I have winamp 5 Beta 2 and It wont play or recognise my .m4a aac itunes encoded files. They play fine in itunes and dbpoweramp but they wont play in winamp 5, is there a codec or something I can download to make them recognised without renaming them to .aac because it will play them with that extention?

AAC compatibility of Winamp is limited. Try with a good faad plug-in :
http://rarewares.hydrogenaudio.org/mp4.html or
http://www.saunalahti.fi/~cse/files/in_mp4.zip

john33's Plug_ins:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jfe1205/in_mp4.zip

Just to add to the answer that winamp 5 just doesn't support the mp4 container, only the .aac bitstream, so not even renaming it to .aac would made it work.
It is unclear if they're going to support .mp4 out of the box. The ability to use the AAC codec is mostly for their Internet TV broadcasting channels, and now they added the Ripper and encoder.
It would be a bad decision to go "back" to .aac when now we have .mp4, a full standard.

Thanks to all that replied back the plugin fixed it.

What was that all about ? From within the RC1 to RC2 and so on of Winamp v5 i have played AAC's AND MP4 (created with Nero, Faad and iTunes) with the same plugin that winamp 2.9x uses - in my case the one from http://www.saunalahti.fi/~cse/files/in_mp4.zip !

In the Preferences / Plugins i first had to change the directories to point to my winamp2's plugin directory and by that way i even got the DFX Dsp to work OK.
(Aka : i did not install it over winamp2 as it proudly presented at first...)

The only "bad thing" is that in the playlist it shows only the filenames but in the "File Info" i see all that's needed and can even update those tags.

Winamp 5 is skin oriented - i had difficulties with web radio and web TV with the "container" and it crached all the time with the "premium skin"...

Then i took it off and it looked like good old Winamp 2 barenaked black & gray, but all worked just fine (at RC2).

Does this matter consider that they have updated wa5 to some "final" version (i have not checked for 2 weeks - i relayed for the "autoupdate") and took the mp4 container for internal use ???

Mathias

If you re-read my post you'll see I specifically said "out of the box". i.e. with included plugins. (The "in_mp3.dll" plugin, since version 2.92, allows to play .aac files.)

Since it is a Skinned (and refined) Winamp 2, all winamp 2 plugins continue to work. This is not new to me.


Btw... the "premium" skin??? I've been using it for more than two weeks with the "Modern" skin and I haven't yet found a single annoyance (yes, this includes no bugs and no crashes). Call me lucky.

[quote=[JAZ],Nov 13 2003, 03:37 PM] [/QUOTE]
If you re-read my post you'll see I specifically said "out of the box". i.e. with included plugins. (The "in_mp3.dll" plugin, since version 2.92, allows to play .aac files.)

Since it is a Skinned (and refined) Winamp 2, all winamp 2 plugins continue to work. This is not new to me.


Btw... the "premium" skin??? I've been using it for more than two weeks with the "Modern" skin and I haven't yet found a single annoyance (yes, this includes no bugs and no crashes). Call me lucky. [/quote]
Terrible sorry about missunderstood at the point ...
(+ I call You lucky if NOP with internet radio vs. Modern Skin ! )

And i just mixed up in my mind words Premium and Modern at the "Skin Case"...

I am not a lucky one.
Immediately (at RC1) when switched to "Modern Skin" i got a Windows-level error (Faultrep.txt) when trying to listen internet radio or -TV and when i changed to the "barenaked" -> whoo : the problem goes at next level, no more crashes but this box "Valid MP3 Frame Not Found!" - and some Stations play just fine when not dblclicked, instead select / Play...

With RC2 - Exaxtly same story but instead of Faultrep WA 5 just "Disappears" when trying to play a Station with Modern Skin on ...
Without Modern skin, the "Valid MP3..." msgs again, but not as much as before...

Anybody have had this problem /solved it and could help me, pse ?

Everything that relates to local music listening goes just like with wa2 = OK !

Regards : Mathias

Must be a problem special to you. I can listen to shoutcast streams with Modern and Classic skins.

BTW, it's Beta 2, not RC 2.

Betas - Rc's - Holes in my head ...

OK : i installed wa5 just fresh and began to put those missing wa2 input plugins there one by one and found out that some old streamcast plugin caused the whole thing (just one internet related as i guessed).
So i took it off from wa2's plugins dir and found out that i'm now a lucky guy as You all (and i don't even need that plugin).

So i decided that a clean install is best for winamp v5 and just put those needed ones there (as in my case only dlls : in_mp4, in_faad, in_flac, in_mp3pro, in_mpc and a few others ...)

//EDIT This is enough for bypassing the original subject ....

Thanls for thanks

Regards : Mathias

Mathias: thanks for pointing me in the direction of the mp4 input plugin for winamp, i'd been getting properly p155ed off that i couldn't share a common file format between winamp and the iPod i want to buy!

Anyway, to fix the one bad point you mentioned, you need to find the plugin in Winamp PREFERENCES -> PLUGINS -> INPUT, click on CONFIGURE, and there are your options for formatting the playlist display for mpeg4 files; the default is %7 which is just the filename as you have found.

Cheers!

Just for my own personal edification, there is a difference between MPEG2-AAC and MPEG4-AAC, correct? My understanding is that Winamp includes out of the box support for MPEG2-AAC with it's in_mp3 plugin, but does not offer MPEG4-AAC support due to licensing issues. Is this correct?

If that's true, I'm wondering, then, if Winamp is encoding to MPEG2-AAC, why it would not work in an ipod?

