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Questions

1. Why would I want to use MP3 files instead of cassette tapes at my workshop?
2. What kind of equipment do I need?
3. What kind of software do I need?
4. Will Wplayer work with Winamp version 3? Where can I get Winamp version 2 or version 5?
5. Wplayer doesn't seem to remember the last playlist I was using. Isn't it supposed to resume in the same playlist right where it left off?
6. I went to www.dbpoweramp.com and could find dBpowerAMP Music Converter, but couldn't find dMC Auxiliary Input. Where is it?
7. Can I control playing of my MP3 files by remote control?
8. How do I set up the IRAssistant software?
9. I downloaded the latest IRAssistant software form www.irassistant.com and can't get it to work. What is wrong?
10. IRAssistant can't open my COM port. What is wrong?
11. I have a bunch of MP3 recordings on my hard drive, with playlists set up. I moved the MP3 files to CD ROM and now the playlists don't work. How can I fix it?
12. How much can I fit on one CD ROM anyway? What about sample rates, bitrates, compression, etc.?
13. What kind of batteries does the RF remote control system use? How long will they last?
14. How much will it cost to get all the equipment I need to record and play dances as MP3 files for my tape group?
15. My laptop doesn't have a COM port. Can I still use the RF remote control system?

Answers

1. Why would I want to use MP3 files instead of cassette tapes at my workshop?

   Convenience. You can store an enormous library of recordings on your hard disk or on CD ROM. You can keep all your recordings nicely organized by level, dance, caller, etc. in folders and sub folders. You can use Find Files to search for recordings from specific dances/callers/etc., and access any recording instantly. You can make copies of copies of copies without losing any quality. You can rewind, skip back, and skip forward instantly with no annoying tape delays. You can record whole dances automatically without having to touch your laptop or worry about turning tapes over in time.

2. What kind of equipment do I need?

   Almost any laptop computer running Windows will do. All laptops have nice sound systems these days. You just need an audio input and audio output jack. You can use the same kind of patch box that you use for recording with cassette tapes. Note that some laptop computers need to have a stereo input cable even when recording mono, or you cannot get full recording level. A nice set of amplified computer speakers gives plenty of volume when playing the recordings at your workshop.

3. What kind of software do I need?

   For recording, I use dBpowerAMP Music Converter with  the free add on called dMC Auxiliary Input. For editing the recordings (to eliminate squaring up music, announcements, extra stuff at the end, etc.) I use MP3 Direct Cut. To play them back I use Winamp along with a little program I wrote called Wplayer. Wplayer gives you a tape counter, tip timer, convenient keyboard shortcuts, etc. See my Downloads page for links to all the software you need. It is all freeware!

4. Will Wplayer work with Winamp version 3.xx? Where can I get Winamp version 2.xx or version 5.xx?

   Wplayer will NOT work with Winamp version 3.xx. It will only work with the newest version 5.xx, or the older version 2.xx. Visit www.winamp.com to get the latest Winamp version 5.xx. Contact me if you want the older version 2.xx.

5. Wplayer doesn't seem to remember the last playlist I was using. Isn't it supposed to resume in the same playlist right where it left off?

   Yes, Wplayer should remember the last playlist file used and resume from where it left off. But to remember the playlist, it has to know which playlist is open. If you opened the playlist using Winamp (or if you just created a new playlist using Winamp), Wplayer doesn't know which playlist is open. The solution is simple. Use Wplayer's Playlist->Open command to open the playlist using Wplayer. You can also drag-and-drop a playlist file onto Wplayer to open it. Then Wplayer knows which playlist is open, and it will return to it the next time you start Wplayer.

6. I went to www.dbpoweramp.com and could find dBpowerAMP Music Converter, but couldn't find dMC Auxiliary Input. Where is it?

   Since dBpowerAMP Music Converter changed to version 11, the dMC Auxiliary Input add-on is included in the basic software package. Be advised that the MP3 codec will cease to function after 30 days unless you register your version 11 software and pay a small registration fee. The dMC Auxiliary input for the version 10 software may be downloaded here on my Downloads page..

7. Can I control playing of my MP3 files by remote control?

   Yes! Since you are playing files on a computer, remote control is mostly a matter of software. I make a remote control system consisting of a small transmitter with six pushbuttons that you can attach to your belt. A small radio receiver plugs into the USB port on your computer. Then some free software called RfRemote lets you control Wplayer (or any other player you decide to use) from the remote control on your belt. See my Products page for details.

8. How do I set up the RfRemote software? What about the older IrAssistant software?

   See the installation instructions for RfRemote here.

   See the installation instructions for IrAssistant here.

