Karaoke forum for PowerKaraoke (karaoke software to create, play, and burn CD+G and video karaoke)

Guest

This is very strange.. I purchased and registered Power CDG to AVI and when I convert mp3+g (mp3/cdg files) to AVI no matter what audio option I use the audio sounds very strange. It sounds kinda lika horse gallaping sound.. hard to explain. You'd have to hear it really to know what I'm talking about. But if I play the original mp3 file it sounds perfectly normal but when I play the .avi file it created the audio is all messed up sounding. It does this when I have the default MP3 (Lame) chosen or if I have it set to ACM even it still sounds the same. I've tried multiple mp3+g files and always gotten the same results. What am I missing here?

Any help would be much appreciated.

admin · Admin Joined: 29 Nov 2002 Posts: 2401

Are your MP3 files stereo files?
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Piotr
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PowerKaraoke
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Guest · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 5:57 pm Post subject:

Yes they are. And I had the stereo mode as "Stereo" which is default for the lame mp3 settings in your software. Since I was trying to track down the problem I figured I would try "Joint Stereo" one time and I did but it still had the same outcome. I didn't try the "Dual Channel" option however as I'm not sure what that setting is all about.

Ideas?

Guest · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 6:37 pm Post subject:

Also I should not I've narrowed it down to what appears to be the drums that sound off. It's usually where a drum beat would be instead of a drum ie. snare it sounds like a horse gallop sound. Strange analogy I know but seriously that's what it sounds like.

Guest · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 6:52 pm Post subject:

Ok I have found a way to make it work, although it's not something I want to have to do but at least I now know what the program is having probs with. It appears to have a problem with the .mp3 files as the source audio? The files I'm trying to conver to .avi are .mp3 and .cdg files known today as mp3+g files. If I load the .cdg file as the video it automaticall finds the .mp3 file that goes with it but when converted the audio sounds screwed up on the drums part. However if I convert the .mp3 file to .wav first (I used nullsoft winamp direct disk writer plugin) and then use the Power CDG to AVI util to convert the file to a .avi then it sounds perfect as it should. So why is it having a problem converting from the .mp3 file? Is it because it's coming from mpeg3 audio already and trying to make it an mp3 audio for the .avi file? I don't understand where the problem lies but I at least know sort where the culprit is. Please help.

Guest · Posted: Tue Nov 22, 2005 7:16 pm Post subject:

I'm generating quite the thread here on my own. Smile

Anyway I figured just for the hell of it I would also download Power CDG to MPG trial version and see what it produces. Well with all the default settings guess what? Same problem.. The .mpg file it output had the same strange audio problem. Anyway just thougth I'd let ya know.

admin · Admin Joined: 29 Nov 2002 Posts: 2401

OK, I got the files.

This is very strange problem -- I was unable to reproduce it on our machines. Please try:

1. Select MP3 (Lame) encoding, open 'Compression settings' and change Quality to High.

2. Change bitrate to 192.

If it does not work then there could be a problem with MP3 decoding. Please make sure that you have latest DirectX installed (http://www.microsoft.com/download). Also make sure that MP3 plays fine in Windows Media Player (it is important that you use WMP, as it uses the same decoder as our software, unlike WinAmp).
_________________
Piotr
info@powerkaraoke.com
PowerKaraoke
www.powerkaraoke.com

Guest · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:23 am Post subject:

Hello again. Ok I found out something else. I think this seems to be a compatibility isue with my Sony Vaio Laptop or maybe something instaled in XP on that machine. Because I downloaded the trial of Power CDG to MPG to try on my desktop machine (and note I'm only trying the CDG to MPG because I couldn't get CDG to AVI to work on this desktop, more on that later). and guess what? The outputted mpg file didn't have the strange audio problem that I am getting on the laptop.

