Topic: Downloaded music format question

[EV607797]

I know this isn't related to any of our categories, so I just picked the closest one.  I know there's someone here who might understand this stuff.

I recently treated myself to a new (used) car that has a USB port for audio input.  I made the assumption that I could save my recorded music onto a thumb drive and listen away, but not so.  At least so far.  If my stereo system even attempts to play one, it usually gives an audible message indicating that the media is not supported.

Much of the music that I have is from YouTube and saved in the MP4 format.  I'm pretty sure that this format is part of the problem, since the files include the audio and video associated with the song.  I made the assumption that the video part was causing the system to reject the files, so I located an MP4 to MP3 converter and tried it out on a few albums.  In this instance, the system didn't even try to play it, to include no audible message after converting the files to MP3.

I did manage to get two albums recorded onto a DVD-RW to play, but there's no functionality, such as FF, Rewind, skip, etc.  Just play and stop.

This MP4 converter tool allows files to be converted to a variety of different file formats.  The system in the car has a logo on it indicating "Powered by Microsoft", so I'm sure that this is a case of their prohibiting bootlegging music.  Is that the case in my situation?

Note that it DOES allow me to connect my iPhone to this USB port and play the same YouTube music.

Is there a different format I should try for saving audio-only files on the USB drive that doesn't include any identifying header information?

[hbiss]

It's always going to be mp3. Mp3 is an audio file. You are downloading a video which is mp4 (an audio and video format file). I don't know how you can even convert mp4 to mp3. Apples and oranges. You are going to have to strip off the audio and save that as an mp3.

What did you use to download the YouTube mp4s? Most downloaders like Video Download Helper won't work, however VLC will.  If you want to know how let me know. Also check out 4K Video Downloader because VLC may not always go to even 1080P.

I see that VLC Media player will strip off the audio from an mp4. It's something I have had on my machines for years. Here's a video that explains how to do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nij0s8RUki0

Oh, one more thing- once you have your mp3's you should be able to click on them and play them on your computer. Quick way to make sure they work. Then put them into the root of the USB flash drive.

Another thing to check is what formatting of the flash drive the Microsoft Sync expects. Many audio players want FAT32 and many flash drives come NTFS, player won't read it. If so you will have to reformat it before you put anything on it. I think I had to use an external formatter to format a drive larger than 4GB FAT32 but that was before I had WIN 10. I don't know if WIN 10 can do it, you won't know until you try.

ETA: Just checked, it does need to be FAT32. Maybe that's why what you have won't play? Do they play off the USB drive on your computer now?

-Hal

[EV607797]

Bravo, Hal!  I knew I'd find the knowledge here, just like with about anything else.

I've downloaded VLC and it definitely looks to be exactly what I'm looking for.  I converted a few albums and loaded them on a USB drive.  I'll check back and let you know how it goes.

Many thanks for the guidance.

[MacGyver]

Mp3 is not a lossless format, but for the most part it isn't going to matter.  Like Hal, for cross platform compatibility, it's mp3 all the way.

[hbiss]

Mp3 is not a lossless format, but for the most part it isn't going to matter.

Well, you could save them as .WAV but don't expect to get nearly as many in a drive. .MP3 is the standard unless you are going to listen to them on something where you can hear the difference.

And at my age I'm lucky to hear it at all. 

-Hal

[MacGyver]

Mp3 is not a lossless format, but for the most part it isn't going to matter.

Well, you could save them as .WAV but don't expect to get nearly as many in a drive. .MP3 is the standard unless you are going to listen to them on something where you can hear the difference.

-Hal

True, and there are other issues.  I'm with you, Hal.  mp3 all the way.  Even on Apple I wouldn't go with their proprietary format.  It just causes platform issues later if you move to another device. 

[hbiss]

I've downloaded VLC and it definitely looks to be exactly what I'm looking for.

That thing will do things I haven't even found out about.

-Hal

[EV607797]

One thing that I did find during this was that with Windows 10, downloading the VLC program via the Windows Store gives you a player-only version.  You must bypass this "feature" or switch out of S mode in order to get the real thing.  I couldn't get anything like what they were showing in the how-to video and now I know why.

[hbiss]

https://www.videolan.org/index.html

No idea what you got. ALWAYS download from the original software site because the second party downloaders sometimes tack on other stuff and that could include spyware and viruses. You should have the 64 bit version also.

