Burning Audacity audio formats [SOLVED]

[frustration22]

I am using Yosemite 10.10.5 with Audacity 2.0.6.0. After exporting my audio (mp3 using Lame) the play ok on the MBP. The 2 files are a total of 92 mb and 95 minutes. When I try to burn them through iTunes (audio format) the iTunes tells me that they are too big to fit on the
cd-r. Isn't a cd-r supposed to hold 700 mb? I'm wondering if it's because the length of the files totals 95 minutes? Do I need to shorten then
to some particular length to fit on the cd-r? Thanks for the help!!!! I have had complete success in the past using this procedure but never with files this long in minutes. I wish I understood the relationship between data and audio, and what is different between a cd-r and a dvd.

Thanks again.

[cyrano]

iTunes will produce an audio CD by default. An audio CD contains audio, not data. To make it, iTunes must expand the compressed mp3 audio. Compressed it's 92 MB, but uncompressed it'll be over 900 MB. A CD-r will only hold something like 700 MB - 70 mins.

Some CD players play also data CD's. These can play a data CD with 95 MB of compressed mp3 data. You usually find those in car players, media centers and portable CD players.

The Finder, Disk utility and CD burning programs can make data CD's. iTunes can too, if you set it to produce mp3 data CD's in preferences. I tend to make those in the Finder and leave iTunes' settings to audio CD.

[kozikowski]

A CD-r will only hold something like 700 MB - 70 mins.

80 minutes. It's famously large enough for a certain opera. You very rarely get that, though. I use a target of 78 minutes of actual show. Less if it's a million smaller shows.

The up side of this format is it will play on anything. Audio CD has been supported universally forever.

Yes, you can make a Data CD with MP3s on it. That will play on any computer and many modern cars. They won't play in Lori, my lorry (truck) and they won't play on my Aunt Mae's Buick.

Koz

[frustration22]

Ok, that helps a lot! So, it would seem there is no fool-proof way to do this and assure that the cd will be playable on everything.
I guess the solution would be to keep the files small.....very small. It took 2 cd-r's to hold 90 minutes of mp-3, because, as you said
software expands the files, although the sound quality was excellent. I did try some other formats, but they were even larger!!!!!

I wonder why there aren't larger capacity cd-r's manufactured......seems like a no-brainer....but maybe it me that's a no-brainer.

Thanks for your great help!!!!!!

[frustration22]

How do you mark a posting as "Solved?"

[cyrano]

Ok, that helps a lot! So, it would seem there is no fool-proof way to do this and assure that the cd will be playable on everything.

A standard audio CD, not "overburned", will play on all CD players, but it doesn't hold enough time for your recording. An "overburned" CD, with up to 80 minutes, will play on 99.99% of recent CD players and on 98% of vintage CD players.

A data mp3 CD will play on a lot of "devices", but not on most standard CD players.

I guess the solution would be to keep the files small.....very small. It took 2 cd-r's to hold 90 minutes of mp-3, because, as you said
software expands the files, although the sound quality was excellent. I did try some other formats, but they were even larger!!!!!

Other file formats will still yield a data CD.

I wonder why there aren't larger capacity cd-r's manufactured......seems like a no-brainer....but maybe it me that's a no-brainer.

There are: DVD audio. Hours of audio on a DVD disk. Almost all DVD players support it. No CD players, tho...

[kozikowski]

Remember, compact disc was developed in 1980. There was no serious audio compression yet. There was only linear Pule Code Modulation. That's why there are no "low quality" versions of CD. You either get an Audio CD or you don't.

You should be warned if you haven't already that MP3 and other compressed audio formats create sound damage and should never be used in the Audio CD production pathway. Export WAV (Microsoft) from Audacity. The default export format is the same as Audio CD.

Koz

[Gale Andrews]

How do you mark a posting as "Solved?"

I have done it for you by editing the title. And then we lock the topic, so there is a clean solution without someone posting a related but different question into the topic.


Gale