Won't convert AA to MP3

[Steve Cat]

I can no longer find Audible Manager 4.0......the file name and icon shows 4.0 but if you install it, I did it is really 5.0 and now won't work, looks like Audible is intent on not allowing you to offer this alternative, yes I know about real time play record to wav but kind of difficult. I realize this is not your fault. Anybody working on this or should I just give up and buy an AA compatible portable unit?

[LtData]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

Did you try the link in the FAQ (http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthre...wpost&t=8981)? Did you stop the attempted auto-update?

[Steve Cat]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

Thanks for the 4.0 link, I'm going to keep this file safe! Installed it and I'm back in business, thanks!

[Steve Cat]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

BTW I registered the software today, converted 30 hrs of audible books, real time recording obviously not user friendly, but I like my Dell gen 1 player and it is not audible compatible. Since ripping can be done real time I think their policy is stupid, and hope this continues to work. I am absolutely against intellectual piracy, but why do their customers have to pay the price?

[Steve Cat]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

DDDDDDDDDDDDDRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTT TTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!

The #%^_(*&^% quit working over night Im have completely removed all files, restarted, redownloaded all files, and reinnstalled three times! I keep getting the dreaded aa filter not installed or corrupt.

I suppose you won't refund my registration money, so I can just go out a buy an audible compatible device.

Any ideas?

[LtData]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

Once you downloaded the registered version, you can't get a refund, sorry.

Did you double-check to make sure you had everything done? Did dMC Configuration (Start --> Programs --> dBpowerAMP Music Converter --> Configuration --> dMC Configuration) show the DirectShow Decoder and .aa? Did you install Audible Manager 4 and not let it update to AudibleManager 5?

[Steve Cat]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

No I didn't double check it, I said three times!

The configuration files says

DirectShowDecoder Release 1 .aa

I even redownloaded the original Audible book for 111 megs through the audible download manager.

so far six hours today trying to get this thing to work.

I give up, I'm really sorry I registered. Money wasted.

[FAzevedo]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

Maybe my case is the same as this of Steve. I think I have everything ok, double-checked several times, and I always get the message : "The CODEC required to decompress 'F:\Livros\China Inc\ChinaInc.UnabridgedPart1_mp332_fazevedo.aa' could not be opened.
DirectShow filter for '.aa' not installed, or Audio File Corrupt."

Certainly the file is not corrupt. The only one strange thing: I have a registered installation but in dMC Configuration screen, under Installed Encoders tab it appears "Test Conversion (No Write).

Any idea how can I put this thing to work?
Thanks

[Steve Cat]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

One more try before I give up, I think it may be possible that it is an error caused by the introduction of the Media Player 11 helper. I was able to convert some files one day but not the next. Maybe either the media player 11 or or its dowload manager installed at the next reboot, but were visible on my computer, but I didn't reboot to complete their install at the time and was still using 10 if you follow me. I'm going to uninstall media player 11 and reinstall media player 10, BUT

where do I find the "old" media player 10 download helper file?

As for as I can see auduble doesn't have this anymore

as to the no write option it doesn't work either same error, but as I say I may be on to something here

[Steve Cat]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

OK, I have it working again I deleted the Windows Media Player 11 download manager and used Audible Manager 4.0 with no additional download manager, or Windows filter or whatever people call it.

So my configuration is:

DBPower AMP

DirectShowDecoder config edited to accept .aa

Audible Manager Version 4.0 NOT 5.0

So far so good

Media player 11 is installed but I don't know whether or not it is needed

BUT NO DOWNLOAD MANAGER OR HELPER OR FILTER,

now I have installed these before and uninstalled them and maybe .dll files are added somewhere in windows but I don't know

Since it works now I'm not going to modify it further

AND FAzevedo, the no write option, I think, is only of value for testing purposes, so just use the drop down menu there and select either wave or mp3, let me know if what I suggested works for you! Good luck

[FAzevedo]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

Thanks Steve

I'll follow your tips and let you know later.

[FAzevedo]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

It's working, thanks. A great incovenience, however - it generates huge files - from 106.6MB (aa) to 969.7MB (mp3)! Can I manage this?

[Steve Cat]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

There is a slider control for the bitrate for the mp3 encoder, I think its default is 192 which is ok for music but way too high for audible files which in my opinion are really crummy.

I think I read somewhere that their 4 quality(highest) is about 30 bits, which is about the quality of a 900hz digital phone and it gets worse from there. Don't use 5 because I think that's streaming quality. I'd stick with 4 which by your file size I would guess you are using. I used 128 and came up with a 700 meg file, then it occurred to me. Anyway I converted one file to wav so I can cut it into a 1 meg wav files and try various bit rates just a tad above 30 with razor lame and the latest stable codec which is 3.97. Remember .aa files are lossy so anything above their equivalent bitrate is wasted. The ideal would be to get an mp3 file size that is about the same as the .aa you downloaded.

I really like lame's psychoacoustic model so it can give the impression that it is a tad clearer than the original. FWIW I typical encode music cd's a lame's insane settings, 320 variable bitrate, with 192 minimum. I can't tell them from CD's and normally they sound even better, of course that's just the impression. Anybody know what rate I Tunes are approximately?

This is just what I think I've learned using LAME and I may be totally wrong.

Anyway I'm really glad it worked for you. I'm even more happy it worked for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[FAzevedo]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

Confirmed: around the same size of file and perfectly acceptable quality for these audible files, converting them at 40 bitrate.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Indeed I am very glad you got it, as I was benefited too!!!!!!!!!!

[dhartson]

Re: Won't convert AA to MP3

I was able to convert *.aa files back in June 2006, but now I can't. Since then I updated to Windows Media Player 11, Audible Manager 5, and dMC R12, beta 4. I uninstalled Audible Manager 5 and installed v4 from the link in this or a related thread, then I installed the DirectShow codec, made the revision to the configuration text file, and ran dMC's configuration utility. Of interest, the DirectShow codec is not listed, so maybe the problem is that DirectShow isn't working in dMC R12, b4.

dMC won't list a *.aa file unless I type that in as the file name, and then, when I select a file and run the conversion, the progress bar appears initially, and then the program shuts down. The conversion log shows, in what I guess to be the pertinent part:
*** Error: Error: Unable to load decoder for file type '.aa', codec not installed? visit 'Codec Central'.

Any ideas or help?