How do I get audio from a regular CD onto my computer?
Disclaimer: I have the rights to the material on the CD - they are audio tracks I recorded in a studio.
I would like to post them for download on the 'Net… how do I get them off and into a format available for download… hopefully for free?
Go to http://www.download.com and search for audiocatalyst or realjukebox. Either one of these will allow you to take the audio off of a CD in your CDROM drive and convert them to mp3 files on your harddrive. You may not be able to get high quality files (128k and above sample rates) unless you register the programs, though.
If you’re willing to deal with command line interfaces and such, you might be able to find a free option by searching for cd ripper.
you could just copy the .wav files to your HDD – double click on my computer, right click on the cdrom drive, choose open. each track will be shown. choose edit, then select all. then you can copy them to the HDD for upload.
but mp3’s would be smaller and faster to upload/download. they would take longer to create
This won’t work in windows 95 or 98 or 2000. It might work in ME, I don’t know.
I’ve personall done it in win95 and 98, it works.
There are many programs which will do this for you. You can research them and select the one you like best.
Here are some comments on ones I have encountered.
The free program CD Extractor (CDex) easily converts CD tracks to mp3s at many selectable bitrates up to 320 bps.
MusicMatch Jukebox is a good shareware program. The registered version allows higher bitrates and a variable bitrate on a single track.
I’ve avoided RealJukebox just on general principles. The company tried to make RealPlayer report some information to them over the web about your usage without telling you. There was a big stink, and finally they were pressured into making that an option.
There’s also a program called Ejay MP3 Station Plus which is very good. It allows you to convert tracks from a CD to either MP3 or .WAV format.
slight correction – the files get copyed as a .cdd file, not a .wav file off of the HDD