-Hal

[Marc Haycook]

My Ford plays WMA files, which is a Microsoft Codec. I'll look at the various convertors I have stashed in my archives. The WMA files are a little bigger than the MP3s, but they sound better.

I started archiving audio to MP3 in the late 90s. When the cost of drives came down, I moved to uncompressed WAV files.

The earlier MP3s just sit in a folder, likely to never be touched again. Every now and then, I find out I don't have a song in WAV and I go back to that MP3 folder because I likely have it as an MP3.

I can still hear the difference between the various codecs. In fact, now that I've started streaming - I really got back into the various codecs. It's amazing how things have changed over the years. As I'm finishing the station's web site, I 'll be offering two different audio streams... one is a 32kbps stream encoded using HE-AACv2 and the other stream is a 320kbps stream encoded using MP3. Both streams sound very good, but the MP3 stream is as close as I can get to what you hear on the actual radio broadcast. The "effects" added to the AACv2 stream make it sound good on an iPhone, but it doesn't sound as good when it's coming through some good speakers in a car or home.

Now I need to learn about digital transmitters. If all goes well with the LMA, I'll own the radio station at the end of the year and I'll be upgrading the signal and that means a new transmitter.

Wow... that got side-tracked. Sorry Ed... I saw a squirrel. :-)

I'll see what various convertors I still have and get back to you.

I do have a great piece of software for doing bulk tag editing. As you're doing things, if you save the songs as "Artist Name - Title of Song" it can pull that information from the windows folder structure and then rebuild the tags with proper formatting.

[EV607797]

Well, no joy with the USB drive that I loaded a few albums in MP3 format using the VLC converter.  Nothing happened at all, as in the sysetm not recognizing it all other than detecting the drive being inserted.

The VLC converter that Hal suggested doesn't offer many formats and WMA is definitely not one of them.  Marc, I"m open to anything you might come across, but if I can't get anyting to work, I will just have to accept it and plug my iPhone in.  I was just hoping for something a bit neater and more graceful to operate.

[telemarv]

Stupid question, have you consulted the owners manual? It usually has an extensive section on the entertain centres available. I had a Dodge Journey that required the files to be uploaded to the built in hard drive. Also be sure you select "Source" as media.

[hbiss]

Well, no joy with the USB drive that I loaded a few albums in MP3 format using the VLC converter.  Nothing happened at all, as in the sysetm not recognizing it all other than detecting the drive being inserted.

Okay. Let's take this step-by-step.

"The system" meaning your computer?
Where did you tell VLC to save the mp3 files to? That should be a folder on your C drive. Pick one, make a new one- Ed's music. Where VLC saves by default I don't remember, probably C:\users\Ed\my music. I would change it to someplace you can find.

Once you do that and save some files to that folder, go to it and play some on your computer. They should play using something you have. VLC will play them if you get that option.

Now, insert your USB drive and copy those files to it. Now, see if you can play them from the USB drive.

Now, as I said before, the USB drive must be formatted with FAT32 for the Ford Sync to be able to read it. Open that drive and click on Properties up in the tool bar. Right there under "file system" it will say what it is. If it's exFAT leave it alone because I think that because it's a newer version of FAT32 and supposed to be compatible see if Sync recognizes it.

If it's NTFS you can reformat it to exFAT, and that is available under drive tools under the green
"Manage".

If after doing that exFAT won't work with Sync let me know and I will direct you to a utility that will format FAT32 on drives larger than 9GB.

I really don't know why you are having these problems. I have mp3 MOH and AA announcements sent to me all the time and I have no problem working with them.

I will admit though that I have never tried playing files from a USB drive with Ford Sync. Let me look and see if there is any special folder requirement or it will just start with the first file in the root.

Edit: Nope, not seeing anything special in any owner's manual on on-line. I do see people saying exFAT will work.

-Hal



 

[TexasTechnician]

As mentioned FAT 32 is a key requirement that I've discovered for using USB drives for music. You don't need any fancy software to format a USB for FAT 32. Windows 10 will give you the option when formatting the drive.

[EV607797]

I did skip one step, Hal.  That was that I saved the converted file directly to the USB drive instead of saving it in a new file on my PC first.  The USB drive I'm using is definitely formatted for FAT32 and I am able to play directly from it to my PC.  When I said "system", I was referring to my car's stereo system (I'm not sure what today's terminology is for them).  I have copied one album onto a new USB drive and will give it another go tomorrow.  Thanks to everyone for keeping an eye on this subject for me.