How do I download and install the software?

When you place your order, you will receive links to download MixMeister two different ways: On the order confirmation page and in the confirmation email.

The download links are good for seven days. If the links have expired, you can get new ones using the software updates form.

If you are given the choice, we recommend the Full Install. Otherwise, click on the only download link supplied. You will then see a window very similar to this one:

Choose Save to begin downloading the software.

If you are using the link from the confirmation email and you don't get this window or get an error, try copying the link directly into the address bar of Internet Explorer.

For example, the download link should look something like this:

https://secure.mixmeister.com/payment/download.asp?fid=80441&dKey=xND9Bd4lIy035

Your email program may display this link on two lines. Make sure that you are using the entire link and not just the first line. In your email program, highlight the entire link and select Copy from the Edit menu. Open Internet Explorer, click on the address bar, and select Paste from the Edit menu. Finally, press Enter.

After a few seconds, you should see this window:

Choose where to save the installation and click Save. You will then see this window while your computer downloads the software:

Upon the successful completion of your download, you'll see this window. Choose Run to begin installing the software:

Finally, you will get a security warning asking if you really want to run the software. Confirm the product name matches what you bought and that the publisher is MixMeister Technology LLC.

If you have any trouble with the installation, please contact us using the lost keys form.

I bought MixMeister some time ago and I need to reinstall. How do I do this?

We are more than happy to provide you with another copy of the software you purchased for reinstallation.

If you know your license key, use the software updates form. You can find the license key in MixMeister by clicking on the Help menu and selecting About.

Otherwise, use our lost keys form and we will send you your registration key and download links.

How do I get the latest updates for my software?

Use our product request form to receive download links to the latest version of the product.

I just bought MixMeister, how do I convert the demo version into the full version?

The demo version can't be unlocked or converted into the full version. You need to download and install the full version.

Upon placing your order, you should have received download links for the full version of MixMeister Express. Please use our product request form and we'll send you instructions on downloading the software.

How do I get music from my CDs into MixMeister?

To use the songs from audio CDs in MixMeister, you will first need to transfer them to your computer. This process is called ripping. It will create mp3, wav, or wma files on your hard drive that MixMeister can read.

If you do not already have CD ripping software, we recommend the free version of MusicMatch Jukebox (www.musicmatch.com). For more advanced users, we also recommend Exact Audio Copy (www.exactaudiocopy.de). MusicMatch will create high quality mp3 files. We recommend using no less than 160kbps bitrate.

 Here are some quick instructions on ripping CDs in MusicMatch:

1. Select Recorder from the View menu

2. From the Options menu select Recorder and then Source

3. Select the optical drive in which you will put the CD

4. From the Options menu select Recorder and then Settings

5. In the Settings window select Track Directory

6. From the Track Directory window select the browse button - the icon with the three dots on it (...)

7. In the Browse for Folder window, point MusicMatch to the folder in which you want the ripped mp3 files placed

8. Close all of the windows except for the main MusicMatch

9. Place the CD to be ripped into the optical drive you selected in Step 3

10. Once MusicMatch recognizes the CD in the optical drive you will see a list of songs in the Recorder window, from Step 1

11. If the song title and artist info doesn't appear, enter the appropriate data

12. Click on the record button to begin the music ripping process (the
    record button is the red button in the Recorder window)

The mp3 files created from Step 12 are now available for importing into MixMeister. You will have to find the folder from Step 7.

Repeat steps 1 through 12 for each additional CD.

Can I use music from iTunes in MixMeister?

It depends.

MixMeister does not support iTunes default file format, which is MP4, also known as AAC. You can use iTunes to rip your CDs to MP3 format, which is compatible with MixMeister. You can change the file format for ripping by choosing Edit/Preferences. On the advanced tab, click on the Importing sub tab and choose Import Using: MP3 Encoder. We recommend a bitrate of 160 kbps or higher.

Music you purchased from the iTunes Music Store is not licensed for use in other applications like MixMeister. It may be possible to burn your purchased music to CD and then rip it back into MP3 format for use in MixMeister. Please consult the iTunes license agreement to see if this is allowed where you live.

Can I use music from the new Napster, Rhapsody, MusicMatch Jukebox, Walmart or Sony Connect with MixMeister?

Probably not.

These services rely on wma files using Digital Rights Management (DRM). MixMeister only supports wma files that don't use DRM.

It may be possible to burn your purchased music to CD and then rip it back into mp3 or wma format for use in MixMeister. Please consult the license agreement for your music service to see if this is allowed where you live.

How do I get tracks I ripped in Windows Media Player to work in MixMeister?

Windows Media Player may add copy protection to the wma files it creates, or rips, from audio CDs. If your wma files have copy protection, also known as Digital Rights Management (DRM), they won't work in MixMeister.

You can switch off copy protection in Windows Media Player this way:

1. Open the Tools Options window.

2. Click on the Rip Music tab.

3. Make sure that Copy protect music is unchecked.

If you ripped CDs with copy protection enabled, you will need to rip them again after switching off copy protection.

When I burn a CD, I get error code 4650. How do I fix this?

This error indicates a buffer underrun. It means that the PC was not able to keep up with the CD writer during the burn process. Open the advanced window in the CD-R window. Try using a speed slower than your drive's maximum speed.

Why do some of the music plots have blank sections 10-seconds in length?

This is MixMeister's way of saying that it could not accurately read the file. While this same file may play just fine in WinAmp, MixMeister is a little more demanding about reliable playback.

Try rebuilding the MP3 file again and reimport it into MixMeister. If the source is not available, try converting the file to WAV format and then back to MP3. You can use Music Match (www.musicmatch.com) for this purpose.

How do I transfer my playlist from one machine to another, without having to reset the file location for each song?

On the new machine, make sure that you first import all the relevant songs into the catalog. Then, when you load the playlist, MixMeister will be able to find the appropriate songs without asking.