Confused, does iTunes convert WMA files or not?

Hi,

I have looked on Apple Support and read every reference they give to converting importing music files. I read the MacSwitchers Guide on the subject. I did a search of this forum and read a few posts on the subject and nothing seems to be helping.

I have just switched to a MBPro, I have a whole Windows Media Player full of music files. I am trying to be finished as soon as possible with making the switch between my old machine and this new Mac and it has become problematic and time consuming. I did fine with importing music from the CDs I had in the house, but I have a lot of WMA files that I don't want to give up. It would take me months to find sources for all those files to import them again.

I have read that the iTunes converts the WMA files. I emailed a few music files from the WMedia Player to the Mac. They showed up in the mail, I clicked on save. It downloaded it as a text file, without the mp3 logo on the front of the saved file, just a blank. I tried to import it to the iTunes. Went to Preferences looked at advanced/import and it was set to AAC encoder. Which is what the directions in Support gave. I went to Import and selected the file and nothing.

Now I am reading posts about people downloading mp3 converter software, and others saying no you don't need it, iTunes converts. ???

Apple keeps saying how user friendly they are about compatibility between windows and mac machines, and to some extent I agree, but why can't they give you clear specific instructions to move your windows media files over to the Mac? I think it is safe to assume that most people switching from a win pc to a Mac are bringing windows media files with them. It should be easier and clearer than this.

I'm sorry if I am sounding frustrated, I am! lol Grrr! I am putting in tons of time and just not getting it done. I am just a little disappointed that moving from one machine to the other has not been as easy as outlined in their literature. Partly because of problems with my old machine, but..I seem to be running into an obstacle at every turn and spending way too much time on this, when I have to get back to what I need to be doing.

Can anyone see where I am going wrong?

Thanks
adam

 

Itunes WILL convert for you. There must have been a problem with the email attaching, just like you cannot send .exe file, music sharing may also be taken off it.

Try an external harddrive or flash stick to bring music over to the mac, OR even install itunes on you windows pc/laptop first then import music to itunes on that pc with the converter set to mp3/aac.

When i first bought an Ipod I had over 1000+ songs to convert from wma to mp3/aac in itunes, it took over 2-3+ hours to convert them all in itunes, its very time consuming.

Hope this helps

 

I'm pretty sure iTunes on a Mac doesn't convert WMA files. Only iTunes on Windows can do that. I recommend you use ffmpegX to convert WMA files to something else.

 

^ I think so too. iTunes on a Mac is inert with respect to WMA files. (I don't know about iTunes on PC)

You can try the program Switch to convert from WMA to several other file types, though.

 

Do not let the iTunes encoder convert to AAC type format. That is their protected format that only iTunes can use, so if you want to move that music elsewhere like on another comp and open it in another music player, you won't be able to. Also, keep ALL your files in MP3 format, best universal format and saves a lot of space and you can encode it at a good quality kbps.

I suggest you convert all of your WMA files on your PC to MP3 format before sending them over to your mac.

 

in the future, keep all your files as mp3.

convert from wma to mp3 on your pc, then send the files to your mac. you want a program that can do batch encoding and just get everything converted.

 

Good afternoon

Well, while I was waiting for responses this morning, I managed to get a flash drive that worked with both my Dell and the Mac. I tried moving them over and converting them with the help of Apple tech support. We managed to add tracks to the library, but it wasn't until about a half hour later, that I realized the number it transferred was way off and files that were on the Flash Drive did not show up in the iTunes library.

On closer examination of the Windows Media Library, those that transferred over were mp3s only. Those that were in the wma format did not. Which was 2/3s of them.

I had evidently changed the setting to import in the mp3 format to the WMPlayer at some point, but haven't done much importing since changing it.

So...Apple tech is a little confused. They thought it didn't convert, then a supervisor said it did but unless I was given incorrect instructions, it still didn't.

But at least I can now move my files from one machine to the other. That is progress..lol. Apple tech suggested I download a freeware that would allow me to 'play' music with QuickTime on the Mac. *sigh*. I don't want to just play it, I want to store and organize it. And who wants to have some files on one program and others on another?

So, I should download the converter to the Dell and use it to convert all the wma files and then move them to the Apple. Ok...is there just the one choice of converters...ffmpegx... and is this one the best?

