Is it possible to play m4a files in Amarok 2?

So far, I've been unable to add m4a files in Amarok 2; however, if I change their extension to .mp3 instead of .m4a, I can add and play those files.

Is it possible to play .m4a files in Amarok 2 without renaming them to .mp3?

Yes, you can but you need to install the latest taglib-extras.

Also, if the file is DRM encrypted, there is no way to use it outside it's primary destination, sorry, but that's how DRM works.

I have it installed, but still can't play m4a files in amarok2 (note that I didn't mean mp4, but m4a).

Ideas what's wrong?

Are you sure it really is the latest taglib-extras? As m4a support is only found there.

Again, it is possible that your m4a file is DRM encrypted (I already said so in my first reply, did you read that?) so you can only play it on the very first media you downloaded it to, impossible to play it elsewhere. Actually, only the first person who downloaded it can play it, no possibility to give it to anybody else.

See also here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_rights_management, Digital Restrictions Management is a far more appropriate term IMHO.

The files don't use DRM.

I use taglib-extras compiled by my distributor on Jul 25 2009, so it's pretty fresh.

However, just to be sure - how do I checkout the latest taglib-extras code from SVN?

    svn co http://websvn.kde.org/trunk/kdesupport/taglib-extras/

does not seem to work.

OK, this one works:

svn co svn://anonsvn.kde.org/home/kde/trunk/kd ... ib-extras/

I'll compile it to check if it helps Amarok2 play m4a files.

Nope, it didn't help when I checked out the latest revision, compiled, installed, rebooted the system to make sure...

BTW,  mplayer, vlc - play my m4a files just fine.
Only KDE4 apps can't seem to open them.

Changing the extension won't help. This is not windoze (same with rebooting). Kind of file is detected by mime not by extension. Test it by renaming an audio track to doesntmatter.jpg.
Check your m4a tracks with file m4a_track.anyextensionsyouwant
MPlayer and vlc don't use your sound framework, which is either gstreamer or xine.
Does your gstreamer/xine version support m4a (x264 codec)?

m0nk

> Does your gstreamer/xine version support m4a (x264 codec)?

How can I check it?

First be sure to use Phonon-xine, because gstreamer backend sucks.
A simple ffmpeg in a console should show the configuration. Search for --enable-libx264 and/or --enable-libfaad
Or enter ffmpeg -formats.
Either h264 or faad must be supported.

m0nk

I was experiencing this problem using Amarok Version 2.3.0 Using KDE 4.4.1 (KDE 4.4.1) running under arch / kdemod. In fact when using the file browser in amarok I couldn't even *see* my m4a files.

My ffmpeg suppots aac and h.264; I have taglib-extras (1.0.1) installed.

rhythmbox displays and plays the files... so I was trying to work out how to get amarok to rediscover my music

For me the solution was to switch to the xine backend. I was using gstreamer.

Strange.

andre_orwell wrote:I was experiencing this problem using Amarok Version 2.3.0 Using KDE 4.4.1 (KDE 4.4.1) running under arch / kdemod. In fact when using the file browser in amarok I couldn't even *see* my m4a files.

My ffmpeg suppots aac and h.264; I have taglib-extras (1.0.1) installed.

rhythmbox displays and plays the files... so I was trying to work out how to get amarok to rediscover my music

For me the solution was to switch to the xine backend. I was using gstreamer.

Strange.

I will try solution with xine backend. About the amarok file browser, does this problem is known (m4a are not display in the file explorer). Do I need to report this problem on bugs.kde.org?

I will try solution with xine backend. About the amarok file browser, does this problem is known (m4a are not display in the file explorer). Do I need to report this problem on bugs.kde.org?

Don't know. To be honest I gave up reporting bugs in Amarok because the devs were just plain rude. Unless you were running an svn / git build they didn't seem to be interested in talking to you. And that interface they've built is such a dogs breakfast

Which is a blatant lie, we spend a lot of time triaging the bugs that are reported, those just need to be reported with a recent version or the current git, but git is in no way mandatory. But hey, if you are not interested in helping to solve bugs...