QuickTime insecure, MediaMonkey needs a free m4a decoder

[Miles Prower]

So ALACs with bps 20/24/32 will be supported from the next beta build (1789 or later).

Fantastic! Thank you!

(I uninstalled QT this week after seeing various tech sites recommending removal of QT. A couple days later, I opened MM, and a bunch of files wouldn't play — Doh!!!!!)

[rovingcowboy]

so apple stopped supporting it but I'm wondering if the old QuickTime alternative that was made for use on xp and possibly win 7 will still work does anyone know?

[Kevinowpb]

.m4p's still not playing in newest version....

[MiPi]

.m4p's still not playing in newest version....

M4P is encrypted and cannot be played without QuickTime/iTunes and its authentication procedure...

[MMFrLife]

Try K-lite codec pack.

[rheniummaps424]

Is there any way to subscribe to that without manually checking back every now and then? Can't figure out the RSS feed and there's no place to register? Is Mantis only for developers?

It is only for developers and support. But I'll write to this forum topic just after the issue is fixed, you can subscribe to this topic.

Thanks!

[Peke]

Try K-lite codec pack.

That still do not override DRM Lock and from what I know K-Lite do not support QT.

[dmiranda12]

I have the latest gold version 4.1.13.1801 portable, and cant play clean (no-DRM) m4a I used to be able to play before. I can play them in winamp 5.6.6.3516 without a problem, so I momentarily switched players. ffdshow 1.3.4531.0, lavfilter 0.68.0

Using graphstudio, file goes though lav splitter to ffdsho audio decoder to default directsound.

[Peke]

I'm still not being able to replicate on M4A
Open support ticket (same login info as here) and where we can go into more details.

[theruan]

I'm still not being able to replicate on M4A
Open support ticket (same login info as here) and where we can go into more details.

I'm not sure if it is exactly the same problem, but maybe it is, u can be unable to play m4a files using media foundation if you disable it using klite codec pack for instance and maybe others(And you might do it without even noticing), i'm currently using windows 10 x64 ver 1709 build 16291.


aac(using aac extension it doesn't even play from a m4a that is just renamed to .aac) and in m4a container it is not fully supported using media foundation even in windows 10.

See example:
https://mysmccd-my.sharepoint.com/perso ... VuWgCrfKVA
Real file data from MPC Media Info:

Code: Select all

General
Complete name                  : C:\TEMPMUSC\Lasgo - Some Things.track13.m4a
Format                         : MPEG-4
Format profile                 : Apple audio with iTunes info
Codec ID                       : M4A  (M4A /mp42/isom)
File size                      : 3.81 MiB
Duration                       : 7 min 54 s
Overall bit rate mode          : Variable
Overall bit rate               : 67.4 kb/s
Track name                     : Alone (Ian van Dahl Remix)
Track name/Position            : 13
Performer                      : Lasgo
Encoded date                   : UTC 2016-07-02 16:10:48
Tagged date                    : UTC 2016-07-02 16:10:48
Writing application            : fdkaac 0.6.2, libfdk-aac 3.4.12, VBR mode 5

Audio
ID                             : 1
Format                         : AAC
Format/Info                    : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile                 : HE-AACv2 / HE-AAC / LC
Codec ID                       : 40
Duration                       : 7 min 54 s
Bit rate mode                  : Variable
Bit rate                       : 66.2 kb/s
Channel(s)                     : 2 channels / 1 channel / 1 channel
Channel positions              : Front: L R / Front: C / Front: C
Sampling rate                  : 44.1 kHz / 44.1 kHz / 22.05 kHz
Frame rate                     : 21.533 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode               : Lossy
Stream size                    : 3.77 MiB (99%)
Encoded date                   : UTC 2016-07-02 16:10:48
Tagged date                    : UTC 2016-07-02 16:10:48

Data read from MM details:
Audio: AAC 22050Hz mono 66kbps VBR:no
codec sign:  fdkaac 0.6.2, libfdk-aac 3.4.12, VBR mode 5

Perfectly played using MPC, windows media player, groove music, aimp, winamp, and a few others i've tested, none failed playing, most of them were using their own codecs to be fair.

