Okay, I'm seriously considering the Alpine CDA-7878, especially since I ordered a used Alpine MRV-T407 60 watts x 2 channel amp at a nice price.

I've got an 850mhz P3 laptop with a built in cd reader/writer and the standard Adapted CD Creator software. I'm running Windows 2000 Professional OS.

I've got standard (licensed) version of RealPlayer 8 and also Windows MediaPlayer 7.0.

Do I need more to make MP3 cds? What software is the best for converting standard audio cds to MP3 files? What is the best way to organize the MP3 files on the CD? Should I use CD-R or CD-RW? At what level of quality makes the most sense for listening to MP3 CDs on a car system?

Sorry for being such a newbie at this.

Barry


[Edited by Barry WY Silver/Black '01 on 05-10-2001 at 06:44 AM]

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Barry WY Silver/Black '01 [B]I've got standard (licensed) version of RealPlayer 8 and also Windows MediaPlayer 7.0.

Do I need more to make MP3 cds?

 

I don't. I've got about 400 or 500 audio cds that I plan use use as source. The ONLY reason I'd go to MP3 CDR is to use that instead of a CD changer.

I just downloaded RealJukeBox which permits making MP3 96kb/s files. I'm doing some recording as I type. RealJukeBox is free. Perhaps RealJukeBox Plus permits higher quality MP3 recording. I'll look.

Thanks for the quick response.

Barry


[Edited by Barry WY Silver/Black '01 on 05-10-2001 at 08:20 AM]

 

you want to record your cds at a minimum of 128, but at that rate i can still hear compression artifacts.

i lost my faith in mp3, i go uncompressed now!

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by josh3io
[B]you want to record your cds at a minimum of 128, but at that rate i can still hear compression artifacts.

 

Try CDnGO. It's freeware, supports CDDB, and supports just about any econder out there. It has a ripper built in and scripts the rip/encoding process.

128kb/s should be fine for a car. You won't hear artifacts, etc. over road noise and car rattles.

[Edited by bbsilver on 05-10-2001 at 11:45 AM]

 

I'm certainly not an audio expert, but the Adaptec CD Creator (now changed to Roxio?) works well at burning CDs (as does RealJukeBox) One word of caution.....I've written several CDs where certain pieces of music stop abruptly before the end - especially if there is a blank passage before the real end. Before closing the CD, you might want to play the beginning and end of each piece to ensure it's O.K.; if not, you can just delete it and record it again. You shouldn't assume that the transfer will always do a perfect job for you.

 

I tried CDnGo 1.89 but it makes a mess of the saved music directories. It does allow saving in your choice of qualities up to 320kb/s.

I tried RealJukeBox 2 but it doesn't allow saving in higher quality than 96kb/s. Perhaps RealJukeBox 2 Plus allows higher quality saves. Perhaps for my music and my ears 96kb/sec is okay.

I'm still looking for something better than CdnGo or RealJukebox 2 in the free realm.

 

Being a Mac user I can't comment on the software. Apple's iTune does everything I could ever want from ripping to burning so it's a non-issue for me.

On the subject of quality, I rip CD's to MP3 at 320 with Variable Bit Rate. Might want to test that as many CD based head units won't play VBR well. Also, at 320 an average song is 10Mb, so you'll only get 60 on a CD. I don't have this problem as the Neo is HD based. But definitely go higher that 96. I'd recommend a minimum of 128.

 

I have the Sony MP3 deck and I just burnt a cd-rw today and it plays fine, here is what I used:

Drive: Plextor 12x10x24
Software: Nero Burning ROM
Media: Verbatim 2x - 10x


Nero is by far (opinon of course) the best burning software, it lets you make the cd and be done with it, no hassles. You can download it lots of places, and if you want all the features, just get a crack from http://www.the-crack.net

Good luck!