Want to spread your favorite music? A quick tutorial.
The procedure:
1. Rip CD
2a. Compress to archive using WinRAR
2b. The new way
3. Upload to file host
4. Distribute links
5. Extra: large files
1. Rip CD
This means: convert the contents of a normal audio CD to a compressed audio format on your PC, MP3 for example. Conversion-programs a.o.: dbPowerAmp, WinAmp pro, CDEX, Nero, EZ CD-DA, Media Player, MusicMatch Jukebox. Most common format is MP3.
Make sure that
- the ripping didn't lead to errors,
- the ID3 tags are filled with at least Artist, Songtitle, Albumtitle, Tracknumber,
- check accuracy and consistency if you get tags from an online database,
- the filenames are not too long (especially if the filename contains album- or artistname next to songtitle).
- you rip so you decide, your potential audience however probably likes to have MP3's ripped at a bitrate of (at least) 192kbps. Commercial MP3 businesses work with (I believe) 256kbps. There's a direct relation between bitrate and filesize, with consequences for up- and downloading.
2a. Compress to archive using WinRAR
You have the mp3's in a directory/folder.
- Check the size of the folder: Place your mouse on the folder, rightclick. The menu should give you the option "Properties". You'll get the size in MB (or GB but nevermind). This is important as most/all filehosting sites have a limit. Will explain later, for now I'm going to explain for a small CD, less than 100MB.
- Place your mouse on the folder, rightclick. The menu should give you the option "Add to archive..."
-- 1. You can ammend the name of the archive. Some people advise not to use obvious names like "Greatest_Hits_Michael_Jackson.rar", I've never encountered problems.
-- 2. Archive format = "RAR", Compression method = "Best", Split to volumes = "Autodetect", Update mode = "Add and replace files", Archiving options: you want to have On: "Put recovery record", "Test archived files"
-- 3. Next tab "Advanced"
-- 4. Press button "Set password...", you want to have On: "Show password", "Encrypt file names"
-- 5. Make sure you're able to remember the password (+ it's case sensitive), copy it into Notepad for example. Enter the password, click OK.
-- 6. Click OK, WinRar starts archiving.
2b. Compress to .zip
Since WinRar isn't available on Linux, install another archiver. Without too much fuzz:
-- 1. Check directory-size. Is it greater than 100MB divide it up in several directories, each smaller than 100MB. Filesize depends on fileserver.
-- 2. Check filenames. If your audience is on Windows make sure you remove characters from the filenames not allowed by NTFS.
-- 3. Archive the directory/ies, set a name and a number in case of multiple directories.
3. Upload to file host
- Depends on which host you want to use, you usually have to click a button, browse to the file you want to upload, perhaps enter a code, perhaps enter one or more email-addresses. If this is too complecated, just use a different host. Do pay attention to the maximum filesize.
- Let's try with Rapidshare: Press the "Browse.." button, browse to the file you've just made, click "Open", then click the "Upload!" button. You'll see the upload in progress. When finished I get a pop-up "File uploaded! Scroll down for your download-link."
- you'll find something that looks like this:
4. Distribute links
Only "Your Download-link", do not forget to give the password too if you've archived with password.
5. Extra: large files
A double CD is usually larger than 100 MB, 100MB is the maximum file-size allowed by Rapidshare and some others. You can use WinRAR to split it for you (I don't bother with this anymore, I just distribute files over multiple directories):
- In WinRAR, tab "General" under "Split to volume, bytes" you can set the size of the chunks in which you want WinRAR to split your file. Have a look in the options first: you'll see a few sizes pre-defined.
Let's say you want to use a maximum size of 100MB. 1 MB = 1024KB, 1 KB = 1024 bytes. Thus: 100MB = 100 * 1024 * 1024 = 104.857.600 bytes.
Set this value while setting the other archive settings, then it's the same procedure as above.
WinRAR compresses the files: a folder of 100MB will lead to a smaller archive. Since MP3 is a compressed format already you don't have to expect a lot of compression.
