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Topic: Any way to convert Apple Lossless -> APE? (Read 4760 times) previous topic - next topic
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Any way to convert Apple Lossless -> APE?

After flirting with iTunes for a while, I have decided to use Foobar2000 as my primary sound player. Unfortunately, I have 100 CDs worth of music encoded in Apple Lossless which I would either like to convert to APE (without losing tags) or add a plugin to Foobar2000 to allow it to play the Apple Lossless files.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I looked through the archives and I seem to be out of luck on both fronts.

Any way to convert Apple Lossless -> APE?

Reply #1 –
A quick search for "+apple +lossless +convert +preserve" gives this thread, which says that dBpowerAMP Music Converter can convert ALAC files and keep tags intact.

There is currently no ALAC plugin for foobar2000 that I know of.

Any way to convert Apple Lossless -> APE?

Reply #2 –
I did see that thread but it makes no mention of APE, only FLAC. Will dBpowerAMP also convert ALAC->APE?

Any way to convert Apple Lossless -> APE?

Reply #3 –
Yes and will preserve the tags.

In the beta section of dbpoweramps forum is a new m4a codec - go for this one as it doesn't need quick time.

Any way to convert Apple Lossless -> APE?

Reply #4 –
Thankyou! I will try it now.

Any way to convert Apple Lossless -> APE?

Reply #5 –
it took me all of 2 minutes to download the app and codecs and be up and running.

It works, and is very easy to use.

Thanks guys, and especially to Spoon!

Any way to convert Apple Lossless -> APE?

Reply #6 –
I have converted maybe 40 CDs worth so far.

Mostly works great but 1-2% of .m4a files cause errors of 'could not be opened' even though the file plays fine in iTunes, and was created at the same time and in the same way as other files in the same directory.

Retrying these files does not help.

Any idea why certain apparently random files cause the process to fail?

EDIT: I found the answer. The process fails with filenames over a certain length. Seems like an easy bug to fix?

Any way to convert Apple Lossless -> APE?

Reply #8 –
>EDIT: I found the answer. The process fails with filenames over a certain
>length. Seems like an easy bug to fix?

That suggests you are running the non-beta existing mp4 codec (that relies on quicktime, quicktime has a 64 char limit).

The codec in beta has a built in ALAC decoder which should work on any lenght of filename (as long as they are under 260 chars).

Any way to convert Apple Lossless -> APE?

Reply #9 –
Interesting. I'll try it and report back!

Any way to convert Apple Lossless -> APE?

Reply #10 –
ok, new codec installed, and problem fixed!

Nice work Spoon.

If only I'd known before spending the past 4 hours fixing files manually. Doh!

Any way to convert Apple Lossless -> APE?

Reply #11 –
Quote
If only I'd known before spending the past 4 hours fixing files manually. Doh!
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=285145"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


Well, Spoon's first reply included this:

Quote
In the beta section of dbpoweramps forum is a new m4a codec - go for this one as it doesn't need quick time.
[a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=284841"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
 

Any way to convert Apple Lossless -> APE?

Reply #12 –
True, but I already have Quicktime installed so there was no apparent reason to use a beta version over a production version.

Anyway, I hope this helps others who have experienced the same bug.