Mp3 FM Studio
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after. Contact for support .
The new .mp3 standard brought a new dimension in Radio
production . Mp3 is ideal for broadcasting mostly because:
1) No CD's or Vinyl library in Studio.
2) No expensive Audio devices . Just a Cyrix 686 / 266 .
3) All Mp3 advantages: Instant Access to most or all CD's (depends on your HD) .
4) Free advantages:
- Microphone Mixer
- Automated Track Mix . Fast Playlist making
- Built in Equalizer , Compressor / Limiter ,
- Stereo Expander.
5) File "Cache" . No need of BIG hard disk. Easy sound «backup». Each .mp3 CD
contains 150 - 200 songs .
6) No mechanical parts during track mixing. No service needed.
7) Automatic mix (crossfade). Ability of "monitoring" songs.
8)Today - living on the age of Pentium II / 450 - you can find many second-hand Socket7
motherboards with Intel Pentium or Cyrix processors pretty cheap . Anyway the zero cost of
some devices (Equalizer , Limiter , Expander ) can balance the cost of an extra PC unit
and a CD-Recorder.
- The only disadvantage is that all songs must be encoded.
If there are many must be saved in CD's .
1) Hardware :
For 24h broadcasting you must have 2 PC’s (1 for
encoding , 1 for playing) . No need to link them. You could place them separately
(Broadcasting Studio could be far away from Recording Studio).
- PC 1 (Sound Recording, Mp3 Encoding, Clips &
Commercials):
Minimum Req.:
- Intel P / 166MMX (or Cyrix 686 / 200) / 32 MB Ram
- SB 64 OEM
- Case for removable secondary HD .
- CD Player with good Audio Extraction.
- CD Recorder (can be avoided but not so optional)
- PC 2 (Broadcasting):
Minimum Req.:
- Your motherboard must be VERY GOOD. (Soyo, Elite Group etc)
- Intel P / 233 MMX (or Cyrix 686 / 266 MX) / 32 MB RAM
- 2 X SB 16
- Secondary Hard Disk (3.5 - 10 GB) in removable case .
- CD Player with fast data rate .
- Joystick
- Audio Mixer (can be avoided but it would be harder for control)
2) Software :
PC 1 Software:
- Win95B , USB drivers, DirectX5 (Win98 is not recommended)
- Analog Audio Recording Software (Anything like Wavelab, SoundForge, Cool Edit Pro, Cool
Edit 96, GoldWave, Dart Pro 32 or similar) .
- CD Recording software (EZ CD Creator or similar)
- CD Grabber (Recommended: CD-Copy other: WinDac 32, AudioGrabber)
- Mp3 Encoder (Recommended: Xing Mp3 Encoder, Other: BladeEnc)
- Mp3 Database & Utils (Required: Mp3 Shock)
PC 2 Software:
- Win95B , USB drivers, DirectX5 (Win98 is not recommended)
- Mp3 Database & Utils (Required: Mp3 Shock)
- WinAmp & Audio Plugins (Limiter / Expander / Lyrics Viewer / Karaoke / Pitch etc)
Installing Hardware
PC #2 must have 2 sound Cards .
If you have troubles installing both, unplug all of them,
uninstall sound card software, boot in safe mode and delete anything left in control panel
- system - device manager . Plug one card at time and install its software. Use software
mixer to adjust volumes. Raise up ALL Master & Wave volumes to maximum . Put
Trebles & Bass to 0db .
If you don’t use a mixer , plug SB #2 «audio out» to
your SB #1 «line-in». Adjust SB#1 «line-in» volume to balance the two cards .
If you use an audio mixer just connect each card line-out
to a mixer input .
Tips:
If you are using SB64 Oem or SB64 Gold DON'T install any
further update from Internet. You will degrade your card !!.
Repeat: Raise all volumes to max. It does not have to deal
only with the audio volume by itself but also with the whole audio performance . Mute midi
and / or other unused sources .
Note: Latest version of WinAmp can
handle DirectSound technology (so you can use 1 sound card for many WinAmp windows), but
it’s too early right now. The sound is not so good as in default way . There are
clicks & pops when computer tries to mix .
Installing Software
PC #2 must have 2 ore more different Winamp directories
(e.g. \Winamp , \Winamp1 , \Winamp2) .
Winamp1 must use Sound Card no.1 ( Ctrl-P , Audio I/O ,
Configure , «Card 1») .
Winamp2 must use Sound Card no.2 ( Ctrl-P , Audio I/O ,
Configure , «Card 2») .
Install Audio Plugins to all Winamp directories.
Tips: A joystick will help you a lot . Install joystick
control plugin and set each winamp separately:
Winamp1: Play = Joy Right , Stop = Up , Volume Up = A ,
Volume down = B .
Winamp2: Play = Joy Left , Stop = Down , Volume Up = C ,
Volume down = D .
Mp3 Studio Know-How
A) Mp3 Encoding
1) Install CD-Copy , Xing Mp3 Encoder
2) Run CD-Copy and insert as many CD as you can into your drive.
3) Connect to Internet and «CDDB Batch». Make sure you have right settings.
4) After this you probably have titles & songs for most of your CD`s. Disconnect or if
you want to continue further d/loading lyrics (you must put again one CD at time) .
Finally Disconnect
5) Make appropriate settings for Xing Mp3 Enc. Copy x3enc.exe to l3enc.exe . Use 128 Kbps
for most songs. Use 160 or 192 Kbps for 60’s, old vinyl recordings , jazz or other
similar types .
6) Encode them .
Tips:
- Cd-Copy: When saving, its better to use the format Group
- CD Title - Song No .wav .
e.g. U2 - Jusha Tree - 01.wav .
- Cd-Copy: Save your options in a separate options file . when having trouble load it
again.
- Check for better performance without jitter . If Jitter correction not checked
Readbuffer no. plays a big role a jitter-free result.
- Remove «the» from Groups. It will help you find them faster !. eg «The Charlatans»
to «Charlatans».
- The whole projects is based on zero-cost software except Xing’s Compressor which is
very cheap. If you still want to remain at zero use BladeEnc instead of Xing (but its 5-10
times slower) . DON’T use any Frauhofer engines. They are MUCH lousy in drums &
plates.
B) Mp3 Storing
After collecting many .mp3 files you have to store them.
The easy solution is to put them in a hard disk. The recommended solution is to store them
on Cd’s . 10 blank CD’s are A LOT cheaper than 6GB hard disk and are more
portable media.
Tips:
- One way or another you must keep backups. If you use hard
disk, make Cd copies. If you use Cd’s just double them.
- In each CD, use music style for directory . e.g. \Rock , \Jazz .
- Label each CD with only 3 digits e.g. 001 or C01 . Its the maximum width Mp3 Shock can
handle .
C) Broadcasting
- Mp3 Shock is the «heart» for this project. It’s
free but it’s great. Just try to use it as hard as you can.
- Learn to use your Gamepad for Winamp control.
How to:
- Enable Compressor / Limiter :
Just use AudioStocker plugin for each Winamp.
- Enable Stereo Expander:
Control Panel - System - Device Manager - «Creative AWE 64 .....» - Use Creative 3D
Stereo Enhancement (not available for SB16 and old SB cards) .
- Calibrate Joystick:
Control Panel - Game Controllers - Properties
- Make .mp3 from Vinyl Records:
Just record them to standard .wav using audio software. Give small names like 101.wav ,
102.wav etc. After compressing them to .mp3 , use Autotag to change both filename and .mp3
tag .
Links:
Cd-Copy
Xing Mp3 Enc (no d/loads):
Blade Enc
Autotag98:
Mp3 Shock : (contact for support)
