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On which system should I run Raduga for best results?

How should I encode MP3 files for best results?

To avoid probems with corrupt or non-standard MP3 files, it is strongly recommended that you always use the same encoder software and the same settings to encode your files. Using Windows Media Player 10 you can rip CD tracks and save them to MP3 files. It's very easy to use and completely free.

Make sure that you always use a constant bitrate. Raduga can play MP3 files with variable bitrate, but sometimes it cannot determine the correct duration. This may cause incorrect overlaps. The best bitrate depends on the required quality of your output signal. For AM stations or Internet broadcast a bitrate of 128 kbit/sec should be sufficient. High quality FM stations will want to use 192 kbit/sec or better.

Some encoders have an option called "enable CRC check" or "include checksum data". Do not enable this option, otherwise Raduga cannot play back these files.

If you use the LAME encoder, specify the option --strictly-enforce-ISO. MP3 files that have been encoded without this option at a bitrate of 256 kbit/s will play in Raduga without sound until you move the position slider.

How do I pre-listen a track without broadcasting it?

For the pre-listen feature to work, your computer must have 2 sound cards or a sound card with 2 independent output channels. You can then use the second sound card to listen to tracks with headphones without having to broadcast them.

1. Select the sound card for Raduga to use. Raduga always uses the system default sound card for broadcast. You can select the default sound card in the "Sounds and Multimedia" control panel applet. Activate the "Audio" tab and choose your preferred sound card from the drop down list box.

2. Install a MP3 audio player that uses a sound card which is not the system default sound card. For example, in Juke you can select a sound card in the Options|Plug-ins dialog box.

3. Set up a tool in Raduga. Open the 'Tools' menu and choose 'Edit...'. Now press the 'New' button. This opens the 'Program Properties' dialog. Here you click on the '...' button next to the file name input box and select the executable program of your alternate audio player, for instance 'Juke.exe'. Type 'Pre-Listen' in the 'Decription' input field. In the 'Parameters' input field type '"$(FilePath)"'. Close all dialogs with 'OK'.

Now select a song from the playlist and choose 'Pre-Listen' from the 'Tools' menu.

How do I play a voice track over a music track?

Voice tracking can be achieved by using special mini-playlists. You create a mini playlist that contains a song and the corresponding voice track that you want to overlap with this song. Depending on the characteristics of the fade, the voice track can be placed at the beginning or at the end of the mini playlist. For the example below we assume a voice recording with a duration of 10 seconds and the default overlap period is set to 5 seconds.

	Playlist contents	Contents of song2.mpl
Example 1	song1.mp3 song2.mpl song3.mp3	voice~8.mp3 song2.mp3
Example 2	song1.mp3 song2.mpl song3.mp3	song2~8.mp3 voice.mp3

The fade can be fine-tuned by specifying individual overlap times on all songs as well as on the mini-playlist, for example by renaming the mini-playlist to song2~2.mpl you will reduce the overlap time at the end of the mini playlist to 2 seconds.

My overlaps don't work correctly. What's wrong?

When you have problems with overlaps, then your machine probably uses the wrong MP3 decoder. Only the Fraunhofer MPEG Layer-3 decoder allows smooth overlaps. This decoder is installed by default on every Windows 2000 or XP system.

You can use the DSPlay diagnose tool to find out which codecs are used by Raduga. The list of filters should be similar to this screenshot:

If you see a different MP3 decoder here, you should remove the other codec by uninstalling the application which installed the codec.

There are some DirectX plug-ins that don't work correctly during overlaps, Try to remove all DirectX plug-ins from Raduga to eliminate this possible source of the problem. Also an update of the sound card drivers can help.

1 . Right-click on a folder in the integrated Explorer tree and choose "Search..." from the context menu.
2. Now enter a substring of the file name or directory name and press "Search".
3. Drag and drop the found tracks from the search results into the Raduga playlist.

Does Raduga play .OGG files?

To play .OGG files with Raduga you must install the OggDS DirectShow filters.

Does Raduga play .MP4 files?

When you install the K-Lite codec pack from free-codecs.com you will be able to play MP4 files. 
This tip was provided by André Depré (Radio Tienen).