MP4 to M4A

[rtjnyoface]

How can we go about remuxing an mp4 file (that is nothing but audio) to m4a?

[nurbs]

Rename it.

[rtjnyoface]

Yah I found that in the archives but it didn't work. Just rename it to .m4a right?

[nurbs]

What didn't work? What device/software do you want to use for playback?

[nixo]

You can try remuxing with mp4box. From http://gpac.sourceforge.net/doc_mp4box.php:

"If the destination file extension is .m4a, MP4Box will automatically setup the proper informations needed by iTunes."

--
Nikolaj

[rtjnyoface]

MP4box have another gui other than yamb? Yamb won't remux to m4a (only mp4).

[rtjnyoface]

What didn't work? What device/software do you want to use for playback?

just renaming the file to {whatever}.m4a didn't work. It did not change to an m4a file. I play on using an ipod shuffle but will use it on my pc as well (which I don't have any issues playing it on my pc).

[SeeMoreDigital]

just renaming the file to {whatever}.m4a didn't work.It works perfectly for me. You must be doing something else wrong!

[nurbs]

There are no .m4a files. m4a is just an extension apple uses to denote mp4 files that only contain audio. Some software won't transfer aac in mp4 to the right folders in audio players when they don't have an .m4a extension and I thought that was your problem.

Since you are using an ipod the problem is that they sometimes don't play standard mp4 files thanks to apple. The problem is probably with itunes since the ipod (at least the touch/iphone) is able to play files that itunes won't let you transfer just fine if you use other software to get them onto the device. You can try to use megui to remux them. In the muxing window there is a dropdown that lets you select an ipod compatible muxing mode. If you have a lot of files using megui is probably to much effort and you are better of just writing a .bat file (calling mp4box) that does it for you.

edit:
IIRC one of the older versions of the neroAAC encoder produced files that didn't work on the ipod. That could also be the problem.

[b66pak]

@rtjnyoface if you must do it then try this:

mp4box -add myaudioonly.mp4 -new mynewaudioonly.m4a
_

[rtjnyoface]

Some software won't transfer aac in mp4 to the right folders in audio players when they don't have an .m4a extension and I thought that was your problem.

My issue is not hardware playback. Someone asked what I would be using it with so I responded. I just wanted to rename all the audio files that I had encoded to mp4.

There are no .m4a files. m4a is just an extension apple uses to denote mp4 files that only contain audio.

:). Yes, I understand this.
You can try to use megui to remux them. In the muxing window there is a dropdown that lets you select an ipod compatible muxing mode.

What? I found no option to do so in the tools->muxer functionality. I know you can choose the format when you encode it but I've found no option to mux it into m4a.

If you have a lot of files using megui is probably to much effort and you are better of just writing a .bat file (calling mp4box) that does it for you.

Actually, I've been using simple neroenc gui. I've been using it to make mp4 audio files but was unaware that there was an option to make the extension m4a. It has batch processing as well :). Simple mistake since up to date I've only needed mp4 files that I encoded with megui for my movies. Only recently did I purchase an ipoo.

IIRC one of the older versions of the neroAAC encoder produced files that didn't work on the ipod. That could also be the problem.

I was aware of this from a post in the archive but I'm using the latest release and from what I read in the archive post the nero folks fixed it. IDK as I've yet to use my ipod :) (I tried my best to stay away from Apple as long as possible :)).

That still doesn't give me a reason as to why my files wouldn't change when I renamed them. Hm...I'm still curious but I've found the extension option in simple neroeenc.

[nurbs]

My issue is not hardware playback. Someone asked what I would be using it with so I responded. I just wanted to rename all the audio files that I had encoded to mp4.
I have not the slightest clue what your problem is. You have mp4 with only audio. Renaming them to m4a doesn't work for what you are doing, but using a tool that automatically uses the m4a extension does even though this is the same as renaming since you are using the same encoder. You can play them on the PC. You have an ipod, but hardware playback isn't the problem.
Anyway I guess it's not important anymore since you have solved it.

Megui version whatever.1056 offers the ipod muxing.

[rtjnyoface]

I have not the slightest clue what your problem is

Haha. Ya it has become quite confusing I'm sure. My initial issue was that I had some mp4 audio files with the file extension mp4. I wanted to mux them into m4a so that I would be able to use my ipod. Simply renaming them should have worked but it didn't.

Megui version whatever.1056 offers the ipod muxing.

I'm using 1056. I see no option of that sort in the megui muxer.

[nurbs]

Maybe I mixed up the version number, but it's definitly there. I'm away from the PC I use for encoding on weekends so I can't check the correct number right now.

[rtjnyoface]

Excuse me. You were correct. I was looking for m4a/ipod muxer or something but it is in the mp4 muxer. But even then it only makes mp4 files, not m4a. Does that matter with ipods?

[Keiyakusha]

But even then it only makes mp4 files, not m4a. Does that matter with ipods?

It seems you still don't understand that m4a and mp4 is the same thing. This is just different name. It doesn't affect the file itself in any way. Sure, for ipod you probably should mux with some special settings and Apple likes m4a extension more, but you can't say "makes mp4 but not m4a"

[rtjnyoface]

It seems you still don't understand that m4a and mp4 is the same thing. This is just different name. It doesn't affect the file itself in any way.

I bloody understand that.

or ipod you probably should mux with some special settings and Apple likes m4a extension more

That's exactly my point. I know it doesn't change the file itself.

but you can't say "makes mp4 but not m4a"

Ya I understand that as well but didn't know how else to say it. Give me the proper manner in which to explain myself next time instead of criticizing my wording. I just started using m4a for my ipod therefore I know little about the specs needed for making an ipod compatible file.

[Keiyakusha]

rtjnyoface
Ahh sorry then. My English not allowing me to understand that you understand! :o
I think you can say "It can't create ipod-compatible files" or something like that.

[Paulcat]

I think you hit the nail on the head in response #11 when you called it an ipoo!