File Type

Audacity Help Forum Windows
1

Hello All,

First timer here.

I need to export a file to dvd so it can be played on all formats, stereo player etc. Which is the correct file format to export to please?

Than you,

Best wishes
Graeme

2

It’s best to read the manual for the DVD player, but a computer will play any format that the application can play.

The two most common formats are Microsoft signed 16-bit PCM WAV and MP3. If you want perfect quality and have space on the DVD, use WAV at 44100 Hz project rate. It’s 10 MB per minute for stereo at 441000 Hz.

If you accept quality loss in exchange for smaller file size, export as MP3. You will need the LAME MP3 encoder - see http://manual.audacityteam.org/o/man/faq_installation_and_plug_ins.html#lame .


Gale

3

Thanks Gale,

It is to be played on a normal stereo system. I have an mp3 file and I need to burn it to a disk so that it can be played on a hi fi system, just wondering what the best way to do it please?

Than you

4

You will have to look at the manual for the stereo system to see what type of disc it accepts. Are you sure it accepts DVD’s? It would be much more likely to accept audio CD’s only. Audio CD’s are usually limited to maximum 74 minutes of audio.

Once you have decided what type of disc it accepts, burn the disc with appropriate software. Windows Media Player can burn audio and data CD’s or DVD’s. See Burning a CD or DVD in Windows Media Player - Windows Help .

If you already have an MP3 in Audacity and want to burn audio CD, you should export to WAV, not MP3. When you burn the audio CD the burner will expand the audio to the same size as WAV, so you will just lose quality by exporting to MP3. See Burning music files to a CD - Audacity Manual .


Gale

5

Thanks again Gale,

You answered a query for me and you didn’t even now! When I tried to burn the file to a disk it said the disk was incompatible, I wondered why but now I now, it was a DVD! I’ll get some CD’s and export as WAV. Someone once told me that there is a filter so that when you create a music disk the burning software knows and converts it to the correct format?

Thanks again,

Graeme

6

If you tell the burning software to burn an audio CD (which is what most “boom boxes” or “music centres” will want), yes the software will detect problems such as you have a DVD or the CD is not writable or needs erasing before you can burn your CD tracks.


Gale

7

Thanks for all your help Gale, I’m going to get some CD’s today and do the business,

Best wishes
Graeme