# Convert M4a files



## fredtgreco (May 17, 2006)

Apple has done it again. They have created a product that is useless to 98% of the computer market, and that it nearly impossible to do anything except use on Apple proprietary products. Way to go!

I have an audio file that is m4a format, that I need to actually listen to, and would like to distribute. Since I can't buy everyone I know a Mac, I need some way to get the file into a normal, useable format.

I have tried a bunch of converters, even using Adobe Audition 2.0, but I can't find ANY converter that recognizes this blasted format. 

I'd really appreciate it if someone could help, or even convert it for me. I can use just about any other format - wma, mp3, ogg, wav, pcm, etc. Just NOT an apple format. 

Thanks.


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## Reed (May 17, 2006)

how about trying to listen to it in itunes?


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## fredtgreco (May 17, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Reed_
> how about trying to listen to it in itunes?



I can't figure out how to get it in iTunes, another classic Apple piece of software.

And I want to get this in a wide distribution, perhaps even on the web. I don't want to have to ask everyone to get iTunes just for this. (Although that would be the solution offered in an Apple FAQ, if they even had that)


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## gwine (May 17, 2006)

> _Originally posted by fredtgreco_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by Reed_
> ...



You can always play it back on an Apple and send the audio output into a sound card. I know there is software that will convert the audio input into at least WAV files, if not MP3.

Granted, it will be of lower quality, but it might be an option to consider.


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## Hungus (May 17, 2006)

Quicktime will convert it if it is not encrypted and quicktime is available on every platform I know of. If it is encrypted then you cannot legally distribute it. If you cannot open it with QT or iTunes then it is either corrupt or encrypted for another user.

How do I know this? simply because I am an Apple Authorised Service Tech and Apple Authorised Systems Administrator


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## fredtgreco (May 17, 2006)

I can open it with QT, but it keeps wanting to think it is a movie. iTunes is near useless with stuff like this (for me).

I've just completely given up and have another source (the CD itself) that I will use. Oh boy do I hate Apple stuff.


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## Hungus (May 17, 2006)

Drag it to your itunes playlist select it and then right click it and select convert to MP3. Or in quicktime load the file then export it to mp3. or finally email it to me and I will convert it to mp3 for you.
rkbru(remove this)mbelow at gmail dot com


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## BobVigneault (May 17, 2006)

Let go of your hate Fred. Apple means you no harm. Apple is good. Apple has been very, very good to me. Apple wants to be your friend. There, there, see, nice Apple.


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## srhoades (May 17, 2006)

> _Originally posted by BobVigneault_
> Let go of your hate Fred. Apple means you no harm. Apple is good. Apple has been very, very good to me. Apple wants to be your friend. There, there, see, nice Apple.



Sounds like the new, feminized Emperor.


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## WrittenFromUtopia (May 17, 2006)

Actually Bose is to blame for m4a formats, but they are twice as good as mp3's, quality wise, at half the size.


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## Hungus (May 17, 2006)

> _Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia_
> Actually Bose is to blame for m4a formats, but they are twice as good as mp3's, quality wise, at half the size.


No, its Apple. M4a is MPEG-4 part 14 which was an Apple bred QT based spec just like firewire. Technically it should be mp4 but m4a is used instead. It was extended before final adoption but it is fundamentally the QT wrapper. If you are really bored the spec number is ISO/IEC 14496-14:2003


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## WrittenFromUtopia (May 17, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Hungus_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia_
> ...



BOSE helped Apple with the AAC file format.


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## fredtgreco (May 17, 2006)

> _Originally posted by WrittenFromUtopia_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by Hungus_
> ...



And in typical Apple style, even if it is better, it makes no difference, because only 2 out of 1000 computers play it easily, and only using proprietary Apple programs.

Yes, I still hate Apple.


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## WrittenFromUtopia (May 17, 2006)

Microsoft has had a Monopoly on the computer industry for over a decade. Now Apple has a monopoly on the music/entertainment industry and you're getting bent out of shape? Give Apple a break, and realize that we (Apple users) have had to deal with PC's non-compatibility with Apple for a long time (thankfully, no longer, with Apple's latest moves in technology and OS).


