I have two m250s and one MP3 refuses to play on the v. 4.x firmware version. It’s seen there, seems to load but before I hear anything the player switches to a different MP3 and plays it instead. Should I reformat the player? Other than this one problem, I’m unaware of issues. If I do want to reformat, what is the best way to do that?
I reformatted the v. 4.x player and added back a bunch of files. This time it opens the file it had problems with before but it won’t play it. Silence, no time progress indicated. So, I took the file and used a freeware utility (mp3trackmaker 1.2) and chopped off the first 5 seconds or so (they were superfluous… it’s a portion of a radio broadcast), and the resulting file is playing OK. My guess is there was something in the header information of the MP3 file that the v 4.x player was choking on. 
Message Edited by Muse on 07-25-2008 11:35 AM
@muse wrote:
My guess is there was something in the header information of the MP3 file that the v 4.x player was choking on.
Message Edited by Muse on 07-25-2008 11:35 AM
I have a similar problem. I have a podcast that I routinely download that runs about 35 minutes but the m250 thinks it’s only 10 minutes long. It will play the whole thing if I let it run from start to finish. I’m going to try slicing it into sections of 10 minutes and see if that makes the m250 a little happier.
The MP3 files I usually play on my m250s are ones I create myself, recording them off a receiver (FM) using a PC utility called Total Recorder (not free, but under $20, and quite convenient). I use Constant Bitrate, not Variable Bitrate, because some players have problems at times with variable bitrate MP3s. They might play them but sometimes they have problems realizing Time info, so I play it safe and use Constant Bitrate instead. Since you’re downloading podcasts, it might be trickier for you to work around the problems, but there’s a good chance you can, I figure.
@muse wrote:
The MP3 files I usually play on my m250s are ones I create myself, recording them off a receiver (FM) using a PC utility called Total Recorder (not free, but under $20, and quite convenient).
As long as we are promoting our favorite recording software, I am a big fan of the Applian products for recording streaming audio and downloading podcasts. I have no financial interest in the company; I’m just a very satisfied customer.
I should add that I’m in no way affiliated with Total Recorder, which is a product of High Criteria. I haven’t tried other such products but it does what I need it to do very well. There’s a Professional version that has more bells and whistles and some of the things you see talked about in the Help only work with the professional version. I use the standard version. They update it regularly and never ask me for more money. I can’t say the same for my email client, Forte Agent. It’s way more convenient and feature packed than the freeware utilities I was using before. I’m a guy who rarely buys software if he can find a free version that will do the job. It was recommended to me on a newsgroup. I am very pleased with the program.
Streaming audio is something I’ve tried to record a time or two with mixed success, nothing to brag about. It is definitely something I may want to do a lot of, though. Thanks for the recommendation.
Message Edited by Muse on 07-25-2008 04:43 PM
Message Edited by Muse on 07-26-2008 12:43 PM
