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Hey Techies,

I've been mixing compositions to a DAT machine @ 48/16. The publisher wants these as .aiff files.

Are these current mixes .aiff or .wav on DAT @ 48/16? Or something completely different? I'm clueless (as usual! ).

He wants them .aiff on DVD. All I've learned in my research is that .aiff is the pro Mac standard, but will also play on a PC.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance,

Ern

I honestly don't know if it's wave or aiff on a DAT. But if it's ready to burn on a CD, it should be wave format, not aiff.

If it's the same library we're talking about, you need to do the bumpers/stingers as well, can you do that on you DAT or do you need to transfer it to a computer? If so, there are many converters out there that can create aiff from wave and the other way around.

You can burn a CD from wav or aiff, it doesn't matter.

But the format on DAT is DAT format, it's not WAV or AIFF. WAV and AIFF are computer file formats, DAT is DAT format. They are completely different.

So you'll need to transfer your mixes digitally, in real time by playing them, over to your computer. When doing this, you'll need to make sure that only one of the devices is the master clock, or else you'll get lots of clicks and pops and dropouts. You could transfer analog, but then you're just subjecting your mixes to another A/D conversion, which may or may not matter to you. If you transfer digitally, you'll need to make sure the correct clock frequency (48K) is chosen, or the pitch of the music will be changed, and the tempo, too.

When you transfer the files, you will choose on the receiving end in the computer whatever file format you want. You can always change file formats after the fact.

Ern, you have to get off of DAT, it's an obsolete technology and eventually the machines will stop working. The transports were always fragile and finicky, it's basically a miniature VCR transport. I was so happy to stop using DAT machines back in the late 20th century. Now that we're in the 21st century, there's no reason to use a DAT machine, unless you don't have a computer, but I know you have at least one computer in your studio. Why aren't you bouncing your mixes inside your DAW? It's so much easier with no transfers, etc.

Good luck!

Mazz

Thanks, my Scandinavian friend (I'm 1/2 Finn --- don't hold it against me! ).

The DAT files burned easily onto a new external DVD recorder that I bought just for this project. BUT, I still don't know if they are aiff or wav files. --- If it IS the same library, the previous -6 db standard has been changed to "-0.1 db peak." So, NOW, I have to bump up the dbs to the "new" standard somehow. Lots of work ahead!

Best Regards,

Ern

Ern,

You probably burned an audio DVD and not a data DVD. You probably need to put that DVD into the computer and convert the files to AIFF and then burn a data DVD.

Once you get the files in the computer, you can do any level changes, etc. pretty easily with any stereo audio editor.

mazz wrote:You can burn a CD from wav or aiff, it doesn't matter.

But the format on DAT is DAT format, it's not WAV or AIFF. WAV and AIFF are computer file formats, DAT is DAT format. They are completely different.

So you'll need to transfer your mixes digitally, in real time by playing them, over to your computer. When doing this, you'll need to make sure that only one of the devices is the master clock, or else you'll get lots of clicks and pops and dropouts. You could transfer analog, but then you're just subjecting your mixes to another A/D conversion, which may or may not matter to you. If you transfer digitally, you'll need to make sure the correct clock frequency (48K) is chosen, or the pitch of the music will be changed, and the tempo, too.

When you transfer the files, you will choose on the receiving end in the computer whatever file format you want. You can always change file formats after the fact.

Thanks, Mazz! You beat my response by 10ms! --- The reason I've been mixing them to DAT is I don't know how to transfer 96/24 files on Protools to 48/16. I don't know how to do .aiff files. I've emailed the publisher (you know who he is), and asked him to describe, in plain English, how to do everything he NOW wants (after 6 months of changing his mind). I told him, in Star Trek terms, "Dammit, Jim, I'm a DOCTOR, NOT AN ENGINEER!" He got a laugh out of that, but even though I AM an engineer, all this digital stuff confuses me (and yes, I run 5+ computers in my studio). I just don't understand, and he will NOT run me through this, step by step. Sure, he's very busy, but he can't expect everyone to have the knowlege of MAZZ! I've PLEADED with him to spell it out, and I just get ignored. --- iTunes, metadata, blah blah blah, just TELL us cretins HOW to do this stuff. I'm very frustrated, as I'm sure many of his composers are.

