WMA to mp3

[Red Zep]

Ok, I've tried looking for a way to convert some wma files to mp3 but I can't find anything. I found some trial versions of programs, but they only do about 70% percent of the song b/c.... well b/c they are trial versions, not full versions. Someone told me my Windows Media Player 10 can do it, but I don't see how.

Can anyone explain to me how to do it or point me in the direction of a simple, free program that can do it? Thanks.

[OrnotMajestic]

There are several ways:

- Burn a cd with the WMA files, then re-rip to MP3 (this way sucks)

- Go HERE (http://www.download.com/JetAudio-Basic/3000-2167-10013740.html)
and download this program. It was convert any file type to just about any file type except MP3. I know this doesn't sound like it helps...but it converts to OGG VORBIS, APE, FLAC, etc. Seems to encode to MP3 you have to pay nowadays. Which sucks.

BUT, you can go to HERE (http://www.cowonamerica.com/download/iaudio_m3_jsfw.html) and try this one instead. Click on the JetShell (NOT the firmware...DUH) and select the JetShell for all iAudio models . It will keep bugging you that it doesn't detect the MP3 player, but you can ignore that. It comes with a built in ripper/encoder for WMA/MP3. It's what I use when I rip CD's directly to my iAudio MP3 player. I've converted files before WITHOUT it having my MP3 player connected (after I clicked the ok button after it yelled at me for not detecting the hardware). So yeah, might as well give it a whirl. Let me know if that works for you.

[Tinuviel Girl]

iTunes will do it ...

[Red Zep]

Originally posted by OrnotMajestic

BUT, you can go to HERE (http://www.cowonamerica.com/download/iaudio_m3_jsfw.html) and try this one instead. Click on the JetShell (NOT the firmware...DUH) and select the JetShell for all iAudio models . It will keep bugging you that it doesn't detect the MP3 player, but you can ignore that. It comes with a built in ripper/encoder for WMA/MP3. It's what I use when I rip CD's directly to my iAudio MP3 player. I've converted files before WITHOUT it having my MP3 player connected (after I clicked the ok button after it yelled at me for not detecting the hardware). So yeah, might as well give it a whirl. Let me know if that works for you.

Gotta have a serial number...:(

[Tinuviel Girl]

cough cough ... who said iTunes ...

[NCFreak]

Not sure if Audacity can import WMA or not. It's free, and it's pretty much the standard open source audio utility.

http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

If it can't import WMA, the full version of Nero (NOT the OEM version) can do it with Nero WaveEditor. This is what I use. It's works VERY well. You can download a full copy of Nero for free and use it for 30 days.

http://ww2.nero.com/nero7/enu/nero7-demo.php

Your 3rd choice is to use your soundcard's audio recording software (or Audacity) and just record it while playing the WMA's, then Save As MP3.

Or, do what Matt (Ornot) said, which will never be as cool as what I say.

[Red Zep]

Originally posted by Tinuviel Girl
cough cough ... who said iTunes ...

I actually downloaded and used iTunes to convert the files. But what I thought u were talking about was saving it onto a disc as wma, then ripping it back to the computer as mp3. Well I figured out that by putting the WMA files into my library, it automatically converted it... but not to mp3. It converted to a type of AAC file (?), specifically an .m4u file. Well it seems to work in at least one cd player in my house... we'll see if it works in my car.

[OrnotMajestic]

Originally posted by Red Zep


I actually downloaded and used iTunes to convert the files. But what I thought u were talking about was saving it onto a disc as wma, then ripping it back to the computer as mp3. Well I figured out that by putting the WMA files into my library, it automatically converted it... but not to mp3. It converted to a type of AAC file (?), specifically an .m4u file. Well it seems to work in at least one cd player in my house... we'll see if it works in my car.

AAC is the Apple Audio Codec. It's Apple's MP3 if you will. Since iPod's are so popular, lots of CD players play MP3, WMA and AAC audio codecs.

