Cubase LE question on MP3 update purchase.

[choctaw]

When Steinberg includes a copy of Cubase LE with a product they don't tell you that you can only mixdown 20 times and then must buy the MP3 update from Steinberg to do anymore mixdowns or the function shuts down.

MY question is where to you go on the web to find that MP3 update to buy. I think it is very harsh for Steinberg to sell a program that needs and update to even function correctly. My friend True-Eurt of this forum has the Cubase LE and it keeps asking her to buy the upgrade, but we can't find it. Any help ?

Choctaw

[TimOBrien]

Mixdown to .wav

You can pick up a bunch of free MP3 encoders through the links over at www.hitsquad.com (always a great place to go whenever you're looking for music software.)

[true-eurt]

Thanks Choctaw for asking the question!

Tim, thanks for that info!

TRue

[scrubs]

Definitely mixdown to .wav. Any number of programs can then convert to mp3 for posting on the web. iTunes will do it, as will dBPowerAmp, and a number of others.

[nbffan]

Scrubbs, I have the same problem with Cubase VST-5, ran out of mp3 mixdowns. I've create several wav files since. you posted that you can re-mix a wav file in Itunes. I've looked my Itunes over and can't seem to find that function. Can you explain? Thanks for your help.

[scrubs]

Originally Posted by nbffan

Scrubs, I have the same problem with Cubase VST-5, ran out of mp3 mixdowns. I've create several wav files since. you posted that you can re-mix a wav file in Itunes. I've looked my Itunes over and can't seem to find that function. Can you explain? Thanks for your help.

I don't have iTunes on my system anymore (due to problems with the included QuickTime software), but you should be able to just right click on a .wav file in the main iTunes window and it will give you the option to convert to .mp3. In the iTunes preferences, you can set the conversion rate, etc.

[altiris]

besides cubase encodes to mp3 too slow. I've not had any luck with it. sometime I would get mp3 mixdownds with pops and clicks even though it played back good before encoding it to mp3. I would say just export to wav and use another program to convert it.

[choctaw]

[QUOTE=altiris]besides cubase encodes to mp3 too slow.

I have had NO trouble doing mixdown with MP3's , but having the dual processor is what does the trick..............no pops, or unwanted sounds.
I suppose a slow machine would do as you stated.

Choctaw

[Agent47]

Yes, best to always mix + master to wav. Once you have a high-quality master then you can just make mp3s from that.

Personally I use Sound Forge 8 for any mp3 making, and it takes seconds to encode.

[altitude909]

The reason they charge/limit MP3 writing is that Fraunhofer licences the codec now (used to give it away until they realized what it was worth). There codec is very good and worth buying if your doing any serious mp3 type business.

http://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/amm/techinf/layer3/

[ericlingus]

I've tried using a program to convert my .wav file to .mp3 but it didn't work. Is there some sort of blocker steinberg puts on it to prevent converting the file any other way?

could someone post a link to a converter that you know will work with wav files made in cubase le?

[6gun]

Originally Posted by altitude909

The reason they charge/limit MP3 writing is that Fraunhofer licences the codec now (used to give it away until they realized what it was worth). There codec is very good and worth buying if your doing any serious mp3 type business.

http://www.iis.fraunhofer.de/amm/techinf/layer3/

I'm not digging this. I recently upgraded to SL3, and previous version (SL1) used to export MP3's an unlimited amount of times. I don't really care about this 'Fraunhofer' MP3 software, and for convenience I would like to see Steinberg include 'standard' (whatever that is) software for exporting to MP3.

Overall, I dislike Steinberg for pulling shit like this. And while I'm talking that trash, they can put their dongle where the sun don't shine too. But as we know...that's a WHOLE DIFFERENT STORY.

But, I really like Cubase, so.........what can you do!

[scrubs]

Originally Posted by ericlingus

I've tried using a program to convert my .wav file to .mp3 but it didn't work. Is there some sort of blocker steinberg puts on it to prevent converting the file any other way?

could someone post a link to a converter that you know will work with wav files made in cubase le?

No, any mp3 converter should work. Are you sure you mixed down to a 16-bit/44.1k wav file?

[altitude909]

I don't really care about this 'Fraunhofer' MP3 software

Well u should seeing that they created and own the rights to the MP3 codec and are free to liscense it as they please. Anything that writes or plays MP3s has is under licsense, this has nothing to do with Steinberg

[6gun]

Originally Posted by altitude909

Well u should seeing that they created and own the rights to the MP3 codec and are free to liscense it as they please. Anything that writes or plays MP3s has is under licsense, this has nothing to do with Steinberg

Hah, as if I give 2 shits about licensing and rights in this regard. I paid the man, I want the features. If Steinberg is going to yank MP3 conversion software with their upgrades they ought to state that before I buy it.

[altitude909]

I paid the man

You paid for their intro level software. U want DTS or AC-3 encoders for cubase? those are 1000$ each, 8 times the price of the software. Mp3 is no different. Having a proprietary format availble in a software package designed for making music for commercial purposes available for free does not happen, the owner of that format will always get a cut.

If you want a free MP3 encoder, look at LAME. You should be able to set default export MP3 encoder (its like this in wavelab) and as long as it is LAME, then you will be able to export normally

[6gun]

Originally Posted by altitude909

You paid for their intro level software. U want DTS or AC-3 encoders for cubase? those are 1000$ each, 8 times the price of the software.

Good info....but my problem isn't that I can't get pro MP3 quality for free in my Cubase SL. I don't have that requirement to begin with and I have no problem converting the files in other software.

My point is simple. Put the info out FIRST for everyone to see when you pull features in your product. That's it.

I'm just waiting for the next button I click and a little box flies open telling me to open my wallet, or else...

[billmcdonald]

http://www-users.york.ac.uk/~raa110/audacity/lame.html

[nbffan]

I finally contacted Steinberg Support and told them just how unhappy I was that they no longer offered the MP3 patch for VST5. I got an email a couple of days later with the patch file attached and a "Best Wishes". AWESOME!

[Crash ©]

For those of us looking for the Steinberg solution to the 20 MP3 encoding issue, is this the right page to download the MP3 patch for Cubase *LE*. The page doesn't specifically say it works with LE, but if you look through the Steinberg site, you'd think LE didn't really exist..

http://esd.element5.com/product.html...BP,NOK,SEK,CHF

I can see the lure of using those MP3 encoder downloads listed here, but I've got nailed so many times by downlaoding some neat little FREE program that had other little programs built into it, I ain't gonna chance the headaches for the $10 price tag on the Steinberg stuff...

--
Rob

[Garik]

i have CDEX and happy with it...because its free

But i like the info you can encrypt in the Cubase mp3 converter

How much are they anyway?