PS3 and iTunes AAC encoded music

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nbhms
Posts:4
Joined:Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:19 pm
PS3 and iTunes AAC encoded music

Post by nbhms » Tue Aug 07, 2007 11:24 am

I ripped my classical music collection using iTunes default of AAC mpeg4, so all files are m4a. Using Twonky 4.4, my xbox 360 will see and play the m4a files, but the PS3 lists them all as "unsupported data". What is really odd is the PS3 will read the tags so I can see the artist, album name, etc, if I hit "information", but the song won't play.

From the research I've done, the PS3 is supposed to be able to play iTunes encoded AAC files.

Any ideas?

nbhms
Posts:4
Joined:Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:19 pm

still no solution

Post by nbhms » Fri Aug 10, 2007 9:27 pm

But, the same .m4a files will play when they are put on a USB drive and plugged into the PS3. So it is looking like it is a problem with TwonkyVision . . .

Elric2176
Posts:8
Joined:Wed Aug 15, 2007 2:20 am
Location:Boston, MA, USA

Re: PS3 and iTunes AAC encoded music

Post by Elric2176 » Wed Aug 15, 2007 3:04 am

nbhms wrote:I ripped my classical music collection using iTunes default of AAC mpeg4, so all files are m4a. Using Twonky 4.4, my xbox 360 will see and play the m4a files, but the PS3 lists them all as "unsupported data". What is really odd is the PS3 will read the tags so I can see the artist, album name, etc, if I hit "information", but the song won't play.

From the research I've done, the PS3 is supposed to be able to play iTunes encoded AAC files.

Any ideas?
I have the same problem from my D-Link DNS-323 NAS (PS3 v 1.9 and Twonky 4.4). I can see all the artist, album, size information for my M4A music files, but when I try to play them, I get "Unsupported Data". If I copy them over via the PS3 web browser using the Twonky web interface, they play fine.

I tried renaming the files on the NAS to .MP4, but that didn't help. I can play everything else OK - JPEG pictures, MP4 movies, and MP3 music files.

I haven't seen a definitive statement from anyone on this forum who's been able to play M4A files to a PS3. I am almost done with my 30 day evaluation period, and this problem is keeping me from buying the product.

sir_rath
Posts:1
Joined:Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:45 am

Post by sir_rath » Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:48 am

I've got the same problem, using an icybox NAS2000 with Twonky 4.4 installed and a PS3 FW 1.93. Everything works fine, exept the m4a files, created in iTunes. Via USB they work. Has anybody tried any other encoder than iTunes? Has anybody tried an older build of Twonky?

oconnelm
Posts:1
Joined:Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:38 pm

Post by oconnelm » Thu Oct 25, 2007 2:51 pm

Having this issue too, running QNAP TS201 with twonky 4.4 / PS3 Latest Firmware. Looks like there is an issue with the way the PS3 handles the containers
Having done some testing, when the file is iTunes encoded WAV, only the title of the song appears when looking at the song info on the PS3, and shows the dreaded "Unsupported Data".
When the file is iTunes encoded AAC, (.m4a), the song information is more populated, ( Artist, Album, Song Title, Genre ), but still does not read the other tags ( codec / encoding, etc ).
Have tested playing back the iTunes encoded AAC when on the local hard drive, this works fine. Have yet to test WAV encoded iTunes locally, but imagine this works too. The MP3 encoded test files stream fine from the NAS, so my guess has to be either Twonky is not presenting the container info to the PS3, or the encoded info is not understood by the PS3. I'd opt for the later, as WMP can see/play the same files fine.
Can anyone confirm this is the case, and if anyone has managed to get this working? I'd imagine we need to find out what the PS3 is expecting to find under which tags, and how this differs between the locally stored iTunes AAC encoded copy and the streamed one!!
Any help is appreciated!!

arnljot
Posts:1
Joined:Sat Nov 10, 2007 4:02 am

Same problem

Post by arnljot » Sat Nov 10, 2007 4:06 am

The music is listed as "Incompatible Data", it's M4a (AAC) music bought from iTunes (it's iTunes PLUS thus DRM free).

If I copy it from the web interface of my D-Ling DNS323 NAS then the file will play, but there is no information except the file name...

coderus
Posts:4
Joined:Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:43 pm

Post by coderus » Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:54 pm

Was there any solution to this, as this a major problem for me as I don't want to re-encode my iTunes library.

It would seem like a problem with Twonky Server, as putting the same music files on a USB pen drive work's fine on the PS3.

PlayTEX
Posts:1
Joined:Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:11 pm

Same problem, but works with Vista Media Server

Post by PlayTEX » Thu Nov 22, 2007 12:35 pm

I have encountered the same problem. I have been trying out various DNLA certified servers to stream all my digital content (Photos, Movies & Pictures) seemlessley to my PS3 via gigabit ethernet. Twonky is the best so far when it comes to management, speed both streaming throughput and navigation. The only issue is that my iTunes library (AAC .M4A files) is recognised but not playable.

Interestingly however if you install an appropriate M4A codec onto the PC where you run your server from and use Windows Media Server to stream M4A content the PS3 works and plays these files. This seems to indicate that this is a Twonky specific issue. Twonky need to be informed here.

As an aside...

For those of you who are interested PS3 firmware release 2.00 included and update to .MP4 video support to add AAC 5.1 surround sound. To fully take advantage of this you need an amp with a HDMI input as in effect the audio is uncompressed LPCM (as per some BluRay Discs) and the only way to get this is via HDMI. If you only have an optical setup the PS3 downsamples to stereo. (this is not all that bad however especially if you have a surround amp that can emulate Dolby Pro Logic). One caveat is that i did find that with PS3 firmware 2.0 the .1 bass channel had a continious rumble... probably an error in the PS3 decoding. I have not tried with the latest 2.01 firmware release that came out last night.

It does mean however that if your not pushed for server space you can encode and upscale standard dvd's to H.264 720p resolution with 5.1 AAC audio. The most reliable way / easiest way i have found so far is simply to use Nero Recode to create what they call NeroAVC files with the cinema profile. (custom settings for crop, video bit rate 4.01mps is good, and audio bit rate, LC 512kbit is also good, 2 pass encoding, best quality decision speed). With this i have achieved an audio and video quality similar to that of a DVD upscaled on the fly in about 4GB of space.

Elric2176
Posts:8
Joined:Wed Aug 15, 2007 2:20 am
Location:Boston, MA, USA

4.4.3 Beta 1 allows PS3 to play my M4A files

Post by Elric2176 » Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:19 pm

I installed the Beta, and now my AAC .M4A files play fine. (I also have PS3 system 2.0 installed; I don't know if that makes a difference.)
D-Link DNS-323 NAS; PS3 (v1.9)

coderus
Posts:4
Joined:Wed Nov 21, 2007 5:43 pm

Post by coderus » Sat Nov 24, 2007 8:58 pm

Thanks, I also got an email from Twonky Support also reporting the same, so Finger's crossed that there will be an offical update soon. As I'm using a QNAP Server TS-109 Pro, so will need QNAP to update their firmware to this new offical Twonky Server version.

charily
Posts:1
Joined:Thu Jun 04, 2009 12:41 pm
AV Hardware:TECH ON

Re: PS3 and iTunes AAC encoded music

Post by charily » Sat Jun 06, 2009 10:51 am

8gb Transcend pen drive. It is detected by most computers but now cannot be opened. What can be done?
My Transcend pen drive was working fine, but now no computer (I have now tried several) can actually open it and see any of the data. Is there any way I can recover that data? I have searched various forums and amazingly I have found no answer.
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