Converting MPEG to MP3 to play on MP3 player

[asy]

Hi all,

I've searched the archives and can't find the answer to my plight...

When I download LibriVox files, they come into my computer saying they're MPEG files. The extension on the actual file is .mp3 but in windows explorer it says the "File type" is MPEG.

In any case, I've uploaded the files into my phone (also an MP3 player) and it won't recognise them!!!

I rang the phone's service people, and they said the problem is that the phone can't 'see' MPEG files. They'd have to be converted into MP3 files. It's all very frustrating because I thought they WERE MP3 files in the first place...

Anyway, does anyone have any idea how to convert them, or what a good (freeware) programme is to do so? I've scoured tucows and related sites, and downloaded 4 programmes so far that promised to do the deed, none of which did...

Thanks for any help!

asy

[kri]

Hi all,

I've searched the archives and can't find the answer to my plight...

When I download LibriVox files, they come into my computer saying they're MPEG files. The extension on the actual file is .mp3 but in windows explorer it says the "File type" is MPEG.

In any case, I've uploaded the files into my phone (also an MP3 player) and it won't recognise them!!!

I rang the phone's service people, and they said the problem is that the phone can't 'see' MPEG files. They'd have to be converted into MP3 files. It's all very frustrating because I thought they WERE MP3 files in the first place...

Anyway, does anyone have any idea how to convert them, or what a good (freeware) programme is to do so? I've scoured tucows and related sites, and downloaded 4 programmes so far that promised to do the deed, none of which did...

Thanks for any help!

asy

If the extension is .mp3, and they came to you as MP3 files (which they did) then your computer must have done something to change them, or make your phone think they're MPEGs during the transfer.

You shouldn't need to convert them, but let's try to figure out what happened first. What operating system do you use, what did you use to download them, what did you do with them after you downloaded them. Basically do what you can to describe what happens to these files as they go from the internet to your computer.

[asy]

Hiya Kri,

Thanks for replying so quickly

What operating system do you use, what did you use to download them, what did you do with them after you downloaded them.

I use Windows XP, Firefox Browser, here's what I do to download the files:

Find it in LibriVox catalogue,
Click to download the "Zip file of the entire book"
Then the "you have chosen to open" screenbox comes up, and I "Open with CompressedFolder"
Then the download explorer comes up, and shows the progress till it finishes downloading.
Once it's finished downloading, the 'download' folder comes up and shows the item as an MPEG file (with the MP3 extension).

Hope that helped!

asy

[asy]

By the way, the files play just fine on my computer...

It's all very frustrating.

asy

[fae]

Have you unzipped the files from the folder?

If they came down zipped then you will have to unzip them. I don't know if you have a program to do that or not so try this:

Double click on the zipped folder and look at the left hand side of the window. If it says "Extract all files" then click on that. An new window will pop up asking you if you want to extract the files and where you want them to go (there should be a browse button.) Make sure that they are being extracted to some where you can find it easily, like the desktop and then just keep hitting next until it is done.

Once extracted they should play on any mp3 player.

Hope that helps and let us know if it worked

[asy]

Thanks fae, but they're unzipped already... They're all individual sections of the original file. Still won't work

As I said, they play just fine on my computer, I suspect they'd play fine on a standard MP3 player, but my phone sees them as MPEG files!

Maybe I need to give up and get a standard MP3 player
asy

[Cloud Mountain]

Maybe I need to give up and get a standard MP3 player
asy

Now THAT seems to be the REAL solution (and the SOURCE of the problem.)

[asy]

You're probably right about that being the solution, but I"m not quite sure how it could be the source of the problem?

asy

[kristin]

When I download LibriVox files, they come into my computer saying they're MPEG files. The extension on the actual file is .mp3 but in windows explorer it says the "File type" is MPEG.

From this statement, I would think the source of the problem is somewhere other than the phone but unfortunately I have no help for you. Sorry. I hope you get it figured out.

I do have a couple questions, now that I think about it. Have you tried downloading a non-zip file, how do they show up? What are you using to unzip them?

[Stephan]

When i rightclick one of our files in winXP explorer and go to properties it says its "winamp media file". I guess it's different things as how they are registered in your computer. But they really are mp3 files.

Did you try using the 64k versions instead of the 128k files on your phone?

[TBOL3]

The zipped files are 64K, so try the 128K.

[WauloK]

Can I just clarify for you that "MP3" is a shortened name for "MPeg-1 Audio Layer 3" format?
You can read about it here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MP3
With Windows XP you can rename any file with an extension to any other extension and it will confuse Windows XP as it only checks extensions before trying to open a file. Try renaming file.mp3 to file.jpg and it tries to open in a Graphics displayer application (MS Paint or Fax viewer).
Phones tend to look at the actual encoding within the file before figuring whether it is supported. I guess it helps the phone to not open jpgs renamed mp3 and cause overflows in the programming or a total lockup of the phone.
I know I tested this by putting a DRM'd AAC file from iTunes onto my Sony/Ericsson k800i phone and it would not even show up in the playlist.
(btw I think AAC (mp4) > OGG > MP3 but AAC is not as common on players).
As for Windows thinking it's MPEG instead of MP3, you might want to reinstall WMP or upgrade it to a later version or install iTunes as your player and it may fix the Registered Filetypes in the Windows File Association registry.
You haven't mentioned which phone you use. That may shed some light.

The way to find out what Windows thinks go into Explorer and click on the menu: TOOLS : FOLDER OPTIONS
Click on the tab "file types"
Scroll down the extensions until you see "MP3". To be honest, an application can probably change the filetype description to anything. Make MP3 filetypes say "Yo momma" and Windows will do it.
All things aside. Even if Windows thought it a JPG and tries to open it as such, the mp3 player on your phone should be ignorant of that fact and may still display it. (Something for me to try in the future).
The only thing I can think of is somehow (possibly in the transfer of files from your PC to your phone) the file becomes a bit corrupt. If the headers in the MP3 file change at all, the phone will ignore it.
A quick note: Are you sure you have been uploading the mp3s to the correct folders on your phone or does the phone have builtin software for audio transfers?
The other only thought is if this is the case, the phone software could be a bit buggy and either needs reinstalling or updating.

PS: I just tested renaming a .mp3 file as .avi and it still opened and played correctly in WMP. The extension only tells Windows what program to play it with. Once it launches WMP it will decode the file correctly like an mp3.