BonkEnc is a FREE audo conversion tool that I use to convert my music library into an optimized format for my Nokia N73. This tool will work great for converting music on any cell phone, including the entire Nokia Nseries like the N80, N95, etc. Of course this may not be so handy for users that have a huge memory card and storage capacity isn't a problem. In that case, I would just stick to standard mp3 format. I know that Nokia PC Suite has a music conversion tool, but I found it confusing & slow to use, and actually most of the time it simply did not work.
What this tool does is converts my mp3's into an mp4 audio format, and I convert the bitrate down to 64kbps instead of the standard 96kbps or higher. What this means is you will have a lot smaller files, allowing you to store more on your memory card. I know what your asking, "won't this degrade the sound of my music?". Well, personally I haven't noticed through stereo headphones or through the stereo speakers that come on the Nokia N73. I'm pretty sure if you plug your phone into a pro surround sound system or your car stereo, you'll be able to hear some degradation, but thats expected since the sound is being amplified. But for me, right now, I only use the phone as an mp3 player to listen through headphones. So having more tracks available on my 2gb memory card is extremely crucial to me.
Basics To Using BonkEnc
Setting Up The Configuration
The first thing I do when starting up Bonk is make sure the encoder is configured correctly. I want to be sure that my settings are right on and optimized for the format I want. So I first click Options, then Configure Selected Encoder. Make sure that your using the FAAC Encoder, and this is where we'll set up the configuration. There are only two things we need to do here. First, where you see Bitrate Per Channel, slide that bar down to 64kbps. After that, click the Format Tab and select Mp4, I've noticed the sound is slightly better when you do this, instead of AAC. That is all you need for the settings, now click OK to proceed.
Update. I forgot to add something. Before you begin, you also must go to Options, then General Settings. Where it says Encoder, make sure your using the FAAC MP4/AAC Encoder. Also, if you want, you can set the output folder for the files you convert, or you can do this later.
Adding Tracks To Your List
The next step is loading up the tracks that you want to convert. The best way is to do this in mass, I usually convert about five albums at once, go make a sandwich, watch a period of hockey, then come back and it's finished. So first what you want to do is click File, Add, then scroll to the last option that has an arrow to the right and says Audio Files, then select From Directory. Here you can select folders, this is if you keep your music library organized in folders like I do. I grab all the folders I want, and it will load the tracks in the main window, showing you the list of files that you chose to convert. If you don't use folders to organize your music, just select Add Files.
Set Output Directory & Convert
Now we're almost done. Look towards the bottom of the window for Output Dir. This is where you set the output directory for the newly converted files. I usually keep all my converted files in a directory called "phone music" so that I don't get it mixed up with my regular music library. Once you set the directory, you are now able to click the Play Button and let the encoding process begin. This can take awhile, depending on how many tracks you choose.
As you can see to the left, I have 345 songs & nearly 20 hours of music on my Nokia N73. That comes out to about 800mb, which leaves plenty of room for movies and videos on my 2gb memory card.
The best thing about using BonkEnc is the program is lightweight and easy on memory. And of course, its Free. So head over to www.bonkenc.org and try it out yourself and see how much memory you actually save on your card.
Please comment on this article and let me know if you find it informative or if you'd rather stick with your larger mp3 files.
