.
- To create a CD Text audio disc:
- Arrange audio files into a playlist.
- Provide CD Text information for each playlist item and for the entire collection.
- Evoke the Write to CD dialog by clicking the WRITE TO CD button on thetoolbar or selecting the Write to CD command from the List menu.
- Check the Write CD Text information checkbox in the Write to CD dialog.
- Start recording by pressing the Write button
The following recorders are supported for writing CD-TEXT discs:
- Hewlett Packard 7500 / 8100 / 8200 / M820e / 9100 / 9200
- Plextor 4220T (requires firmware 1.02 or higher)
- Plextor 8220T
- Ricoh 7040 (requires firmware 1.20 or higher)
- Ricoh 7060 / 7080 / 8040 / 9060
- Sony CRX100E / CRX110E / CRX120E / CRX140E / CRX140S
- Teac CD-R56S / CD-R58S (requires firmware 1.0J or higher)
-
Can I convert my MP3 (*.mp3) files to WAVE (*.wav) format? If
so, how?
CD-Recorder V4 DOES allow you to convert MP3 files that you've encoded, or
downloaded from the Internet, into the WAVE format. This is necessary to
put this type of audio onto a standard audio CD.
- Select the MP3 file that you want to convert to Wave, from the middle "File Panel".
- Click on "Decode Files", which is under the List menu.
- If you are unsure of the file you want, you can audition the MP3's by selecting them and using the "Play" button.
- If you would like to change the directory or name of the WAVE file that will be created, click on the "Change" button (NOTE: By default, the WAVE will be saved to the same folder where the MP3 exists on your hard drive).
- After you have named your file, you can click Save. At the bottom of the screen there are a number of selections. If you're preparing these MP3s to be put onto an audio CD, you should select 44kHz, 16-bit stereo.
- Sample Rate
- Channel type
- Number of Bits
- After making the appropriate selections, you can click OK and the program will begin conversion.
- After conversion is complete, you should see the new file that you named. This file will be in .wav format, and the original MP3 will not be replaced.
Keep in mind that versions of 4.1 or higher can perform this conversion "on the fly", during the actual creation of the audio CD.
To do this, simply build your playlist with MP3 files and select the "Write to Audio CD" feature. Only do this with MP3 files that are "final" versions (ones that include all edits that you want to commit to the CD). The necessary conversion from MP3 to audio CD format will be done while the data is on its way from the hard drive to the CD burner. We do NOT recommend that you burn in this fashion at speeds faster than 8x.
-
How do I burn audio CDs from MP3 files 'on the fly'?
Simply build a playlist in the normal fashion, but use MP3 files instead.
Then, click on Write to CD. The system will convert the MP3 files to the
proper format to be used on the audio CD during the burning process. Note
that this feature is NOT the same as creating a data CD of MP3 files (which
has been termed an 'MP3-ROM' CD). We are looking at this feature, but do
not support it at this time.
NOTE: It is recommended that you NOT select a recording speed faster than 8x.
We've seen that some slower systems cannot perform the conversion process
fast enough to provide timely data to the CD burner drive. Using a slower
speed, which we recommend anyway, will better guarantee success. If you
have a faster system, you can try faster speeds, but if it cannot keep up, a
buffer underrun can ruin a CD (unless you also have a BurnProof or JustLink
drive).
-
How do I remove songs from a playlist?
You can use the "Remove" button at the bottom of the playlist
window to remove the currently selected playlist item.
-
How do the different playback modes ('Loop', 'Samp', and
'Norm') work?
(Norm) Normal mode: Plays all soundfiles in the playlist starting
with the currently selected item. Playback stops when the end of the
playlist is reached.
(Loop) Loop mode: Plays all soundfiles in the playlist starting
with the currently selected item. When the end of the playlist is
reached, the first soundfile is selected and the playback is resumed.
(Samp) Sample mode: Plays a five-second fragment of each of the
soundfiles in a playlist, starting with the currently selected item.
