CD->Mp3 (LAME CBR encoder): iPod can't play some files

[Bruno]

Hello,
I am a registered user of dBpoweramp, and I'm having a weird problem.
I have ripped a few cds into MP3 files (CBR 320K), using the Lame encoder.
***Some*** of these files (about 3-4 for each CD) are unplayable on my iPod (the classic model, the one with the hard drive), and are simply skipped when I try to play them. Windows Media Player plays them correctly (as it should, because the files are all marked as "AccurateRip").

If I use VBR, the iPod can play them without problems.

I have even restored the iPod to factory settings, but those CBR files still remain unplayable.

Of course the iPod can handle 320K CBR files (I already have a lot of them!), so where's the problem? Is there a setting I can change somewhere to improve iPod compatibility when using CBR?

Thanks a lot!

Bruno

[Spoon]

Re: CD->Mp3 (LAME CBR encoder): iPod can't play some files

Try emailing Apple, the iPod has been known to struggle with mp3s in the past, and Lame is the most popular mp3 encoder in the world, so you think they would be compatible.

Make sure also you have no chosen the freeformat mp3 option.

[Bruno]

Re: CD->Mp3 (LAME CBR encoder): iPod can't play some files

Hello Spoon, and thanks for your reply.
I've solved the problem: I have simply updated LAME.EXE to 3.98.4, and now everything seems to work perfectly.
I've ripped and encoded about 50 songs (CBR 320K), including all the ones that the iPod refused to play in my previous attempts; I've played them back, and no file was skipped! :-D

Regards,
Bruno

[Spoon]

Re: CD->Mp3 (LAME CBR encoder): iPod can't play some files

What was the previous mp3 encoder? 3.98.3?

[Bruno]

Re: CD->Mp3 (LAME CBR encoder): iPod can't play some files

Yes, 3.98.3!

[Bruno]

Re: CD->Mp3 (LAME CBR encoder): iPod can't play some files

For anyone interested, here's some more info about the LAME 3.98.3 bug for CBR files. The bug was confirmed and fixed by the developers.

http://www.opensource-archive.org/showthread.php?p=192799

And here's a download link for LAME 3.98.4 :

http://www.rarewares.org/mp3-lame-bundle.php