24-Bit Audio

RewiredRewired Member
edited May 2005 in Science & Tech
Hello all. I'm not able to listen to a number of FLAC files that I've downloaded. I use a FLAC codec that I've downloaded from this page. I also use FLAC Frontend to convert my FLAC files to WAV. When I play either the original FLACs or the decoded WAVs, Windows Media Player looks like it's about to play the file but produces no audio and the play slider doesn't move. The same thing happens when I use Media Player Classic.

The files came with a description that reads "**24-Bit**". Is it possible that this is why I'm not able to play nor use these files? I'm using a Creative Sound Blaster Live! sound card. If I can provide anymore information that might help diagnose my problem please ask. I really appreciate any help. Thank you.

Comments

  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    Try using Winamp.
  • gibbonslgibbonsl Grand Forks AFB
    edited May 2005
    VideoLAN can also play them
  • RewiredRewired Member
    edited May 2005
    I did some research and I've come to learn that the Creative SB Live! sound card comes in both 16-bit and 24-bit varieties. Mine being a couple years old is the former. I was able to resolve the issue by converting my WAV files from 24-bit to 16-bit with an application called N-Track Studio (Multi-tracking utillity).
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    Older SB Live! cards don't support 24-bit resolution. You'll need to upgrade to a 24-bit Live! or any Audigy or Audigy2 to get that functionality. Alternatively, if you decide you've had enough of Creative, the M-AUDIO Revolution cards support what you're looking for.

    If neither of these are options then you'll need to lower the resolution of your source files (to 16-bit). There are probably utilities out there that will do this, so Google.

    -drasnor :fold:

    EDIT:// Oh noes I is too late. :bawling:
  • RewiredRewired Member
    edited May 2005
    Lol. Thanks drasnor.
  • entropyentropy Yah-Der-Hey (Wisconsin)
    edited May 2005
    drasnor wrote:
    the M-AUDIO Revolution cards support what you're looking for.
    Werd (lol). I love my Revo 5.1.

    Isn't there something built into WMP that can downsample on the fly? I'm almost positive there's one in Winamp, and I know for a fact that there's one in MPC. Weird...
  • drasnordrasnor Starship Operator Hawthorne, CA Icrontian
    edited May 2005
    entropy wrote:
    Werd (lol). I love my Revo 5.1.

    Isn't there something built into WMP that can downsample on the fly? I'm almost positive there's one in Winamp, and I know for a fact that there's one in MPC. Weird...
    Downsampling and what we're doing here are different. Let's see if I can explain...

    Let's say we have file A recorded at a sampling rate of 48KHz (48000) and a resolution of 16-bit. In order to make file A CD-quality, we'd have to downsample to 44.1KHz, 16-bit which involves selectively snipping out recorded samples. But if we have file B recorded at a sampling rate of 44.1KHz and a resolution of 24-bit, we'd have to dither file B down to a 16-bit resolution before we could burn it straight to CD. It's the same as taking a 24-bit Windows BMP and converting it to a 16-bit BMP; Windows does its best to guess which 16-bit shade most closely matches the 24-bit shade. This requires some processor power to do in real-time for audio which is why most stuff can't hack it.

    -drasnor :fold:
  • entropyentropy Yah-Der-Hey (Wisconsin)
    edited May 2005
    Ahh, my bad. Thanks for the explanation. KHz, bits, kbps... I knew it was one of those ;);D
  • mmonninmmonnin Centreville, VA
    edited May 2005
    Samling Rate/ Downsampling: Data recorded from original sound at a certain frequency. The data is recorded every so often.
    24- /16-bit: Amount of data recorded at each sample point.
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