1. Rip CD
2a. Compress to archive using WinRAR
2b. The new way
3. Upload to file host
4. Distribute links
5. Extra: large files
1. Rip CD
This means: convert the contents of a normal audio CD to a compressed audio format on your PC, MP3 for example. Conversion-programs a.o.: dbPowerAmp, WinAmp pro, CDEX, Nero, EZ CD-DA, Media Player, MusicMatch Jukebox. Most common format is MP3.
Make sure that
- the ripping didn't lead to errors,
- the ID3 tags are filled with at least Artist, Songtitle, Albumtitle, Tracknumber,
- check accuracy and consistency if you get tags from an online database,
- the filenames are not too long (especially if the filename contains album- or artistname next to songtitle).
- you rip so you decide, your potential audience however probably likes to have MP3's ripped at a bitrate of (at least) 192kbps. Commercial MP3 businesses work with (I believe) 256kbps. There's a direct relation between bitrate and filesize, with consequences for up- and downloading.
2a. Compress to archive using WinRAR
You have the mp3's in a directory/folder.
- Check the size of the folder: Place your mouse on the folder, rightclick. The menu should give you the option "Properties". You'll get the size in MB (or GB but nevermind). This is important as most/all filehosting sites have a limit. Will explain later, for now I'm going to explain for a small CD, less than 100MB.
- Place your mouse on the folder, rightclick. The menu should give you the option "Add to archive..."
-- 1. You can ammend the name of the archive. Some people advise not to use obvious names like "Greatest_Hits_Michael_Jackson.rar", I've never encountered problems.
-- 2. Archive format = "RAR", Compression method = "Best", Split to volumes = "Autodetect", Update mode = "Add and replace files", Archiving options: you want to have On: "Put recovery record", "Test archived files"
-- 3. Next tab "Advanced"
-- 4. Press button "Set password...", you want to have On: "Show password", "Encrypt file names"
-- 5. Make sure you're able to remember the password (+ it's case sensitive), copy it into Notepad for example. Enter the password, click OK.
-- 6. Click OK, WinRar starts archiving.
2b. Compress to .zip
Since WinRar isn't available on Linux, install another archiver. Without too much fuzz:
-- 1. Check directory-size. Is it greater than 100MB divide it up in several directories, each smaller than 100MB. Filesize depends on fileserver.
-- 2. Check filenames. If your audience is on Windows make sure you remove characters from the filenames not allowed by NTFS.
-- 3. Archive the directory/ies, set a name and a number in case of multiple directories.
3. Upload to file host
- Depends on which host you want to use, you usually have to click a button, browse to the file you want to upload, perhaps enter a code, perhaps enter one or more email-addresses. If this is too complecated, just use a different host. Do pay attention to the maximum filesize.
- Let's try with Rapidshare: Press the "Browse.." button, browse to the file you've just made, click "Open", then click the "Upload!" button. You'll see the upload in progress. When finished I get a pop-up "File uploaded! Scroll down for your download-link."
- you'll find something that looks like this:
Your Download-Link: http://rapidshare.de/files/16786632/Blog.rar.html- If you reached this far: Well done!
Your Delete-Link: http://rapidshare.de/files/16786632/Blog.rar?killcode=3028436486
4. Distribute links
Only "Your Download-link", do not forget to give the password too if you've archived with password.
5. Extra: large files
A double CD is usually larger than 100 MB, 100MB is the maximum file-size allowed by Rapidshare and some others. You can use WinRAR to split it for you (I don't bother with this anymore, I just distribute files over multiple directories):
- In WinRAR, tab "General" under "Split to volume, bytes" you can set the size of the chunks in which you want WinRAR to split your file. Have a look in the options first: you'll see a few sizes pre-defined.
Let's say you want to use a maximum size of 100MB. 1 MB = 1024KB, 1 KB = 1024 bytes. Thus: 100MB = 100 * 1024 * 1024 = 104.857.600 bytes.
Set this value while setting the other archive settings, then it's the same procedure as above.
WinRAR compresses the files: a folder of 100MB will lead to a smaller archive. Since MP3 is a compressed format already you don't have to expect a lot of compression.
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