| Download and Installation
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How can I download WIDI?
Answer: You can download a free evaluation version of WIDI from our download section http://widisoft.com/english/download.html. There are several download locations available, so you can choose one with the appropriate connection speed.
Do I need to download a PAD file?
Answer: PAD file contains more detailed information on WIDI Recognition System and developing team. PAD file has .xml extension and can be viewed with special programs. Also you can open it with Internet Explorer 5.0+. To know more about PAD files please follow www.asp-shareware.org.
If you are a webmaster of a software catalogue, you may use PAD file to retrieve all information you need to list WIDI on your site.
How to install WIDI?
Answer: Run widiin.exe. This will start installation wizard which will guide you through installation process.
Are local versions of WIDI available?
Answer: Yes, WIDI is available in English and in Russian. We are working on translating WIDI into other languages.
Can I use the trial version of WIDI for free?
Answer: WIDI Recognition System is a "try before you buy" software. You can download any version for free and use it for 14 days (although, we do not perform tracking.) Unregistered version allows you to save only 10 seconds of MIDI. You are asked to register every time you start WIDI.
You can not sell or modify the Program. You can distribute unregistered versions for free, provided that unmodified installation files are included. See license agreement for details.
What are the limitations of trial version of WIDI?
Answer: Unregistered version of WIDI does not let you to save more than 10 seconds of MIDI. Every time you start an unregistered version you will see a startup dialog with a suggestion to register. You can use unregistered version of WIDI for free during 14 days after downloading. If you want to use WIDI for more than 14 days, you should register.
No other limitations are present. You can use all source file formats for recognition, no limitations on file length or algorithm settings are present in the unregistered version.
Registering allows you to receive technical support via email support@widisoft.com and lets you register all versions of WIDI released in half a year after your registration date for free. To request a new key for the next version, coming out during that period, please contact tech support. For more information see our upgrade page http://widisoft.com/english/upgrade.html
How long can I evaluate WIDI?
Answer: You can evaluate WIDI for 14 days after downloading; however, we don't do any tracking. If you want to use WIDI after the 14-day trial period or you are interested in developing the WIDI project, you should register.
Can I see sample MIDI files, produced by WIDI, before ordering?
Answer: Unregistered version of WIDI does not allow saving MIDI files. If you want to see MIDI files produced by WIDI, you are welcome to visit our examples section http://widisoft.com/english/samples.html, where you can download both source files in mp3 format and MIDI files produced by WIDI as well as recognition settings files, contains settings used to create this samples. Use any External MIDI editor to view MIDI as a score.
Can I contact support service during the evaluation period?
Answer: Registered users have priority in getting technical support. However, we are ready to answer your questions via e-mail even if you have not registered yet. To get more information on WIDI project contact info@widisoft.com. If you have questions on using WIDI, please send your letter to support@widisoft.com.
Please do not send large attachments to support service. All messages that exceed 50kb will be deleted automatically on the server. We do not provide help on recognizing particular sound files.
I have ordered WIDI. Where can I get my Registration Code?
Answer: After you complete ordering, you receive an e-mail with your Registration Code and User Name. If you have not received this e-mail, there are two possible reasons for that: either you payment was not valid (for example, the credit card was not authorized for Internet payments or has expired) or you have possibly misspelled your e-mail address. Usually this e-mail is sent out in several minutes after registration time, so if you have not received this e-mail in a day, please contact WIDI support service at support@widisoft.com.
Note: please pay attention to our upgrade policy http://widisoft.com/english/upgrade.html.
I have entered my Registration Code, but WIDI is still unregistered. What's wrong?
Answer: Please, verify that your registration code corresponds to the version of WIDI you have. Use "copy-paste" from the letter you've got - you should enter exactly the same code and name. Also, make sure that you didn't enter additional space symbols before and after registration code and your name. After filling in the code and name restart WIDI. Registration allows saving produced MIDI files of any length and removes the startup banner. To make sure you have successfully registered WIDI choose "Help"->"Register!" menu item after restarting. In registered version "Already Registered" message box will be displayed. See also Entering Registration Code.
I have registered an earlier version of WIDI. Can I upgrade for free?
Answer: According to our license agreement you have a privilege of free registration of all versions released in half a year after your registration date. In case of a key system change contact our support service at support@widisoft.com or visit http://widisoft.com/english/upgrade.html
I have registered a current version of WIDI. Can I register further versions for free?