Thank you all for the information. Can't believe Apple Tech gave me two conflicting reports on whether I could convert in the iTunes. It is strange bc in the menu bar of iTunes, there is an option to choose to convert, but the file has to be in the library first and it won't add it if it is an wma file. Very odd. I almost have to wonder if they are deliberately trying not to advertise the fact that you can't play wma files on iTunes?

adam

 

BTW, it appears there is a Mac version of that converter to download, but I need a windows version if I am using it on the winpc to convert before moving, right?

adam

 

That's not true. AAC is part of the MPEG-4 standard... it's not an Apple thing. There are other companies' programs and devices that can handle AAC. And it doesn't take up more disk space than mp3 either. However, it is much less widely-supported than mp3, so if you want compatibility with the largest set of programs and devices, mp3 is the way to go.

 

Hi,

Yes, I do realize the different formats of music file. What I was referring to was that the actual freeware that has been suggested for using to convert the music files, appears to me to be a program that operates on a Win PC not necessarily an Apple Mac. So I am wondering, if I download it to the WinPC to convert the files, then all I have to do is move them to the Apple at that point. The program 'ffmpegx' appears to operate on a MAC machine and wondering if I can download it to my old Dell to convert the files?

I have also had other freeware programs suggested for doing this conversion of files...anyone have any opinions on these?

winamp
Media Monkey
dBpoweramp
JetAudioBasic

I would like to feel that these would be safe downloads that won't introduce any malware to my computers.

Thanks
adam

 

I don't really know what you want to do, but you can convert those WMA files to mp3 in Windows or Mac. If your new Mac happens to have better specs than the Windows machine, you can get the job done faster by converting to mp3 in OS X. For that I recommend that you use ffmpegX like I suggested before. Also you could always convert in Windows and then bring those files over to the Mac. To do that I recommend you use SUPER.

 

As I suggested earlier but i didn't eplain...
heres step by step;

Install Itunes on your Windows system.
Open Itunes and;
goto Edit>Preferences> Advanced TAB> Importing TAB
set Import Using: to MP3 Encoder
click OK

Then goto File> Add Folder to Library...
then select the folder which contains your music

Now Itunes will import the whole folder of music and convert all WMA to MP3 within Itunes and without having to use any 3rd party converters.

When the WMA song is converted, you will notice that it has created a completely new song in MP3 format in the new 'Itunes Music' folder within DOCUMENTS>MUSIC, you have the choice to manually delete the old WMA file.

Now all your music will be in MP3 format, a format in which your Mac system can undertand. Grab your external Harddrive / flash memory stick and copy the new Itunes Music Folder from you Windows system, over to your Mac system

 

Hello...

I really have no preference for where I convert the wma files. Yes, the specs on the Apple are better than the Dell for sure, but I am still a little leary about downloading freeware to the Apple. I don't care very much on the old Dell, since it will be being wiped clean soon. Since I am a real newbie with the Apple, I feel I don't know enough about it yet to decide how safe freeware is. I did try to look up reviews of the ffmpegX shareware, but didn't find anything. No user ratings anywhere either, although I didn't do an exhaustive search.

I did read a few articles on the safety of downloading freeware. I ran across an article from PCWorld maybe? about the Best freeware out there as suggested by their staff...what they use. In the article, the author relates a story of how he contracted a Trojan from one of the freewares that he downloaded, that he had a very very hard time getting off his system. He used everything under the sun and it kept coming back at boot up.

I tried downloading a freeware from the Apple site last night, thinking they must be pretty careful to check what they are giving to people. Unfortunately, I was in such a rush, that I didn't read the description well enough and after downloading it, realized it wouldn't convert the WMAs anyway..[g]. So I took the day off from thinking about it today and tomorrow will start back up to figuring it all out.

I see Tony suggests I install iTunes onto my Dell to convert the WMAs? Not exactly sure how I get the iTunes from the Apple to the Dell? Sorry, I have had little experience with doing anything more than turning the laptop on and using it. [g] A situation I am determined to change.

So, you are not suggesting I 'move' the iTunes to the windows machine, correct? Am I supposed to make a copy of the application and move it over to the Dell with the flash drive?

I'd be willing to try that idea of putting the iTunes onto the Dell and converting the files then moving them to the Apple, but how does a Mac software work on a windows OS?

adam

 

you can download iTunes for Windows: http://www.apple.com/itunes/download/

 

Yippee! Thanks hoimin!! I know what I am doing tomorrow..lol