m4a files?

[pugsmoo]

This may sound silly
but can someone tell me the difference between m4a files and mp3 cause i can play mp3's on my computer but not m4a
Is there someway of coverting them?
thanks

[Lord of the Rings]

What player are you using? m4a is roughly mp4 or mpg4 audio as a very rough & slightly inaccurate description of them. It's a newer format. Players that can play m4a are 1. iTunes, 2. Quintessential (QCD) after downlding extra plug-in, 3. WinAmp, 5. WMP after downlding the 3ivx codec. And there's plenty more, I'm not sure of the complete list.
See http://www.m4a.com/ for a description of the format. Another place to look is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M4a

[pugsmoo]

I'm using windows player i guess
I usaually hit preview file and it plays for me
I guess i wanna be able to put it on a cd
can they be coverted anyway?

[Lord of the Rings]

WMP will burn them to CD "IF" you have the correct codec. The last thing you want to do is convert one lossy format to another. Lossy formats throw away information to help them reduce in size. So you'd be losing quality to convert from m4a to mp3. But you can convert them. Any of those programs mentioned will be able to do play & convert m4a. I generally use iTunes & it can convert m4a. It can also burn audio cd's. It doesn't rely on codecs to be downlded. iTunes has them built into the program. Why not check it out. Just click the iTunes link I left above.

If you want the codec for wmp to play & burn m4a then go here & get 3ivx http://www.free-codecs.com/download/3ivx.htm

[pugsmoo]

yeah thanks mate
I just downloaded winamp
man is that thing confusing and it still would'nt play the m4a file
is itunes abit easier to use?
that winamp freaked me out abit hey
thanks for your help though
thats super

[Lord of the Rings]

You might need to downld the extra codec/plug-in perhaps for Winamp but I shouldn't think so. Go to the winamp preferences/settings & enable what support you want for it. You'll see m4a or mp4 listed. Some plug-ins I think are only active if you set them to be active. It's been a little while since I've used it.

iTunes, it's less confusing yes. winamp is a little over-whelming at 1st. iTunes just looks like a normal player & when you add files to it, it saves them into its own music library folder & arranges them by artist>album which is what I like about it. Have a look at the sticky about iTunes at the top of this section. It explains how easy it is to add songs. What the heck, since you're a local, lol How to transfer music to my iPod (& iTunes)

[pugsmoo]

hey thanks mate
people like you should be dipped in gold
ya make the expierience better
cheers
I'll buy you a beer at the hobbit bar
seeya