Now I wanted to try CDG to AVI on my desktop but I can't even get it to run.. Here is what happens. When I load an cdg and mp3 into it and then press convert an Error! requester pops up that says "Statsfile not found!" and my only option is to click OK. After I click OK another requester pops up and says "Error writing AVI file." I've tried uninstalling the trial CDG to AVI and reinstalling it and rebotting my desktop xp machine but again after reinstalling I get the same problem. So not sure wha'ts up with that.

I'm going to try your suggestions now on the laptop and see what happens. Let you know soon. Thanks.

Guest · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:39 am Post subject:

Hey it worked! That's all I did on the laptop was change LAME to High quality and then to 192 and now the outputted .avi sounds as it should.

I wouldn't have thought of that cause it didn't sound like a quality issue to me but rather a glitch. But anyway it works so that's all that matters.

Maybe you know why it doesn't work on the default settings? The laptop is a Sony Vaio VGN-A190 if that makes any diff.

Thanks again for your help. If you want me to try anything else just let me know.

Guest · Posted: Wed Nov 23, 2005 3:57 pm Post subject:

Ok now bad news again.. It's doing it again.. I just did a whole disk and the sound was crap.. I double checked and I have it set for 192 and high quality in lame. So I don't know what to think now. If I could get the program to work on my desktop I would just use it there and it probably wouldn't have this problem since the CDG to MPG works fine on the desktop. If you have any ideas please let me know.

admin · Admin Joined: 29 Nov 2002 Posts: 2401

What operating system is installed on your desktop?

It looks like there is some problem with video encoding. Please try changing Video Compression settings -- go into XviD properties and see if it displays OK. You may also try updating your DirectX from http://www.microsoft.com/download. You may also try using different video compression like DivX.

It beats me though why are you having problems with encoding audio. Have you tried to play the MP3 in Windows Media Player?
_________________
Piotr
info@powerkaraoke.com
PowerKaraoke
www.powerkaraoke.com

Guest · Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 12:46 pm Post subject:

I have XP Pro installed on both the laptop and the desktop. I'll try updating the directx and also try different video compression on the desktop and see what happens.

As for the audio encoding probs on the laptop I know it's not a player problem as when I burn the resulting .avi files to a dvdr and put them in either of my divx / xvid capable dvd players the audio is still weird with the same sounds that you here from the files I sent you. But yes I was playing the files with Windows Media Player.

I'll try concentrating on getting this program to work on the desktop. If I can and the audio sounds fine that will be ok with me.

Will report back soon.

Guest · Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 1:11 pm Post subject:

Ok got it to work on the desktop. I tried divx and it worked just fine. Also audio is fine. But I noticed with divx the video quality wasn't nearly as good as with the xvid codec that I can run on the laptop. So I checked into the divx settings and noticed it was only set to 1 pass. So I changed it to two pass - 2nd pass setting which is what the xid default was. But then after changing it to that I get the same error as with xvid. So put it back to 1 pass and it then worked fine again. So then I went to the xvid setting and changed it to 1 pass and now xvid works. So it's something about the two pass - 2nd pass settings on both xvid and divx that it won't work on my desktop. I checked and I have the latest dx 9.0c installed on my desktop also. Turns out the quality of the xvid files even at 1 pass seem about the same as the two pass - 2nd pass setting so I guess I can live with it for now. At least the audio works and I can convert my files finally.

admin · Admin Joined: 29 Nov 2002 Posts: 2401

Great! I am happy that you have sorted things out. I am still puzzled what might cause the problems with audio on your laptop.
_________________
Piotr
info@powerkaraoke.com
PowerKaraoke
www.powerkaraoke.com

Guest · Posted: Thu Nov 24, 2005 2:40 pm Post subject:

Thanks. Yes I am also puzzled on that one. I have another Sony Vaio that I use for my business and its' the exact same machine so I will try it on that and see if it has the same problem. If not then that means it's not a hardware compatibility issue but software.

Now that I have your program working and want to convert a bunch of files I'm seeing a couple limitations that really slow down the batch conversion feature. Rather then post the feature request here I'll put it in the proper feature request forum.

Thanks