As a result the played file is capped at 22050Hz in output, ending in a very bad sound output.
If you decide to install the codec pack it has zero impact as it keeps using media foundation codecs.
As a work around I've tried:
Simply renaming f_mfaudio_codec.dll to f_mfaudio_codec.dll.old and in_mfaudio.dll to in_mfaudio.dll.old forces MM to fallback to f_aac_codec.dll( only IF you have the MM codect pack installed), also in this case it is able to play ".aac" files that were directly rename(not converted) from ".m4a".
In this format the files do play nice in original format,
BUT:
1) the data read from the file is still wrong in file properties.
2) the file is now non-seekable past 50%, the music will play up to that and any attempts to move to any point past 50% will restart the music, the music is actually "being compressed in regards to the timer/counter each 1s in the player = 2s from the music.

In a newer version of the codec i tested this other music file:
https://mysmccd-my.sharepoint.com/perso ... QwcwI4-oPk

Code: Select all

File data in MPC Media Info:
General
Complete name                  : C:\Users\theru\OneDrive - my.smccd.edu\Shared with Everyone\1 - Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee - Despacito (Featuring Daddy Yankee).m4a
Format                         : MPEG-4
Format profile                 : Apple audio with iTunes info
Codec ID                       : M4A  (M4A /mp42/isom)
File size                      : 1.37 MiB
Duration                       : 3 min 48 s
Overall bit rate mode          : Variable
Overall bit rate               : 50.5 kb/s
Album                          : Despacito (Featuring Daddy Yankee)
Album/Performer                : Luis Fonsi / Daddy Yankee
Part/Position                  : 1
Track name                     : Despacito (Featuring Daddy Yankee)
Track name/Position            : 1
Performer                      : Luis Fonsi / Daddy Yankee
Encoded date                   : UTC 2017-09-22 00:10:49
Tagged date                    : UTC 2017-09-22 00:10:49
Writing application            : fdkaac 0.6.3, libfdk-aac 3.4.22, VBR mode 1
Comment                        : USUM71607007
Encoder Settings               : -m 1 -p 5   --ignorelength -G 2 -S -o "[outfile]" - 

Audio
ID                             : 1
Format                         : AAC
Format/Info                    : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile                 : HE-AAC / LC
Codec ID                       : 40
Duration                       : 3 min 48 s
Bit rate mode                  : Variable
Bit rate                       : 48.0 kb/s
Channel(s)                     : 2 channels
Channel positions              : Front: L R
Sampling rate                  : 44.1 kHz / 22.05 kHz
Frame rate                     : 21.533 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode               : Lossy
Stream size                    : 1.35 MiB (98%)
Encoded date                   : UTC 2017-09-22 00:10:49
Tagged date                    : UTC 2017-09-22 00:10:49

Data read from MM details:
Audio: AAC 22050Hz Stereo 49 kbps VBR:no
codec sign:  fdkaac 0.6.3, libfdk-aac 3.4.22, VBR mode 1

The only change i could notice was that the file is now recognized as Stereo instead of mono resulting in a slightly better output, but still far far away from what it was supposed to be, unless the media foundation files are renamed/deleted resulting in the other error.

On a side Note just out of curiosity I tested the following:
Converted the Despacito file above using MM conversion format M4A from codec pack trial, selected codec aac, sample: default, bit sample: default, VBR 100% mid/side: off, media foundation removed/renamed.
https://mysmccd-my.sharepoint.com/perso ... RIwJ9lGPqU

result: File data is almost 100% correct besides VBR that is also showing as VBR:no in details.
Also in MPC media info the file shows as 44.1 in both channels which seems to be the main reason why MM reads the data/presents the file wrongly.
in MM codec pack:
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 44.1 kHz
FDK AAC codec:
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 44.1 kHz / 22.05 kHz

This isn't the first time I posted about this, the first time no one commented,, but I wasn't very detailed either.
http://www.mediamonkey.com/forum/viewto ... =1&t=85474

I hope these errors get fixed someday, it's really said to be unable to use MM properly and even worst I have been unable to tell my clients and friends to use MM cause they can't remember to keep renaming/removing those DLL and even if they could they would end up facing the bug on seek.