iTunes 5.0 Special Report: iTunes encoded tracks not playing correctly in other applications

CNET staff

Sept. 2, 2009 7:52 a.m. PT

2 min read

Jason Smalley reports an issue where AAC tracks encoded with iTunes do not play properly in other applications -- in particular they stop about three-quarters of the way through.

Jason writes:

"I have a crazy 'bug' for lack of a better word. CD's and books encoded with Quicktime 7.0.1 and iTunes 4.9 play just fine in both iTunes and all Quicktime aware applications (Quicktime Player, iMovie, etc). Now with iTunes 5.0 and Quicktime 7.0.2 things are completely messed up. Books and CDs encoded with the terrible twosome play fine in iTunes, but in all other Quicktime aware applications, they only play to 72% of their total time. For example, A chapter from an audiobook (ripped as a single track with Join CD) plays for 48:09 in iTunes as one would expect, but if you play it in either Quicktime Player or iMovie, it only plays for the first 34:56. All subsequent data is gone. This gives a value of 72.5511% of original. You are probably saying what is with this 72% number. I really don't know, but I checked it with another file. That other file should play for 22:16 but in all other apps besides iTunes, it only plays the first 16:09 resulting in only the first 72.5299% of the file. How weird is it that in both cases only the first 72.5% of the file would be played outside of iTunes? I think it is weird. Furthermore, all files encoded prior to iTunes 5.0 and Quicktime 7.0.2 play fine both in and out of iTunes."

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