Please help! Send me a PM if you want!

Ern

Ern,

Unfortunately, I don't think you can expect any client to walk composers through how to create the files they request. Every composer has a different setup and you can't expect a client, even if they're technically astute, to send you instructions tailored to your specific setup. If I was a library owner, I'd expect if a composer was signed to my library and I request 48K 16 bit AIFF files, that I will receive them on my desk burned to the format I specify by the deadline. You'll find that pretty much every library has slightly different request with formats, levels, spreadsheets, metadata, etc. A composer these days needs to become well versed in all of that stuff because it's the composer's responsibility to handle it for the initial delivery. If I was the client, I wouldn't care if the composer's studio was steam powered as long as they wrote great music that sounds great and is delivered to my specs when I ask for it.

Yes, this has been a frustrating process, but it's up to each composer to manage it however they can. In the end, the files need to be on the desk by the deadline, however the composer gets them there.

I'm not familiar with Pro Tools or your setup so I'm probably not going to be much help, and I'm gearing up to get my files done, stems, etc. as well so I wouldn't have time to help anyway.

You may have to hire an engineer to help you sort it out this time or pull out the manuals and third party support books. If you do, take good notes because you'll need to be able to do this over and over as you get more library work.

Good luck!

Mazz

I've only converted in the other direction, and with different software, but you could try this:

http://www.brothersoft.com/besweet-60430.html

Transcoding shouldn't be terribly difficult since the only difference between AIFF and WAV is in the file headers. (actual PCM data-the ones and zeros that represent the music, are exactly the same) I second Mazz' motion to ditch the DAT; there's no earthly reason to trust your audio to such a fragile legacy format, and I recommend you commit all your DAT files to a magnetic hard disc (or a redundant pair) ASAP.

I'm pretty sure Chicken Systems' Translator can do the job, but not sure whether the free version will; It's designed to batch convert samples. (free version's one sample at a time, but doesn't care how long the samples are)

Hi Ern
Yup, sometimes moving forward with technology and leaving old familar patterns is tough. (Been there!) It sounds to me like your problem is not the conversion of digital files between .wav and .aiff formats, it's the fact that you are using DAT to start with. Converting digital file formats is trivial- you can download one of many available software programs, free or very inexpensive, that readily do the trick. Itunes even does it though I find using iTunes for just that a little slow and laborious. I like Switch Soundfile Converter, it's extremely easy to use and fast to convert... cost $29.95. http://www.nch.com.au/switch/plus.html

Like mazz said, it's time to bite the bullet and change your setup to all digital. DATs are dinosaurs, even if you love them. You do have to be careful about asking the library to help you with something like DAT-to-digital. Their expectation is you know what's reasonably current in production technology. Bug them too much about this and they could get annoyed. (It's better to bug us here for help). With digital technology being around for as long as it has, and many library folks you will deal with being fairly young, it wouldn't surprise me if you start to encounter folks who've never even seen a DAT and wouldn't have a clue. It would almost be like asking them about cartridges for your turntable (a teeny bit exaggerated).

Living in the LA area, you should be easily able to get someone to help you change your setup. It will be worth it once the pain is over.

Good luck!

Casey

Hi Ern!

Just wanna say I use the NCH File SWitcher too, however, I've only used the free version so far. But then I haven't done any conversions that were really complicated. I guess that could change.

On the subject of getting up to date or moving into the present century as far as technology is concerned, I've just done this and not with out some pain. It hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be but then I just planned on the worst. More frustrating than anything. I've just set aside a bunch of equipment to begin gathering dust that really isn't so relevant anymore and becomes less so everyday. Hell of it is, my 1st project with the new stuff is updating an old project and I had to pull the data off my old stuff... Geeezzz...

Keith