Problem Importing WAV Files

[behnguy]

Hi,

I am having a problem importing WAV files. I am trying to import these for work as they are WAV files of calls exported from a call recording system. When I try to import them I get the following message;

"Audacity did not recognize the type of this file. If it is uncompressed, try importing it using ''raw import''.

I tried importing as raw data and the files import but all I hear is a few seconds of white noise?

The only problem I can see is that in windows media, which the files play fine in, they show as only 5kbps.

Is there any way I can open these files?

Thanks

Dominic

[Gale Andrews]

I am having a problem importing WAV files. I am trying to import these for work as they are WAV files of calls exported from a call recording system. When I try to import them I get the following message;

"Audacity did not recognize the type of this file. If it is uncompressed, try importing it using ''raw import''.

I tried importing as raw data and the files import but all I hear is a few seconds of white noise?

The only problem I can see is that in windows media, which the files play fine in, they show as only 5kbps.

Is there any way I can open these files?

To import RAW you have to know about the sample rate, format and other properties of the file.

Either the files aren't really WAVs (or more likely) they are some kind of highly compressed file inside a WAV container.

I suggest you download 1.3.12, then FFmpeg. Follow the instructions in that FFmpeg link to locate FFmpeg in Audacity. Then when you File > Import the WAVs into 1.3.12, in the dialogue that says "Select one or more audio files", choose "All supported files" in the "Files of type" dropdown. This should ensure that it the inbuilt WAV importer cannot open the file, FFmpeg will try to do so.

If the WAV won't import using FFmpeg either, please upload it to a free file transfer service such as:
http://www.yousendit.com
http://www.megaupload.com
http://www.sendspace.com

and give us the web address where we can download it.


Thanks


Gale

[behnguy]

Thank you for replying

The problem I've got however is that I am unable to download any other software due to IT restrictions (I had to attend numerous meetings just to get audacity!) and can not upload and email the files due to data protection.

I don't see a solution as I've tried almost all of the settings when using ''import raw'' but I just get different white noise sounds each time.

Dom

[Gale Andrews]

The problem I've got however is that I am unable to download any other software due to IT restrictions (I had to attend numerous meetings just to get audacity!) and can not upload and email the files due to data protection.

I don't see a solution as I've tried almost all of the settings when using ''import raw'' but I just get different white noise sounds each time.Dom

If your employer is asking you to do this they should give you the tools to do the job! Given what you say I strongly suspect the WAV contains MP3, AAC or WMA in which case Import Raw will not understand it because it is mainly for uncompressed audio (or uncompressed audio that can be compressed by companding or predictive methods).

Does your employer allow you to right-click over the file > Properties in Explorer and does that give you any technical information like bit rate?

If the file is suitable for import by Import Raw, the most likely encodings would be GSM, either -Law choices or any of the ADPCM or DPCM choices.




Gale

[behnguy]

The problem I've got however is that I am unable to download any other software due to IT restrictions (I had to attend numerous meetings just to get audacity!) and can not upload and email the files due to data protection.

I don't see a solution as I've tried almost all of the settings when using ''import raw'' but I just get different white noise sounds each time.Dom

If your employer is asking you to do this they should give you the tools to do the job! Given what you say I strongly suspect the WAV contains MP3, AAC or WMA in which case Import Raw will not understand it because it is mainly for uncompressed audio (or uncompressed audio that can be compressed by companding or predictive methods).

Does your employer allow you to right-click over the file > Properties in Explorer and does that give you any technical information like bit rate?

If the file is suitable for import by Import Raw, the most likely encodings would be GSM, either -Law choices or any of the ADPCM or DPCM choices.




Gale

I know what you mean but it was my idea and I don't have a budget. The only info I can get is;

Bit Rate - 5kbps
Channels - 1 (mono)
Audio sample rate - 8khz
Audio format - Verint systems G723.1

Thanks again

[steve]

"SUPER" by erightsoft is a free format converter (transcoder) program that is able to analyse and convert most media formats.
This program would allow you to see exactly what format and what codecs were used. It will probably also be able to decode the files into 16 bit WAV format that can then be opened/played in all other applications (including Audacity).

[Gale Andrews]

The only info I can get is;

Bit Rate - 5kbps
Channels - 1 (mono)
Audio sample rate - 8khz
Audio format - Verint systems G723.1

Libsndfile does not support G723.1 so you need not spend any more time trying to import it as Raw Data. I don't see any evidence FFmpeg or Mencoder (both of which SUPER uses) support it either.

If your operating system can play the file, and your IT people let you have access to a sound device, you might be able to record it into Audacity.

Or if you can burn the file to a CD at work, try to record the file into Audacity on your computer at home.


Gale

[steve]

I don't see any evidence FFmpeg or Mencoder (both of which SUPER uses) support it either.

As well as FFmpeg and Mencoder, I think that SUPER is also able to use codecs that are available to Windows Media Player.
If Windows Media Player can play the files, then SUPER should be able to convert them.
(I'm not on Windows at the moment and I don't have any g723.1 files to test.)

[Gale Andrews]

I don't see any evidence FFmpeg or Mencoder (both of which SUPER uses) support it either.

As well as FFmpeg and Mencoder, I think that SUPER is also able to use codecs that are available to Windows Media Player.
If Windows Media Player can play the files, then SUPER should be able to convert them.
(I'm not on Windows at the moment and I don't have any g723.1 files to test.)

My experience with SUPER is that if SUPER can play the files, it can encode them to a supported format, but in the past I've had problems with it refusing to play/encode some "G." codecs that Windows could play. I agree it's possible that its decoding ability is not limited to FFmpeg and Mencoder and other backends; the Wikipedia article about it isn't very clear but slightly suggests it relies on its backends for decoding too.

I found a link to some "G.723.1" files at http://www.vocal.com/audio_examples/speech_coders.html, though the "5.3 kbps" G.723.1 file turns out to be 128 kbps (importable by Audacity) and the "6.4 kbps" G.723.1 seems suspiciously large for 6.4 kbps and nothing on my WIn 7 box will play it. On Win XP, Windows Sound Recorder clearly lists ability to write G723.1 at both bit rates but throws an error when asked to do so.


Gale