Apple AAC - m4a format

Forum: Multimedia
Topic: Apple AAC - m4a format
started by: bwh1969

Posted by bwh1969 on Sep. 25 2006,22:08

Mplayer works with this format... if you select *all files. The progress bar doesn't move though, but the timer does work.

Any other players that adapt to this?

I can get GTKpod to recognize my iPod nano, but it won't import the m4a (aac) format. It is a shame because that is the default format for iTunes and the iPod. Unless I am doing something wrong, which is a distinct possibility:-)

Posted by bwh1969 on July 06 2007,16:53

Xine works as well. I am looking for something that can scan directories. The way the directory structure is for my music, it is set up alpha, then by artist. Amarok in my Kubuntu distro can scan a directory. Is there something on DSL? Amarok or even Rhythembox (ubuntu) would be a nice addition to DSL as an extension.

Posted by lucky13 on July 06 2007,19:18

Quote

It is a shame because that is the default format for iTunes and the iPod.

The problem isn't with DSL, it's with Apple and iTunes for locking users into a format which Apple controls (with respect to the "fair play" DRM encryption anyway). Next time, get a player that lets you choose a wider range of encoding (e.g., ogg, flac).
< http://wiki.xiph.org/index.php/PortablePlayers >

As far as extensions for amarok or Rhythmbox go, feel free to try to build either of those and see if it fits in with the DSL way. Each has substantially heavy requirements that make them unsuitable for most DSL users.

My preference. Scan your own file system and build your own playlists. Do it periodically and you won't need a database to manage it all (you could use sqlite, too, but you don't need to if you just do the following when you change your content). Make an executable script. To make a playlist from every mp3 file you have in /home/dsl:

For transportable (full directory paths) file:

Code Sample

find /home/dsl | grep mp3 > /home/dsl/playlist.m3u

For finding within directory (truncates directories to within current, so you can't just move the playlist to another directory, such as if you add a user):

Code Sample

find . -name *.mp3 > /home/dsl/playlist.m3u

Want multiple encodings in the same playlist like amarok builds? No problem, just grep that type and append the playlist.m3u with an extra > (e.g., ...grep ogg >> playlist.m3u). Append it the same way if you want to scan multiple directories at different times.

Then you can open it in xmms or xine or whatever or just run it from mpg321. Maybe it's not as slick and polished in terms of eyecandy, but it still *sounds* the same to me.