dum question

[mikewilliams]

Can you buy cd quality songs online...not mp3 quality

[hongrn]

> Can you buy cd quality songs online...not
> mp3 quality

I don't think so. Dowloading them would take forever due to the size of each file.

Hong

[mikewilliams]

Thanks for the quick response Hong.

Intuition told me that was the case
but I had to verify. Guess I have to
buy a whole CD for 1 favorite song.

Thanks,

Mike

> I don't think so. Dowloading them would take
> forever due to the size of each file.

> Hong

[tomzarbo]

Yea, a typical CD song of 4-5 minutes will take up 50 megabytes or more. An MP3 of the same song might take up 4-5 mb. There are a lot of older songs I want, but don't have because of the same problem. I don't want to buy a 12 dollar CD for one song.
I really miss Personics!

TomZ

[donparsons]

At what level of compression can you tell the difference on a MP3? I rip my cds at 320 kbps and I have played the digital file and the mp3 and a-b'd them and can't hear a difference on my Outlaw reciever and Modula MT's.

Just curious...

[mikelytle]

Very good question.

> At what level of compression can you tell
> the difference on a MP3? I rip my cds at 320
> kbps and I have played the digital file and
> the mp3 and a-b'd them and can't hear a
> difference on my Outlaw reciever and Modula
> MT's.

> Just curious...

[matg]

you won't find every thing you want to hear, but a lot of older stuff and odd stuff winds up in the local pawn shops here and they only charge $2-$4 per CD. Being in a college town probably helps the selection since students from all over the country get poor, hungry, and pawn their CD's.

> Yea, a typical CD song of 4-5 minutes will
> take up 50 megabytes or more. An MP3 of the
> same song might take up 4-5 mb. There are a
> lot of older songs I want, but don't have
> because of the same problem. I don't want to
> buy a 12 dollar CD for one song.
> I really miss Personics!

> TomZ

[bogie]

...and not quite as ethical...

Buy used CDs from a used CD store, rip 'em to full bandwidth, and sell 'em back.

[mikewilliams]

<A HREF="http://customcd.walmart.com/onehour/...fxhn3dJXv22LW1">http://customcd.walmart.com/onehour/...fxhn3dJXv22LW1</A>!-2044760724?topicIndex=0#0

[Chris Roemer]

>
> <A HREF="http://customcd.walmart.com/onehour/...fxhn3dJXv22LW1">http://customcd.walmart.com/onehour/...fxhn3dJXv22LW1</A>
> !-2044760724?topicIndex=0#0

It's MOST LIKELY an "Audio CD", BUT . . .
they're probably taking MP3 data files and converting them back to Audio CD for burning.

Why would they do this?
Most ANY "CD" player can play an Audio CD, as it was one of the first formats that became available. They'll play in my boombox, in my old car's CD player, and on any computer.
MP3 discs will NOT play in MY car, or on MY boombox (it's pretty old), but they will play on my computer and any CD drive that's MP3 compatible.

As was mentioned before, Audio CD tracks typically use about 10mb per minute, whereas MP3 (compressed) files only need about 1mb per minute. So 20 4min (40mb) Audio CD files might just fit on an 800mb CD burn, but you can fit nearly 200 MP3 songs (4mb each) on an 800mb CD.
They can store (or download) the "chopped" files alot faster using less expensive hardware (storage). It's easier and less costly to do it this way.

[mikewilliams]

I emailed walmart help...hope they undersand the question...i'll post when i get an answer back.

thanks

> It's MOST LIKELY an "Audio CD",
> BUT . . .
> they're probably taking MP3 data files and
> converting them back to Audio CD for
> burning.

> Why would they do this?
> Most ANY "CD" player can play an
> Audio CD, as it was one of the first formats
> that became available. They'll play in my
> boombox, in my old car's CD player, and on
> any computer.
> MP3 discs will NOT play in MY car, or on MY
> boombox (it's pretty old), but they will
> play on my computer and any CD drive that's
> MP3 compatible.

> As was mentioned before, Audio CD tracks
> typically use about 10mb per minute, whereas
> MP3 (compressed) files only need about 1mb
> per minute. So 20 4min (40mb) Audio CD files
> might just fit on an 800mb CD burn, but you
> can fit nearly 200 MP3 songs (4mb each) on
> an 800mb CD.
> They can store (or download) the
> "chopped" files alot faster using
> less expensive hardware (storage). It's
> easier and less costly to do it this way.

[tomzarbo]

Personics is reborn!

If it's really true CD files, and not MP3 versions, I would love to try this out.
Thanks for the link.
TomZ

[mikewilliams]

I just got this back from Walmart Help and sent
another more detailed question to verify (asking
them if it went from cd to mp3 and back to cd.
Should have a response upon returning from work.
I'll post again then.

Dear Mike,

Thank you for contacting Walmart.com about our Music Downloads. Your
comments and questions are very important to us as we strive to meet
your needs.

We are writing in response to your inquiry about format for Customized
CD. We would like to inform you that the item is in regular audio CD
music format, not mp3. Thank you for visiting Walmart.com and we value
your business.

If you have any questions you may contact the Music Download Department
by phone at 1-800-222-8132 from 4am - 10pm PST (6 a.m. - mid-night CST)
7 days a week or by email at <A HREF="mailto:musicdownloads@walmart.com">musicdown loads@walmart.com</A>.

Sincerely,

Raul
Customer Service at Walmart.com

[mikewilliams]

No response back from walmart on the
specifics. Did some google searching and
from what I found it looks like the
WMA thing.