Arthur Fuller
artful at rogers.com
Sat May 15 07:28:56 CDT 2004
>> Why not record them as MP3s?
Gee, Drew, most of your posts have led me to think you are one very
smart guy! And then you go ask a question like this! Clearly your
musical tastes are decidedly limited (by range of Hz and volume, if not
genre). MP3 is fine if all you listen to is rock or jazz, whose Hz and
volume range is decidedly limited. Try an MP3 of almost anything
classical, though, and you'll see the gaping flaws in this compression
technology. I made an MP3 from Beethoven's Archduke Trio, for example.
You'll wonder where the low notes on the cello went, and the implied
harmonics on the violin. They're simply gone.
Granted, not all my phonographs are Euro-classical, or Indian-classical.
I have the usual assortment of Talking Heads, Clash and Tupelo Chainsex,
too. But I have over 100 phonos of Beethoven alone (all the symphonies,
the trios, the piano sonatas and the string quartets), and compared to
Bach, Ludy was not prolific. And then there's the Mozart stuff. MP3s
just don't cut it.
Arthur
-----Original Message-----
From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Drew Wutka
Sent: Friday, May 14, 2004 8:31 PM
To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues
Subject: RE: [dba-Tech] Phonographs to CDs
I am assuming you are porting the record player into your computer's
sound card. They make software packages that will record the input or
output of your soundcard into any format that you want. Since you found
a 'simple' solution for actually recording them, why not simplify the
process of recording them. Instead of burning them directly to CD, why
not record them to your computer as MP3's. That gives you several
freedoms. One, most turntables allow you to put multiple records on
them, and when the one playing is done, it drops the next. That gives
you a 'cycle' to allow you to run several at a time, without
'monitoring' it and without swapping CD-R's on your computer. Two, if
you are recording them to MP3's, you have a few advantages. First, in
CD format, you will probably only get 1 LP per CD. Maybe two, and maybe
less then 1. Either way, you are going to be wasting space on CD's.
Not too mention that CD's take up room too. However, a CD ripped to MP3
format is going to run 3 to 5 megs per song. Even if you are averaging
high, that would be 5 megs per song and let's say 15 songs a pop, you
are only talking about 75 megs per LP. That would be ~75 gigs per 1,000
LP's, so for 3,000 LP's, you're talking 225 gigs. This is a high
estimate too, I just looked at the folder I just ripped my Queen's
greatest Hits CD too, and it has 17 songs, and is only 67 megs. So I
would hazard a guess that you could get 3,000 LP's onto about 150 to 200
gigs. Then again, aren't LP's 45 minutes a side, which would be 90
minutes an LP, so it would be larger then a CD, and probably closer to
75 megs a pop.
Anyhow, just looked on eCost.com, and they have a Maxtor 200 gig drive
for $149. Their 100 pack of CD's is $29. So to get 3000 CD's, you're
talking $870. Instead, get a large hard drive, and buy a bunch of
CD-RW's. Though not all CD players will play CD-RW's. However, if you
buy a MP3 player (cd version), you can put close to 10 LP's on one MP3
cd. Going the direct CD route is going to cost you at least 4 times as
much.
On top of that, you get a REALLY nice perk. By putting everything into
MP3 format, on a single hard drive, you have a single backup source.
Want to make it 'safe' for posterity, just buy another drive, and copy
it over. One big transfer, instead of trying to copy 3,000 CD's. Grin.
I will tell you that logistically speaking, you're biggest obstacle
isn't going to be the copying process. It's going to be the
'information recording' process. CD's are recorded on internet CDDB's,
based on their individual ID's. LP's don't have that, so there is
nothing available to automatically populate the list of songs on an LP.
Their may be databases out there with the 'tracks' on an LP, that you
could have Access automatically rename the MP3 files into their
appropriate album and song names (of course, you'll also have to find
something to 'split' the LP MP3's into individual songs, honestly, that
actually wouldn't be too difficult, you could probably make you're own
'splitter' in VB, though they probably have something like that
available.)
Drew
-----Original Message-----
From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of Arthur Fuller
Sent: Friday, May 14, 2004 10:23 AM
To: 'Discussion of Hardware and Software issues'
Subject: [dba-Tech] Phonographs to CDs
I am pleased to report that I have finally conquered this problem. I can
now burn a CD from a record on my turntable! It turned out to be
ludicrousy easy. Reminds me of the old joke about the guy who punches
the refridgerator to make it work again ("it's not the punch, it's
knowing where to punch"). I simply didn't believe it could be this easy.
Now for the hard part. I have approximately 3,000 LPs, virtually all of
them in mint or close-to-mint condition. (An Oracle turntable helps :)
Anyone got any ideas how I can automate their recordings? Perhaps an
illegal immigrant at a dollar a day :)
Arthur
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