Vista 64-bit MCE/WMP vs. Apple Lossless Encoder

[Akiva]

Hello. I've only recently discovered dbpowerAMP and have been most impressed with it. However, I've come across a significant problem with conversions under 64-bit Vista.

My current goal is to convert my FLAC collection to ALAC but I've discovered that every ALAC file converted by dbpowerAMP refuses to be played in MCE/WMP even with the proper codecs and support software (e.g., to allow MCE/WMP to read the files' tags and so forth) installed on a fresh system.

The exact error that MCE coughs up is 'unknown audio error' C00D11B1 which, after some research, suggests that it might be a DRM-related issue (WMP doesn't provide a meaningful error message at all). Here are some specific notes:

• MCE/WMP does not have problems playing ALAC files created by other software (i.e., iTunes, J. River Media Center).
• Lossless .m4a files created by dbpowerAMP's conversions play properly in iTunes but not in MCE/WMP.
• Other formats (including lossy .m4a) created by dbpowerAMP do play properly in MCE/WMP.
• A lossless .m4a file created by dbpowerAMP that is reconverted by iTunes then plays properly in MCE/WMP.
• This problem seems to be independent of whether the .m4a has tags or not (although I'm not 100% certain on this).

Please let me know if there are any known solutions to this problem or if I can possibly provide any more information to make solving this show-stopping [to me] problem.

Thanks and keep up the fantastic work.

[Updated to note that I'm using the most recent beta versions of dbpowerAMP.]

[LtData]

Re: Vista 64-bit MCE/WMP vs. Apple Lossless Encoder

Are you using the latest r6 version of the m4a/mp4/ALAC codec released yesterday from beta? Check dBpoweramp Configuration (see Need to find your version? below for where it is) to see what version you have.
Also, try downloading the "m4a utilities" on the mp4/m4a/ALAC codec download page at the bottom and running the "m4a optimize" utility codec on your ALAC files and creating a hinttrack. Does this help?

[Akiva]

Re: Vista 64-bit MCE/WMP vs. Apple Lossless Encoder

I am running the most recent versions of everything.

I tried the m4a util with the -optimize tag and, indeed, the resulting .m4a does work with MCE/WMP. Does this mean I'm going to run this tool for each track I convert to ALAC?

Thanks.

[LtData]

Re: Vista 64-bit MCE/WMP vs. Apple Lossless Encoder

It looks like it will need to be done to all dMC-encoded ALAC files, yes.

[Akiva]

Re: Vista 64-bit MCE/WMP vs. Apple Lossless Encoder

Wow, that's terribly disappointing. I don't see why I should have to have a two-stage encoding process (encode + optimize) to use it with two very common playback platforms (WMP & MCE).

Why isn't an option to optimize during/after encoding available in the Music Converter? Or the ability at least to call an external .exe after each file is completed?

[Spoon]

Re: Vista 64-bit MCE/WMP vs. Apple Lossless Encoder

You can with the run after DSP effect.

[LtData]

Re: Vista 64-bit MCE/WMP vs. Apple Lossless Encoder

You can use the DSP Effect "Run External" to run the "mp4creator.exe" with the switches "-hint=1 -optimize [outfile]" and that should optimize your files after they are created. Note that you need the PowerPack or Reference to use DSP effects.

[Akiva]

Re: Vista 64-bit MCE/WMP vs. Apple Lossless Encoder

Ah, thanks! Looks like that'll work.