Tech: Translate MAC files on an IBM-compatible

Subject: Tech: Translate MAC files on an IBM-compatible
From: open mike
Date: 09 Mar 06 - 10:55 AM

Is there any way to translate or read MAC files on my "PC"?

I am in a class that uses Apple style computers to create
audio files and I can save them and transfer them to my
home computer using I-Tunes, but cannot work with them
or create them on my home IBM-compatible computer.

Does anyone know of a program for a Windows operating system
that simulates the MAC? sort of a translation system or
something?

Apparently some of the audio visual and graphics capabilities
of the MAC are preferred by professional radio, t.v. and movie
folks...what say you?

Subject: RE: Tech: Translate MAC files on an IBM-compatible
From: ChrisE
Date: 09 Mar 06 - 11:34 AM

in which format do you save those audio-files on the MAC?
Chris

Subject: RE: Tech: Translate MAC files on an IBM-compatible
From: GUEST,M.Ted
Date: 09 Mar 06 - 12:16 PM

Macs are definitely the standard for professionals in radio, TV, moves, recording, etc, but(and as a mac user, it pains me to say this) most of what you can do on a Mac, you can do on a PC---You have to have a program that allows you to open and edit the files that you are working with--that's really the trick.

The first question is, what type of files are you working with? And right after that, what editing software are you using on your PC? If the editing software can open the file type, that's good--if not(and I assume it is not, otherwise you wouldn't have a probem) you have three possible choices:

First Choice: Convert your sound file to a kind that your editor can work with. This is the obvious choice, seemingly the easiest and cheapest--just get a simple converter program, maybe even a freeware program, and take all pesky files and convert them into a format you can use--and it might even work if you were just going to listen to them, but when you convert a file, the information is often altered--and, particularly if you are going to MP3 or similar format, the some data is actually eliminated--bad news for a work-in-progress--

Second Choice: Get an editor that will handle your file type, or install a codec to an editor that will allow your current editor to handle your file type. This sounds even better, but, different editors process the same files differently, and you may alter things you didn't mean to alter, or even know you altered--

Third Choice: Get the PC version of your Mac editor (and a lot of the latest generation-- OSX professional programs work on both Mac and PC) this is probably the best, since you won't have any problems with conversions or processsing differences, BUT--

But you shouldn't really do any of these things--you should edit   your master files in your original editing program, on your original machine--if you don't, sooner or later, you will have some sort of problem(and it's usually sooner)--

you can copy files of whatever you're doing and take them home, listen, make notes, but go back and do your real work on the original --it will save you a lot of time, and will reduce the risk of corrupting or destroying all your hard work--

Subject: RE: Tech: Translate MAC files on an IBM-compatible
From: Amos
Date: 09 Mar 06 - 01:48 PM

Export the files from the Mac application into one of the following formats:

.wav
.aiff
.mp3

and burn them to a CD. Put the CD into your PC and open them with whatever application, and they should work fine. Note that in burning the CD you have to make ot both PC/Mac version (a Universal format CD) and save the files as Data, not as a music CD.

ALternative path: Get iTunes on your PC,. and burn the Mac files to a music CD, which you then open with iTunes on your PC and import into iTunes. iTunes will let you translate them into MP3s, or into AIFFs, at least.

A

Subject: RE: Tech: Translate MAC files on an IBM-compatible
From: GUEST,early
Date: 09 Mar 06 - 02:42 PM

try downloading the demo of a programme called macopener - this will allow you to open mac formatted discs on your pc and then you can save them as windows files, I have used it beforew to unlock a back up of sound files on dvd made on a mac, the demo is time limited but will allow you to open / save the files.

Subject: RE: Tech: Translate MAC files on an IBM-compatible
From: open mike
Date: 10 Mar 06 - 01:37 PM

yes i have found out how to record them on c.d.
and play them on Windows, but not able to make changes.

thanks for the ideas....i saw some porgrams on torrent spy
that seemed to be for makeing a pc able to use mac files..
i may not have stated what i want to do correctly, but i
appreciate the ideas...and hope to learn more here!
Laurel