MP3s & Email Size Limitations

Subject: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: MK
Date: 22 Apr 00 - 07:41 PM

Question for the more computer knowledgable.

I'd like to be able to email friends some of my home recordings. I master them as wave files and then shrink them, converting them to Mp3s.

Problem, is my ISP seems to impose a 3.5 meg file size limitation, and as a result, the emails are rejected by the end server.

I have tried zipping, rar-ing, and ace-ing the MP3s and nothing shrinks the size of the MP3.

Is it possible to send these files via ICQ thus side-stepping the ISP's clamp down on file size?....or, is there another, more effective compression method, to enclose the MP3 file within, that will actually make a difference in size?

The file in question is just under 5 megs as an MP3, and I need to get it down to 3.5 megs (without shorting the song.)

Thanks for any help or tips, in advance.

Subject: RE: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: Mbo
Date: 22 Apr 00 - 07:45 PM

Mike, check out www.mydocsonline.com
That's what I use, you can send folks files up to 20megs in size!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: MK
Date: 22 Apr 00 - 08:46 PM

MBO me lad

Thank you!

.

It's great and something I never would have thought of.

I've since uploaded several of my arrangments as MP3s and sent them to a couple of people through this method.

I owe you one!

Subject: RE: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: Mbo
Date: 22 Apr 00 - 09:02 PM

No thanks neccesary Mike! Great tool, ain't it? There is only one small problem....the actual theory behind MyDocs is you load your file to the site, and you are actually sending people a link to your folder, not an actual file. The link stays open for 7 days...they don't get to keep the file. If they want to hear it after that, you'll have to send again, but there's only so much room in there to hold things, so you might have to delete files to make room for new ones. I still haven't found a way to send big files that folks can keep, except through ICQ file transfer, but like you said, it's subject to net congestion and disconnections. Maybe they'll figure out a way someday!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: MK
Date: 22 Apr 00 - 09:09 PM

..But are they receiving the file as an attachment in their email, directly from the website, or is it coming at them thru the folder it resides on from my computer...ala Napster concept?

(Could be a problem if its the latter as I have a very secure firewall in place that prevents any unauthorized access to any of my ports...)

Can you clarify?

Thanks.

Subject: RE: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: Mbo
Date: 22 Apr 00 - 09:15 PM

It sends an email that contains a link to your MyDocs account/folder (same thing, sorry for being unclear). When you upload your file, you are loading it to your account/folder on the MyDocs site. It actually doesn't link to your hard drive. Don't worry, it's all safe!

--Mbo

Subject: RE: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: MK
Date: 22 Apr 00 - 09:15 PM

It's okay. I just went back to the site and read their FAQ. I understand how it all works now.

Still a cool thing. Thanks again.

Subject: RE: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Apr 00 - 11:25 PM

ummm...why not just put it in a newsgroup? There are MP3 groups.....

Subject: RE: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: MK
Date: 22 Apr 00 - 11:26 PM

It's private stock.

Subject: RE: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Apr 00 - 11:30 PM

ahh..*smile*...well, there are other free file places...

like http://www.swapdrive.com/

Subject: RE: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: Bill D
Date: 22 Apr 00 - 11:33 PM

as well as this one especially for media files...

http://sharehouse.xoom.com/freestore.php3

Subject: RE: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: Jon Freeman
Date: 23 Apr 00 - 01:06 AM

Michael, I don't know much about MP3s but I think that with some programs you can change settings like sample rates as you can with wav files and this will have an effect on the size of the file (and the quality of the sound). To the best of my knowledge MP3 is the most efficient encoding method.

The suggestion Mbo made sounds good. I joined a similar service about a week ago. I don't know how the compare but mine is htt://www.xdrive.com.

Another method I use to share files although smaller files is my own free web space - very handy for things like making a MIDI file available here.

I have not used ICQ for a transferring a file larger than about 2Mb but I have found their File Transfer very effective and I use it frequently.

Jon

Subject: RE: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: Clinton Hammond2
Date: 23 Apr 00 - 09:54 AM

File transfers eh?!?!

Umm use ICQ, sure... it's fine... I've transferd nearly whole CD's of info over it and it's o.k...

For slightly more reliable service, theres all kinds of FTP server software that you can get free off the net to allow you to assign part of you hard drive to behave like an FTP site... you can then allow people access to the files on that section and they can download, or if you allow, upload as well, so then you're swapping instead of just suppling... And you won't have to keep going back to MyDocsOnline to refresh yer stock...

Another option is Napster... a really small download, fairly quick and reliable transfers... But you'd have to co-ordinate yer online times with the people you wanted to transfer with where as MyDocs, they can access when you online or not...

Yer options are plenty
Try 'em all, lemme know which one you like best!!

{~`

Subject: RE: MP3s & Email Size Limitations
From: Sorcha
Date: 23 Apr 00 - 10:15 AM

The folks on the other end are probably glad you can't send big files out.......a "friend" of mine sent me 6 high resolution 8 x ll color photos in one e mail, and locked up my server until I could get a new account set up. He still refuses to believe tht it was his fault, so he is now a blocked sender!!