Burning USCIS.gov .mp3 files to play on CD player goes awry

[Deof Movestofca]

TASK: Download .mp3 files from 100 Civics Questions and Answers with MP3 Audio (English version) and (Spanish version) and burn (after conversion?) to DVD so that my wife can play them on her Jensen portable CD player (which appears not to support .mp3 files).

 

STEPS:

1) Downloaded .mp3s. renamed English files to ENGQ+A_[3 digit track number, 001-100).mp3, renamed Spanish files to ESPQ+A_[3 digit track number, 001-100).mp3.

2) Using ImgBurn, burned .mp3s to DVD.

RESULT: DVD plays on computer, but not on CD player.

My best guess as to why: CD player doesn't support .mp3 format, possibly also too many tracks for player to handle.

 

FURTHER STEPS:

3) Read How to write an Audio CD from music files using ImgBurn guide.

4) Tried to use ImgBurn to create a .cue file using the .mp3 files above.

RESULT: ImgBurn balks at Spanish question #47

; //****************************************\\

; ImgBurn Version 2.5.6.0 - Log

; Monday, 10 October 2011, 21:24:45

; \\****************************************//

;

;

I 21:10:06 ImgBurn Version 2.5.6.0 started!

I 21:10:06 Microsoft Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600 : Service Pack 3)

I 21:10:06 Total Physical Memory: 514,120 KB - Available: 16,108 KB

I 21:10:07 Initialising SPTI...

I 21:10:07 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices...

I 21:10:08 -> Drive 1 - Info: PHILIPS DVD+-RW DVD8801 4D28 (Z:) (ATA)

I 21:10:08 Found 1 DVD±RW!

E 21:10:51 ConnectFilters(Source, Sample Grabber) Failed!

E 21:10:51 File Name: C:\Downloads\ESPQ+A\ESPQ+A047.mp3

E 21:10:52 Reason: No combination of intermediate filters could be found to make the connection.

E 21:10:52 Hint: You may need to install some additional DirectShow filters in order to support files of this type or the file might be corrupt.

E 21:14:48 GetAudioInformation_ACM Failed!

E 21:14:48 File Name: C:\Downloads\ESPQ+A\ESPQ+A047.mp3

E 21:14:48 Reason: Bad Sync Header @ Offset 9660 (SamplesPerFrame == 0)

E 21:20:59 ConnectFilters(Source, Sample Grabber) Failed!

E 21:20:59 File Name: C:\Downloads\ESPQ+A\ESPQ+A047.mp3

E 21:20:59 Reason: No combination of intermediate filters could be found to make the connection.

E 21:20:59 Hint: You may need to install some additional DirectShow filters in order to support files of this type or the file might be corrupt.

E 21:21:05 GetAudioInformation_ACM Failed!

E 21:21:05 File Name: C:\Downloads\ESPQ+A\ESPQ+A047.mp3

E 21:21:05 Reason: Bad Sync Header @ Offset 9660 (SamplesPerFrame == 0)

I 21:24:36 Close Request Acknowledged

I 21:24:42 Closing Down...

I 21:24:44 Shutting down SPTI...

I 21:24:44 ImgBurn closed!

BEST GUESS: I would assume that John Boehner recently became Speaker of the House of Representatives. When they updated the .mp3, they damaged it enough so that ImgBurn (as well as FX Audio CanCat- see below) couldn't recognize the file, but not badly enough that it couldn't still be played in media players (e.g., it worked in Windows Media Player and VLC player, both the original download and the DVD copy).

 

FURTHER STEP:

5) Removed errant file ESPQ+A047 and created a .cue image using the rest of the files.

RESULT: .cue image successful, but when I try to burn it to DVD, I get a "Track number out of range" error message.

BEST GUESS: Must... reduce... number... of... files [rarrrgh].

 

FURTHER STEPS:

6) (at least I think it's "6") Using the internet (sorry, the Internet), I locate a handy dandy .mp3 file joiner (the aforementioned FX Audio CanCat)and laboriously join the .mp3's into 34 English files and 34 Spanish files (like ImgBurn, FX Audio CanCat also balks at the infamous ESPQ+A_047.mp3, refusing to join it with its mates. No amount of begging, wheedling or retrying to join it with other files can make it change its mind).

