serious upload frustration

[wrench45us]

i set up an 'artist' space at download.com and filled in all the required template forms and set about uploading my wav files converted to mp3 through WinLame.
Download.com wants mp3 files at 192 bitrate and 44100 Hz. Apparently I have yet to strike that particular combination after 4 tries and am getting extremely frustrated.

1) winLame didn't seem to reveal the Basic Settings page until I edited the xml file that comes along with the download and set the 'hide' element to '0'. Prior to that I used the standard conversion which is 256 constant bitrate and 44100 Hz, Quality Level 2.

2) Once I had the Basic Settings window up I changed the bitrate to 192 and proceeeded with conversions. BUT they weren't accepted as proper format either.

3) Then I tried all that and seting the free format bitmap to true and again the files didn't meet the desired format.
The only other parameter left to change is a radio button for:
constant, average Or variable bitrate
I have that set to constant


I'm beginning to wonder if changing Basic Settings actually changes anything (default sback to original setting sonce conversion begins?)
OR if I have to set up a new conversion setting by adding a node to the xml file with the settings I need.
(the download.com website states simply enough 192, 44100 and not much more as if this shouldn't be much of a problem. Then there is eveidence that lots of others have managed to do this. But for some of us nothing seems to come easy.)

AND/OR I need a utility to let me peek into the mp3 files and tell me about its properties to confirm I really have files at 192, 44100.

and on the download.com website FAQ there is a note about the possibility of local firewall protection preventing the successful upload of files. I really don't have much of a firewall -- just a wirelss hub. Though my ISP may or may not be doing something. Apparently I don't know as much as I should about all this.


Help!
Any WinLame experts in the house?
So any hints as to how to proceed?
Anybody run into similar problems aaand actually solve them?

[wrench45us]

perhaps resolved

soundclick suggests using the File | Convert on MusicMatch (which deep down used the lame engine).

There's only one slider control and that's for bitrate. I set it to 192 and converted. The upload to download.com hasn't come back to me as the previous attempts did.