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Topic: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11 (Read 6374 times) previous topic - next topic
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play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Greetings
What can I do to play m4a files on foobar200 1.6.11 (windows 10 pro)?
it used to play m4a and now it refuses.
error: unable to open file (unsupported formats)
but all other players I tried play it so the m4a is not corrupted
thank you

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #1 –
m4a is a container not codec
ojos-azules-cat

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #2 –
Hello,
I can play m4a files in foobar v1.6.11.
What does program Media Info show when you load a file into it?

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #3 –
mediainfo shows:
320 kb/s 441,kHz 2 channels AAC LC

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #4 –
Can you please post the whole output from MediaInfo about the file in text mode?

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #5 –
For example: if it is an .aac file (or .mka file?) that someone renamed .m4a, then some players will accept it.

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #6 –
it is an aac file and its binary show that it is an m4a file
how do I know if it was converted?
I can convert it myself to a playable mode
it is the principle that worries me: in previous versions of foobar I had no problems in playing it

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #7 –
mediainfo txt omitting track name, composer etc

General
Complete name                            :
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID                                 : mp42 (mp42/isom/3gp4/3gp6)
File size                                : 17.0 MiB
Duration                                 : 7 min 21 s
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 324 kb/s
Album                                    :
Album/Performer                          :
Part/Position                            : 1
Track name                               :
Track name/Position                      : 1
Track name/Total                         : 16
Performer                                :
Composer                                 :
Publisher                                :
Genre                                    : Classical
Recorded date                            : 2009
Encoded date                             : UTC 2022-07-19 02:55:57
Tagged date                              : UTC 2022-07-19 02:56:03
ISRC                                     : USASX0940201
Copyright                                :
Cover                                    : Yes
ORGANIZATION                             :

Audio
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 7 min 21 s
Source duration                          : 7 min 21 s
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 320 kb/s
Maximum bit rate                         : 329 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel layout                           : L R
Sampling rate                            : 44.1 kHz
Frame rate                               : 43.066 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 16.8 MiB (99%)
Source stream size                       : 16.8 MiB (99%)
Encoded date                             : UTC 2022-07-19 02:55:57
Tagged date                              : UTC 2022-07-19 02:56:03


Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #8 –
Change the file extension to *.mp4 and see if it plays then.  This doesn't look like a true M4A container.

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #9 –
thank you!
it helped
how do I recognize "real" m4a? does foobar play "real" m4a?

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #10 –
Quote from: sveakul on
Change the file extension to *.mp4 and see if it plays then.  This doesn't look like a true M4A container.

Wait, what is going on here? Does "M4A" put any restrictions on the container?  (Even, renaming a random couple of MP4 files with video to .m4a doesn't make fb2k reject them.)

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #11 –
Please post full list of foobar2000 components that you have installed:
Preferences >> Components >> [copy report]

foobar2000 treats MP4 and M4A files all the same - because they are the same thing. Something (a component?) must be interfering with the internal MP4/M4A reader if you're seeing this.

Please also look at:
Preferences >> Playback >> Decoding
Make sure that the built in "foobar2000 MP4 Demuxer" is ENABLED.
Microsoft Windows: We can't script here, this is bat country.

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #12 –
mp4 demuxer is enabled
meanwhile converting to mp4 works
I just wonder if "real" m4a can be played by foobar

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #13 –
Quote from: zivshosh on
meanwhile converting to mp4 works
"converting" or simply "changing the suffix"?

Quote from: zivshosh on
I just wonder if "real" m4a can be played by foobar
Yes.

"m4a" is just and "mp4" are just different file names for the same thing, and foobar2000 will - by default - treat them the same. However, foobar2000 can be forced to filter by suffix and send this file suffix here and that file suffix there.


Try the following, assuming you have fb2k 1.6.11 final:
* Find the install .exe - or redownload it from https://www.foobar2000.org/download .
* Run it and make a portable install.
* Try to play the file.
* If it fails: you said it used to work. Go back to an older version, https://www.foobar2000.org/old , and make a (different!) portable install.

(I have a ton of portable programs - I'd say, set up a dedicated directory for them. I use c:\bin (yeah I was on *n*x), getting it sorted on top. So c:\bin\foobar2000portable-1.6.11 and c:\bin\foobar2000portable-1.6.10 or something.)

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #14 –
I just renamed the extension and it worked
found 3 dll's related to fb2k. all new
I can't understand why a portable will do better: it has the same components, encoders etc
will try to generate full mediainfo list

Re: play m4a on foobar2000 1.6.11

Reply #15 –
Quote from: zivshosh on
I can't understand why a portable will do better: it has the same components, encoders etc
But not the same settings, if you have changed any. And that is the most likely explanation, since fb2k by default treats .m4a as the MP4 files they are.

A fresh portable install might save everyone's time.  If problem still persists ... on to plan c.