iPod Shuffle won't play m4a

[mbone@kiva.net]

I just downloaded and installed the trial of dMC Reference Edition 12.3. I converted some FLAC files to m4a and put them in the iTunes directory, then imported them into iTunes and added cover art. The files all play in iTunes, but when I sync them to a recently purchased Shuffle, the device won't play them - it's like they aren't there, but I know they are because they show up in the iTunes list for the device, and I browsed to the hidden folders on the device and saw that the music file count increased accordingly as a result of the sync. I tried converting using ABR and CBR. Should this work on the iPod, or is this something the requires the Sveta Portable product?

Also, if it's possible to get this issue working, is there a way to automate adding the converted files to the iTunes database and grab the jacket.jpg file from the directory containing the original FLAC files to add as album art (album art is not stored in the FLAC tags)?

[LtData]

Re: iPod Shuffle won't play m4a

You are using dMC to convert to m4a and then using iTunes to put the files on the shuffle, correct? What encoding settings are you using for the m4a files?

[jamesbaud]

Re: iPod Shuffle won't play m4a

This is an issue with the Nero software, which dmc uses to convert to m4a. See details from a Nero engineer here:

http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=57805

[Spoon]

Re: iPod Shuffle won't play m4a

You can use the dBpoweramp m4a optimize codec after creating the files.

[mbone@kiva.net]

Re: iPod Shuffle won't play m4a

The optimize codec did the trick. Now the songs play on the shuffle. I had previously tried ABR and CBR at 128 kbps. I'm not sure which I did last, but I think it was ABR. Anyway, thanks for the help.

Is there a way to chain the m4a codec and the optimizer codec so this can be done in one step? Are there other codecs besides the Nero that could do this in one step?

[Spoon]

Re: iPod Shuffle won't play m4a

Nero will release an update soon, for now you can use the batch converter to select a whole folder to optimize.