Burning your WMA's as normal CD's (converts to .WAV format then burns, which is what stereos generally recognize) then re-ripping them in MP3 using say....Windows Media Player is a safe bet. Seems free audio converters to MP3 have gone the way of the buffalo.

Still, getting JetAudio isn't so bad, even if it doesn't convert to MP3 on the free ones. It converts just about anything else to anything else!!

Sorry about the JetShell thing. I had no idea that it required a serial number to use!! Did you do a search on download.com or anyplace for free, open-source MP3 converters?

[OrnotMajestic]

Ten seconds on google reveals:

THIS (http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Utilities/Backup_and_Copy_Utilities/Zilla_Free_Audio_Converter_Extractor.html)

And there are lots and lots of others. Some are just BladeENC formats using LAME mapping, which is all you need. Some just go from .WAV to .MP3...but if you use JetAudio to convert to WAV, then just re-convert to .MP3 using free utilities you can find online. A bit more work, but not a pain in the butt like converting from AAC and .m4u. Trust me.

Edit:

Check THIS (http://www.mp3-converter.com/mp3_converter_freeware.htm) out. Seriously, less than a minute on google reveals SO much.

[NCFreak]

I knew you were fulla crap. AAC (Advanced_Audio_Coding) is the successor to MP3, and was created by the same group of people who created MP3 in the first place (not Apple). For that reason, it's iTunes' default format.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Audio_Coding

*smack*

[Red Zep]

Originally posted by OrnotMajestic
Ten seconds on google reveals:

THIS (http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Utilities/Backup_and_Copy_Utilities/Zilla_Free_Audio_Converter_Extractor.html)

And there are lots and lots of others. Some are just BladeENC formats using LAME mapping, which is all you need. Some just go from .WAV to .MP3...but if you use JetAudio to convert to WAV, then just re-convert to .MP3 using free utilities you can find online. A bit more work, but not a pain in the butt like converting from AAC and .m4u. Trust me.

Edit:

Check THIS (http://www.mp3-converter.com/mp3_converter_freeware.htm) out. Seriously, less than a minute on google reveals SO much.

F**k. I've tried all of that. Google is great, but I've been there. All I found were trial versions. I had already been straight to that second site two days ago and found it useless. And that Zilla crap didn't do anything but put spyware on my computer.

[Red Zep]

Originally posted by OrnotMajestic


Burning your WMA's as normal CD's (converts to .WAV format then burns, which is what stereos generally recognize) then re-ripping them in MP3 using say....Windows Media Player is a safe bet. Seems free audio converters to MP3 have gone the way of the buffalo.

We'll then I guess that's what I will have to do. The making-the-CD problem has been resolved since cd players recognize AAC or .m4u tracks. But I still have the dilemma of getting it into mp3 format since I'm trying to put these tracks onto a myspace music page. I will let you guys know if it is successful or not.

Or if someone who knows what they are doing can do it for me lol...

http://www.whatstudios.net/moremusic/Patrick/ These are some demos put together by myself and a friend. We were in a 3-piece.... hence, no bass.

[OrnotMajestic]

Originally posted by NCFreak
I knew you were fulla crap. AAC (Advanced_Audio_Coding) is the successor to MP3, and was created by the same group of people who created MP3 in the first place (not Apple). For that reason, it's iTunes' default format.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advanced_Audio_Coding

*smack*

I'm not technically full of crap. I had several friends that would refer to AAC as Apple Audio Codec as a joke, and it stuck. Why? It might as well be since they are the only ones that use it as a default instead of MP3. It's really not much of a successor since it's a VBR codec at medium to high level of quality. So what? VBR was created because at the time, storage space was a real problem. Now? You can get a 500 gig HD for $250...why do you need to save space on lossy codecs. It still doesn't then explain the popularity of MP3 still (I guess since it's been around so long)...but AAC is definitely no successor . Things are going lossless like FLAC and APE, or better lossy conversions like OGG VORBIS.