9. I downloaded the latest IRAssistant software form www.irassistant.com and can't get it to work. What is wrong?

   The latest version of IRAssistant (version 3.5) does not work properly. It cannot send commands to specific Windows applications. Version 3.40 worked fine, and you can find it on my downloads page. But I prefer you use my newest software called RfRemote.

10. RfRemote (or IRAssistant) can't open my COM port. What is wrong?

    Either you are telling RfRemote/IRAssistant to use the wrong COM port, or your COM port is not available. The COM port on a laptop is almost always COM1, but it could be different. If it is a virtual COM port created by the USB driver used by RfRemote, you need to check the Windows device manager to see which COM port number was assigned. If your laptop has a built in modem, the modem will appear as if it was a COM port. But this "COM" port is only for the modem, and does not connect to the COM port connector on the back of your computer. On some computers, the COM port can be disabled and powered down (often by settings in the BIOS or by special power management software supplied with your computer). Make sure your port is enabled and powered on. The COM port is sometimes disabled if the IRDA (InfaRed data) port on your computer is enabled (mostly older laptops). The port could also be unavailable if some other software is using the port. This could be software for transferring data to/from a digital camera, PDA, or other device. Disable any such software to make the port available.

11. I have a bunch of MP3 recordings on my hard drive, with playlists set up. I moved the MP3 files to CD ROM and now the playlists don't work. How can I fix it?

    Simple. The M3U playlist files used by Winamp (and some other players) are simple text files. Just edit the M3U playlist files using Wordpad or Word and change the drive letter (or drive letter and pathname) to the new location where the MP3 file is stored.

    For example, if you had a file called 01Rubright.mp3 on your hard disk in a folder called C:\MyRecordings\C2\PaceAug01, and you move it to a CD ROM in drive D in a folder called D:\C2\PaceAug01, just edit the M3U playlist file and change the pathname from:
    C:\MyRecordings\C2\PaceAug01\01Rubright.mp3
    to:
    D:\C2\PaceAug01\01Rubright.mp3

    Do this for every file in the playlist using a find-and-replace command, changing C:\MyRecordings (the old location) to D:\ (the new location). Make sure you save the edited playlist file as a text file.

    If you don't feel comfortable editing the playlist files, you can just use Winamp to create NEW playlist files using the files on the CD, and save the playlist file to the same file name you had before. Answer Yes to replace the existing file.

12. How much can I fit on one CD ROM anyway? What about sample rates, bitrates, compression, etc.?

    A CD can hold at least 650 megabytes of data (usually 700). I record my MP3 files for dances at a sample rate of 22050 and a bit rate of 32000 bits/second (constant bit rate). All square dance recordings are mono. This means that one hour of recording takes up 14.4 megabytes. A 650 MByte CD can hold about 47 hours of recordings. A 700 MByte CD can hold just over 50 hours. How good does the recording sound? Well, you get a 10 KHz bandwidth, which is better than AM radio, but not quite as good as FM radio. It is better than most cassette tape recordings. Recording at a higher sample rate (like 44100) and using a higher bitrate (like 48000 or 64000 bits/second) would give quality comparable to CD's. But that makes the files bigger, and we aren't trying to record classical music here!

13. What kind of batteries does the RF remote control system use? How long will they last?

    The RF remote control transmitter uses a 2032 size coin cell battery. This is the same battery used in most computers for the clock and CMOS RAM, and can be purchased almost anyplace, like Radio Shack. It should last for several years. The transmitter only draws power from the battery for a fraction of a second when you push a button. That's why there is no on/off switch. To replace the battery, open the case (one screw on the back), and pop the battery out of the holder. Snap a new battery in. Replace the screw. The receiver has no battery. It gets power from the USB or COM port, and draws very little power.

14. How much will it cost to get all the equipment I need to record and play dances as MP3 files for my tape group?

    I just bought a used laptop computer from Ebay for $103.50, including shipping! It is an IBM Thinkpad 560e 166MHz pentium. It is fast enough to do all the recording and playback (though I wouldn't get anything slower). A nice set of amplified computer speakers will cost about $15.00. You will probably need an audio cable to connect the computer to the patch box. Radio shack sells cables for about $4.00 or $5.00, though if you have been recording on cassette tapes you must already have a cable. If you need a patch box, I sell them for $25.00 (see my products page), and that includes the cables. So it is possible to do it for under $150.00.

15. My laptop doesn't have a COM port. Can I still use the RF remote control system?

    Yes. If you have the COM port version of the RF Remote Control system, you can get a USB to Serial port adapter for $35.00 or $40.00 that adds a COM port to your computer through the USB port. Several people have used the RF remote control system using these adapters. But I now have available a USB version of the RF Remote Control System for $65.00. This is only $5.00 more than the obsolete COM port version used to be, so it is cheaper than buying a separate USB to Serial port adapter.