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Topic: An m4a file not playing in foobar (Read 16843 times) previous topic - next topic
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An m4a file not playing in foobar

I was sent an .m4a file that does not play in foobar - the program says: Unable to open item for playback (Unsupported format or corrupted file (invalid or incomplete data))

But it plays fine with VLC or WMP (using ffdshow audio decoder).

The Media Info tool that comes with K-Lite codecs, returned the following information.


Code: [Select]
Format                           : MPEG-4
Format profile                  : Apple AAC audio with iTunes info
Codec ID                        : M4A
File size                        : 1.75 MiB
Duration                        : 3mn 44s
Overall bit rate                : 65.2 Kbps

Writing application              : iTunes v6.0.4.2, QuickTime 7.0.4

Audio
ID                              : 1
Format                          : AAC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version                  : Version 4
Format profile                  : LC

I was wondering if someone could tell me why is that, whether there is a fix or component to play such files, and if there is a way to recognize them other than trying to play them in foobar.
Ceterum censeo, there should be an "%is_stop_after_current%".



An m4a file not playing in foobar

Reply #3
you can try downloading faad decoder and running the file through it ([font= "Courier New"]faad.exe "filename.m4a"[/font]) and see if you'll get any error messages

btw, does VLC/WMP play the whole file? i had corrupted aac files and they play through VLC but stop on error

An m4a file not playing in foobar

Reply #4
Hi !

I have the same problem with files from iTunes podcast.
foo_input_alac is useless for these files.

Code: [Select]
General
Complete name                    : C:\Users\Pierre\Downloads\MRP__19_My_moon__my_man.m4a
Format                           : MPEG-4
Format profile                   : Apple AAC audio with iTunes info
Codec ID                         : M4A
File size                        : 56.3 MiB
Duration                         : 59mn 50s
Overall bit rate                 : 131 Kbps
Movie name                       : MRP #19 My moon, my man
Album                            : MR
Performer                        : MR
Screenplay by                    : MR
Encoded date                     : UTC 2009-05-25 10:59:00
Tagged date                      : UTC 2009-05-25 12:59:27
Writing application              : GarageBand 4.1.2
Cover                            : Yes

Video
ID                               : 4
Format                           : M-JPEG
Codec ID                         : jpeg
Duration                         : 59mn 50s
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 1 426 bps
Width                            : 300 pixels
Height                           : 300 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 1.000
Frame rate mode                  : Variable
Frame rate                       : 0.005 fps
Minimum frame rate               : 0.003 fps
Maximum frame rate               : 0.146 fps
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 3.169
Stream size                      : 625 KiB (1%)
Title                            : Module de gestion vid60
Language                         : English
Encoded date                     : UTC 2009-05-25 10:58:50
Tagged date                      : UTC 2009-05-25 10:59:20

Audio
ID                               : 3
Format                           : AAC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version                   : Version 4
Format profile                   : LC
Format settings, SBR             : No
Codec ID                         : 40
Duration                         : 59mn 50s
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 128 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 2 channels
Channel positions                : L R
Sampling rate                    : 44.1 KHz
Resolution                       : 16 bits
Stream size                      : 54.7 MiB (97%)
Title                            : Module de gestion sonore
Language                         : English
Encoded date                     : UTC 2009-05-25 10:58:50
Tagged date                      : UTC 2009-05-25 12:59:27

Text #1
ID                               : 1
Format                           : Timed text
Codec ID                         : tx3g
Duration                         : 59mn 50s
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 1 bps
Stream size                      : 772 Bytes (0%)
Title                            : Module de gestion Texte
Language                         : English
Encoded date                     : UTC 2009-05-25 10:58:50
Tagged date                      : UTC 2009-05-25 10:59:20

Text #2
ID                               : 2
Format                           : Timed text
Codec ID                         : tx3g
Duration                         : 59mn 50s
Bit rate mode                    : Variable
Bit rate                         : 2 bps
Stream size                      : 1.01 KiB (0%)
Title                            : Module de gestion Texte
Language                         : English
Encoded date                     : UTC 2009-05-25 10:58:50
Tagged date                      : UTC 2009-05-25 10:59:20

Code: [Select]
C:\Users\Pierre\Downloads>faad.exe MRP__19_My_moon__my_man.m4a
*********** Ahead Software MPEG-4 AAC Decoder V2.7 ******************

Build: May 13 2009
Copyright 2002-2004: Ahead Software AG
http://www.audiocoding.com
Floating point version

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License.

**************************************************************************

MRP__19_My_moon__my_man.m4a file info:

LC AAC  3586.554 secs, 2 ch, 44100 Hz

writer: MR
title: MRP #19 My moon, my man
artist: MR
album: MR
cover:  Ï Ó
tempo: 00120 BPM
tool: GarageBand 4.1.2
iTunNORM:  000004E7 000004FC 00002FF3 00004559 001E5D6B 0007EF32 000069E8 000060
B3 001E5D6B 001E5D6B

  ---------------------
| Config:  2 Ch       |
  ---------------------
| Ch |    Position    |
  ---------------------
| 00 | Left front     |
| 01 | Right front    |
  ---------------------

Decoding MRP__19_My_moon__my_man.m4a took: 60.56 sec. 59.22x real-time.

C:\Users\Pierre\Downloads>


I try to rename the file to .mp4 as told in the wiki : no success.
Download link : here

I use foobar2000 v0.9.6.7.

An m4a file not playing in foobar

Reply #5
I also have the same problem with the .m4a files from a podcast. It seems that Foobar doesn't recoginize m4a/mp4 files with a jpeg video track. VLC/Media Player Classic/Winamp/iTunes all have no problems with these files.

This is the output from mpeg4ip for one of the podcasts:
Code: [Select]
C:\Podcasts\Radio 538_ Dance Department>c:\mpeg4ip\mp4info.exe 20090325_dancedepartment.m4a
c:\mpeg4ip\mp4info.exe version 1.6.1
20090325_dancedepartment.m4a:
Track  Type    Info
1      text
2      audio  MPEG-4 AAC LC, 3967.965 secs, 192 kbps, 44100 Hz
3      video  jpeg, 3967.965 secs, 2 kbps, 300x300 @ 0.012349 fps
 Name: DD_184
 Artist: 538 Online
 Writer: 538 Online
 Tool: GarageBand 4.1.2
 Album: Album van Interactive
 Tempo: 120

pihug12's file also has a jpeg video track, so I think this may be the cause.

 

An m4a file not playing in foobar

Reply #6
Hi hurne !

I just checked what you said and I don't think it's that. 

FreshCast ^ 13 : here
FreshCast ^ 14 : here

I can't play the number 13, but number 14 plays fine. (foobar2000 v0.9.6.9)

The only differences are the display aspect ratio of the picture and a nominal bit rate is set on the n°14.