So, smack me if you want, B-Dawg :P but I'm technically correct. It's iTunes direct format in order to create a new standard controlled by Sony and Dolby. Good ole Sony. Remember them and their rootkit protected CD's? Hello Blu-Ray. It is an improvement, but there have been better and FREE codecs on the market for a while now that I've mentioned.

[OrnotMajestic]

Originally posted by Red Zep


F**k. I've tried all of that. Google is great, but I've been there. All I found were trial versions. I had already been straight to that second site two days ago and found it useless. And that Zilla crap didn't do anything but put spyware on my computer.

Well crap. Seriously, there used to be TONS of such programs for FREE on shareware. With the popularity of WMA and it's propriatary formats (much like AAC will/is become/ing), it's gone to a charge. Suckage. I used to have something called right-click MP3 . All you had to do was right-click on a folder containing another format, and it automatically converted all supported file-types into mp3. Awesome. Doesn't work so well now with copy-protected stuff. Oh well.

[NCFreak]

Zep, I'll do it for you tonight when I get off work. It'll take me about 15 minutes. How do you want me to send you the files?

[Red Zep]

Originally posted by NCFreak
Zep, I'll do it for you tonight when I get off work. It'll take me about 15 minutes. How do you want me to send you the files?

You da man, man! bangdadrum84@yahoo.com

Thanks bunches

[NCFreak]

You've Got Mail!

Delete the one w/ no subject. Somethin' screwed up when I was sending it.

[Tinuviel Girl]

Originally posted by Red Zep


I actually downloaded and used iTunes to convert the files. But what I thought u were talking about was saving it onto a disc as wma, then ripping it back to the computer as mp3. Well I figured out that by putting the WMA files into my library, it automatically converted it... but not to mp3. It converted to a type of AAC file (?), specifically an .m4u file. Well it seems to work in at least one cd player in my house... we'll see if it works in my car.

yes there is a setting you can use to change that, let me find it here, this really, sorry should've checked sooner ...

go to Edit, Preferences, Advanced, Importing, Import Using: BOOM change that to MP3 and your golden! Then all you have to do is import your WMA right click and the select convert to mp3 ... theoretically ... didn't read the rest of these posts, but i don't think anybody mentioned this ...

seriously iTunes may be gay mac crap, but i love it ...
iTunes BABY

[creaker]

Macs are cool...

[NCFreak]

For the future, CDex might do it...

http://cdexos.sourceforge.net/


What's CDex?
CDex can CD/Ripper music encoder. CDex can extract the data directly (digital) from an Audio CD, which is generally called a CD Ripper or a CDDA utility. The resulting audio file can be a plain WAV file (useful for making compilation audio CDs) or the ripped audio data can be compressed using an audio encoder. Many encoders are supported, to name a few:

Lame MP3 encoder
Internal MP2 encoder
APE lossles audio format
Ogg Vorbis encoder
The Windows MP3 encoder (Fraunhofer MP3 encoder)
NTT VQF encoder
FAAC encoder
Windows WMA8 encoder

In addition, WAV files on the hard drive can be converted to a Compressed Audio File (and visa versa). CDex also supports many audio file tag formats like the ID3V1 and ID3V2 tags, which can be automatically inserted as part of the ripping process.

Feature List
Direct recording of multiple tracks
Read / store album information from/to the cdplayer.ini file
Read / store album information from/to a local and/or remote CD Database (CDDB)
Support CD-Text (if your CD-drive supports it)
Advanced jitter correction (based on the cd-paranoia ripping library)
Indicates track progress and jitter control
Normalization of audio signal
Supports many CD-Drive from many manufacters
Conversion of external WAV files
Support for M3U and PLS play list files
Best of all, it's free (GPL license, source code available at www.sourceforge.net)
Serveral languages are supported