Winamp problem

[A Lark Ascending]

I've been using Winamp to burn CDs for some years, quite happily.

In the last couple of months I've hit a weird problem. Either it will refuse to burn or half way through just stops with a message to the effect of 'Another instance of Winamp has been detected.' What is worse it then locks the CD in the CD-tray. The only way to eject it is to shut down and restart the whole computer. Once ejected it is a partially burnt CD and thus useless. I'm discarding too many CD-Rs.

I can't work out a pattern...is it when I'm running something else, when I have e-music open etc.

I'm keen to sort this as I find Winamp the best way of burning CDs where tracks run into one another. Even with 'gapless' activated buring, iTunes sometimes leaves a fraction of a second gap which always makes me jump out of my seat.

I've just reburnt two discs initially done via iTunes where there were a couple of instances of the tiny gap spoiling them; Winamp coped admirably.

But I just don't know when the dreaded 'Another instance of Winamp...' will strike again.

The whole 'gap' thing is the one irritation I find with downloading burning. Generally not a problem, but when it does strike very annoying. Sometimes it's careless processing at the record company or e-music end. I have solved a few of these issues by shaving off a second at the end of a track via Total Recorder. But that really should not be necessary.

Any suggestions welcomed.

Even a different programme that is equally good (or better) at the gapless business.

[seeline]

A suggestion for a different program: MediaMonkey.

Wish I could be of help with WinAmp, but every time I ever installed it, it gave me all sorts of problems, so I gave up on it some years back.

[Head Man]

I use 'Burrrn' to burn all my CD-Rs. Never had a problem!

It's available as freeware here:

Burrrn

[A Lark Ascending]

Thanks both of you.

I will experiment.

[king ubu]

Happy Burrn user here, ever since Nero almost drove me mad, quite a few years ago... there's also ImgBurn for DVDs and data CDRs. Easy and small programmes, very nice.

[seeline]

I'm a big fan of Burrrn myself!

[Serioza]

A suggestion for a different program: MediaMonkey.

Wish I could be of help with WinAmp, but every time I ever installed it, it gave me all sorts of problems, so I gave up on it some years back.

MM is good suggestion , also I recommend Alcohol 120 to burn CD's

Edited November 8, 2009 by Serioza

[A Lark Ascending]

Well, three months on and I may finally have sorted this.

I noticed a few weeks back the crashes occurred when I was trying to burn Chandos tracks that I'd downloaded in their higher quality lossless format. So I've used iTunes for those.

Then on Saturday I played a recent Debussy piano disc with lots of tracks segueing together and got the dreaded tiny gap (despite the 'no gap' setting). Tried shaving of the gap with Total Recorder - usually works seamlessly, but couldn't get it without a lurch.

Tried Foobar; couldn't get it to show any burning software and when I tried to upload a separate file couldn't get it to speak to Foobar. Tried Burrrn but it couldn't see the tracks. Tried Media Monkey but the 'free' version wanted me to buy something else; wasn't prepared to pay for something that still might not work.

However, going back to the Chandos site I found a help page that suggested altering the import settings in iTunes to 'Apple Lossless Encoder' (this took some finding as it was in a different place from the screenprint on the Chandos help!!!!).

But it worked! Khamma, Jeux, La Boite a Joujoux sans les gaps!

So it looks like Winamp for most burning, iTunes for those higher files if the music runs together from track to track.

Hope this might help someone else out!

Edited February 16, 2010 by Bev Stapleton

[seeline]

Do the techs at Chandos say *why* this is happening?

From what you're describing, it sounds like something is wrong with the way the files are encoded, though not having seen their reply (and not having run into the problem myself), I'm just guessing.

Are they MP3s, or are the Chandos audio files in some other format?

[A Lark Ascending]

God knows, Seeline. "WMA Lossless" it says, warning that they are larger than MP3. Which might explain why Winamp had a dickey-fit!

My brain mists over with the details. Here's their explanation:

http://www.theclassicalshop.net/wmasearch07.asp

And their solution to my problem:

http://www.theclassicalshop.net/HelpiTunes.asp

Anyway, the Debussy disc played perfectly so I'm happy.

[mikeweil]

I face a weird problem - no matter what burning software I use, it says there are no CDR-drives or whatever I have - I deleted and re-installed, ran the hardware detection, but nothing helps.

[king ubu]

Well, I know that error with Burrn - I have it when it doesn't look for the right drive (I burn on an external burner, but sometimes it wants to burn on the internal by mistake).