| Ots Studio |
Below are step-by-step instructions on configuring Ots Studio. You will need to download and set up the lame encoder, and configure the CD Database settings.
Ots Studio requires an external encoder so that you can rip and encode your CDs and convert your media files (unless you wish to store CDs and all non-native media with the uncompressed PCM option in Encoder Settings). You need to obtain an encoder, such as lame, from a "third party" organization.
Note: Using MP3 encoding technology in some countries without first paying the appropriate license fees may mean that you are infringing on various patent holders' rights. Please check out the situation in your country first.
Download the stable version of the lame MP3 encoder. For detailed download instructions please see here.
The file you are downloading is a compressed file, you need to extract the lame_enc.dll file from this file using an extraction tool like WinZip. If you do not have an extraction tool you could try downloading and installing WinZip, see http://www.WinZip.com. You can also obtain compression/extraction tools from the likes of http://www.tucows.com/
Once you have WinZip installed find the compressed file you downloaded.
Double-click on the file.
Click once on the lame_enc.dll file within this file, and select the option to Extract the lame_enc.dll file. If you are unable to view the lame_enc.dll file click here for details.
Navigate to the C:\OtsLabs\plugins\encoder\ folder and extract the file into this folder.
Close the extraction tool.
Ots Studio requires an external encoder so that you can rip and encode your CDs (unless you wish to store CDs and all non-native media with the uncompressed PCM option in Encoder Settings). You need to obtain an encoder, such as lame, from a "third party" organization. See above for instructions on obtaining the lame encoder.
Open Ots Studio.
Go to Options -> Encoder Settings in the Ots Studio menu bar. This will open the MP3 Encoder Setup and Configuration dialog box.
Click on the Set button.
Navigate to the lame_enc.dll file and click on the Open button. If you have followed the obtaining the lame encoder instructions navigate to the C:\OtsLabs\plugins\encoder\ to find the lame_enc.dll file and click on the Open button.
Note: If you are unable to view the lame_enc.dll file you may need to enable the view hidden files option in Windows. See below for instructions.
Set the Encoder settings in the Encoder Configuration section. Recommended settings: Sample rate:Automatic, Joint-stereo, VBR:32/320kbps, VBR Quality:1, Quality:High.
Click on Close to close the MP3 Encoder Setup and Configuration dialog box.
If you prefer using preserved-quality uncompressed PCM when ripping your CDs, importing PCM (.wav) files and importing non-native compressed media files (audio files other than MP3 and MP2 or video files based on audio other than MP3 and MP2), the following settings will show you how. If you would like to switch between PCM mode and the Encoder mode (Lame) on a session-by-session basis, you can also easily do this with the instructions below.
Note: Uncompressed PCM provides "perfect" quality, identical to the source, however, the file sizes are considerably larger. E.g. One 3 minute song off a CD would be approximately 30MB in size.
Open Ots Studio.
Go to Options -> Encoder Settings in the Ots Studio menu bar. This will open the MP3 Encoder Setup and Configuration dialog box.
Check the Store as uncompressed PCM option.
Set the Sample rate in the Encoder Configuration section to your desired setting. It is recommend "Automatic" is used, which will allow easy switching between using uncompressed PCM and using the Lame encoder (with this setting, in PCM mode, "same as source" Hz is used, and, in Encoder mode (Lame), 44,100 Hz is used).
Click on Close to close the Encoder Setup and Configuration dialog box.
You will need to add your email address to the CD Database settings so you can automatically obtain the album information from freedb.org.
Go to Options -> Database Settings...
Add your email address in the Other settings: text box.
Make sure you have freedb.freedb.org entered into the Host: text box.
If your system configuration requires proxy settings enable to Proxy option and enter the settings in the Proxy settings input box.
Make sure you have the Query CD database after disk is inserted check box enabled.
Click on Close.
If you are unable to view the lame_enc.dll file on your system it is most probably because Windows is not allowing you to view all files.
Within Windows 2000/XP/Vista you will need to:
Go to the Windows Control Panel.
Double-click on the Folder Options icon.
Click on the View tab.
Enable the Show hidden files and folders option.