RadoStefanov Posted June 15, 2013 Report Share Posted June 15, 2013 I need a batch program to dither and convert poly or mono bwav from 24bit to 16 bit. Osx or windows. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siddho Posted June 15, 2013 Report Share Posted June 15, 2013 on a PC Wavelab and Soundforge both have batch converters with the appropriate plugins with a choice of dithers to do exactly what you want. i think you can even download a demo version of Soundforge 10 that will do it for you... no cost: http://www.sonycreativesoftware.com/download/trials/soundforge on the mac try Barbabatch (not sure if it can do poly) or Wavelab... if you have got Pro Tools you can just select all the regions you want to convert on the timeline and export them accordingly making sure your dither options have been set properly. if you choose Wavelab or Soundforge you need to know the software to get it to do what you want as neither of them are batch-converter-only apps... hope this helps you.. but someone else might know of a piece of simple software that does only what you want without having to learn the steps needed with the above systems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted June 15, 2013 Report Share Posted June 15, 2013 Amadeus on the mac might work. I've never used it, but I know it can do batch processing. http://www.hairersoft.com/pro.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constantin Posted June 15, 2013 Report Share Posted June 15, 2013 Audition has got cool and very fast batch functions. At least it used to when it was still known as Cool Edit Pro. Windows only, but it could do a whole bunch of tasks on hundreds of files very very fast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 I believe iZotope RX will do this as well (Mac and Windows), and my memory is that there's a batch function processor within SoundGrinder Pro. iZotope has some pretty slick dithering options, as I recall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackHenry Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 Audiofile Engineering have a program called Sample Manager that uses the iZotope. It does a lot of batch functions and I've used it for several years without any issues at all. From the Sample Manager page ".....Sample Manager incorporates iZotope's industry best 64-bit SRC™ and MBIT+™ dither. We also have incorporated iZotope's SonicFit™ time/pitch technology. This ensures that Wave Editor delivers the highest fidelity and the best value on the market...." You can run the trial for 15 days and that may actuall get your job done. But I think you may need to also get the add-on 'Action Pack' for iZotope's MBIT+ ($19.99) Sample Manager costst $79 and is the cheapest way to get the MBIT+ dither. Also have a look here at the comparison between SRC Algorithms Information about the graphs can be found under the 'Help' section f the page Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pindrop Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 Lots of useful suggestions but which retain the timecode and metadata? We are a niche market in that respect, not taken much notice of by software producers, it's a constant stumbling block as far as I can see. Even Pro Tools is clumsy in it's handling of spot timecode and metadata and doesn't do batches. It's a shame as it seems it wouldn't take much extra effort to make it all work properly, but then I'm not a software writer. Do I intend to become one? Probably not!....... Can Sound Devices be persuaded to develop Wave Agent (one of the closest) in to the comprehensive tool we all need? Again on a track record of several years snails pace development probably not!......... Of course, not that one should not be grateful for the free Wave Agent software but one cannot help think about somehow finding the means to fund it's development. Who has actually written it so far? Can we have a whip round for them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constantin Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 I'd prefer for Sound Devices to stay focused on developing recorders. But I'd say the guy/company who developed the BWF widget would be in great position to add such function to theur software. They certainly know about Timecode and other Metadata Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pindrop Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 I'd prefer for Sound Devices to stay focused on developing recorders. But I'd say the guy/company who developed the BWF widget would be in great position to add such function to theur software. They certainly know about Timecode and other Metadata Sorry no idea whether hardware and software development are mutually exclusive for focus within Sound Devices and maybe you don't either? Courtney is certainly very knowledgeable but I guess he's busy, not interested, not worth his while, and as far as I know he's not interested in developing for Mac. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constantin Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 Sorry no idea whether hardware and software development are mutually exclusive for focus within Sound Devices and maybe you don't either? No, I don't know. But I do know that they don't have endless amounts of money to spend. So maybe I should've said that they shouldn't spend more money on it that would be better spent on recorder development. I didn't realize the brief was to find a Mac compatible software. But maybe Courtney is interested? That's also one of the things I don't know He's on this group, though, isn't he? