[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by GrumpyOldMan

I understand, and no it would be very easy to do that. But they don't.

However, there are numerous apps that will allow iPhones to load and play WMA files.

I guess I could reverse it and say, would it be so difficult for Microsoft to provide for android users to be able to send and receive using Messages protocol (end to end encrypted text messaging for Apple users.) Apple can send and receive SMS texts, but Andriod can't send Apple Message protocol.

It is what it is. Standardization is a wonderful thing, but tech companies while claiming they support it, seem to always have difficulty with the idea.

I do see that Apple is opening up Facetime (Apple proprietary thing like Zoom) to Windows users. That is a BIG deal. Face time is so much better than Zoom.

Do you know of an app that will allow you to load and play 13,000 songs? The ones I have seen will do a file conversion from WMA to AAC or MP3, but you need to do it one file at a time, and it won't sort them into music albums. Converting 13,000 files would take forever.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Dana1963

Just convert email files to mp3
At lower bit rates, the file sizes of WMA and MP3 are similar. For example, at 64 Kbit/s, a five minute audio file saved in the WMA format is 2.6MB, while the same file saved as an MP3 is 2.4MB. At higher bitrates, however, the MP3 format results in smaller files.

First of all, you need to get a WMA file from CD to your computer. Insert CD and open it with Windows Media Player, click on Tools > Options and select Rip Music tab. Then specify the location you want to rip music to and choose MP3 as the Format. After that, hit OK to proceed.

Thanks. I know how to convert files, but there are two problems. One, converting 13,000 files takes a very long time. The software programs do it one file at a time. And, when you convert that many files, it doesn't sort the music into albums and artists. Also, I disposed of the CDs a long time ago.

[Nucky]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Thanks. I know how to convert files, but there are two problems. One, converting 13,000 files takes a very long time. The software programs do it one file at a time. And, when you convert that many files, it doesn't sort the music into albums and artists. Also, I disposed of the CDs a long time ago.

I'd feel exactly the way you do. Point well taken! That's a Whole Lotta Love, strike that I mean Whole Lotta Music.

[GrumpyOldMan]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Do you know of an app that will allow you to load and play 13,000 songs? The ones I have seen will do a file conversion from WMA to AAC or MP3, but you need to do it one file at a time, and it won't sort them into music albums. Converting 13,000 files would take forever.

I haven't done it on Windows, but here is a free application that seems to batch convert and organize WMAs to MP3

mediamonkey

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by GrumpyOldMan

I haven't done it on Windows, but here is a free application that seems to batch convert and organize WMAs to MP3

mediamonkey

Thanks, I may give it a try. My problem in the past is you need to batch convert the files as one long list of files. But, when you rip CDs using the Microsoft Media Player, it stores the files in folders and subfolders sorted by artist and album, for convenient playback. I don't think a batch converter will deal with files located in computer folders and subfolders.

[JGVillages]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

I agree that it is capitalism. But, would it be so difficult for Apple to make IPhones compatible with the WMA (Windows Media Audio) music file format? I have 13,000 WMA music files that I cannot share with IPhone users. It seems very petty of Apple.

If you had 1million frequent flier miles with American Airlines and Southwest won’t honor those miles, is that petty of Southwest? Many scenarios like this so don’t be so surprised when Companies, that have invested big $$$$$$$ in product development and services, want to keep many of them proprietary.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by JGVillages

If you had 1million frequent flier miles with American Airlines and Southwest won’t honor those miles, is that petty of Southwest? Many scenarios like this so don’t be so surprised when Companies, that have invested big $$$$$$$ in product development and services, want to keep many of them proprietary.

What I find petty is that you can play Apple AAC music files on an Android phone and most other music devices, including Windows devices, but you can't play Windows WMA music files on an IPhone. It's just a file format. So, you can buy music from the Apple Store and play it anywhere, but, if you buy music from somewhere else, Apple will block you from playing it on an IPhone. It's not a give and take.

[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

What I find petty is that you can play Apple AAC music files on an Android phone and most other music devices, including Windows devices, but you can't play Windows WMA music files on an IPhone. It's just a file format. So, you can buy music from the Apple Store and play it anywhere, but, if you buy music from somewhere else, Apple will block you from playing it on an IPhone. It's not a give and take.

Is Apple refusing to support a Windows proprietary format or has Windows (Microsoft) refused to provide Apple with a license to use their format? I really don't know the answer but either one seems just as likely.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Bill14564

Is Apple refusing to support a Windows proprietary format or has Windows (Microsoft) refused to provide Apple with a license to use their format? I really don't know the answer but either one seems just as likely.

Interesting question. Actually, I don't know either. But, I know that I have never had a problem playing my WMA music on any device I have owned, including cars, receivers, CD and DVD players, Android devices, etc. But, IPhones will not play a WMA music file. Also, I think that, when Apple started selling music online, they wanted to restrict their AAC music files to only play on Apple devices, but they have loosened up that restriction.

[Decadeofdave]

Quick fix it story: my fix it neighbor bought a smart tv that lasted 3 years. He researched on the internet and determined the led's were bad. Ordered 25 led's for $12 took off the front of the TV and soldered in new ones, he made it look easy!

[GrumpyOldMan]

Originally Posted by retiredguy123

Interesting question. Actually, I don't know either. But, I know that I have never had a problem playing my WMA music on any device I have owned, including cars, receivers, CD and DVD players, Android devices, etc. But, IPhones will not play a WMA music file. Also, I think that, when Apple started selling music online, they wanted to restrict their AAC music files to only play on Apple devices, but they have loosened up that restriction.

This is not a unique situation with Apple. They often let 3rd party apps fill in jobs like this. It makes sense, then they are not liable to maintain it, and yet, people can still do what they want with the help of a 3rd party app. In fact, they have gotten in trouble (yelled at) in the past when Apple provided solutions they competed with their own developer's apps.

I know that doesn't help you, but you are not an Apple customer, and Apple focuses on its own customers and developers.

I will look a little further to see if I can solve your problem. It will be pretty easy to create a console script that copies all the files into a single folder if that would help. I haven't done Windows scripting in ages, but I will look into it, maybe I can find an App to do it.

EDIT: I did some searching and I found a few threads in the MediaMonkey user forum with users chatting about doing what you want to do. It appears MediaMonkey can convert files in nested subfolders. You may need to select folder trees that only hold a few hundred files at a time to do the conversion - from a time point and memory point of view. But, in one conversation the user converted 500 files in a nested tree structure.

There may be an issue, it appears MM puts all the converted files into a single output folder. So, you may want to covert all of a genre into a folder then another genre into another, or something like that. But, it sounds like it will do what you want. And it is free - so, can't hurt to try it.