MP3 to CD disk recording

I am interested in recording some Old Time Radio programs I can download.
Each file is approximately 12 mb and 30 minutes playing length. CD disks
have a maximum time limit of 80 minutes playing time and 700 MB. Does this
mean that I can only record two 30-minute programs although the total bit
amount is only 20 MB?

It seems strange that I have to 'waste' 680 MB of capacity!

Thanks for your input. AL

"Alfred Lorona" <w6wqc@dslextreme.com> wrote in message
news:L5mtk.2258$if5.1308@fe119.usenetserver.com...
>I am interested in recording some Old Time Radio programs I can download.
>Each file is approximately 12 mb and 30 minutes playing length. CD disks
>have a maximum time limit of 80 minutes playing time and 700 MB. Does this
>mean that I can only record two 30-minute programs although the total bit
>amount is only 20 MB?
>
> It seems strange that I have to 'waste' 680 MB of capacity!
>
> Thanks for your input. AL

Don't pay attention to running time, only to file size. A 70 min rating is
based on a 192KB Encoding rate. You files are running around 32 KB rate, and
the CD will hold as many as can fit in terms of file size against the 700 KB
capacity.

On Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:08:08 -0500, "Wandering"
<amore.dei@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Don't pay attention to running time, only to file size. A 70 min rating is
>based on a 192KB Encoding rate. You files are running around 32 KB rate, and
>the CD will hold as many as can fit in terms of file size against the 700 KB
>capacity.

Unless of course the OP wants to play the CD on a device that cannot
handle MP3 CDs, like many in-car CD systems for example.

Even though the compressed size of the file is 12MB, when written to a
audio CD, it will need to be recoded and this leads to the size of the
audio data increasing by 10 times or more.

"Steve Pearce" <*stevepearce@btinternet.com*> wrote in message
news:4srcb4h949k4bbkcucpeol65bqb95t5f8l@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:08:08 -0500, "Wandering"
> <amore.dei@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>Don't pay attention to running time, only to file size. A 70 min rating is
>>based on a 192KB Encoding rate. You files are running around 32 KB rate,
>>and
>>the CD will hold as many as can fit in terms of file size against the 700
>>KB
>>capacity.
>
> Unless of course the OP wants to play the CD on a device that cannot
> handle MP3 CDs, like many in-car CD systems for example.
>
> Even though the compressed size of the file is 12MB, when written to a
> audio CD, it will need to be recoded and this leads to the size of the
> audio data increasing by 10 times or more.
You are absolutely correct. I wasn't aware that you could still get CD
players that couldn't handle MP3, and the OP was dealing with MP3. But they
may well be trying to play these on the older CD players, and then they will
need to use some encoding software to load to CD, and I believe it all will
handle letting them know when they have reached capacity. At least both
mine do. Thanks for the input, and have a great day.

Hi!

> Does this mean that I can only record two 30-minute programs
> although the total bit amount is only 20 MB?

It depends on the type of CD you make. If you make a conventional audio CD
that will play in almost any CD player, then yes. The files will get much
larger, and take up more space as they are converted to meet the
specifications that an audio CD must have.

If you make an MP3 CD, you are limited to computers and newer/fancier CD
players that specifically claim to have MP3 playback capability. But you can
get many more programs on one disc.

William