#Playing audio files
7 messages in this thread
I found some files in the Feb. Nautilus in the Windham Hill section that were
apparently audio tracks (not John Gorka, the other one). I couldn't play them.
Windows said it didn't know which application to use to play them. And of
course I didn't know either.
Do you?
Sorry Wick, I can't help you. Two reasons: 1. My main computer is off in San
Francisco for major surgery. 2. I don't really know a darn thing about audio —
at least not enough to even pretend to offer an answer. HOWEVER perhaps I can
offer a suggestion: Use the Nautilus Link (free from anywhere in Canada, U.S.A.
or Mexico and leave a question. It might take a day or two to get an answer but
I've found the people there to be exceptionally helpful. (Link is part of the
Nautilus disk, you shouldn't have any trouble finding it). Failing that I would
use the Nautilus 800 voice number, again it is free and the people I've talked
to have always done much more than I expected (hoped?) they would. I do know
there has been some minor problems on recent discs which are usually announced
and fixed in the next disc. But give them a try through Link or voice, as I
said I've always found them to go the extra mile whenever I've dealt with them.
Hope that helps. Cheers!
You will need some sort of Windows driver that can play CD Audio tracks.
Many sound boards come with drivers that will do this, and there are several
third party and shareware apps that do this and supply the drivers as well.
Can you play the MIDI and WAV files okay?
Jack:
Thanks for your suggestion.
I can play MIDI and WAV files OK. On the Nautilus disk there seems to be a new
file name extension that simply isn't associated with any executable. So when I
double click on those files I get a Windows error message indicating that no
association exists.
My sound board is the Microsoft Sound System. Perhaps I do need a connection
between the "audio out" lines of the CD-ROM and the line in of the sound board.
But I still need some kind of app to play the track.
It's quite possible that it's the MicroSoft Sound System, which is not
designed to play all the file types you can with a PAS16 or SoundBlaster card.
I have heard of a large number of limitations on the MSS card and its near twin
the Compaq Business Sound System. In fact, there was an announcement recently
that MicroSoft was bending to consumer complaints and adding the full audio
capabilities to the next run of cards, but as I think it's firmware I don't
think older cards will be able to upgrade, at least not just with a driver or
whatever. MicroSoft tried to avoid either a cross-license or royalty by leaving
out this full sound card support "which business users do not require," or so
they said. Well, maybe THEIR business didn't, but a lot of other folks' did,
and when you consider that the SoundBlaster Pro and PAS16 are actually cheaper
than the MSS, they were selling less for more.
The only work-around I can think of, and it may not be applicable to your
card (I don't have one, and wouldn't), is if you were supplied a utility to
play CD Audio CDs through your CD player and the card. If one exists, try
accessing Nautilus with that. It should show the CD Audio tracks and nothing
else. You couldn't play them from Nautilus, but you might be able to play them.
If no such utility is provided, we have to assume they left out that, too.
Sorry about that.
Jack:
I have to apologize for not giving you enough information. What I need to find
out for you is the filename extension for the files I'm not able to play.
Maybe then you can tell me if you've ever encountered similar files and tell me
what app I need to run to access them. You may be right that the card is the
problem, but right now I'm inclined to think it's just a lack of configuration
on my part.
Well, tell me what the files are like and I might be able to tell more.