nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

[TarkusShakti]

I've got a Kenwood car deck that plays AAC files. Its the model KDC-MP628 and here is a link to it's AAC details:

http://www.kenwood.mediamanager.jp/english/aac_mp3_wma/k.html

Using the R11.5 & iTunes I could make compatible AAC files for the Kenwood. Now the R12 software/codecs are making aac files which are NOT compatable with the Kenwood.

I've tried the following options:

CBR 128 with Forced LC
VBR (three different quality settings) with Forced LC

any ideas?

TS

[Spoon]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

They are valid mp4 files, it might be worth contacting Kenwood and finding out what is wrong with them.

[TarkusShakti]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

I had a similar problem a year-ago. The files would play under iTunes and foobar but wouldn't play on the car deck. Turns out a tag editing program was shifting/scrambling a few bits on one field.

I've contacted Kenwood...but I hope you keep an open mind here.

TS

[TarkusShakti]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

An observation:

With the R11.5 setup all the files created are 128 bit-rates.
With the R12 setup all are variable bit-rates even with the files that were created as CBR.

This is very similar to the issue I had with the tag editor (mentioned above)...

I guess there is a difference between the Nero and iTunes created files.

I registered for the "reference" edition, which doesn't work for me. Can you provide me access to the R11.5 dMC and the corresponding flac and m4a codecs?

TS

[Spoon]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

Until there is a new DSP effect to drop id tags on converting, try taking a wave file (not created by dbpoweramp as it can tag wave files), convert to m4a with dbpoweramp, hold the mouse over it should show no tags, try that file on the kenwood. It could be id tagging.

[TarkusShakti]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

Spoon -

You don't see an issue with CBR created files not having a CBR?

TS

[TarkusShakti]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

A wave files converted to aac still will not play in the Kenwood. I'm using today's version of the aac codec.

The 8 wave files was converted with a CBR setting of 96, and the files all ended up with a CBR of 98. iTunes converts to the CBR selected.

I'm betting that you have two problems here; one where 98 = 96 and your probably trashing music data when you writing the tag (this was what the other developer was doing).

TS

PS This was with a dbpoweramp created wave, sorry I just figured out what you meant. BRB with new test results.

With 6 XP native wave files I attempted to get a CBR of 128; and ended up with bit-rates of 128, 129, 131, 131, & 131. They didn't play in the kenwood.

TS

[LtData]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

If you converted a tagless-WAV file to mp4 and it still didn't play, then the problem is not with the tagging. What if you convert to, say, 160 CBR?

[TarkusShakti]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

If you converted a tagless-WAV file to mp4 and it still didn't play, then the problem is not with the tagging.

So I guess it would be impossible to have two problems then?

What if you convert to, say, 160 CBR?

Why don't you try it and let us know?

When you can create CBRs that are actually CBRs and the bit rate equals what was asked for; I'll be ready to help out again.

TS

[Spoon]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

If dbpoweramp has no tags to write, then the m4a file is created by the nero codec, and is untouched by dbpoweramp...

[TarkusShakti]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

So the Nero encoder is broken; when can we have a working iTunes version again?

TS

[LtData]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

Idea: If you change the extension for the files form m4a to mp4, do they work?

[TarkusShakti]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

I found a simple gui frontend to the same Nero encoder used by dMC R12 (see link below).
I created wav files with eac and R12. I then ran those wave files thru the Gui-frontended and R12-frontended neroAacEnc.exe. The following table displays the results of playing those files on a Kenwood KDC-MP628.

wav src/frontend.......gui.......R12
eac..........................Y..........N
R12..........................Y..........N

key:..Y means it did play
........N means it did not play

Observations:

1. The wav creation process is not suspect.
2. The neroAacEnc.exe program can produce working files.
3. The R12 frontend to neroAacEnc.exe is inhibiting the creation of working files.

Notes:
1. All wav files were transformed into 128 CBR, Forced Lc and were tagless.
2. link for getting sng: http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?t=110970
3. Note the sng frontend requires the file "BePipe.exe". You can get it on the download page for sng.

I was on the wrong track with my thinking that the different bit rates on files (converted at the same time) was an issue. Each of the song (created above) ended up with the same bit rate regardless of the method, although they were different for each song. This is a difference from the iTunes encoder.

PS: The gui-frontend is very good and has muti-cpu support. And it's free!

[Spoon]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

Yes it could be that dbpoweramp writes files with a .m4a and that front end is writing .mp4, try renaming the extension.

[TarkusShakti]

Re: nero AAC codec not compatible with car deck

All files converted resulted in m4a extensions.
The Kenwood only plays m4a, mp3 and wmv.

[I think I might need a bigger hammer!]

TS