Topic: iPod classic doesn't play ALAC files (Read 9476 times)

zagor · « **on:** November 10, 2012, 11:04:34 am »

I converted my 8000+ ape files to ALAC using MC18's native support for both format.
Ape's were fine but I couldn't use them on i-devices. So, support for ALAC format is great for me to get rid of mp3 library of the same songs for ipod.

But unfortunately my 160 gb iPod classic doesn't play ALAC files. (Files are fine, they could be played by both MC and iTunes in computer).

Any help?

contium · « **Reply #1 on:** November 11, 2012, 02:31:08 am »

Same problem here. Actually locks up my iPod. Have to reboot it to get it to play. Not really safe when driving. ALAC support has been very problematic. Time to wipe the 160GB iPod since I don't know how many bad ALACs are on it and go back to the external encoder.

contium · « **Reply #2 on:** November 11, 2012, 02:49:16 am »

Upon further investigation, the files crashing my iPod were loaded as flacs on the iPod. Checked the encoder settings and it is set to ALAC. Confused ?

JimH · « **Reply #3 on:** November 11, 2012, 06:57:14 am »

Make sure you're using the latest build of MC18. It's at the top of the MC18 board.

zagor · « **Reply #4 on:** November 11, 2012, 10:00:49 am »

Yes, it is the latest, 18.070. Because I already hit the wall with an earlier build when converting the files to ALAC. The output files turned out to be useless. So I had to make another conversion with this build.

AndrewFG · « **Reply #5 on:** November 12, 2012, 05:38:17 am »

Quote from: zagor on November 11, 2012, 10:00:49 am

Yes, it is the latest, 18.070. Because I already hit the wall with an earlier build when converting the files to ALAC. The output files turned out to be useless. So I had to make another conversion with this build.

Yep. The first MC version with native ALAC conversion, tended to crash on such conversion. And there was a subsequent version with a compatibility bug in its M4A/MPEG-4 box structure. However the current MC builds seem (IMHO) to have fixed all this.

zagor · « **Reply #6 on:** November 14, 2012, 09:47:48 am »

I think the problem is caused by the conversion engine in MC.
Because, I just uploaded a CD to itunes with ALAC conversion for testing, and now those files are playing in iPod. But the files which are converted by MC couldn't played by iPod, although played by MC and iTunes.

So any help?

Yaobing · « **Reply #7 on:** November 14, 2012, 04:03:59 pm »

Quote from: zagor on November 14, 2012, 09:47:48 am

I think the problem is caused by the conversion engine in MC.
Because, I just uploaded a CD to itunes with ALAC conversion for testing, and now those files are playing in iPod. But the files which are converted by MC couldn't played by iPod, although played by MC and iTunes.

So any help?

I do not have an iPod classic to test at the moment (I thought I had one, but can not find it

).

Can you try the attached clips and see whether any one of them can play in your iPod?

contium · « **Reply #8 on:** November 14, 2012, 11:08:58 pm »

Yaobing, neither file will play on my 2G 160GB Classic.

f.ammollo · « **Reply #9 on:** November 15, 2012, 02:55:38 am »

Hello,

yesterday I added to MC library (latest version 18.0.73) some FLAC files which it converted to ALAC,
and today I found out that they are not playable by my 160Gb iPod Classic.

I add that, apart from correct playability, bit depth/sample rate adaptation would be a nice addition,
else "HD music" is still not playable onto the iPod; should I open a dedicated topic in this forum?

Regards
Fabrizio

f.ammollo · « **Reply #10 on:** November 15, 2012, 03:16:13 pm »

Hello again,

I just verified by opening an ALAC file converted by latest (.74) MC 18 with MC itself that there is obviously some serious problem with the conversion,
because the pitch is much higher than expected and it all "sounds wrong".

Please fix this, thanks!

Best regards
Fabrizio

Yaobing · « **Reply #11 on:** November 15, 2012, 07:33:09 pm »

Quote from: f.ammollo on November 15, 2012, 03:16:13 pm

Hello again,

I just verified by opening an ALAC file converted by latest (.74) MC 18 with MC itself that there is obviously some serious problem with the conversion,
because the pitch is much higher than expected and it all "sounds wrong".

