.m4a to .mp3 format

[Kav]

:blush:

Hi

When I try to convert .m4a files to .mp3 format, I get one of two errors:

1. A dialogue box opens which says "Filename cannot be opened"

or

2. The conversion dialogue box opens and the conversion runs but in less than a second which leave a converted .mp3 file in the destination folder which is only 2kb big.

I've tried loading the latest codec but this doesn't improve things. Any help you could provide would be much appreciated.

Cheers
Kav

[ChristinaS]

Is your .m4a file protected?

Have you tried a test conversion (no write)? If that fails the .m4a is not readable by dMC .

Do you have a registered or an unexpired trial version of dMC so that you may use the mp3 encoder?

What version number are you using?

[Kav]

Thanks Christina

1. It doesn't seem to be - how do I check?

2. Test conversion runs but it's over in flash (o seconds according to the dialogue box)

3. It's a registered version.

4. Version 11

Cheers
Kav

[xoas]

What is the bitrate, channels, frequency, track length for these m4a files?

Do you have a program that can play them? If so, what?

Best wishes,
Bill

[ChristinaS]

Hmmmm, how to check if the file is protected... What is the source of that file? If you bought it off some music download site, most probably it is protected. In that case it will only play on the computer where you downloaded the file originally, and nowhere else, and you cannot convert it outright.

If you cannot play it yourself then it's either protected from some other PC or somehow corrupted. In this case there's nothing you can do about it.


You may want however to upgrade your version of dMC to the latest version, which is 11.5 - several bug fixes were made. Just install on top of what you have now.

[Kav]

Thanks to both of you.

The files are around 4Mb, 128 bitrate, 44100, 2 channels and about 3 minutes long.

The original format was .mp4 form iTunes, converted by Hymn to .m4a. I've had no trouble in the past converting stuff and now Hymn is playing up. Do you think it might be worth starting from scratch with both apps?

Cheers
Kav

[xoas]

You haven't recently upgraded your version of iTunes by chance, have you?
With each update, iTunes introduces new DRM measures and some of these changes have re-locked iTunes files which were formerly unlocked by Hymn. You may need to move to jHymn.

Best wishes,
Bill

[Kav]

Hi Bill

As it happens, I have.

I've just downloaded jHymn so we'll see how we get on. I'll download a brand new .mp4 from iTunes and take it from there.

Thanks for your interest.

Cheers
Kav

[Kav]

:blush:

The plot thickens...

It seems by upgrading to iTunes 6.0, I've overtaken the current capability of jHymn.

Does anyone know how to roll back to a previous version of iTunes?

Cheers
Kav

[LtData]

Have you purchased ANY iTunes songs with iTunes 6? If you have, you can not use a different version of iTunes to purchase songs from the iTunes Music Store, it seems. This info was read in the (J)Hymn forums. You'll have to use a different account to use a different version of iTunes.
There is always Auxiliary Input for real-time recording of your songs. See below for instructions.

[Kav]

Cheers Lt Data - much appreciated!