I need to convert 100 M4A files to MP3.

Someone have me all the music from their collection. Hundreds of MP3's
and about 100 M4A files. I have never had to deal with M4A files before
this. Is there some file I can download to convert all of them to MP3?

Preferably something that will BATCH convert them, and something that is
free.

Suggestions please....

On Thursday, March 2, 2017 at 3:07:03 PM UTC-6, wrote:
Someone have me all the music from their collection. Hundreds of MP3's
and about 100 M4A files. I have never had to deal with M4A files before
this. Is there some file I can download to convert all of them to MP3?

Preferably something that will BATCH convert them, and something that is
free.

Suggestions please....

VLC will do it.

http://www.gilsmethod.com/convert-m4...c-media-player

Andy

wrote:
Someone have me all the music from their collection. Hundreds of MP3's
and about 100 M4A files. I have never had to deal with M4A files before
this. Is there some file I can download to convert all of them to MP3?

Preferably something that will BATCH convert them, and something that is
free.

Suggestions please....


ffmpeg -i test.m4a -c:a libmp3lame -b:a 192k test.mp3

https://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/

(Current nightly build...)
https://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/wi...n32-static.zip

You want 32bit, static, because the static version, the ffmpeg.exe
file (36MB) has all the DLLs baked into the executable. That means
your copy of ffmpeg.exe is portable and can be put anywhere you
need to use it. That's why I prefer static builds.

It doesn't hurt to read the documentation, or, to find recipes
on the web for selecting the best command line parameters. All
I can tell you, is the above conversion, the two files sound
*similar*, but to my jaundiced ear, the M4A sounded just a
little bit better. I was able to *play* both files in VLC.
You should also be able to do that with ffplay.exe in the
FFMPEG kit.

Not every copy of FFMPEG will have libmp3lame in it. It's
a build option. This is why the SOX package for audio,
calls up separate optional packages such as downloading
your own LAME encoder and your own copy of FFMPEG. But if
this particular builder of FFMPEG has taken the risk of
baking in the libmp3lame itself, then you can just use that.

Both of those formats are patent encumbered as far as I know.

Wikipedia says of MP3:

"Active patents only remain in the United States"

MPEGLA licenses MPEG4, which would include m4a. Since
it uses a patent pool, don't expect this article to untangle
what aspects are covered by what (expiring) patents.
You can be sure if there is a licensing authority,
the patents will last forever.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG-4

Paul

On Thu, 02 Mar 2017 18:36:31 -0500, Paul
wrote:

wrote:
Someone have me all the music from their collection. Hundreds of MP3's
and about 100 M4A files. I have never had to deal with M4A files before
this. Is there some file I can download to convert all of them to MP3?

Preferably something that will BATCH convert them, and something that is
free.

Suggestions please....


ffmpeg -i test.m4a -c:a libmp3lame -b:a 192k test.mp3

Convert.bat
-----------------------------------------------------------
mkdir newfiles
for %%a in ("*.m4a") do ffmpeg -i "%%a" -c:a libmp3lame -b:a 192k
"newfiles\%%~na.mp3"
pause
------------------------------------------------------------
Note the batch file is 3 lines, the second one wraps

https://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/

Last official build compatible with XP:

https://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=10000

Zeranoe ****ed me off, dropping support for XP...




(Current nightly build...)
https://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/wi...n32-static.zip

You want 32bit, static, because the static version, the ffmpeg.exe
file (36MB) has all the DLLs baked into the executable. That means
your copy of ffmpeg.exe is portable and can be put anywhere you
need to use it. That's why I prefer static builds.


+1
It doesn't hurt to read the documentation, or, to find recipes
on the web for selecting the best command line parameters. All
I can tell you, is the above conversion, the two files sound
*similar*, but to my jaundiced ear, the M4A sounded just a
little bit better. I was able to *play* both files in VLC.
You should also be able to do that with ffplay.exe in the
FFMPEG kit.

Not every copy of FFMPEG will have libmp3lame in it. It's
a build option. This is why the SOX package for audio,
calls up separate optional packages such as downloading
your own LAME encoder and your own copy of FFMPEG. But if
this particular builder of FFMPEG has taken the risk of
baking in the libmp3lame itself, then you can just use that.

Both of those formats are patent encumbered as far as I know.

Wikipedia says of MP3:

"Active patents only remain in the United States"

MPEGLA licenses MPEG4, which would include m4a. Since
it uses a patent pool, don't expect this article to untangle
what aspects are covered by what (expiring) patents.
You can be sure if there is a licensing authority,
the patents will last forever.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MPEG-4

Paul
--
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We have a new policy - Google 2012