Playback stops when the end of the list is reached.
-
How do I burn the audio files from my playlist to a CD?
- Put a blank CD-R or CD-RW disc into your CD-R or CD-RW drive (a
CD-RW will only play on a CD-RW player, like your CD-RW drive).
- Create your playlist (described above) by selecting all of the files
that you want to write to the new CD and click "Add". You can
audition the files before you add them, using the controls at the bottom
of the screen.
- You are now ready to write to CD. Click on the icon at the top of the
screen that looks like a CD with a red line over it.
- You are now in the write to CD Dialogue box. A few things you should
see are:
- CDR Device: This box should contain your CD-RW Drive.
- Recording Speed: With this list you can select the Maximum
rate your CD-RW drive can record at, or you can select the rate you would like to
record at.
- Simulate Disc Creation: When this box is checked and you click
write, the program will perform a test and simulate a write and check for errors,
but will not actually write to CD.
- Write: Click on "Write" to begin the "Write to CD" process.
- Cancel: Click Cancel to return to the main screen.
- After making all of your selections, click the Write
button.
After burning is complete, remove your CD and play it on any CD player or
CD-ROM drive.
-
What speed of CD burning should I select?
The speed that you select to burn depends greatly on your burner and your
level of patience (or impatience, as the case may be).
We will usually recommend burning at a 1x or 2x speed only, as there is a
much lower possibility of write errors and other 'mishaps' that could
produce audible artifacts on the finished CD. However, in the interest of time, you may
be better served by simply choosing "Auto", which will attempt to burn the
CD at the fastest write speed supported by your CD-R or CD-RW. When in
doubt, burn at 2x.
-
How do I use the Burn-Proof support in CD-Recorder 4?
BURN-Proof is a CD-Recording mode that offers protection from recording
errors at the expense of write speed. Continue reading this section to
learn more about BURN-Proof and speed optimization.
BURN-Proof corrects errors caused by Buffer Under-RuN. Hence the term:
BURN-Proof. Buffer Under-Run errors cause the production of useless discs ?
commonly known as "coasters". Many new CD-R/W drives support the
BURN-ProofO feature to eliminate this problem.
For the most part, errors are eliminated, which is good. However, if the
recording speed is set to the maximum, it may take a long time to write an
entire audio disc.
How BURN-PROOF works. Buffer-under-run errors occur when data does not
arrive at the CD-R/W in time while recording (writing) a compact disc. The
result is a terminated write error condition and a useless disc. BURN-Proof
continuously suspends and restarts the write operation as data becomes
available, and unavailable, at the drive. The process of suspending and
restarting the data transfer, synchronized with the starting and stopping
of the disc and laser, is time consuming.
To use the option, check the Enable BURN-Proof mode checkbox prior to
pressing the Write button. If the Enable BURN-Proof checkbox is faded, the
CD-R/W drive does not support the option.
Optimization: Always enable BURN-Proof to prevent buffer under-run errors
since errors are common, especially when doing multiple tasks, such as Web
surfing while recording discs. Experiment with the Recording Speed to find
an optimum speed for writing compact discs with your system. As an example,
setting Recording Speed to 8X or 6X instead of 12X or 16X may greatly
improve the disc recording time. Note: Burning MP3 files from the playlist
is far more likely to cause buffer under-run conditions than burning .wav
files because much more CPU bandwidth is needed for the conversion of MP3
to disc format than .wav files.
-
How can I write MP3s or WMAs to a CD-ROM (or "MP3-ROM" or "WMA-ROM") to use with my MP3 player?
A: With the latest version of CD-Recorder 4 installed, you can create
CD-ROMs of audio files for use with newer MP3 CD players. These CD players can hold 100s of MP3 files, but can
only be played on CD players that support this format. Most CD software players (WinAmp, RealJukebox)
can support and play these kinds of CDs. Currrently, CD-Recorder does not let you create a "directory"
structure for the files that will be put on to this kind of CD. The files are burned to the CD, "as is", in the
order stated on the Playlist.