7) Create a second .cue image, but when I try to burn it to DVD, I get the following message:

Your image doesn't appear to be of the correct format for burning onto a DVD.

Session 1, Track 1

Image Track format: Audio/2352

DVD Track format: MODE1/2048

Sorry, no conversion between the two formats is possible.

BEST GUESS: Actually, it's fairly self-explanatory, but I have no clue as to how to change the formats. Also, a light suddenly goes on in my head alerting me of the possibility that one cannot play a DVD in a CD player, even if it only has audio tracks on it.

 

FURTHER STEP:

8) Hit dead end in regards to my own resources. I think I know why things might have been wrong, but lack the knowledge to say with any certainty whether my "BEST GUESSES" are anywhere close to reality. So, I typed up the above and will soon hit the "Post New Topic" button after asking the following questions:

The first obvious question: how close was I on my guesses?

2) Assuming that Spanish question #47 was somehow corrupted what's the best way to "uncorrupt" it, if possible?

3) Can one play DVD's on CD players if they contain only audio files: yes, no, maybe (depends on the player)?

4) If "yes" to the above question, what's the best way to convert the format from CD to DVD? (if "no" or "maybe", I probably need to use CD's instead of DVD's, I assume).

[LIGHTNING UK!]

You can only write 99 tracks of CD Audio (CDDA) to a CD.

 

You can't write CD Audio (CDDA) to a DVD - period.

 

Try loading the broken mp3 in something like Audacity and then write out a new file.

[Deof Movestofca]

I appreciate the confirmation on the tacks and .cda to DVD issues. As for Audacity, it doesn't "recognize the type of file" for the .mp3 and I have nowhere near enough knowledge about the file to import it as raw data. If you have any ideas of how to get such information, I would be grateful. If not, well, it's not the end of the world. Thanks for all the help you've already given me.

 

UPDATE

In addition to the above problems, ImgBurn is now creating .cue files of 0 k, 10 k, and then 8 k.

 

Log for the 8 k file:

; //****************************************\\

; ImgBurn Version 2.5.6.0 - Log

; Wednesday, 12 October 2011, 00:15:38

; \\****************************************//

;

;

I 00:07:34 ImgBurn Version 2.5.6.0 started!

I 00:07:34 Microsoft Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600 : Service Pack 3)

I 00:07:34 Total Physical Memory: 514,120 KB - Available: 68,940 KB

I 00:07:34 Initialising SPTI...

I 00:07:34 Searching for SCSI / ATAPI devices...

I 00:07:35 -> Drive 1 - Info: PHILIPS DVD+-RW DVD8801 4D28 (Z:) (ATA)

I 00:07:35 Found 1 DVD±RW!

I 00:15:38 Close Request Acknowledged

I 00:15:38 Closing Down...

I 00:15:38 Shutting down SPTI...

I 00:15:38 ImgBurn closed!

 

STEPS:

1) Open up ImgBurn

2) Tools > Create .cue file

3) Drag 'n' drop 001_ESP.mp3 through 034_ESP.mp3, wait for analyzing

4) Drag 'n' drop Eng_001.mp3 through Eng_034.mp3, wait for analyzing

5) Confirm Track Listing:

Unknown - Unknown (66:59:55)

 

01 - 001_ESP (00:48:45)

02 - 002_ESP (00:55:02)

03 - 003_ESP (00:54:14)

04 - 004_ESP (00:57:14)

05 - 005_ESP (00:53:50)

06 - 006_ESP (00:42:40)

07 - 007_ESP (00:52:27)

08 - 008_ESP (00:53:09)

09 - 009_ESP (00:41:66)

10 - 010_ESP (00:45:29)

11 - 011_ESP (00:38:27)

12 - 012_ESP (01:42:01)

13 - 013_ESP (00:46:50)

14 - 014_ESP (01:33:61)

15 - 015_ESP (01:02:66)

16 - 016_ESP (00:58:74)

17 - 017_ESP (01:20:70)

