Can someone help: Cool Edit Pro V1.2

[desertrat]

Hey, y'all!

I've got a licensed copy of Cool Edit Pro, V1.2a that has this insane licensing mechanism whereby it periodically asks you to insert your CD. It has not done that for over a year now. But now it's asking. And I don't have the CD handy.

Adobe bought Syntrillium years ago and never offered any support for licensed users, AFAIK. So us licensed users are kinda stuck.

I mainly use it to clean up phone interviews and lectures, rather than music.

The Dynamics function in CEP 1.2 is either broken, or was broken in later versions. I've tried V2.0, Audition 1.5, 2.0, and later versions, and CEP 1.2 is unique in how its Dynamics function works.

I'm referring to the dialog box that has a square box with a diagonal line from lower-left to upper-right. The diagonal represents no amplification or attenuation.

You can adjust the parameters by dragging the setting line either side of the diagonal. So if you've got one person who's slamming the meters at -2 dB with avg power level of say -10 dB, and the other person is peaking at -20 dB with -30 dB avg, I "shave" the highs by dragging the graph to the right of the diagonal at around -10 dB so it attenuates the louder sounds, but doesn't touch the quieter sounds.

Then I amplify the quieter sounds by dragging the line to the left of the diagonal at the -25 dB range.

Another process I use is where I alternate between a "shaving" process, attenuating peak levels by 3 or 6 dB, then Normalizing to -1 dB. I'll do that a few times, then attenuate all sound levels below -45 dB to cut out background noise. This process works incredibly well for equalizing conversations when two people are recorded at significantly different levels.


All of the versions I've tried work fine for amplification -- settings to the left of the diagonal.

But the attenuation settings behave differently depending on the version of software. Audition 1.5 AMPLIFIES regardless of which side of the line you're on. I think Audition 2.0 does nothing for sounds that should be attenuated.

Anyway, this process allows me to normalize two different speakers' sound levels in a lengthy (1-2 hr) phone interview in less than a dozen steps, rather than having to go thru and adjust each vocal segment individually by hand.

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What I'd like to know is if anybody here might be able to help me get my version of CEP running. I don't have my original CD available, and Adobe won't help. I also don't really feel like shelling out several hundred bucks for new software when this one is perfectly fine except for the stupid licensing scheme they're using. Why it's still active after all this time is beyond me.

Thanks
-David

[desertrat]

What I need is the cep12a.exe setup file. I've got a serial number, just not a CD.

[earwax]

Originally Posted by desertrat

CEP 1.2 is unique in how its Dynamics function works.
I'm referring to the dialog box that has a square box with a diagonal line from lower-left to upper-right. The diagonal represents no amplification or attenuation.

Audition 2.0 has this Effects>Amplitude >dynamics processing >Graphic

[desertrat]

Originally Posted by earwax

Audition 2.0 has this Effects>Amplitude >dynamics processing >Graphic

You must have missed this part of my post:

But the attenuation settings behave differently depending on the version of software. Audition 1.5 AMPLIFIES regardless of which side of the line you're on. I think Audition 2.0 does nothing for sounds that should be attenuated.

Anyway, this process allows me to normalize two different speakers' sound levels in a lengthy (1-2 hr) phone interview in less than a dozen steps, rather than having to go thru and adjust each vocal segment individually by hand.

[earwax]

Quote: But the attenuation settings behave differently depending on the version of software. Audition 1.5 AMPLIFIES regardless of which side of the line you're on. I think Audition 2.0 does nothing for sounds that should be attenuated.

My copies of 1.5 and 2.0 don't behave this way. They work the same as Cool Edit did, but why not just use the hard limiting process instead (in all of these versions). Wouldn't that be easier? Maybe I'm not understanding your problem, sorry.

[desertrat]

Originally Posted by earwax

Quote: But the attenuation settings behave differently depending on the version of software. Audition 1.5 AMPLIFIES regardless of which side of the line you're on. I think Audition 2.0 does nothing for sounds that should be attenuated.

My copies of 1.5 and 2.0 don't behave this way. They work the same as Cool Edit did, but why not just use the hard limiting process instead (in all of these versions). Wouldn't that be easier? Maybe I'm not understanding your problem, sorry.

I have Audition 1.5, and when I move the line to the right of the diagonal, it does NOT attenuate signals. Rather, it AMPLIFIES them as if I moved the line to the left of the diagonal, with everything I've tested it on.

I tried the same thing on Auditon 2.0 and when I moved it to the right of the diagonal, it did nothing to the signal at all.

This graph is supposed to simply set up the parameters in the dynamics controller, so I don't understand why it works differently on three different versions.

Again, what I'm trying to do is boost the levels between -40dB and -15dB, and attenuate the levels above -10dB, give or take.

It's done on a curve, so the boost is as much as 10dB, and the attenuation is more of a limit to -5dB max. That is, I don't want ANY signals over -5dB.

The boosting part on the quiet signals works. The attenuation part doesn't. What happens is all of the levels over -10dB or so end up being amplified and clipped, instead of limited to -5dB.

(The numbers aren't exact, but I hope you get the idea.)

It's a very simple concept: I want to amplify the signals of the quieter voice, and compress the signals of the louder voice so they're roughly the same average signal level. The phone line noise (below -45dB) is barely noticeable, if at all.

It works REALLY WELL for telephone interviews.

-David

[earwax]

There is something wrong with your A 2.0. I would call adobe about that. Mine works the way it is supposed to. What happens if you put in the numbers manually using the "Traditional" tab?

As a work-around try using the hard limiting process with a - 5 ceiling and a 6db (or whatever) boost. This might achieve what you are after

[desertrat]

Originally Posted by earwax

There is something wrong with your A 2.0. I would call adobe about that. Mine works the way it is supposed to. What happens if you put in the numbers manually using the "Traditional" tab?

As a work-around try using the hard limiting process with a - 5 ceiling and a 6db (or whatever) boost. This might achieve what you are after

I'm not asking for help on Audition. I do not own Audition, and I do not intend to purchase it. Note the Subject: "Can someone help: Cool Edit Pro V1.2"

I have legitimate licensed copy of Cool Edit Pro V1.2a.

I got a cracked copy of Audition 1.5 to try, and also tried a friend's Audition V2.0.

Trust me when I say that the way it works in CEP V1.2a is DIFFERENT than in later versions.

The reason I posted this is I'm looking for someone who can help me get my copy of V1.2a working -- not so I can spend a few hundred dollars more on software that does it differently.

Adobe has never supported licensed Cool Edit Pro users since they purchase Syntrilluim. This software cost me as much as Audition, but it doesn't work because of their stupid licensing key checks. Adobe's solution is to buy a newer version. Why? It doesn't work the same.

I just want to get my copy of CEP 1.2 working again.

[earwax]

Originally Posted by desertrat

Trust me when I say that the way it works in CEP V1.2a is DIFFERENT than in later versions.

I own all three, CEP, A1.5 and A2.0 and this function works the same in all of them. There is something wrong with the copies of Audition you tried.

Sorry I couldn't help you.

[acoustic]

I to own all 4 programs and all effects you have talked about works the same as for your tantrum desertrat if you need I will send you a diaper free of charge good luck man-----acoustic