Converting WAV to MP3

Hopefully this is the right place to ask this. I thought it was more appropriate in the "Computer Help" forum than on a Podcast board.

Can someone please help me out here... I have recorded a podcast to submit in Sound Recorder (which saves as wavs by default). Then I tried messing around with the "Save As" option and selected "MPEG Layer-3" and saved it. It's only like 500 kb so the problem isn't with file size or anything. I saved it with a .mp3 ending, but it still won't upload to the podcasts!

Your file, bts_talkpodcast_309.mp3, of audio/wav is not supported, please try a different file.

Can someone tell me how to make an MP3 that will submit to the podcasts? Do I need a certain program? Thanks.

Worst case scenario, can I send it to someone and they convert it for me and send it back, etc?

Edit: Found a couple, but they all only convert like 80% of your file in the free version .

[edit on 22-9-2005 by Yarcofin]

ImTOO Audio Encoder does this for you but I am not sure of the limitations of the free trial. If you cannot find a program for free then upload it somewhere give me an address (or PM me the address) and I will download, convert and upload somewhere else.

EDIT: Oh and you will need to specify what bitrate you want it as

[edit on 22/9/05 by Infidellic]

Hey - I found freeware online called "switch" - works for me.

All you need is a simple mp3 encoder to convert the wav files. A google on "mp3 encoder" and you're there, for the most part. Most recording programs have that built in, although some of the free stuff might not be so accomodating. But which ever program you end up with, try to get one that will record DIRECT to mp3, thereby saving you the conversion time. I use one that does direct-to-mp3's, and allows direct mp3 editing as well. But it is much more than what most people will need to create a simple podcast, and is far from free.

[edit on 22-9-2005 by TrueAmerican]

prdownloads.sourceforge.net...

That's a mirror download link for Audacity, its an open source Audio Editor. It does conversions, and its real simple/easy to use. Have fun.


Whoops I almost forgot, it needs the dll for the LAME mp3 encoder, my bad, you can download that here:

download.riverpast.com...

So here's what you do...

Download both files, but open the LAME zip first. Extract the files in an easy to find spot like C:\LAME

Next install Audacity with standard options. Open audacity once installed, Open your .wav file, Go to File > Export as .MP3. It will tell you it uses the LAME encoder file. Then it will ask you if you want to locate it, click yes, and find lame_enc.dll in the folder where you extracted the LAME files. In my example I used C:\LAME for instance.

Then it'll ask you for the id3 tag youwant to use, and you're set.


Edit: Most freeware online has spyware with it, this is open source so its entirely clean.

[edit on 9/22/2005 by Kalapadea]

[edit on 9/22/2005 by Kalapadea]

If your looking for free software, a good place to go is cnet.com and go to their downloads section (the link is in the upper right of the page - kind of easy to miss). They have reviews of most of the software and they tell you the limitations as well as if it is free. Not only that, but they also say that all the software is spyware-free.

i reccomend CDEX , i got it when i " archived " all my cds onto my archos mp3 player

[ url=http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/]link[/url]

hope this helps

One I used to use was called OGG Converter...its shareware though. Sad to say my podcasting days are over for now.

PS...a good recorder that automactilly saves as an mp3 is "MP3 Recorder XP"...but its also shareware.

-J

Audacity is open source... no adware, no spyware, no time limit.