Sharing a file made in Producer with a PC user.
Sharing a file made in Producer with a PC user.
My wife and I go to a karaoke night on Fridays, and occasionally, we brring along a zipped file on a thumb drive, if we know the host does not have it. He is able to add regular zipped mp3 + cdg files to his collection with no problems, and we get to do what we want. Since I am now making custom songs, my own songs and some things that are not available elsewhere, with Producer, I am wondering if the sharing process works the same way. Are my Producer karaokes winding up as zips that I can share, or will I need to go through a few extra steps?
:)
in Producer, make sure to UN-check "high quality render" to make sure you're seeing the actual CDG stream, rather than the MediaStream (which only kJams will play, unless you export it to quicktime).
then verify that your CDG looks correct by scrubbing or playing all the way thru the song.
then just command-S and that saves it to your local CDG file.
then stop the song (command period), then right click the song and go "reveal in finder", this will show you all the files that make up the song.
you can ignore the files in the cache (they are .pcm and .cdg), just close that window. the other window should contain your .mp3, .cdg, .ktp, and .xml.
you can take the .mp3 and .cdg and zip them if you like, and bring them with you.
-dave
then verify that your CDG looks correct by scrubbing or playing all the way thru the song.
then just command-S and that saves it to your local CDG file.
then stop the song (command period), then right click the song and go "reveal in finder", this will show you all the files that make up the song.
you can ignore the files in the cache (they are .pcm and .cdg), just close that window. the other window should contain your .mp3, .cdg, .ktp, and .xml.
you can take the .mp3 and .cdg and zip them if you like, and bring them with you.
-dave
Re: Sharing a file made in Producer with a PC user.
We're having trouble with some of my Producer-created files not wanting to work on the PC. They all work fine in Kjams, so I'm trying to figure out what the common thread could be. I believe the issue is somewhere in the mp3 creation process, as all the cdg results from the tuneprompter/producer process. One file that I know did work was an mp3 that was altered with Audion to remove vocals and then run through Producer. Two that did not work were originally midi files that I then reworked in Logic to add better instrumentation and my own guitar parts. They were then exported from Logic as mp3s using whatever mp3 encoder Logic uses. Does it make any sense that different mp3 encoders could cause the zipped mp3 + cdg files to not work on the PC? The PC is running a Tricerasoft karaoke program. Could it be some kind of meta data issue, where my personal files don't contain the same types of meta data that would result from an mp3 that was created out of iTunes? Just looking for some insights. I will probably try to save the Logic files as aiffs and then use iTunes to create the mp3 to see if that makes a difference. The frustrating thing is that I don't have access to the PC system, and just get to try it basically live on a Friday or Saturday night.
Re: Sharing a file made in Producer with a PC user.
You should delete all your PCs or use them as boat anchors. They're fun to toss from the top of tall buildings too! (Make sure the parking lot below is empty, very important!) PC software is only really useful for testing the "emtpy trash" function.
Just kidding.
Okay I'd be very surprised if the problem is your MP3 encoder.
I can't really help you because you haven't really said what is wrong. you said "not wanting to work on a PC". This is similar to going to a doctor's office and saying "something is wrong with me" and expecting the doctor to be able to help. You need to describe EXACTLY what you did and EXACTLY what worked and what did not work. I need to know the details of the problem or I can't help.
Just kidding.
Okay I'd be very surprised if the problem is your MP3 encoder.
I can't really help you because you haven't really said what is wrong. you said "not wanting to work on a PC". This is similar to going to a doctor's office and saying "something is wrong with me" and expecting the doctor to be able to help. You need to describe EXACTLY what you did and EXACTLY what worked and what did not work. I need to know the details of the problem or I can't help.
Re: Sharing a file made in Producer with a PC user.
