Sound Files

[Dave Dolson]

Didn't know where else to put this . . . I have an iMac with iTunes. I also have a box-like player that transfers sound from vinyl LPs and audiocassettes to CD-R's. From there, I load the CD-Rs into the iMac and it will import the sound to iTunes.

My question has to do with why some tunes end up being m4a files and others end up being mp3s?

And, is there a way to convert m4a to mp3?

I've searched for answers on my search engine but come up with pages and pages of computer-speak or advertisements for software. I need a short, simple explanation and/or directions to make the conversion. I'd appreciate it. DAVE

 

[Merlin]

Dave - read this and see if it answers your question:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M4a

 

[pete]

Quicker answer: M4A generally = copy protected.

I've not done any ripping with iTunes. There should be a setting in there to change the file output type. Make sure that the output is MP3, not M4A.

Hmm. Google search time. I quote:

First, open up Preferences in iTunes (iTunes->Preferences), then click on the Importing tab, then go to where it says "Import Using" and select the MP3 encoder. You can even adjust the bit rate.

Then just control-click on the song you want to convert in iTunes, and select "Convert Selection to MP3."

M4A can be converted to MP3 on the PC by using a program like Tunebite (which works extremely well, by the bye).

I did a brief Google search and came up with http://www.dvd-converter-ultimate-mac.com-http.com/convert-itunes-m4a-to-mp3-on-mac.html for the Mac.

 

[Dave Dolson]

Thanks Merlin and Pete. I've saved those links and will read them more closely.

I'm still curious as to why my old LPs turn into m4a files, though. They are not copyprotected CDs, they are merely old LPs (some from the 1950's). Maybe it has something to do with the CD-Rs that I'm using (the ones made especially for music and not data). DAVE

 

[Dave Dolson]

Final report . . . the description of how to change the import method in iTunes worked like a charm. I changed the iTunes import format to mp3, re-loaded the CD and all the tracks went into iTunes as mp3's. Now I have 'em in both formats.

Thanks for the help! DAVE