re getting an mp3 file to play in itunes

[melbournegirl]

Hello,

I'm a bit of a newbie to itunes so please forgive me if this is very basic!... I've searched for answers for some time but can't find anything relevant!

I've downloaded an mp3 file from a yahoo email attachment and am trying to get it to play using itunes.

Clicking on the file gets itunes to open but doesn't play it. I created a new playlist for it but the file won't drag and drop into the list. (I can drag and drop other files with the same.mp3 extension into playlists and play them just fine.)

I've tried getting it to play or drag from either the desktop or the hard drive, and have downloaded it twice in case the first download was corrupt. The file won't add to the library or the newly created playlist using that option under itunes. I had no problems playing the same file on my work PC yesterday.

any ideas? thanks.

 

[stylum]

it has happened to me once or twice but never got to know the reason..
might sound sily but is it actually a mp3 ?

 

[melbournegirl]

yup, I think so - extension is .mp3 and the person who sent it to me said it was an mp3...

 

[abhishekit]

if its starting itunes and still is not able to play it ...the only reason i can think of is the mp3 file may be corrupted..
why dont u try to play the file in some othr player just to check if the file is ok...

 

[zimv20]

if everything is working right, double-clicking the file should add it to the library, copy it to an iTunes directory, and start playing it.

i'm also guessing the file is corrupt.

you can try to play it from the Finder, using the column view.

if you look in iTunes, did it make it there?

 

[Westside guy]

Re: re getting an mp3 file to play in itunes

Originally posted by melbournegirl
I've downloaded an mp3 file from a yahoo email attachment and am trying to get it to play using itunes.

Clicking on the file gets itunes to open but doesn't play it. ...

Question: When you say it played fine on your work PC, what program did the PC use to play it? Also, you never say whether your home computer is a Mac or a PC, which might affect the advice given here.

It seems like it has to be an issue with the file. iTunes understands MP3s natively; there's nothing you have to "set". I've got MP3s and AACs in my library on my Powerbook - iTunes handles both well. My daughter has a mix of MP3s and AACs on her Dell laptop, and doesn't have any problems either.

 

[melbournegirl]

Back again - thanks for the suggestions everyone. I'm on a imac, OSX, the mp3 played in windows media player on a pc yesterday - I then forwarded the exact same file to my yahoo for playing at home so it seems odd that it would now be corrupt. double clicking opens itunes, but it doesn't play, nor does it appear in library. I've tried creating a new playlist and dragging it from the hardrive but to no avail. I guess I'll try and get the file sent again and see how I go... thanks again. cheers.

 

[Westside guy]

Originally posted by melbournegirl
... the mp3 played in windows media player on a pc yesterday - I then forwarded the exact same file to my yahoo for playing at home so it seems odd that it would now be corrupt. ...

Okay, I'm not saying this is the case... but this could be a DRM (digital rights management) issue.

I recently ran across a copy-protected CD which required some low-level Windows program or library to play on a computer. When you put the CD in a Windows PC, it appeared to be loading and playing MP3 files - but there was some behind-the-scenes DRM monkeying around going on obviously (since CDs don't use MP3 natively).

Wish I could remember which CD it was; I know it was one my daughter bought recently.

 

[numediaman]

Why not open your QuickTime player and try that. I have an old Mac that doesn't have iTunes, so I use Sound Jam. When SJ can't play something I try QuickTime. If it can't play the file it gives me an error message. On my laptop where I have iTunes, I do the same thing. (Neither iTunes or Sound Jam give error messages that help you with corrupt files.)

EDIT: you can also try Real Player, as well. If none of these work . . . you got a bad file.

 

[melbournegirl]

solution found

Hi folks,

if anyone ever wondered what happened here and this message gets through, the solution was to open the mp3 file using Explorer - Open.

Very easy, but impossible to know in advance!

cheers.

 

[cb911]

huh? u opened it with IE on a Mac??

 

[melbournegirl]

no kidding!

yup, just did it again then to check. very weird, I know, but the only thing that worked. It opens a little bar that looks a bit like a quicktime window but without a screen for picture. cheers!