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Earwigo.net and Sound Files


bflentje

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I am struggling to figure out how to use sound while building my next cartridge. I suspect this is an issue specific to Earwigo.net. The Earwigo.net Wiki states the following..

 

You create an mp3 file for pocket PC devices and smartphones. Please remember that there is a 512 kByte limit on the file size.

 

And indeed, the Earwigo.net tool will reject the upload of files larger than some limit I believe to be at or near as promised. The thing is, I know other cartridges built using other tools allow mp3's that are much larger in size. Is there aq way within Earwigo.net to get past this limitation? Is it because of server storage for their website or is it a technical reason within the cartridge builder? Help?

 

Note: I am well aware that Garmin devices can't play some or even all mp3 sounds. My target audience for this cartridge is the smartphone community.

 

Thanks for any help you can lend.

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I'm sure, Nick will answer too. But meanwhile you could use a workaround.

 

Create the cartridge with a small MP3 file. Than, if you are ready, create the GWZ file, rename it to extension ZIP, unpack it and replace the small MP3 file(s) with the correct ones and zip the content again. Now you have only to rename the ZIP file to GWZ. That's it.

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I'm sure, Nick will answer too. But meanwhile you could use a workaround.

 

Create the cartridge with a small MP3 file. Than, if you are ready, create the GWZ file, rename it to extension ZIP, unpack it and replace the small MP3 file(s) with the correct ones and zip the content again. Now you have only to rename the ZIP file to GWZ. That's it.

 

Thanks for the tip. I never thought of that. I will be sure to give it a try.

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Earwigo imposes a limit of 512K on a media file, simply because I didn't think anyone would need more than that. After all, a photo for a smartphone screen probably never exceeds 50K even as a BMP.

 

Now that most people are playing Wherigos on a device that can actually play back proper sounds, I guess it makes sense to allow larger files for MP3s (back in the "Garmin days", sounds just meant beeps).

 

I will fix the size limit when I get back from vacation, as I don't have all my tools with me here. But please remind me via the Earwigo Google Group support forum. (Indeed, for the future, please ask all Earwigo-related support questions in the Google Group support forum - I only found out about this thread from a Google alert!)

 

How big is the biggest MP3 you are trying to use? I would imagine that a minute or so of sound ought to be enough for any given stage...

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Earwigo imposes a limit of 512K on a media file, simply because I didn't think anyone would need more than that. After all, a photo for a smartphone screen probably never exceeds 50K even as a BMP.

 

Now that most people are playing Wherigos on a device that can actually play back proper sounds, I guess it makes sense to allow larger files for MP3s (back in the "Garmin days", sounds just meant beeps).

 

I will fix the size limit when I get back from vacation, as I don't have all my tools with me here. But please remind me via the Earwigo Google Group support forum. (Indeed, for the future, please ask all Earwigo-related support questions in the Google Group support forum - I only found out about this thread from a Google alert!)

 

How big is the biggest MP3 you are trying to use? I would imagine that a minute or so of sound ought to be enough for any given stage...

 

I just got accepted into the Google Group and have not had time to snoop around. I suspect I'll have time later in this week to pose my question there. And I am not opposed to trying the trick mentioned above, which I hope to try this weekend.

 

I ultimately don't know what I'd need in terms of mp3 size in the future. But I am working with a fellow geocacher in Spain to create a Minnesota version of his Spanish Wherigo. In his cartridge he's got mp3's sized as the following: 5434KB, 5133KB, 1024KB, and down from there.

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Wow. 5453K is about five minutes of audio, I think. Is someone meant to listen to that all the way through, in the field (with other random noises), and no media player controls to skip back 10 seconds if they don't hear something clearly?

 

The two larger files are used primarily as background music. At the time I didn't understand the affect it might have on the build process. But I have to say it was a sweet touch to the cartridge.

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It could be music or some other sounds. It should be possible.

 

The other disadvantage is, that such big GWZ files couldn't be uploaded to www.Wherigo.com. There is a size restriction for GWZ files around 18 MB.

 

The actual file size of the current Spanish cartridge looks to be 12.7 MB, so there is some wiggle room. The Minnesota interpretation of the cartridge should be marginally smaller as I've removed a couple of things.

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But please remind me via the Earwigo Google Group support forum. (Indeed, for the future, please ask all Earwigo-related support questions in the Google Group support forum - I only found out about this thread from a Google alert!)

 

BTW, Google (other than search and mapping) is blocked here at work, which is why I have not yet had time to snoop around the Google group. Thankfully work has not yet blocked anything directly related to Groundspeak. :-)

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I was able to use Audacity to modify my MP3's so they're not so large, adjusting bit rate, etc, and saving you database space. But I think when you updated whatever you updated on your end, there's a flaw. The website seems to take the larger files as you mentioned above. But I think your database insert isn't the same as the website. I get a database insert error. I should have copied the error out for you but I forgot. I'll try again later and grab it.. something with your binary chunk sizes..

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My thoughts too !

 

Could it also be a kbps issue ? I have used an MP3 to wave file converter, changed the bit quality sound to be much less. It's a quick and dirty method, I used .wav files.

 

Also and you'll laugh about this one, I have used a sound recorder in a quiet room , without the RCA audio cables. Back in the old days we use to record off the radio using a cassette recorder. I have an MP3 sound clip that's over 40 MB , of a cassette tape that recorder an old needle record, so that I could listen to it while uncycling. Something from my past, you know what the best part was? Listening to a 12 year old boy yelling at his 7 year old sister in the background playing with his 2 year old sister; telling them to "shut up I am trying to record". The voice over comes over clear and loud over the music in a quiet room of the house. Later maybe on side 2 you hear the repeating argument with a loud bang and feet running across the floor as though a grand chase was going on. Best memory I every recorded 50 years ago.

 

... Use a closet or a quiet room , two devices, sound recorder on your computer.. they haven't stopped us from that yet.  Works every time.

 

 

Edited by K-and-K
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