NOTE: It is also possible to do the same thing with WAVE files, or Microsoft's WMA files, with our program.
Our software can create 'mixed format' CDs, which would consist of MP3, WMA and WAV files in the Playlist.
To create an MP3 CD:
- Build your playlist of MP3 files and determine the order that will be used for the tracks
- When the playlist is complete, click on List
- From the menu, select Write to CD-ROM...
- Select the CD burner drive and Recording speed to use.
- NOTE: Using Simulate disc creation will do everything necessary to burn the CD, other than turn the laser on. The CD will *appear* to finish correctly, but nothing, in fact, will be on it.
- If you want to be able to add more MP3 files to the CD later, you can write the CD as a "multisession" CD.
See our Help files (or this FAQ) for more information on multi-session CD support. Make sure that you
select Write as multisession disc and do NOT hit Close session. Selecting Close session will make the
disc "read-only" and no further data can be added in the future. If you leave Close session disabled, you'll
be able to add more files until you fill the CD. When the CDs capacity is reached, you must use Close session.
- If your burner drive supports it, you can also enabled the Enable BURN-Proof mode option (Note: this can make CDs take MUCH more time to complete).
- After making the proper selections for your CD, hit Write.
Troubleshooting and Problems:
-
Why do I get the message "Unable to find known CD Recorder"
when writing to a CD?
The usual reason for this is that you don't have the latest version of the
software. We periodically produce updates for the software, which will
add newer CD-R and CD-RW drives to the list of devices that we support.
Getting the latest version will usually solve this problem. You can find
the latest version(s) of the software, which are available for free on the
following Website:
http://www.dartpro.com/support/updates.asp
However, if your CD recorder drive is VERY new, it is unlikely to be
supported with even the latest update. This is normal. It simply takes
time for us to build in support for all of the newest available devices.
If you have the latest update, and your drive still isn't supported,
please contact our support department to report your make and model so
that it can be added to the list of devices that we need to build in to
the software.
-
What is "ASPI"? Why does the program mention that there is a
problem with it?
ASPI: Advanced SCSI Programming Interface - This was a standard
developed originally to allow for easier communication between an
operating system, SCSI controller cards, and SCSI hard drives. Today, it
is a generic protocol for 'talking to' certain devices (especially SCSI
CD-R and/or CD-RW drives).
If our software reports a problem of some kind with ASPI, you should
first
make sure you have the latest update of our software installed, which will
fix the problem in most cases.
If an update does NOT fix the problem, you may want to explore
installing a newer, updated version of the ASPI 'layer' in your system.
Links and information on this can be found on our Webpage, in the Support
section, under the "Supported Devices" area. Click on the "ASPI Drivers"
link to see a list of links to sites with good information on ASPI, how to
get newer ASPI drivers, and any issues with a particular operating system,
etc.
-
Why do I get the message "Protection check failed" when
starting the program?
When you see this message the program is asking to 'see' the original
installation CD as part of our copy protection scheme. You should simply
close this box, insert the original CD and start the program again. It
should only ask you to do this after you've installed the program, on the
very first occasion that you start the program.
-
When I try using "Write to CD", I get an illegal operation
error. What do I do?
Most of the time the error when clicking on "Write to CD" is caused
when:
- The CD-Recorder/Reader options aren't set correctly in the
"View/Options" menu. If the CD-Reader drive doesn't match what the
CD-Reader drive LETTER, the program can get confused. For example:
CD-Recorder: whatever you have (drive E)
CD-Reader: whatever you have (drive F)
CD-Reader drive letter: E - This is the line that causes the
problem. This MUST be set correctly to match your CD-ROM ("Default CD
Reader") or you may see this issue.
- The file names you are attempting to convert are too long (very long
names). Try shortening them, to "song1" for example, and see if that
makes a difference. A file name like "A really, really cool song I
downloaded from the Internet yesterday.mp3" will cause problems.