I'm still relatively new to all of this, so I could be completely misinformed and spewing out all kinds of wrong information.

Cheers.

Yes, Winamp has licenced only MPEG2-AAC. IIRC, it was stated, that only certain tools aren't allowed to be used. The ENCODED stream is fully AAC compliant and should work with an iPod. The problem is that Winamp currently cannot use the MP4 container (which is not related to MPEG4!). Therefore the iPod won't play Winamp 5 created files. On the other hand Winamp cannot play MP4 files out of the box, you have to use the FAAD plugin.

MP4 support for Winamp is currently being worked on.

Comparing MPEG2 and MPEG4 AAC makes no sense. They are versioning of an entire codec portfolio. What makes sense is comparing AAC profiles.

So, yes, Nullsoft (AOL actually) licensed LC AAC.

Suggested reading: the FAQ at ViaLicensing:
http://www.vialicensing.com/products/mpeg4...FAQ.html#should

Read that one - Those patent licensing issues seem to be quite costy for a smallish company when considering MPEG2 or MPEG4 AAC!

Still : Dummy me /needs some explanation(s) :
Could you get me "back on rails" to understand the most important differenses between MPEG2 & MPEG4 AAC (in Music). I have a bit dropped outta wagons here and there and even more when thinking of MIME-cases for MP4 (Audio) and MP4 (Video+Audio) like in Apple's implementation, DV-MPEG4 etc..

That goes nowadays like this: I press a MP4-link and get Quicktime or some other MP4 VIDEO player on (if auto-assosiated) and get a msg : "cannot play unsupported stream..." - then i drag the file over a player like WA5.01, Foobar, WMP9 (filtered) or iTunes or just open it inside the app and all goes fine - playing, tagging, Listening...)

Should I instead of using .MP4 extension use .M4A for MPEG AAC-Audio and .M4V for MPEG4-Video AND .MP4 for only multiplexed .M4A + .M4V streams ? What are the "final" MIME-Desicions and are they "ISO'ed" somehow..?

(Just like .MPA for MPEG1 Layer II Audio and .MPV for Video and .MPG for resulted (multiplexed) Composite Video like (S)VCD - that's what i internally do with TMPGEnc Plus when making .MPG -files outta .AVI or .MPEG ...)

Then there is still The Envivio (TV, Internet) prods and codecs sitated below :

"Envivio provides systems for all your MPEG-4 streaming and broadcast needs. The company has developed end-to-end systems that allow you to create, distribute, and experience MPEG-4 content. This 'next-generation' streaming media technology suite enables customers to create, manage, and deliver rich, interactive, streaming multimedia experiences for viewers and derive new revenues from new and re-purposed content.

Envivio systems have been optimized for the following markets:

- Broadband IP television for broadband network operators
- Media transport for DSNG, ATM, and broadband IP providers
- Video contribution for broadcast and post production
- Enterprise ....."

(//EDIT : They offer free codecs for consumers for Real, WMP9 and Quicktime...)

And so on is da web full of those implementations all calling them as "Next-Gen" and so on - That makes me feel that all is not yet ready or...?

P.S. Maybe this link will give us some "know-how" of MPEG4 benefits :
http://www.envivio.com/products/mpeg4.html

Just tell me i have a head of stone or give me some feedback / link(s) !
(BUT - as i always say : no need to arque -- )

Regards : Mathias

And.. P.S. Thanks rhythmace1 for pointing ME to right direction with the filename formatting case. I did not first believe that the problem could be as easy as that %7 -case, because most of those in_xxx.dll plugins do have better defaults.

I have to learn (too) many things at a time at this age (45Y) to get all solved. For a 20Y old that would be a "piece of cake" in a minute ...

After all i did have some other issues with winamp5's video playing (especially to get MPEG-2 videos to play with picture, not just voice!) and i do have solved most of them with 2 batch files that unregister / deregister certain filters like this :

(This is certainly my case and even off-topics...

For winamp5 not to crach the whole PC to BS :



And then all back if wanted :



In my case the videofilters show like this (at DS file-info in WA5) :
(Yes - i do have Kazaa Codec-Pack v2.20 installed...)

- Elecard MPEG2 Demultiplexer
- InterVideo Video Decoder
- MoonLight Okio Decoda (for audio)

And when playing MPEG-1 content only the middle filter changes to

- MainConcept MPEG Video Decoder

And when I play AVI i gwt only two filters :

- Avi Splitter
- DivX Decoder (if recorded with DivX 5.x AVI)

And yes - i bought Dr. DivX v1.04 from DivXNetworks and got the latest DivX v5.1.1 Enc. + Decoder bundled with it for $39,90. It really does work much faster that the sad one 5.1 that took all the processor time and dropped frames at every single app - a good way for that one - /me recommends it for all DivX-interested ppl! No more dropped frames for me ...

(Only "bad" thing is that when it's loaded at first time it somehow takes almost 1 minute to "do something" before it starts to encode. The decoder part is OK and fast!)

OK - enough is enough - i just hope that someone did have same kinda problem(s) with wa5 video that i had and got something "clever" outta this all mess ...

//EDIT : Just remembered that this one is AAC / General section and i passed the subject totally - have to say something : I think that Easy CD-DA Extractor's latest version v6.5 now does have a GOOD implementation of FAAC wit quality bettered much - the aac.dll v5.1.0.0 dated 10-01-2004 is comparable well with Apple's - the boys and Jukka P. has made good co-operating at that point....
get it from : http://sivut.koti.soon.fi/poiko/ezcddax6.exe at
http://www.poikosoft.com/download.html

Regards : Mathias