Please fix this, thanks!

Best regards
Fabrizio

That is surprising. We know there is a problem playing the files in iPod, but we have not encountered any issues playing the files inside MC.

The encoding should be correct as we can decode it back to WAV and the result is the same as the original WAV.

I am attaching some short clips for you to test inside MC. There are two ALAC files. They are slightly different, but should both work in MC. The third file is an APE file, which definitely should also play in MC. The third file is provided so you can compare the sound of it with the other two files. Please let me know how you think these file sound.

Note that we are still working on the iPod playback issue. So you do not need to try these samples in iPod, as they will not work.

Yaobing · « **Reply #12 on:** November 15, 2012, 07:34:17 pm »

I can not attach too much data in one shot. So here is the second file.

Yaobing · « **Reply #13 on:** November 15, 2012, 07:35:42 pm »

And an APE file to provide you a comparison. You should definitely be able to play this one inside MC. It tells you how the short clips should sound like.

Matt · « **Reply #14 on:** November 15, 2012, 07:38:40 pm »

Quote from: f.ammollo on November 15, 2012, 03:16:13 pm

pitch is much higher than expected and it all "sounds wrong".

This sounds like a sample rate issue.

f.ammollo · « **Reply #15 on:** November 16, 2012, 03:55:40 am »

Quote from: Yaobing on November 15, 2012, 07:33:09 pm

That is surprising. We know there is a problem playing the files in iPod, but we have not encountered any issues playing the files inside MC.

Hello,

sorry, I just thought that maybe what happened here is that ALAC files are associated to MC17 instead of MC18 (they are both installed on my PC) and
there are issues with ALAC playback on MC17.
Later I'll try out anyway the files you provided and I'll make sure to open them with MC18, and the files I already tried out too.

Thank you.

Best regards
Fabrizio

Matt · « **Reply #16 on:** November 16, 2012, 02:53:58 pm »

Yaobing figured this out.

The iPod doesn't support ALAC files with 64-bit file offset tables.

So it's sort of an iPod bug, but we'll switch to using 32-bit file offset tables since we're rarely dealing with files over 4GB anyway.

f.ammollo · « **Reply #17 on:** November 18, 2012, 11:44:33 am »

Quote from: Yaobing on November 15, 2012, 07:33:09 pm

I am attaching some short clips for you to test inside MC. There are two ALAC files. They are slightly different, but should both work in MC. The third file is an APE file, which definitely should also play in MC. The third file is provided so you can compare the sound of it with the other two files. Please let me know how you think these file sound.

Hello Yaobing,

I tried out all the 3 files and they sound OK.
The strange thing is that, for all the files, MC GUI seems to completely freeze after a few seconds of playback and then, after some time, a "Playback Problem" dialog appears stating that "The file could not be found. Check that the filename in the library matches the filename on disk". Note that I played them by dragging them to the playing now box, not by adding them to the library; could that be the reason?

Regarding the iPod issue, I read that you discovered the origin of the problem and that you'll fix it; will you be able to release it with the next version, or we'll have to wait longer?

Regards
Fabrizio

Yaobing · « **Reply #18 on:** November 18, 2012, 03:58:07 pm »

The fix for iPod problem is already done. It will be in the next release.

Regarding playback issues, what is your playback mode (are you using Red October Standard)?

f.ammollo · « **Reply #19 on:** November 18, 2012, 04:54:07 pm »

Quote from: Yaobing on November 18, 2012, 03:58:07 pm

The fix for iPod problem is already done. It will be in the next release.

Regarding playback issues, what is your playback mode (are you using Red October Standard)?

Thank you for the fix!
I am using Direct Sound for audio and Red October Standard for Video.
The video card being used is the Intel HD4000 provided by my Core i7-2720QM.

Regards
Fabrizio

Yaobing · « **Reply #20 on:** November 18, 2012, 07:27:48 pm »

I wasn't thinking straight when I posted my last message. This is audio, so Red October is not relevant.

INTERACT FORUM

Author Topic: iPod classic doesn't play ALAC files (Read 9476 times)