INTERACT FORUM

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: [1]   Go Down

Author Topic: M4A File Format  (Read 2158 times)

k.e.

  • Recent member
  • *
  • Posts: 15
M4A File Format
« on: September 05, 2017, 03:52:03 am »

JRiver will say the file format is "m4a" regardless of ALAC or AAC. Would that be something difficult to change in future updates?
Logged

Awesome Donkey

  • Administrator
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 7365
  • The color of Spring...
Re: M4A File Format
« Reply #1 on: September 05, 2017, 04:16:07 am »

Both use M4A as the container, like iTunes does. Have you tried using compression instead of file format?
Logged
I don't work for JRiver... I help keep the forums safe from Viagra and other sources of sketchy pharmaceuticals.

Windows 11 2023 Update (23H2) 64-bit + Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Noble Numbat 64-bit | Windows 11 2023 Update (23H2) 64-bit (Intel N305 Fanless NUC 16GB RAM/256GB NVMe SSD)
JRiver Media Center 32 (Windows + Linux) | Topping D50s DAC | Edifier R2000DB Bookshelf Speakers

blgentry

  • Regular Member
  • Citizen of the Universe
  • *****
  • Posts: 8009
Re: M4A File Format
« Reply #2 on: September 05, 2017, 07:38:48 am »

What Donkey said is correct, but I want to explain a little more because this is subtle:

Yes, M4A is the container and it can contain both AAC and ALAC compressed formats.  Which makes it rather confusing for a lot of people since you can normally use the file extension to figure out what's inside.  At least in the audio world.  In the video world all bets are off.

Anyway, MC has many many database fields (as you probably know) and one of the built in fields is called [Compression] .  If you display this field for your M4A files, you will see that it shows whether the file is actually AAC or ALAC.

You can use this field to sort, search, build smart lists, build views, etc.  However you want to locate or group your ALACs versus AACs, this is the field to use to do it.

Good luck.

Brian.
Logged

k.e.

  • Recent member
  • *
  • Posts: 15
Re: M4A File Format
« Reply #3 on: September 05, 2017, 12:27:54 pm »

Thank you guys! That was what I was looking for. Glad I asked! :)
Logged
Pages: [1]   Go Up