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[MikeW]

What file formats are supported for burning to CD?  Specifically, I have an external encoder for AAC (Nero) which I've used to rip a bunch of my CDs, and the files play in MC just fine.  Unfortunately, when I try to burn an audio CD containing these songs, MC seems to have trouble.  It looks like the burn process stops when it encounters a file format that isn't one of the "build-in" types.

Is this:

a) Nature of the beast -- MC can't transcode the MP4 file before burning the CD?

b) Something I'm not doing right.

c) A bug.

I really like media center, and I really like the AAC format (primarily because I have an I-Pod).  I just wish the two would work and play better togeter.

[xen-uno]

You can get an idea what formats are supported on audio burns by looking at your MediaCenter/Plugins directory. Look for files starting with Enc_xxx.dll. AAC is not listed (though it could use Quicktime in some way), neither is flac. There is an Enc_External.dll which would imply it could hook into an external decoder...but how ?.

10^-27

[bjsolem]

It sounds like I misunderstood something about MC and protected files.

What I think I am reading is that MC can play itunes aac files but can not burn them as an audio cd?

This is something I can live with but has not been made clear to me.  Unless I just missed it.

If that's the case, than is the same true for musicmatch and napster WMA files?

Thanks.

[JimH]

Rights to burn CD's vary from track to track.  We're still learning about this.

Until there are some widely accepted standards, there will be some confusion.

I'm guessing that the standards will end up being around Apple/Dolby and Microsoft.  Protected AAC and protected WMA.

MP3 seems to be on the decline (as a market force).

[MikeW]

My issue isn't with ENcoding, as much as it is with DEcoding.  There are a number of tools that I can use external to MC to rip my CDs into MP4 files.  The question is then wether or not MC can then burn a CD using these files.  I haven't been able to get it to work.

Does MC use the same encoder plugins for transcoding/burning files as well as when encoding/ripping  files?  If so, does anyone know how I would use the "external" plugin to use quicktime or nero to do the necessary conversions?

[htaddict1513]

I sure would like to know what the deal is with this. I have alot of NON-DRM MP4 (AAC) files in my library and MC10/11 has NO problem playing this files but when I try to burn a audio CD it bombs.. Simply writes some lead-in and lead-out info and ejects the CD. WHY IS THIS? Sure seems that if you can decode to the sound card you should be able to decode to CD!

[GHammer]

I sure would like to know what the deal is with this. I have alot of NON-DRM MP4 (AAC) files in my library and MC10/11 has NO problem playing this files but when I try to burn a audio CD it bombs.. Simply writes some lead-in and lead-out info and ejects the CD. WHY IS THIS? Sure seems that if you can decode to the sound card you should be able to decode to CD!

Owning the right to listen is not the same as the right to make copies.

But, I agree that MC should refuse to copy DRM'd music and operate normally with non-DRM'd files.

Short of that, MC should not write anything to the CD. Why waste one?

[Alex B]

I haven't seen this explained properly, but as far as I know MC has very limited support for MP4. I think MC can't convert MP4 files at all, because MC uses an external system level codec (QT) for playback. The files need to be decompressed internally before burning an audio CD. As already said, it shouldn't try to burn an audio CD if it's not possible.