Mp3 unsupported format

[Peterk]

Hi all,

After downloading a number of mp3's onto my recorder for jamming purposes, some of them don't play and I get a unsupported format message. Any advice?

[launched]

Your MBR only supports the playback mp3 files with bitrates from 64kbps-320kbps (Page 129) at 44.1kHz.

Sometimes I have been unable to play files with a 320kbps bitrate, and sometimes I can. It's a crapshoot with that bitrate.

I believe the MBR only reads/processes a sample rate of 44.1kHz as well.


Hope that helped...

Mark

[Peterk]

Thanks Mark,

I've checked my mp3's and they vary between 64 and 320 kbps and they are all at 44.1 kHz but some of these still give the unsupported format message. I've double checked the sample rate though and they are all at 44.1 kHz

[Tony W]

Thanks Mark,

I've checked my mp3's and they vary between 64 and 320 kbps and they are all at 44.1 kHz but some of these still give the unsupported format message. I've double checked the sample rate though and they are all at 44.1 kHz

Just for fun, pick one that doesn't work, open it up in audacity then export it at 44.1khz. I have found this to work when all else fails.

[Glenn Mitchell]

I have had this compatibility issue fairly often.
I also end up bringing it into some other program and saving it.
I haven't tried Audacity. Nice to know it works.

[64Guitars]

People have been reporting this problem ever since the Micro BR was released. But I've never seen a definite answer to the problem. At first, I thought it was because the Micro BR didn't like Variable Bit Rate (VBR) MP3s, but page 113 of the Micro BR manual says that it can import VBR.

If some of you would like to post some of these incompatible MP3s on SkyDrive or someplace and send me a link, I'll take a look at them and try to determine what they have in common that the Micro BR doesn't like.

I'm assuming that most of these MP3s are protected by copyright, so don't post them here. And don't email them to me or my mailbox will overflow. Instead, find somewhere you can upload them and send me the link via email or PM.

[64Guitars]

Peter, here's what I found about the 5 files you uploaded to SkyDrive:

Filename	Codec	Sample Rate	Bitrate	Bit Rate Mode	Channel Mode
05 - WP.mp3	mpga MPEG-1 Layer 3	44100 Hz	128 kbps	CBR	Joint Stereo
05b - BG.mp3	mpga MPEG-2 Layer 3	22050 Hz	96 kbps	CBR	Joint Stereo
10 - ZZ.mp3	mpga MPEG-1 Layer 3	44100 Hz	192 kbps	CBR	Joint Stereo
11 - ZZ.mp3	mpga MPEG-1 Layer 3	44100 Hz	192 kbps	CBR	Joint Stereo
12 - BB.mp3	mpga MPEG-1 Layer 3	44100 Hz	256 kbps	CBR	Stereo

The only obvious problem is the second file which has a sample rate of 22050 Hz. The Micro BR requires a sample rate of 44100 Hz, so that file would need to be resampled before you could import it into the Micro BR. But all of the other files are 44.1kHz, constant bit rate, and within the acceptable bitrate range of the Micro BR, so they should work.

I'm not certain about the channel mode. It could be that the Micro BR has a problem with Joint Stereo. But that wouldn't explain why the last song doesn't work. As a test, I'm attaching two versions of my "Doctor Who" cover. One is stereo and the other is joint stereo. Try loading each one into your Micro BR and let me know if they both work, or just one.

[Peterk]

Thank you for your time and effort. I've loaded both mp3's and they both work. By the way - brilliant song! all recorded on the Micro? Anyway, I'll resample the one song to get the right sample rate and am assuming that my recorder is just sensitive with the others. What I could do is resample the others to get a 128 bit rate and see if it'll work.

[AcousticSimmie]

Hi PeterK
I am experiencing the same probs, and its really frustrating.  Have tried Audacity with all sorts of settings to no avail
Both of 64s songs worked (and agree they are v good), so maybe just have to look for other mp3s of the same backing tracks and see if they work!!!!

Grrrrrrr

AcousticSimmie

[64Guitars]

I am experiencing the same probs, and its really frustrating.  Have tried Audacity with all sorts of settings to no avail
Both of 64s songs worked (and agree they are v good), so maybe just have to look for other mp3s of the same backing tracks and see if they work!!!!

Both copies of the MP3 that I posted were created in Audacity. Before you export from Audacity, make sure that the Project Sample Rate is set to 44100 Hz (see this message). In the MP3 Options dialog box, set Bit Rate Mode to Constant, and select the desired Quality (higher kbps values give better quality but produce larger files). Other Audacity settings will work too, but those are the settings I used for the two files I posted. So, if you're having trouble, try those settings. The most important is the Project Sample Rate. The Micro BR will not recognize your MP3 unless its sampling rate is 44100 Hz.