Answer: Yes, you can register all versions released in half a year after registration date for free. Please contact support@widisoft.com to obtain a registration code. We do not make any guarantees for this rule to stay unmodified for future versions. Please read license agreement provided with the version of WIDI you have to get the accurate answer.
I have lost my Registration code. How can I get a copy of it?
Answer: To get a copy of your registration code, please contact our support service at support@widisoft.com. You need to provide some details of your registration (e-mail address and full name or Order ID will be enough). They should be identical to the ones you have provided while registering.
I have ordered WIDI. Can I get a refund?
Answer: According to our license agreement we do not provide any refunds. WIDI is a "try before you buy" product. This means you can try it for free and then decide if you want to buy it or not. Our license agreement can be found in the readme file and help file provided with WIDI. It is highly recommended to read it before ordering.
How can I use CD-Track as a source file for WIDI?
Answer: WIDI 3.3 supports various sound formats, including CD-Tracks. To open a CD-Track press "Open" button. "Open File" dialog will appear. Select "WAV, MP3 & CDA files" as a file type, then locate your CD Drive and choose a .cda file. Each .cda file corresponds to a CD-Track. This file is usually named as Track**.cda, where ** is a track number. For example Track5.cda corresponds to the fifth track on your CD.
I can't hear anything when playing back MIDI files produced by WIDI. What's wrong?
Answer: There are several possible situations:
1) You can't hear both MIDI and Wave playback. If so, please check the following:
Can you hear anything while playing back in Media Player? Check both Wave and MIDI playback. If you cannot hear anything - check your volume settings in Windows (Standard "Volume control" dialog can be called by pressing "Mixer Settings" button on WIDI toolbar). Also, make sure that your computer speakers are turned on, their volume is not set to zero and all necessary cables are connected.
Please note, that Windows has separate volume controls for Wave and MIDI. Also, make sure that "mute" checkbox is not checked in MIDI, Wave and total volume controls.
2) Wave playback is OK, but you cannot hear MIDI files played in any programs:
If you can't hear MIDI during MIDI playback in all programs in spite of all volume controls being set to maximum - check your MIDI settings in Control panel -> Multimedia ->"MIDI" tab. Try to choose another playback device. If problem persists, contact your Computer or Sound Card Vendor.
3) You can hear both MIDI and Wave Playback in all programs except WIDI:
If you can't hear anything during WIDI Wave playback - verify that the file you are trying to play is not empty and does not contain silent parts. You may also need to choose correct devices in the "Devices Tab" in WIDI Options dialog.
4) You cannot hear the MIDI playback in WIDI "MIDI Player":
Try to open a MIDI file, which you are sure is not empty with WIDI (try it first in Media Player). If you can't hear anything during playback - check WIDI "Options" Dialog (press "General Options" button on WIDI toolbar to see it). In this dialog window choose "Devices" tab and try to change MIDI device. Try playback again.
If you cannot hear MIDI files created not by WIDI - check WIDI Settings. To do so, press "Recognition Settings" button on WIDI toolbar and press "Default" button in this dialog. Also, check Equalizer settings. To do this, press "Show Equalizer" button on WIDI toolbar. Press "All to Max" button in Equalizer. Repeat recognition process from the very beginning (press "Transcribe Audio into MIDI" button on "Wave Window" toolbar). Try playback of the MIDI file you get.
If you still can't hear MIDI - try to recognize another Wave, mp3 or CD-Track. It is possible that the sound file you have chosen has a weak sound level.
What files can I open with WIDI?
Answer: WIDI 3.3 supports different source files formats. They are:
- Microsoft(R) PCM WAVE files with any frequency rate and any number of bits, both mono and stereo.
- Compressed WAVE - any format supported by installed ACM codecs. This usually includes at least ADPCM, A-Law, u-Law compressed files. See Control Panel -> Multimedia -> Advanced -> Audio Compression Codecs for the list of supported compression types on your particular system.
- MPEG compressed sounds with *.mp1, *.mp2, *.mp3 and *.mpp extensions. These formats are supported independently of external decoders installed on your system.
- CD-digital audio (*.cda extension) files - you can open sound track from audio disk directly, without grabbing it first to hard disk. WIDI should work OK with most CD drives since version 3.2.
- MIDI files.
-.wne - TrueTone Editor's files.
