I don't know how many of you are frustrated by this as well, but I find it extremely irritating that there is (currently) no known way for iTunes to directly play FLAC files, and thus no way to directly transcode from FLAC to iTunes *.aac/*.mpa (and hopefully to also preserve the FLAC comments as iTunes tags!). I've searched the forum, Googled 'til my eyes hurt, and so far I'm coming up empty.

Qutibacoas seemed like a possible solution at first, save that it does not seem to do transcoding from the iTunes-installed version of Quicktime - even though AAC encoding is free in iTunes4. And the dBpowerAMP Music Converter doesn't seem to work with iTunes at all, unless I'm just missing something.

So, are there any working methods (command-line, frontend or otherwise) for directly transcoding FLAC > iTunes AAC? Again, if the FLAC comments can be kept as tags in the newly-created files that is preferable... but any solution would be better than none.

- M.

I could make it work through foobar2000 and an AutoIt script (shouldn't be too hard to find again the topic). It works, but there are always problems with large playlist. For limited batch operation, it's nevertheless acceptable. I can't also make Qutibacoas working properly (maybe due to iTunes/Quicktime specific release as you pointed it out).

I tried requesting FLAC support on Apple's website, but their user suggestion form just gave me a script error, for each of a half-dozen submit attempts

(stupid Apple, scripts aren't for kids!)

I don't use iTunes for my music management, but I did test it out. I had no problems transcoding FLAC to iTunes playable mp4/m4a files while preserving tag information using the Nero Diskwriter plugin for foobar2000. I'm not sure if you are looking specifically for something that uses Apple's encoder, or if any mp4 encoder will suffice...

Nero Diskwriter plugin can be found here

Foobar2000 can be found here

dBpowerAMP has an AAC/M4A codec plugin, in case you haven't seen it. I don't know if tracks transcoded with this would be readable in iTunes, but it seems like they would, since it uses M4A files too.

Hi guys. No, I was hoping for something which would specifically use iTunes' own encoder. Sorry... I should have been a little more specific in my initial post! I am already aware of the various "iTunes compatible" encoding schemes, but simple compatibility is not what I was hoping to find.

- M.

I think iTunes is a great jukebox program, for OS X anyway, so I'd love to be able to play FLAC directly from a network store.

This thread is about a possible Quicktime component for FLAC (which would enable iTunes to play FLAC):
http://www.hydrogenaudio.org/forums/index....showtopic=17290

No, there is no codec to use Quick Time Pro or Itunes with dBpoweramp Music Converter as yet.

After Spoons' work on the NERO codec it was requested (by me!) on the dbpoweramp beta forums and I read earlier today that Spoon commented that:

Someone was kind enough to give me a script for QT, I will test it next week and release it.

I am pretty sure this is just for Quick Time Pro though but I could be wrong.

Released an encoder using QuickTime Pro just 5 minutes ago (thanks goes to SuperBart).

That's great, spoon... but it still doesn't accomplish what was initially requested. iTunes installs a slightly different - non-Pro - version of QuickTime, with *.aac/*.m4a encoding enabled. Since this version is "free" it does not seem to work with your encoder/plugin.

- M.

Perhaps this can do it.

Anyway, seems like we'll see a QT component soon, since the developer of FLAC has started working on it.

Nice looking frontend, but it's for Mac systems. (And no, it does not seem to handle any lossless compression schemes.)

Still, I have confidence in Josh....

- M.

Edit: Added a parenthetical comment.

Just been using this and it is most excellent - thanks. Nice one Spoon and SuperBart.

Is it just me, or is the whole concept of iTunes being an AAC/MP3 playback/encoding vehicle being missed?

br0adband