.aac raw audio help

[omnibus89]

I was recently given some files encoded with the .aac extension (raw audio). I have never used this format before and am unfamiliar with how to work with it. I know that dbpa can convert it, but I am unsure how to get it to a more supported format (.m4a etc.) and be sure that I'm retaining 100% quality. The files have:
Frequency: 32000
Channels: 2
Bitrate: 48 Kbps
AAC Type: High Efficiency [SBR] (Header: ADTS)

I know I can take them to .mp4 but when I do I lose the tags and I'd like them to be ipod compatible (.mp4 is not).

[Spoon]

Re: .aac raw audio help

See codec central >> m4a and instal the both codecs.

[omnibus89]

Re: .aac raw audio help

I did. I've converted the files before, but I don't know a way to be sure that I'm keeping 100% quality when converting to m4a? I could go lossless with it but that would be a waste of space considering the original file quality.

[Spoon]

Re: .aac raw audio help

If you use the container shiflint codec (aac >> mp4) it will not loose quality.

[omnibus89]

Re: .aac raw audio help

Ok, after more research (including spoons guide) I tried converting the .aac stream into the .mp4 container, then manually changed the extension from .mp4 to .m4a. The file plays, transfers to my iPod, but still does not retain the tag info. First, the original file (as previously posted) is high efficiency, will I hear full quality in a normal player with the low complexity resultant .m4a file? and is manually changing the extension ok/the way you would do it? Second, for some reason dmc is not transferring the tag and I don't know why. Dmc reports the original file's tag as: ID Tag APEv2 & ID3v1 & ID3v2.3. Any ideas as to why the tags aren't transferring?

[omnibus89]

Re: .aac raw audio help

Oh, and if I have tagscanner's tag processor copy the ape tag to "complete" ie. all tags, then convert the file to .mp4 then manually rename .m4a. Dmc reports it to have an mp4 ID tag. Now the file will play but will not import into iTunes (which I am currently locked into until other iPod compatible software will support the composer field in their tags).

[LtData]

Re: .aac raw audio help

Did you install the main dMC mp4/m4a codec? This is needed to decode mp4/m4a/aac files AND to transfer tags in a situation such as yours.

Sveta Portable Audio, another Illustrate product, supports the Composer field in tags and works with the iPod. There is a 30-day trial for you to see if you like it. After that, it is $24 or $29 if you purchase the PowerPack with Sveta.

[omnibus89]

Re: .aac raw audio help

Yes, I've installed both codecs. And if I copy the ape tag info into the rest, then they transfer into an mp4 tag. However then iTunes dosn't seem to want to import it. You informed me of sveta's composer tag support in another thread, and yes, sveta transfers the songs to my iPod with the composer tag intact. The problem is that in sveta I see no way of viewing or editing it, the same with dbpa's My Music Collection (which spoon informed me wouldn't be supporting it anytime soon). What's funny is that if I use dbpa to look at/edit the tag through explorer, then it displays the "composer" tag as "writer"...which would work fine if only My Music Collection would show it! If I had a "music library" type piece of software that I could use to view/edit/play on my computer, then sveta would be great. I can use software like tagscanner to edit the tags, but then I still need something I can use as a library so that I may easily view/play etc. my music files. iTunes sucks because it's not compatible with anything (aka. flac ape etc. plus you're stuck in its interface and it won't convert on the fly to an iPod) but it currently is the only software I've found that supports the composer tag...if you know of any other decent software like this that does please let me know because I've yet to find a player with both good codec support (dbpa and dmc take the cake here) and good tag support (the composer tag's the only one that I'm having problems with). If I could I'd purchase sveta immediately just to fill my iPod and use the other as a library/player. I'd love to fully switch to dbpa, but with a library containing thousands of classical songs tagged with the composer, I don't think I can. Gotta love compatibility problems.