A better media player?

[John Connor]

I have VLC and it doesn't allow you to play m4a's. I need something that can play m4a's and be able to select all the music files and play them. Currently I'm using WMP and it plays M4a's but when you select multiple files and right click | Play some songs will play then it will stop. Selecting Add to play list in the context menu allows all the songs to be played straight through. Then stupid WMP will pause for a second towards the end of a song and play again because it's on shuffle.

Edit- VLC does play M4a's, but you don't have the context menu option to select multiple songs. You can select multiple MP3s though.

Edit2- I guess you can go into VLC and under File chose multiple files. I'd rather have it in the context menu though.

Or better yet. Is there a batch convertor to convert m4as to MP3s?

 

[onething]

http://www.foobar2000.org/
Does everything you want for audio.

 

[John Connor]

Foobar doesn't add a context menu and if I want to play the files in a folder I have to selct them in the program. It's similar to VLC. When in randomization mode the current track's properties and name don't appear.

 

[John Connor]

I just grabbed an app called M4A to MP3 Convertor and in the process of converting to MP3's. This should make WMP play the audio files better...I hope. We shall see...

Caution to those that may download M4A to MP3 Convertor. It is AD supported so when you install chose custom install. It will do this like three or four times. When the app launches you will see an AD on the top which is fine so long as it doesn't install crap.

 

[oynaz]

I think you misunderstood onething - he really meant everything. Including m4a to mp3 conversion.
So you can safely kick out m4a to mp3 converter

 

[MrColin]

Foobar doesn't add a context menu and if I want to play the files in a folder I have to selct them in the program. It's similar to VLC. When in randomization mode the current track's properties and name don't appear.

Yes it does, you can adjust the setting at install time or by going to the "Shell Integration" subtree of the preferences dialog. Assuming that by context menu you mean the right click menu in Win Explorer.

 

[jkauff]

Yes it does, you can adjust the setting at install time or by going to the "Shell Integration" subtree of the preferences dialog. Assuming that by context menu you mean the right click menu in Win Explorer.

The context menu install requires running foobar as Administrator, otherwise it doesn't "stick".

 

[sweenish]

Converting lossy to lossy is a terrible idea. Any pretense of preserving audio quality must not be high on your list. But you're also using VLC to listen to music. While serviceable, it's no one's first choice.

And at least you figured out that VLC plays the files; that was the first thing I was going to say.

 

[TheRyuu]

Converting lossy to lossy is a terrible idea.

First this. I fail to see how changing formats (aac -> mp3) is going to help your situation any.

Second, have you tried foobar2000? Because it sounds like you didn't try it enough. You can also drag and drop files from an explorer window into foobar's playlist and it will load and play them. I would make sure it's installed for everybody (as administrator) and you might have to run it once for the shell associations to get set.

 

[John Connor]

My original problem was the context menu. I liked how in WMP I can highlight all the tracks and right click and chose play. Even with Foobar and VLC I can't do that. I converted the file from M4A to MP3 and I stiil can't right click and play in VLC. I have to launch VLC and select the files. I just want to right click and play. I'm also hearing a slight pause when I chose randomize in WMP when it gets ready to play the next song. I want to avoid that. How do I get Foobar to have a right click context menu? I kept the original M4A files and when I converted to MP3 I chose 192 bit.

 

[jkauff]

How do I get Foobar to have a right click context menu?

Run the program as Administrator, then go to File|Preferences|Shell Integration and check the appropriate boxes.

 

[John Connor]

I did exactly what you said and this is all I have. No option. Oddly VLC has the option, but if I chose more than 16 songs right click doesn't show VLC as a player option.

Edit- I just upgraded VLC and still can't select more that 16 songs using the context menu.

 

[DigDog]

wait.

are we sure vlc cant play (insert audio/video format here) ?

pretty sure it can and/or there's a plugin for that.

 

[sweenish]

I would honestly just re-think the way you listen to music. Navigating a dedicated music player's library will not be slower than navigating your library using file explorer.

This is just an overly complicated process for no good reason.

 

[jkauff]

foobar gives you two context menu entries, "Play in foobar2000" and "Enqueue in foobar2000". These work on files and folders both.

Are you sure you launched foobar by right-clicking and choosing "Run as Administrator"? Works perfectly for me.

 

[John Connor]

Are you sure you launched foobar by right-clicking and choosing "Run as Administrator"? Works perfectly for me.

Yep! Maybe I should just install the damn thing as Admin too?! I have had some weird things happen with this laptop. I can't install Windows Movie Maker foir win 7 in here for example. I have UAC off BTW.

 

[John Connor]

Well, I thought perhaps DEP (Data Execution Prevention) was the problem since I had it set to all programs except those that I chose. I switched it back to essential programs, installed Foobar as Admin, opened foobar as Admin and set the context menu option and still nothing! I even uninstalled and ran Ccleaner and System Ninja and cleaned everything up and reinstalled and nothing. What's funny is that the registry keys for the context menu show up as old in Ccleaner after I uninstall. So I know the reg files for context are being set. Maybe I've run out of context menu room? Look at all the crap I have in post #12.

 

[thedosbox]

foobar gives you two context menu entries, "Play in foobar2000" and "Enqueue in foobar2000". These work on files and folders both.

Are you sure you launched foobar by right-clicking and choosing "Run as Administrator"? Works perfectly for me.

I only had to run as administrator for the initial setup. The context menu appears to a standard user thereafter.