M4A?

JimMSG wrote on 10/14/2009, 2:11 PM

Have a project coming in which is going to have all or nearly all files with the .m4a extension. I know I can convert these with iTunes, but I'm on a new computer, and I have been trying to avoid putting iTunes on it. When I tried to access the file in VP9 a box popped up telling me it couldn't find QuickTime. Downloaded and installed QuickTime, and while VP9 doesn't complain about not being able to find QuickTime, it pretty much ignores the .m4a file.

What are my options? Yes, put iTunes on the computer and use that to convert the tracks. But are there others? If I pay the $30 for the pro version of QT will that let VP9 recognize and work with these files? Are there other options I can/should consider?

Jim

Comments

musicvid10 wrote on 10/14/2009, 5:41 PM

First of all, if you downloaded the latest Quicktime, it's not going to work with Vegas. There is a bug that is being talked about a lot on these forums, and all over the Apple forums.

You will need to download and install Quicktime 7.6.2 or earlier. That's just a start.
Then we may have to help you rename your .m4a files to an extension Vegas understands.

The standard advice (after you've downgraded Quicktime), is to post what MediaInfo says about your files, and upload an example somewhere so we can take a look at it.

JimMSG wrote on 10/15/2009, 12:00 AM

One step at a time. Do I need the Pro version of QuickTime 7.6.2 or earlier, or will the free version work?

Is there something special about changing the extensions? I change .vob's to .mpg's on a regular basis.

Jim

musicvid10 wrote on 10/15/2009, 1:13 AM

You don't need Quicktime Pro. You do need Quicktime 7.6.2 or earlier.
Once you have done that, try loading your .m4a file in Vegas.
In the unlikely chance that doesn't work, post back and we'll take it from there.
The much older .m4a files with DRM will not open at all in Vegas.

JimMSG wrote on 10/15/2009, 8:38 AM

Found an older version on Major Geeks. Downloaded it, unistalled the newer version, installed the 7.62.14.0 version, and the files drop onto the timeline in VP9 32-bit and 64-bit just fine.

Now, if I can just find a way to make some of my old favorite plug-ins work in 64-bit. I know, they work just fine in 32-bit mode, so I can still use them, and I suspect something like NR2 will get converted to work in 64-bit reasonably soon.

I also found a piece of freeware that converts the .m4a files into MP3 or .wav files.

Thank you for your assistance.

Jim

colinu wrote on 10/27/2009, 1:42 PM

On a spare machine I loaded the latest itunes 9. I then tried the latest patched trial versions of Sound Forge 10 and Vegas 9, and both can open the .m4a files. I see no patches for Sound Forge 8 .

musicvid10 wrote on 10/27/2009, 2:23 PM

That's correct. The latest versions of Vegas Pro 9 and Sound Forge Pro 10 both say this in their release notes:

"Fixed a bug that prevented Sound Forge Pro from opening or saving MPEG-4 audio when QuickTime 7.6.4 is installed."

It is not customary to issue patches ex post facto for previous (deprecated) versions.

colinu wrote on 10/28/2009, 1:22 PM

Yeah, I know, but it is probably only 1 or 2 .dll files that are the problem.

I don't see anything significant in SF10 to pique my interest (Sound Forge is after all a mature product) Ijust don't feel like shelling out $100+ to fix a problem l

musicvid10 wrote on 10/28/2009, 9:43 PM

Uh, QT 7.6.4 was issued more than 3-1/2 years after the last supported version of Sound Forge 8. There have been two major SF upgrades since then. The implication that this is Sony's "problem" to fix is simply incorrect. If you really want t see all the havoc this QT release is causing across the planet, just head over to the Apple Quicktime Forums and see what kind of support Apple is giving their users / customers.

Following the logic of your last response, when I upgraded to XP Pro a few years back, Sony "should" have retrofitted Vegas Video 2 (my favorite version) to work with the new OS, right?

Personally, I never upgrade QT unless absolutely necessary. There have been questionable "security" patches going back several years, to 7.15.

You are under no obligation to upgrade from SF8 to work with Quicktime. Just stick with a QT version it was designed to work with. That being said, you are welcome to open a support ticket with Sony and state your case. Just follow the links at the top of this page.

Geoff_Wood wrote on 10/29/2009, 6:07 AM

For a start they always try to sneak F**&^%#G iTunes onto your machine by default.

geoff

colinu wrote on 10/29/2009, 7:47 AM

I meant to list Sound Forge 9.

I had to upgrade to itunes9 to work with my ipod.

1marcus4 wrote on 11/5/2009, 11:35 AM

Actually you don't need to upgrade to itunes 9.0 for the benefit of your ipod. Version 8.1 works just fine.

What you miss though are all the new features of itunes 9.0. And there is the possibility, no certainty, that sooner or later you WILL have to upgrade to the latest and greatest versions.

I have read comments regarding how Sony is not responsible for making things 'right' on previous versions of their software, both here and in the Sound Forge forum. This may be quite true. I say MAY be true because I haven't read the agreements, either legal or implied, between Apple and Sony. And they certainly aren't going to let me see them.

What this inaction DOES show is the 'fuc$ you' attitude that Apple and Sony have for one another, truly ridiculous in this day and age. Big players in the software industry should be ensuring compatibility between their products far in advance of changes being made. They have the resources, i.e. money, time and the technology. Not like in the early 80s when I began writing distributed software for the Fortune 100. Back then you were lucky when anything worked right.

Anyway, a 'heads up' in the other direction simply shows respect for the other, ultimately enhances the customer experience, and brings in more money to the bottom line long term.

No one may legally have to fix these things? But from my chair it is truly arrogant and stupid not to.

Mark

musicvid10 wrote on 11/5/2009, 11:55 AM

And if one side does / wants to cooperate to the fullest extent possible, and the other side doesn't / has no interest?

Whose responsibility is it then? The outcome is predictably the same.

Just a hypothetical question, you understand . . .

colinu wrote on 11/19/2009, 9:17 AM

I noticed that last week Apple released an updated version of Quicktime - 7.6.5. the knowledge base states that it resolves the follwing issue: "Applications not reliably loading libraries required by QuickTime at startup ".

Anybody tried it yet to see if it addresses the problem?