Unable to open m4a files

[MooShoo Pork]

I've read 2 or 3 other threads where users posted similar problems but never saw a solution. Of special note - the procedure I'm using to do conversions worked fine before. The only difference is that I install iTunes 5.

System: Windows XP, dbPowerAMP v. 11, Apple Lossless Codec Release 3, iTunes Encoder Release 1, iTunes Version 5

1. I have file song.flac which plays fine in WinAmp, etc.
2. Convert file song.flac to Apple Lossless with the dbPowerAMP iTunes Encoder. This converted file, song.m4a, plays fine in iTunes and WinAmp.
3. Try to convert the file song.m4a to mp3 (or whatever) and I get an error dialog that says "The file 'C:\Temp\song.m4a' could not be opened."

Again, this procedure worked fine with the previous version of iTunes. It looks like Apple has changed the ALAC encoder.

[xoas]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

If you converted song.flac to song.mp3 and added to iTunes, could you then convert song.mp3 to .m4a?
That test, I would think, might help pinpoint whether this is a codec problem or perhaps a new drm problem.

(I assume that song.flac cannot be accessed, preventing you from converting song.flac directly to .mp3).

The known workarounds for the situation you describe are:
Burning the song.m4a file(s) to cd and ripping the cd to mp3;
Recording song.m4a from your soundcard using dB Auxilary Input (see sticky message in the FAQ section for dMC) as you play the song (there are some other programs that also allow you to do this); or,
Using a 3rd party program such as jHymn to remove the drm from your m4a file(s) (however, Apple seems to upgrade/change their drm measures with every new version of iTunes which means that the curent version of jHymn or whatever may well not work with iTunes 5 and you would have to wait until such a time as jHymn or some other program comes up with new measures to counter-act the new drm measures).

Best wishes,
Bill

[Jon Fenton]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

Despite my earlier thread stating I have got round the problem I now believe that the iTunes 5 ALAC encoder has been changed. dMC will no longer show the tags on iTunes 5 ALAC files but will on earlier versions. dMC will not convert the later version's ALAC files. I have had no problems with AAC files. ITunesencoder works fine. I have had the same problems on two PCs. I thought on ALAC files there was no DRM (I would not be using it otherwise) so surely this is not the problem.

[xoas]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

Jon-
Thanks for your posting and for your insights as to the nature of this problem.
So you are stating that these new iTunes 5 ALAC files don't show tags and won't convert in dMC?
Should ALAC files created with earlier versions of the codec still convert with dMC?
If so, if MooShoo's files were created with earlier versions of the codec couldn't he still convert them in dMC? If you created ALAC files using dMC, will they work in iTunes 5?

I'll take your word about the drm issue. This was admittedly sheer speculation on my part based in part on my limited knowledge and experience with iTunes, my knowledge through this forum of the ongoing drm issues with iTunes purchased tracks, and reports about some other proprietary drm formats, notably Atrac, which reportedly do
inhibit any kind virtually any kind of file converting or transfer.

Do you think that library sharing might be an issue? I wouldn't guess this from your reference to AAC files but I did track down a tip about this feature in iTunes 5 requiring that the radio option needs to be turned on in iTunes 5 to access shared library features.

Best wishes,
Bill

[Jon Fenton]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

I have never had a problem with ALAC files in dMC until I used iTunes 5. dMC still handles all my ALAC files created by iTunes 4.9 and earlier fine and displays the tagging info. I hope that Apple have not introduced some restrictions with the new version. Maybe we could have some posts from people with Foobar etc concerning whether they also have a problem with the iTunes 5 ALAC files.

[Spoon]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

...sounds like Apple, if you have a small alac file please send to:

http://www.dbpoweramp.com/email.htm

[MooShoo Pork]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

Sent

[Spoon]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

Thanks, will look when can (there is a list I have to problem shoot through).

[Dryden]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

So is there going to be any solutions to this new Apple lossless problem?
Maybe an updated codec?
I tried installing the itunes program, but it's a pile of junk; I much rather use dbpoweramp.

Is there another encoder that will convert this new Apple lossless into something useful, like flac?

Thanks

[LtData]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

The FAAC m4a/mp4 encoder will decode Apple Lossless files to whatever you want via dMC. This, however, probably still just applies to ALAC files made with iTunes 4.x.

[Dryden]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

No, the problem is that dbpoweramp cannot decode the most recent apple lossless files, even with the FAAC encoder.

[LtData]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

Apparently we will have to wait until the FAAC guys update their decoder.

Note: Clarified previous post.

[Spoon]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

I am about to put a request into the guy who wrote the decoder, see how it goes. I have tested it myself and have seen the problem.

[Dryden]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

Thanks for your help.

[KendallB]

Re: Unable to open m4a files

I can confirm that ALAC files do not work with iTunes 5. I just got a new iPod today and had installed iTuned 5 earlier for my other iPod, and went looking for a good Apple Lossless converter and found dbPowerAmp. But nothing worked! No tags came through and it was not able to open any of the Apple Lossless files that were encoded by iTunes 5.

Since I figured this was supposed to work, I nuked iTunes 5 from my system and dug up the install CD that came with my new iPod. Thankfully it has iTunes 4.9.something on it, and when I reinstalled all my iTunes software everything started working nicely .

So yeah, something is up with iTunes 5 and the format it is using for the ALAC files. My memory is a bit hazy (too many installs and tests!) but I believe iTunes 5 encoded AAC files were readable just fine, but not the lossless files.

Also if I ripped to FLAC first and then tried to convert to Apple Lossless or Apple AAC using the iTunes encoder, none of the tags come through correctly. With iTunes 4.9 they work properly.

I think I am going to stick to iTunes 4.9 until this is sorted out. I want to re-rip all my CD's to a lossless format, and use the Apple Lossless format to store all my songs on my iPod that is going in my car. For the iPod going into my portable music box, I plan to store them in AAC 320kbps or something like that.