cd music format

[amanfang]

If I want to put music on a cd, can they be in mp3 format, or I do I need a different format in order for them to play in my cd player?

[quantum]

CD format is 16 bit 44.1 kHz wav files. 

Some programs can convert to mp3 on the fly when you burn.  Depends on program.


There are also mp3 CD's.  You need a CD player that can read these however. 

[rach n bach]

quantum's right.

If you want to use it on a standard cd player, the format is also known as an ".aiff" file.

You're going to need a speicial mp3 player to play mp3s though.

Besides, aiff sounds a lot better...

RnB

[pianolearner]

If I want to put music on a cd, can they be in mp3 format, or I do I need a different format in order for them to play in my cd player?

If you want to play a CD in a standard CD player then it needs to comply to the "Red Book" standard for Audio CD's. The form of digital audio encoding used is 2-channel signed 16-bit PCM sampled at 44100 Hz). It is not WAV, AIFF or MP3 as these are mostly computer formats. Most CD burning software complies to the red book standard because they have licensed it from Philips who invented the CD.

[rach n bach]

DUH!!!   

Sorry, that's right... I need to find a wall to smash my head on.  I always use my iMac for music editing/burning, and it automatically converts aiff files to what I need.

Sorry for the confusion.

RnB

[amanfang]

Ok.  Maybe I'm just technologically challenged.  I'm not understanding what all this means.  I have mp3's that I bought from emusic.  I want to put them onto a cd to play in my car.  If I open WMP or Musicmatch jukebox and click "burn to cd" will that work to play them in my car, or do I need a special kind of software to change it to the right format?

[le_poete_mourant]

I have no problem burning mp3s onto a CD using Windows Media Player. 

[pianolearner]

Ok.  Maybe I'm just technologically challenged.  I'm not understanding what all this means.  I have mp3's that I bought from emusic.  I want to put them onto a cd to play in my car.  If I open WMP or Musicmatch jukebox and click "burn to cd" will that work to play them in my car, or do I need a special kind of software to change it to the right format?

There are a number of ways to burn to a CD so it all depends on the option you select. You can save files to a CD so they retain the same formats as they are on your Hard Drive. This is like making a back-up of files. If you select this method you will not be able to play it in a standard Audio CD player. If you want to burn MP3's to a CD so that it is a RED BOOK standard Audio CD ie/ It can be played in ANY AUDIO CD PLAYER, you must select the songs you want so that the total plaing time is <70 minutes approx. Then, in your CD burning software you need to select an option which says something like "Make Audio CD".

Hope this clears it up