-.wset - Recognition settings files.
-.weqp - Equalizer settings files.
-.wnef - Note Filter settings files.
-.wnec - TrueTone Editor color settings.
What are GS files?
Answer:
Since WIDI 3.3 GS files are obsolete.
WIDI algorithm consists of two steps. First step "Wave->Pitch" takes a lot of time and produces spectral data. Then it is converted to MIDI by means of a fast "Pitch->MIDI" algorithm. The idea is that you can keep and save intermediate spectral data to skip the first step when changing settings. GS file is an intermediate file, which consists of "Pitch" data. You can produce it once and re-use it with different "Pitch->MIDI" and Equalizer settings. Parameters for creating GS are located on "Wave->Pitch" tab of "Recognition settings" dialog. When recognizing GS, these parameters do not influence the result.
What is Synchronous Playback? How to use it?
Answer: Synchronous Playback is a possibility to synchronize playback of source audio file and result MIDI file. This button is active when any MIDI window is active and Wave is open. This helps to compare the result of transcribing with initial melody. Synchronous Playback is also available in TrueTone Editor.
Note: if you activate MIDI file which does not correspond to the selected part of source file, you will hear two absolutely independent melodies sounding simultaneously. Doing that is possible, but does not make any sense.
How to print the music score?
Answer: Unfortunately, WIDI doesn't have such a possibility. You need to use third party MIDI editor to do this.
Does the number of tracks produced correspond to the real number of voices in the melody?
Answer: MIDI file that you get can consist of several voices - up to 18. Number of voices is controlled by "Polyphony" parameter in "Pitch->MIDI" Tab of "Settings" dialog. In this case polyphony means maximal number of notes that sound simultaneously. The voices are divided by volume. The number of simultaneous notes indicated in "Polyphony" will be accepted in the output MIDI, all others will be rejected. Result file can be (and usually is) composed of several tracks. The number of tracks is not equal to "polyphony". We are still working on making WIDI detect a real number of voices in the source file and separate them by instruments. Note: WIDI now can also combine all notes to one track regardless of their volume.
Under what circumstances do I need to change the default settings?
Answer: MIDI files produced by WIDI tend to sound as close as possible to the original sound. When you see that MIDI file you got does not sound similar to WAVE file you initially had, this is the time to adjust settings. Typical inaccuracies are: waste notes were added or some necessary notes were lost, or some "rubbish" in high frequencies was added (this means - short excursive high-pitched notes) or maybe every melodic tone of the melody has been spliced onto pair of notes divided by octave.
You may also try presets provided with the program or available for download at http://widisoft.com/english/presets.html.
How to use the Equalizer?
Answer: The purpose of Equalizer is to let you set relative volumes of notes for different pitches. It consists of a bar chart and a fingerboard underneath it. By pressing the left mouse button anywhere in the chart area, you can adjust the corresponding note volume. Equalizer tool helps to select one or more frequency ranges to recognize or to remove some particular pitches. For example, having recorded with a low bass accompaniment and a high-pitched melody, you can set all low pitches at Equalizer to zero, and this will lead to transcribing only the melody itself. Note: Recognition setting presets include Equalizer settings.
How can I get support?
Answer: You can get support via e-mail. Please contact support@widisoft.com or visit our website http://widisoft.com/english/support.html. See also Support Sources.
I cannot adjust the recognition settings in order for my sound file to be recognized correctly. Can I send this file to support service?
Answer: Usually WIDI support does not accept letters with attached files. If you cannot adjust settings to get acceptable recognition quality, you can ask WIDI support to accept your source file, but we do not guarantee that we will work with it. Decisions on that question are always made individually.
You may also try presets provided with the program or available for download at http://widisoft.com/english/presets.html.
Can I use WIDI as a component of my own product?
Answer: You can integrate WIDI into your product, but you are not allowed to distribute this product. If you create program with WIDI (any version) integrated in it, you can use it only for you personal needs.
If you have some propositions for collaborating with WIDI Recognition team, please contact us at info@widisoft.com.
Where can I find earlier versions of WIDI?
Answer: There is no need to find earlier versions of WIDI. The only exception is if you have registered an old version and now lost the software package itself. In this case, contact our technical support.
If you have found an earlier version of WIDI somewhere in the Internet except our web sites, we will really appreciate it, if you inform us about this at info@widisoft.com.
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