18 - 018_ESP (01:31:15)

19 - 019_ESP (01:47:12)

20 - 020_ESP (01:11:46)

21 - 021_ESP (00:51:57)

22 - 022_ESP (01:26:53)

23 - 023_ESP (01:28:54)

24 - 024_ESP (01:01:02)

25 - 025_ESP (01:08:49)

26 - 026_ESP (01:24:15)

27 - 027_ESP (00:37:15)

28 - 028_ESP (00:40:51)

29 - 029_ESP (02:16:74)

30 - 030_ESP (00:39:57)

31 - 031_ESP (01:51:02)

32 - 032_ESP (00:44:43)

33 - 033_ESP (00:33:67)

34 - 034_ESP (01:08:10)

35 - Eng_001 (00:40:71)

36 - Eng_002 (00:46:61)

37 - Eng_003 (00:47:39)

38 - Eng_004 (00:46:10)

39 - Eng_005 (00:48:23)

40 - Eng_006 (00:39:61)

41 - Eng_007 (00:45:05)

42 - Eng_008 (00:48:23)

43 - Eng_009 (00:40:49)

44 - Eng_010 (00:45:33)

45 - Eng_011 (00:35:16)

46 - Eng_012 (01:26:26)

47 - Eng_013 (00:41:56)

48 - Eng_014 (01:12:18)

49 - Eng_015 (00:51:53)

50 - Eng_016 (00:53:67)

51 - Eng_017 (01:00:48)

52 - Eng_018 (01:03:68)

53 - Eng_019 (01:12:14)

54 - Eng_020 (00:51:45)

55 - Eng_021 (00:44:39)

56 - Eng_022 (01:08:08)

57 - Eng_023 (01:00:12)

58 - Eng_024 (00:48:31)

59 - Eng_025 (00:56:05)

60 - Eng_026 (01:04:36)

61 - Eng_027 (00:36:14)

62 - Eng_028 (00:38:23)

63 - Eng_029 (01:44:16)

64 - Eng_030 (00:38:19)

65 - Eng_031 (01:20:66)

66 - Eng_032 (00:49:21)

67 - Eng_033 (00:30:54)

68 - Eng_034 (00:48:58)

5) Track options:

0 second gap

no CD-Text

Prefer Accurate Audio Track Duration Checked

Preserve Full Pathnames Unchecked

Add To Write Cue when Done Unchecked

Disc/Track None/None

6) Press "OK"

7) Save to C:\Downloads\USCIS5.cue CUE Files - Ansi (*.cue)

8) CUE File Successfully Created! C:\Downloads\USCIS5.cue

Edited October 12, 2011 by Deof Movestofca

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Ok, a last resort would be to play the mp3 and have another program recording it at the same time.

 

So play in VLC or whatever and then record in audacity.

[Deof Movestofca]

I can't remember how I figured it out, but I found I could load the file through File > Import (after installing FFmpeg_v0.6.2_for_Audacity_on_Windows) instead of File > Open (which I was trying to do). I'm still not understanding what's messing up the .cue files, though. Any ideas or would it be better to start a new post under the "Bugs" forum?

[LIGHTNING UK!]

What's your definition of 'messing up' and why do you think they are?

 

No, don't make a new post in bugs. If / when I decide there's an actual problem, I'll already know about it.

 

Creating a 0KB CUE file obviously isn't right but the others could be fine. You'd have to upload them so I can take a look. The log window may or may not mention errors that occurred during the audio analysis phase so keep an eye on that too.

[Deof Movestofca]

At this point, I don't know what to think any more. I simply assumed that since the CD wouldn't play in the player and the .cda files on the disk were showing up in Windows Explorer as 1 kb each, they must have been written to the CD wrong. But when I tried the CD on the computer, it played just fine. The fault seems to lie with the CD player, which, due to other problems we've had with it, should have been suspect to begin with. However, I could be wrong about that as well.

[LIGHTNING UK!]

Those CDA files don't really exist.

 

It's just how windows displays audio discs. Each one is basically a virtual link to the raw data on the disc but their size is in no way related to the actual size/length of the track.