Encoding MP3 with Windows Media Player 9/10

[sjgore]

I've spent literally weeks trying to find out how to do this, because I refuse to pay $10-20 for an 'official' WMP MP3 encoder pack when the Lame MP3 encoder is far superior and free.

I've found that Windows Media Player 9 and 10 can encode using the Radium MP3 codec when ripping CD's by adding this to the registry:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Settings\MP3Encoding]
"LowRate"=dword:1f400

"MediumRate"=dword:27100

"MediumHighRate"=dword:2ee00

"HighRate"=dword:36b00

"PreferredCodecName"="Radium MP3 Codec"
"PreferredCodecPath"="c:\\windows\\system32\\l3codecp.acm"

(Copy and paste all the text above into notepad and save as a *.reg file, then double-click to enter into the registry. Obviously it assumes that you have the Radium MP3 codec installed).

Now to my question: How do I do the same with the Lame MP3 codec?

I tried the following:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Settings\MP3Encoding]
"LowRate"=dword:1f400

"MediumRate"=dword:27100

"MediumHighRate"=dword:2ee00

"HighRate"=dword:36b00

"PreferredCodecName"="LAME MP3 Encoder"
"PreferredCodecPath"="c:\\windows\\system32\\lameACM.acm"

But it doesn't work. WMP rips the track, but when the file is played back it sounds like garbage. I have a theory that it is the "Rate"=dword hex values that need changing, but I don't have the knowledge to do this. It may not even be possible to do what I'm trying to do. Anyone any suggestions? Has anybody managed to get Lame working with WMP using this or another method?

Thanks in advance!

[cal2002]

No, there is a memory leak or something with lame. It can be fixed, i'm sure, but you have to get one of the lame dev's to care about it.

[Preppy Veteran]

And note that Radium is stolen/pirated software - the FhG Pro decoder (that's what "Radium" is) is for-pay.

Having that on your system will break probably break cross-fading for you, since the Pro decoder is single-instance.

[cal2002]

Ya, there is a thread about it at http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....&st=0&p=236909&. So far it doesn't look like any lame dev's want to get involved. :\

[sjgore]

  Quote

And note that Radium is stolen/pirated software - the FhG Pro decoder (that's what "Radium" is) is for-pay.

I know, which is another reason why I want to use Lame instead (the other reason being, as I've said, is that it's far superior to the Radium codec). I used the Radium registry entries (which I eventually found on google groups) to try and get Lame to work with WMP in the same way, which it doesn't appear to. For the record, I don't have the Radium codec on my system, only Lame 3.96.1.

@cal2002: it would appear that it's possible then, but the lame dev's are too lazy/arrogant to make it work?

[insanekiwi]

:sleep:

if you had used the search button you wouldve noticed that dazzla posted about this in 2003 and 2004 several times. welcome to last year.

[sjgore]

Neowin is such a friendly place. :rolleyes:

Would it have hurt to post links to these threads?

The problem with the search engine is that words have to be four characters or longer. So searching for "MP3 WMP" isn't possible. I searched for "Lame" and that didn't turn up anything either. I've even searched for all topics started by dazzla and didn't find anything.

Edited August 27, 2004 by sjgore

[cal2002]

  insanekiwi said:

:sleep:

if you had used the search button you wouldve noticed that dazzla posted about this in 2003 and 2004 several times. welcome to last year.

And if you knew wtf you were talking about you would see ms has them up too :rolleyes: plus, that's not even what the post is about. Get lost lamer.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?...kb;en-us;306494

[sjgore]

Thanks for the link, cal2002, I hadn't realised that this was the official Microsoft way of adding MP3 encoding plug-in support to WMP. As you said in your earlier posts, it is Lame that is the problem. I've now tried Lame 3.97 Alpha 3, 3.96.1, 3.96 B2, 3.95.1, 3.93.1, and 3.90.3(?) and none of them work. They all appear to rip without any problems, but produce garbage when played back. Oh well, I tried.

Does anybody know, are the Cyberlink and Intervideo MP3 WMP add-ons just a repackaged Fraunhofer MP3 codec? If they are, I might just go ahead and buy one after all.

[cal2002]

I think it is, i've never purchased it. Fraunhofer is really the only one in the game. (retail)

I'm still holding out for the lame guys to do something (I think i'll be waiting a bit)

[Preppy Veteran]

No, they're different codecs. That's why you're buying them from Cyberlink or Intervideo *instead of* Fraunhofer. :)

[p0rkus]

sonic cineplayer mp3 encoder is from fraunhofer.

[:: Lyon ::]

I use Audiograbber to encode mp3 (it's freeware now and uses LAME encoder, or any other encoder that you can define in the settings).

Works good and easy to use.

[U.N.C.L.E.]

  sjgore said:

I've found that Windows Media Player 9 and 10 can encode using the Radium MP3 codec when ripping CD's by adding this to the registry:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Settings\MP3Encoding]
"LowRate"=dword:1f400

"MediumRate"=dword:27100

"MediumHighRate"=dword:2ee00

"HighRate"=dword:36b00

"PreferredCodecName"="Radium MP3 Codec"
"PreferredCodecPath"="c:\\windows\\system32\\l3codecp.acm"

Did I miss something? WMP10 comes with this codec and the almost the same registry entries, except that MS calls the codec "mp3" and the rate values are slightly different:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\MediaPlayer\Settings\MP3Encoding]
"LowRate"=dword:0001f400
"MediumRate"=dword:0002ee00
"MediumHighRate"=dword:0003e800
"HighRate"=dword:0004e200
"PreferredCodecName"="mp3"
"PreferredCodecPath"="C:\\WINDOWS\\system32\\l3codecp.acm"

BTW: I use Intervideo XPack (~ $20) and when I installed WMP10, it overwrote the mp3 encoder settings and replaced it with the above.

l3codecp.acm properties reported as below:

Description: MPEG Audio Layer-3 Codec for MSACM

File version: 3.3.0.44

Copyright: Copyright ? 2004 Fraunhofer IIS

[cal2002]

  U.N.C.L.E. said:

Did I miss something? WMP10 comes with this codec and the almost the same registry entries, except that MS calls the codec "mp3" and the rate values are slightly different:

BTW: I use Intervideo XPack (~ $20) and when I installed WMP10, it overwrote the mp3 encoder settings and replaced it with the above.

l3codecp.acm properties reported as below:

Description: MPEG Audio Layer-3 Codec for MSACM

File version: 3.3.0.44

Copyright: Copyright ? 2004 Fraunhofer IIS

Yes, you missed that WMP 10 had not been released when this thread was started.

[U.N.C.L.E.]

  Quote

Yes, you missed that WMP 10 had not been released when this thread was started.

I see! Said the blind man... :wacko: