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Re: Embedding text into wave files

Subject: Re: Embedding text into wave files
From: Walter Knapp <>
Date: Tue, 03 Dec 2002 13:45:12 -0500
Bruce wrote:
> Hi recordists,
> 
> I was wondering if someone could help me out. I am using Cool Edit to master
> some recordings and would like to embed title, artist name, etc so that it
> will be displayed when played with a CD player. I have been successful at
> this with MP3 files but not wave files. Cool Edit support said that the
> problem is with the players, like Windows Media Player, that don't support
> the text information and that I should use a CD burner package to accomplish
> what I am trying to do. What are you guys using? Or is this something that
> can't be done with wave files?

It's not a function of wave files, but of the audio CD format, specified 
in what's called the "red book". This was all fixed back at the 
beginning of the audio CD format. Don't expect revisions.

There is a specification that will allow the storing of info on the CD. 
That's the good news.

The bad news is that I don't know of any software that can do this on a 
track by track basis. And few CD players will read it. I think the 
assumption is that displaying a track number is enough.

I use macs, and Adaptec Jam, which is a specialist in writing red book 
standard audio CD's. It will write a mastering info section for the disk 
onto the disk, provides a dialog for that, but that's not something that 
will display in a player. I'm not sure what, if any other software can 
read it.

mp3 was designed from the beginning as a computer format and building in 
names and other info was standardized for it, so no problem there. Most 
mp3 software can edit this info. And display it.

As Marty noted, you can imbed metadata in wave files, the format has a 
specification for that. Some software can actually read that. But it 
does not transfer to audio CD's. Different format. Imbedding metadata 
like this is slowly going away as more and more software does not 
provide for it. Thus you should not depend on being able to read it in 
the future.

Walt





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