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| Getting Started If you don't have a high speed connection (cable, dsl, T1, T3, etc.) don't bother reading further. Stick to the B&P and trading scene. For those of you that do, proceed. Concerts are no longer readily accesible as mp3s via Napster. A new file type emerged and has since taken over after the collapse of Napster. The files are called SHNs and they are a type of Shorten file. Each song in SHN format is about 15-20 times the size of your normal mp3 file (approx. 4-5 megabytes for one mp3 and 60-80 megabytes for one SHN). This large difference is due to the fact that SHNs are a loseless file format--meaning that when a taper transfers his original taped copy of a concert onto the computer he doesn't lose any of the quality from that master tape. This results in a far far superior sound quality that makes mp3s seem almost laughable. The only drawbacks of this format are the long download times, huge file size (which takes up disc space) and need to extract the sound file from its shell (the .wav file from the .shn shell which turns it into an even larger file) in order to burn it onto cd. Where to get DMB SHNS There are two programs major programs used to get SHNs: NewsGrabber This program allows you to collect attachments from Usenet news articles without using a newsreader. In other words, after installing it, you can use it to download sounds, pictures, and movies that people post in different groups that are separated by interests (such as DMB). This program is fairly easy to use and although it does not offer the same variety of DMB shows as the second program, it almost always has the most recent ones. Usually a few days after a show takes place, the concert SHNs will be posted in the DMB newsgroup. After you the program, please use this guide (click here for guide) to installing NG and using the DMB group (alt.binaries.mustic.dmb.shn). Direct Connect Direct Connect a program that is based on a large network of over 32, 000 users sharing everything you could imagine on a peer-peer networking connection much like Napster only with every file type and size imaginable. There are different hubs (hang-out spots that break the network down in sub-groups of people with like interests). There are 3 hubs used specifically for the download SHN music including DMB. While there are many hubs that share other worthwhile things, there are also many hubs which delve into not so innocent interests including pornography, illegal game pirating and illegal movie distribution which some may find offensive (even though they are easy to avoid). If you avoid that stuff and don't mind seeing some offensive names/language then this program can give you virtually any concert that you could ever want. My advice go here DMB SHN Haven II to learn about the best hub to download DMB SHNs on Direct Connect. Converting SHNs for Burning to Audio CD-Rs That's right, there's one more step after downloading before you can burn that show to CD-R :-). You have to convert the SHNs you download into .wav format before you can burn them. For this you need a program called mkwACT (Michael K. Weise Audio Compression Tool). It can be downloaded and read about here: mkwACT. Rules to Know for Trading SHNs Online 1) If you want to put wav files from a CD-R back on your computer and convert them to SHN for trading purposes online, you will need Exact Audio Copy v0.85 beta. Then you will have to convert the wav files with mkwACT. Rules to Know for Trading wav CD-Rs 1) If you want to trade through the mail, most often you will trade copies of the CD-R burned with the tracks in wav format. To extract the files off your CD-R in wav format onto your computer to burn a copy for someone else you will need a program called Exact Audio Copy v0.85 beta This program should be used to ensure that exact copies are made of the files. 2) Make sure that when you burn the wav files to CD-R that you burn them DAO (Disc-At-Once). This option eliminates the two-second gap between tracks that can be heard if you burn the disc TAO (Track-At-Once). |