Reducing MP3 bit rate

[rushdriver]

Hi,

I have a netgear MP101 wireless player connected to my stereo, but it will only play songs with a bit rate of 128 or less.

Most of my music is higher than that so I was wondering if it's possible to reduce the bit rate automatically without me having to record all my songs again

Any ideas?

Cheers

John

[GlenMH]

Crikey - I was going to get one of those and you have put me right off. On a hifi, you can easily hear the difference between 128k and over 300k compression

Glen

[rushdriver]

GlenMH said:

Crikey - I was going to get one of those and you have put me right off. On a hifi, you can easily hear the difference between 128k and over 300k compression Glen

Tell me about it!, unless I'm doing something wrong?

John

[neil.b]

Nah, 128k definitely bad.

Its not possible to easily reduce the bit rate - the files have to be re-encoded at the lower rate.

Personally I wouldn't do it as they sound bloody awful.

Get yourself a Squeezebox. Play back any rate you like

www.slimdevices.com

[wannanicecar]

Another alternative to squeezebox is the 'Wireless Sound Blaster' from Creative (Imaginative name eh?)

Just got one myself and can't find any major faults at the moment other than having to set up my playlists again.

[rushdriver]

Thanks guys for the answers, I might get one of the units that are mentioned in the thread and take back the Mp101

Cheers

John

[arcturus]

Hang on a minute - there is something wrong here.

The MP101 will play MP3 up to 320kbps including VBR recordings. It will also play WMA up to 192kbps.

Well thats what it says in the leaflets and that is what both mine do. Have you upgraded to the latest firmware (V1.3.7) and the latest server software (3.3.36)?

Not that it should make any difference but it is worth a try.

Personally I think the MP101 is excellent.

>> Edited by arcturus on Saturday 12th March 10:59

[rushdriver]

arcturus said:

Hang on a minute - there is something wrong here. The MP101 will play MP3 up to 320kbps including VBR recordings. It will also play WMA up to 192kbps. Well thats what it says in the leaflets and that is what both mine do. Have you upgraded to the latest firmware (V1.3.7) and the latest server software (3.3.36)? Not that it should make any difference but it is worth a try. Personally I think the MP101 is excellent. >> Edited by arcturus on Saturday 12th March 10:59

Er, when I import the files it just says that it's a unsupported bitrate, can you point me in the right direction of the upgrades?

Cheers

John

[arcturus]

Here you go: http://kbserver.netgear.com/support_details.asp?dnldID=876

[rushdriver]

Thanks guys, I have done that and it still says the same I wonder if it's a setting or something?

John

[arcturus]

The one thing it wont import is music that is protected by some sort of DRM (Digital Rights Management). Could this be the problem?

[rushdriver]

arcturus said:

The one thing it wont import is music that is protected by some sort of DRM (Digital Rights Management). Could this be the problem?

I throw it through Tunebite before I copy it over to the Mp101, however, I have just tried it again and it works so I think that it must of been me (ashamed).

Thanks for your help guys, PH to the rescue again!

John

[mcflurry]

Newbie question in this field. Exactly how do they work?

I am guessing they plug into your amp like a cd player and you network over the music files from your pc?

TIA

[rushdriver]

mcflurry said:

Newbie question in this field. Exactly how do they work? I am guessing they plug into your amp like a cd player and you network over the music files from your pc? TIA

The MP101?, yes they plug into your aux port in the back of your stereo and then they stream the music wirelessly from you PC (or hard wired) and plays it on your stereo.

Really cool bit of kit


John

[docevi1]

rushdriver said:

mcflurry said: Newbie question in this field. Exactly how do they work? I am guessing they plug into your amp like a cd player and you network over the music files from your pc? The MP101?, yes they plug into your aux port in the back of your stereo and then they stream the music wirelessly from you PC (or hard wired) and plays it on your stereo. Really cool bit of kit

But useless if your MP3 collection is off too low a bitrate & if your computer is within cable distance of your stereo (i.e. <1m )

I quite fancy doing something similar to this but using flat screen panels mounted into the walls of the house, a central server would deliver MP3's, control the lights... would be kinda cool