- Another program is running in the background that is preventing us
from communicating with the CD-R. Use "Ctrl+Alt+Del" and select "End
Task" for each listed item, except for "Explorer" and "Systray". Also, if
you have Adaptec's DirectCD installed, I would recommend removing it, as
it has caused various problems for many of our users.
-
When I try to convert from a MIDI file to a WAV file, I get no
input. What do I do?
You can access the Windows input volume control by doing the
following (in most cases):
- Double-left-click on the Speaker icon, which should be in
your task bar (to the lower right by your system clock). This should take
you to a window labeled "Volume Control", which will consist of
between one and a whole bunch of music/audio "channels". However, these
channels are for output control ONLY. NONE of them will have any impact on
input.
- Next, access the input section by clicking on the "Options"
menu, then selecting "Properties". You should then see a section
labeled "Adjust volume for" with 3 choices. You need to select
"Recording" and them make sure that all available boxes below
(including "Microphone" and "Line/Line IN") are checked. After doing this,
click "OK".
- You will now notice that the mixer is different, and may not show you
as many channels as it did before, or you may see more. This is because
this is the mixer section that is dedicated to adjusting input levels for
your soundcard. Simply select the proper input being used, or desired
(Mic, Line, etc.), and turn the volume up and down to set your input
levels. In the case of MIDI conversion, you'll be looking for something
close to "Stereo Out", "Stereo Mix", "Mix Out", etc. Simply "select" this
channel and set its volume slider all the way up. It may take a couple of
tries before you find the correct item to adjust the MIDI input level, but
this window is where you need to do it.
After doing this, you should see our software has levels running in the
record window. You'll also likely be able to hear the input passing to the
output.
If this isn't the case, please also make sure that you have the correct
"Play/Record" device(s) selected in the "View/Options" menu within our
program. Some people have actually had their voice modem's audio port
assigned as their input/output, which of course isn't going to work very
well.
-
When I'm in the "Read Track" window, and I click on "Change",
the program crashes. How do I fix this problem?
This problem has already been reported and is likely already fixed in the
latest version (but wasn't as of this version of the FAQ).
If you've seen this issue, here is a method to bypass the problem:
If you look in the upper left hand portion of the main window, you should
see a line of text that says something like "Dir:\..." This indicates the
currently selected "target" folder for new track reads and recordings
(from a soundcard).
If you look down at the bottom left, and you should make sure to change
the "Drive" setting to "C:", instead of E: or F:, which is likely where it
is when you are getting this problem. Once you choose C, and go to the
read track, you should notice that the path the file will be read to is:
"C:\...\trackXX.wav", with it possibly going to a particular folder. You
should go ahead with the track reading and NOT change this. It is easy
enough to rename and/or change the file's location once you've read it to
the system. This should take care of this problem, until we find a
different way to handle this.
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I burn CDs and they work fine on my computer but they don't work
on my car stereo or portable CD player. What's wrong?
This is a common problem and is not a result of the software. Many of
the less expensive CD players have very limited tolerances for
playing (reading) CDs. So the CDs must be written more precisely. We
suggest two things - write the CD at no more than 2X or even 1X. And
use the best quality blank CDs. Gold is the best.
Another problem is trying to use CD-RW media instead of CD-R media.
You can NOT use CD-RW media for playing in car stereos or portable CD
players. Use regular good quality CD media.
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I can't see parts of the program (the Producer, buttons) onscreen.
Why are my windows cut off?
Our program requires you to run at the following
display settings for proper use:
(You can find these settings by accessing "Control Panels" / "Display" / "Settings")
- 800 x 600 (or higher) desktop size or "screen area"
- "Colors" should be set to: 16-bit, High color or 65536 colors (or higher)
- Set "Fonts" to small (you may have to access "Advanced" to set this)
If you make the changes above to your display settings for Windows, you
should be able to see the full
screen area presented anywhere within our software
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