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Date:	Sun, 28 Aug 2005 21:43:42 PDT7
From:	Tom Brown <thombrown@san.rr.com >
Reply-To:	scoug-help@scoug.com
To:	scoug-help@scoug.com
Subject:	SCOUG-Help: Tom Brown: WAV file parsing & editing

Content Type: text/plain

If I have asked this question before, please forgive me. I can't find
the answer.

I am trying to parse .wav files recorded from cassette tape into tracks
for recording onto CDs. I found an OS/2 program called WaWE which works
very slowly 10-15 min to write a 200 MB file on my SMP Athlon 2200+) and
is somewhat clumsy. Do you know of a good program that will parse a .wav
file from one side of a cassette or LP into separate .wav files for each
track? I'd even take one from the dark side at this point. I don't want
to spend the rest of my life doing this!!!

What I am trying to do is convert my cassettes and LPs to CD as follows:

1. Record sides from cassette tape (later LPs) to a file (xxxx.wav)
on my hard drive via DTAPE (great program!).
2. Split the xxxx.wav file containing multiple songs, etc. into
individual .wav files, deleting extraneous dead space, leaving ~ 2
sec at each end.
3. Record the "tracks" from the cassette or LP to a CD using the RSJ
CDVIEW program. No problems here!
4. I am also using Lame to create .mp3 files for use with Z! This works
great, too.

It's #2 that is giving me fits. WaWE is painfully slow, even on my AMD
2200+, 1 GiB RAM SMP system with nothing else running. Riffler {Hobbes)
works, but it I still need to use WaWE to get the timings right. SOX
(Hobbes) provides a similar function. Neither is automatic.

What I really need is something that would READ a 200-300 MB stereo
.WAV file, SPLIT it into sections based on silence between audio
selections, and WRITE out one xxxx.wav file per section such as
track01.wav, track02.wav, etc.

I am probably dreaming for something that doesn't exist, at least on
OS/2. Many others must have encountered the problem, and someone must
have solved it, at least on the dark side. :-((

Thanks!

Peter Skye wrote:
> Tom,
>
> You emailed me privately with your WAV question and so I responded
> privately, but your ISP rejected my message. So it ain't "private" any
> more 'cause I'm posting it here.
>
> Delayed getting to San Diego due to a computer failure but I'm leaving
> soon, back on Wednesday.
>
> - Peter
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Subject:
> Re: WAV file parsing & editing
> From:
> Peter Skye
> Date:
> Sat, 27 Aug 2005 21:39:52 -0700
> To:
> Tom Brown
>
> To:
> Tom Brown
>
>
> Tom Brown wrote:
>
>>I am trying to parse .wav files recorded from
>>cassette tape into tracks for recording onto CDs.
>
>
> I don't think you mean "parse". That word refers to individual units of
> data, such as each parameter on a command line or the individual words
> and operators on each line of a program's source code.

The "individual units of data" are songs and instrumental numbers from
cassette tapes and LPs. I couldn't think of a better word at the time!

>
> Audio cassette tapes are recorded (although most people don't know this)
> by converting the audio to an AM radio station signal and then
> "broadcasting" it through the cassette machine's "record head" as if the
> "record head" were an antenna. The radio signals then magnetize the
> ferric oxide (or whatever) on the tape as it slides over the "antenna".
>
> Not that the above has anything whatsoever to do with what you're trying
> to accomplish . . .
>
>
>>I found an OS/2 program called WaWE which works
>>very slowly 10-15 min to write a 200 MB file on my SMP Athlon 2200+) and
>>is somewhat clumsy. Do you know of a good program that will parse a .wav
>>file from one side of a cassette or LP into separate .wav files for each
>>track?
>
>
> By "track", do you mean the two stereo tracks?

YES!

> You probably already have your cassette player or turntable preamplifier
> connecte via stereo cable to your sound card, yes? (You *must* use a
> preamp on the turntable because the turntable pickup only puts out a
> millivolt or so and the sound card needs about 100 millivolts, _plus_
> there's a major tonal shift called the RIAA curve which again most
> people know nothing about but without the preamp your phonograph will
> sound very tinny.)
>
> Try DTape, DPlay/DRecord (VIO versions) by Paul Ratcliffe.
>
> http://home.clara.net/orac/os2.htm
>
> Tom, I'm out of town from later this evening through Tuesday (San Diego
> again). If you need more help just holler back and I'll reply when I
> get back in town. Or you can post to the SCOUG-Help list 'cause I
> monitor that too.
> _____
>
> Oops. By chance, are you trying to split the individual selections
> where the silences occur?

YES!

> It doesn't appear that's your question but
> maybe it is. I think SoX can do this, or perhaps RxWav (a
> write-your-own library), or you can try Riffler which I haven't used.
> All are on Hobbes. I have a very long list of OS/2 audio software if
> you need a bigger selection.
>
> SoX is a sound file format converter:
>
> http://www.spies.com/Sox/
> http://hobbes.nmsu.edu/pub/os2/apps/mmedia/sound/convert/sox*
> http://sox.sourceforge.net/
>
> Riffler (on Hobbes) splits, joins, clips, fixes and displays header info
> for .wav files.
>
> - Peter
>
>

--
Tom Brown
thombrown at san dot rr dot com
Member SCOUG, V.O.I.C.E. & SDAA
running eComStation GA + FP 3
eCS system uptime is 0 days 00:42 hours

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