m3u files quit...won't play complete playlist

Question

m3u files quit...won't play complete playlist

This just started happening. m3u files (from emusic.com) won't play all the tracks in a playlsit. I play these in quick time in a tabbed browser window. After a few 30 second samples play, there's silence. The files appear to be playing, but I don't hear anything. It quits in a different place each time, maybe after playing 5 tracks, or 8, or sometimes after just one.

I've been listening to samples for a few years this way with no problem before. I can listen to other audio like Pandora or Live365 for hours with no problems. No one else on eMusic seems to have this issue.

The only recent change to my system I've made was to start flip4Mac to view some video, but it's now uninstalled and I've restarted, etc. several times.

Any clues?

Paul

17 flat screen G4, Mac OS X (10.4.10)

Posted on Jul 21, 2007 5:54 AM

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Answer 1

Sep 14, 2007 2:10 AM in response to Paul Rybarczyk1

I'm having this problem as well. If I copy the URL and cmd-U in the QT player it will play them without stopping. But this is rather inconvenient.

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Answer 2

Sep 20, 2007 5:11 AM in response to Salvatore Orlando

Ah, a response from someone at last! Not glad that you are having this problem too, though. Several eMusic subscribers have posted the same issue on their forums too, so I finally know it's not just my problem. Since m3u playlists from other sites besides eMusic also stop playing, I know it's not an eMusic issue.

You solution of pasting the url into QT didn't work at all for me: again the music appears to be playing, but I hear nothing.

I've been using 2 workarounds:
1. for Safari I installed M3U2iTunes (you'll have to do a search; you'll find it fast) which downloads the m3u file and then plays it in iTunes with no problems. The m3u file is also automatically put in the trash, so you won't have to be cleaning up your desktop of these files.

2. Switch to Firefox with the Foxy Tunes add-on, and when you option-click the "play" or whatever button to get the m3u, the file plays right away. This Safari option is quicker to start than the M3UiTunes; there's no downloading of the m3u and placing it in iTunes. I'm not thrilled with keeping 2 browsers open, but for now, that looks like it's it. (But there are a lot of cool things you can do with Firefox.)

Paul

Message was edited by: Paul Rybarczyk1
Actually, the Firefox Foxy Tunes does download and play with iTunes (or a different player of your choice) but it works fast, so it's almost seamless.

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