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## fredtgreco (May 17, 2006)

Actually, Gabe, I agree with you about the MS monopoly. What drives me nuts is that Apples is so small minded, and that is why they will never have an impact on the industry. Linux has a better chance of taking over.

Apple really doesn't have a monopoly on the music industry: it essentially has one product, iPod (which is great) and is a distributor for music companies because of that one product. If the iPod ever goes out of style, Apple is done, because the only reason (that I know of) that anyone uses garbage software like iTunes is because of integration with the iPod.

Even though MS does dominate the OS field, the PC market is actually wide open. Look at how many PDF making programs there are (Adobe, Scansoft, Foxit, etc). How many music players (Real, Windows Media, WinAmp, JRiver, etc). How many web design programs, how many picture/graphics program, etc.

Maybe the grade schooler or grandma who need help turning on their computer are helped by the 1 option, no customization, push one button Apple programs, but the rest of the world aren't. I could have rebotted Windows 45 times in the time it took me to find out how I could change my Music folder without completely screwing up iTunes (newsflash: you actually can't. It's impossible)

Ugh.


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## WrittenFromUtopia (May 18, 2006)

99.9% of the Computer industry would vehemently disagree with your analysis of Apple's software AND hardware. The iMac is considered the best computer at ANY price, hands down. Also, I strongly disagree that Apple is "small minded." You can now run or dual-boot WinXP on any Intel based Mac, for starters. Windows booting will be standard on all Macs when the next OS ships (next year probably), including the new Windows OS. Heck, switching to Intel shows that Apple is future minded. Apple's market share (in hardware, not music players) is increasing month by month, for the first time in several, several years. I can understand how something like iTunes might seem odd to a PC person, but I don't see how you can call it garbage. Maybe on a PC running WinXP it IS garbage. I've never used the Windows version. Apple isn't for everyone.


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## BobVigneault (May 18, 2006)

Fred, your anger has blinded you. Apple does make up a much smaller section of the computer market but the creative side of the market is dominated by Apple. I am an imaging specialist and computer to plate tech for a printing company. Apple is the anchor of the printing industry. Don't tell me that PCs have caught up, they have not. We use Apple to create and manipulate, we use the PC to crunch.

Apple has revolutionized indie music and podcasting with it's release of GarageBand. Much of the digital mastering that is done to music tracks these days are done on Macs. The movie industry turns to Mac to edit and digitize films. 

If you are creative and inovative get a Mac. If you are an accountant who likes playing totally gnarly video games, get a PC.


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## Reed (May 18, 2006)

Regarding the age old dispute of macs vs pcs:

Amos 3:3
"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?"



only slightly less divisive than Calvinism vs. Arminianism


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## BobVigneault (May 18, 2006)

Fred isn't trying to play it Reed, it wants to make it accessible to all platforms. Hence his frustration. He wants to convert it to mp3 which he can do in iTunes as well.


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## Reed (May 18, 2006)

Appologies to board...

was merely pointing out that the mac vs. windows debate tends to get heated rather quickly.


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## gwine (May 18, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Reed_
> Appologies to board...
> 
> was merely pointing out that the mac vs. windows debate tends to get heated rather quickly.



Only because (insert your computer system here) is better than (insert other computer system here).



:bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile: :bigsmile:

And really, I'm more amused than serious.


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## fredtgreco (May 18, 2006)

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6642/mac_dos.html

:bigsmile:


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## BobVigneault (May 18, 2006)

Wow, I believe Umberto was semi-serious. He certainly put some thought into that.

By the way, I am sitting right next to a Dual 2.7 GHz Mac G5 and a Xeon CPU 3.0 Dell Power Edge 2800. They are connected by a screaming 1 Gigabit switch and they talk very fast and very friendly to each other. Ecumenicalism at the speed of light.


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## gwine (May 18, 2006)

I wonder where Linux fits into Eco's world now, since you can have the best (or worst, depending on your inclination) of both worlds.

If Linux could only get the drivers working I would be willing to take another look at it. My son tells me, "Get a Mac - it's UNIX", but I continue to resist. 

Resistance if futile : you will be assimilated.


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## polemic_turtle (Jun 9, 2006)

If you have the CD, why not rip it in another ripper program which will encode into MP3? Would that solve your problem?


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