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Blankenship Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 Actually, the O.P. is not a Mac person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Smith Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 I've used Nuendo to handle batch-process functions for a number of years. It has algorithms which emulate the Apogee UV22 dithering function, and you can perform any number of processes within the batch function. Supports any number of file formats, including BWF-Poly with timecode stamps. Much less cumbersome to use than Pro Tools for this purpose. --S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siddho Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 I've used Nuendo to handle batch-process functions for a number of years. It has algorithms which emulate the Apogee UV22 dithering function, and you can perform any number of processes within the batch function. Supports any number of file formats, including BWF-Poly with timecode stamps. Much less cumbersome to use than Pro Tools for this purpose. --S +1 forgot to mention Nuendo as i havent used it for a couple of years but, yes, it certainly handles this sort of job way better than Pro Tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pindrop Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 I've used Nuendo to handle batch-process functions for a number of years. It has algorithms which emulate the Apogee UV22 dithering function, and you can perform any number of processes within the batch function. Supports any number of file formats, including BWF-Poly with timecode stamps. Much less cumbersome to use than Pro Tools for this purpose. --S Thanks interesting to know, sounds like the best answer possibly, now if it wasn't so dammed expensive.....! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VM Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 To manipulate my sound I usually work with "Twisted wave" (3 months free demo) It does batch processing. Very usefull and for simple task, really faster than DAWs such as Protools. Mac only. http://twistedwave.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constantin Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 Or if Mac really is a requirement, get windows on a mac and then of the various windows options mentioned. Way cheaper than Nuendo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pindrop Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 Or if Mac really is a requirement, get windows on a mac and then of the various windows options mentioned. Way cheaper than Nuendo But coming back round in a circle which of them retain timecode and full metadata of broadcast wave files when processing ie. 24 bit to 16bit with dither? Any apart from Pro Tools and Nuendo? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Constantin Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 I don't know. I don't actually use Cool Edit Pro anymore or Audition now. My suggestion was in response to the OP, however, and he did not mention a TC or metadata requirement. Nonetheless, I agree that it would be useful to have that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pindrop Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 I'm guessing it might have something to do with Zaxcom not dithering 16 bit files and that for example Nomad originated files will very likely have timecode and metadata (the OP said bwavs) that will need to be retained, and that of course is my interest in is discussion as I would like a means of dithering Nomad originated files from 24 to 16 bit but it would be essential to me to retain the timecode and metadata, and I'm hoping that is on topic for the OP as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted June 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 Right on the money. nomad does not have dithering. And so many times I need to deliver 16 bit. would be nice if zaxconvert offered it. Audiofile Engineering have a program called Sample Manager that uses the iZotope. It does a lot of batch functions and I've used it for several years without any issues at all. From the Sample Manager page ".....Sample Manager incorporates iZotope's industry best 64-bit SRC™ and MBIT+™ dither. We also have incorporated iZotope's SonicFit™ time/pitch technology. This ensures that Wave Editor delivers the highest fidelity and the best value on the market...." You can run the trial for 15 days and that may actuall get your job done. But I think you may need to also get the add-on 'Action Pack' for iZotope's MBIT+ ($19.99) ISample Manager costst $79 and is the cheapest way to get the MBIT+ dither. Also have a look here at the comparison between SRC Algorithms Information about the graphs can be found under the 'Help' section f the page does it work with polyphonic files? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted June 16, 2013 Report Share Posted June 16, 2013 Right on the money. nomad does not have dithering. And so many times I need to deliver 16 bit. would be nice if zaxconvert offered it. does it work with polyphonic files? Just curious, have you compared side by side a dithered and non dithered recording from the nomad? Do you hear the difference? I'm wondering if the difference is large enough to be worth the trouble of ingesting and converting after wrap. http://wanderingear.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RadoStefanov Posted June 17, 2013 Author Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 Actually that is how I found out that a certain show I worked on is not doing post correctly. I heard a lot of distortion in the low end. Also the dynamic range on the production sound was reduced. After a little investigating and phone calls I found out that my 24 bit files were never treated. They are simply converted to 16 bit final. Having the original audio I did a simple test . I converted a file without and with dithering. The deference was audible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wandering Ear Posted June 17, 2013 Report Share Posted June 17, 2013 Glad you got it figured out. I've never a/b'd non dithered files. http://wanderingear.net Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marc Wielage Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 If they're just truncating 24-bit files to 16-bit, that can introduce audible distortion under certain situations. Dithering is the right way to do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JackHenry Posted June 18, 2013 Report Share Posted June 18, 2013 Actually, the O.P. is not a Mac person. The original post says "OSX or Windows". Unless something's changed, OSX means Mac. Right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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