Well, they just don't play. The KJ loads them into his system, and they show as zero length mp3s. I followed the instructions that you gave me in this thread, and zipped the mp3 and cdg together. Then I change the name of the archive to have the same name as the mp3 and cdg. Example. Breaking the Girl. I create an mp3 of Breaking the Girl in Logic. I add the lyrics in TunePrompter. In TunePrompter I enter the song and artist name, and create an album name that lets me know when I made the file. An example of an album name I create is PW090129. I add the KPT to Kjams and open Producer and play the KPT. I adjust lyrics and command S. Then I go to reveal in finder and find the mp3 and cdg. I create an archive of those 2 files and then change the name of the Archive to match the name created in Producer and its ProducerName.zip. (ex. PW090129-Red Hot Chili Peppers-Breaking the Girl.zip) I move the zip file to a usb thumb drive and take it to the Friday night KJ. He adds it to his system. When he selects it, it does not play.
Oh, and FWIW, I agree about the PC/boat anchor thing.
UPDATE: Whatever the problem is, it must be on the PC KJ's end. I just downloaded and installed the free Tricerasoft player on my PC (really, I never use it anymore, but I used to record in Sonar, so I still have files I sometimes need.) Anyhow, I tried to just put the zips into the free player - can't do it. I expanded the zips, and then added the mp3 to the free player. At first, they show up as a length of zero, which appears to be part of the problem with the weekend KJ guy. But, when I double click on the file in the free Tricerasoft player, it calculates a length, and then plays as designed. So, I'm gonna have to check with him and see what he might be doing wrong as the Producer created files work on both my Mac and my PC (which I never, ever use, except to hold my boat in place.)
Oh, and FWIW, I agree about the PC/boat anchor thing.
UPDATE: Whatever the problem is, it must be on the PC KJ's end. I just downloaded and installed the free Tricerasoft player on my PC (really, I never use it anymore, but I used to record in Sonar, so I still have files I sometimes need.) Anyhow, I tried to just put the zips into the free player - can't do it. I expanded the zips, and then added the mp3 to the free player. At first, they show up as a length of zero, which appears to be part of the problem with the weekend KJ guy. But, when I double click on the file in the free Tricerasoft player, it calculates a length, and then plays as designed. So, I'm gonna have to check with him and see what he might be doing wrong as the Producer created files work on both my Mac and my PC (which I never, ever use, except to hold my boat in place.)
Last edited by philflood on Thu Jan 29, 2009 7:36 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Sharing a file made in Producer with a PC user.
well you can test the theory by just creating an MP3 in logic and taking it directly to the PC and try to play it.
you could instead try exporting the video as MPEG4 video, i bet that'll work, plus that way you get nice creamy smooth text!
you could instead try exporting the video as MPEG4 video, i bet that'll work, plus that way you get nice creamy smooth text!
Re: Sharing a file made in Producer with a PC user.
Well, Dave, I've been Producering away. I still haven't figured out exactly why the zip files I produce with my own mp3s don't play on Tricerasoft Swift Elite, but I do think I've found a workaround that seems to be doing the trick. My workaround is to create the Producer file as I normally would, and then save the results into a new playlist. Then, I burn the Playlist onto a CD, that does play in my karaoke CD players. Since they work in the Karaoke CD players, I now know I can rip them into Kjams, and then the Kjams created zips will play on the PC system.
I am thinking it might have something to do with sampling rates where I sample at higher than 128. Another thing I noticed is that the Producer-created meta data seems to get some Kanji characters added to names. It only shows up when I select the mp3 file and then do a Get Info>More Info. I don't know if that might be keeping the mp3 and cdg from finding each other within Swift Elite.
Anyhow, for now I think I have a method that will work, even if it is a little cumbersome.
I am thinking it might have something to do with sampling rates where I sample at higher than 128. Another thing I noticed is that the Producer-created meta data seems to get some Kanji characters added to names. It only shows up when I select the mp3 file and then do a Get Info>More Info. I don't know if that might be keeping the mp3 and cdg from finding each other within Swift Elite.
Anyhow, for now I think I have a method that will work, even if it is a little cumbersome.
Re: Sharing a file made in Producer with a PC user.
we've taken this conversation to email. when we get it figured out i'll post it here (if i remember to!)
-dave
-dave