NSF to MP3. (1 Viewer)

[cafink]

I'm not sure how many here are familiar with the NSF sound format. For those who don't know, an NSF file is the audio data ripped from a Nintendo video game cartridge.
I'm trying to make a collection of MP3s from my collection of video game music. I have a DVD player that can play MP3 files from a CD-R, and I'd like to be able to listen to them on it.
My collection is mostly NSF and SPC (An SPC file is similar to an NSF file but for the Super Nintendo). I can easily convert all of my SPC files to MP3. I've been using Winamp to output the sound to a WAV file, then using MusicMatch Jukebox to compress the WAV to MP3.
The NSF files are giving me a bit more trouble, though. I've downloaded a bunch of NSF plugins for WinAmp from Zophar's Domain (www.zophar.net). Several of them work perfectly for playback, but all give me trouble when I try to output a WAV file. If you're familiar with the NSF format, you know it's a bit odd. A single NSF file contains many songs, and the interface is always a bit awkward.
Usually, WimAmp just creates a blank file when I try it. I actually got it to work a couple of times. The thing is, I'm also trying to use WimAmp's "fade to stop" function, instead of just abruptly ending the song. Most NSF files loop continuously, just as the music would while actually playing the game, and the user must stop it manually. I've never been able to get it to work while doing this.
Has anyone tried anything like this? Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[felix_suwarno]

carl, i cant help but i can give you more "trouble".

what is the equivalent of spc files for sega genesis? i am also in the process of converting spc files from snes roms! at last, there is somebody out there who has the same hobby.

btw, just make it stop abruptly. and use mp3trim to fade it out. im me if you want.

 

[cafink]

Thanks for the help, Felix, but I actually got it figured out last night. I used a WinAmp plugin called NEZPlug. NEZPlug allows you to set a fixed playing time and fadeout time for the NSF song. It will record it as a WAV file just as it should. Works like a charm.
As for Genesis music, you're looking for a collection of GYM files (http://www.zophar.net/gym/). I have absolutely no experience with them, so I can't help you beyond giving that link, but you should be able to find whatever you need there.
Have fun!

 

[felix_suwarno]

awwww come on, dont tell me you dont like yuzo koshiro's work on streets of rage or revenge of shinobi!! also thunder force 4...

but thanks for the link!

 

[felix_suwarno]

where can i find gym to wav converter?

 

[cafink]

WinAmp will do that for you. You just need a GYM plugin to play them in WinAmp.

 

[felix_suwarno]

i got a plugin to play on winamp, but i want it to play on my mp3 player. is there a wav converter? i couldnt find any so far.

 

[cafink]

I use WinAmp to convert SPC, NSF, GBS, and GYM files to WAV files. I use another program called Music Match Juke Box (www.musicmatch.com) to convert WAV files to MP3 files.

 

[felix_suwarno]

the question is, how do you convert GYM to WAV???

pleeeease heeeelp!

 

[cafink]

Have you managed to make WAV files from other sound formats (like NSF or SPC)? Or is it only the GYM files that are giving you trouble?

You can have WinAmp create a WAV file by accessing the "preferences" menu and choosing the "output plugins." "[OUT_WAVE.DLL]" should be selected. Change it to "[OUT_DISK.DLL]." Now just play the files you want to convert, and WinAmp will create a WAV file for each one.

This is easy to do with SPC and NSF files, but it's been my experience that GYM is the trickiest.

Zophar's Domain has two WinAmp plugins for GYM files: YMAMP, and in_GYM. YMAMP seems to have slightly more accurate emulation, and has more configurable options for you to play with. The main obstacle is that, for some reason, it doesn't seem to be compatible with WinAmp's WAV output. It'll create WAV files, but they don't seem to work.

in_GYM is the solution. There is nothing you can configure with this particular plugin, and the song length WinAmp displays will be horribly innacurrate (it will list every song s 40-60 minutes, even though they are only 1-5 minutes), but it works.

The final obstacle is that GYM files tend to end very abruptly. It's annoying. I'm not sure what controls their looping or playing time, but both YMAMP and in_GYM play them for exactly the same length of time. To solve this, I used MP3trim (after converting the WAVs to MP3s, of course), per your suggestion, to make the songs fade out. Thanks for the tip!

 

[felix_suwarno]

40 minutes of wav? that could kill my hard disk. ok, i will try in_gym, thanks big time.