Mp4 song from itunes doesn't play in the timeline

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Level 1

13 points

Mp4 song from itunes doesn't play in the timeline

Strange to say, I just placed a song from itunes (.mp4 format) in my timeline, it is shown as a green block, no audio waveform and of course it doesn't play. From the internal media browser, I can see that it works perfectly. It plays well also in iTunes and finder. I tried to imported it to the library through the finder from the import window but the outcome is the same.
BTW It was regularly purchased in 2007... Any clues?

Thank you in advance for your help
Nico

Posted on Apr 1, 2015 11:13 PM

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Answer 1

Tom Wolsky

Level 10

151,010 points

Apr 1, 2015 11:21 PM in response to nicopiro

DRM protected media can't be used in FCP.

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Answer 2

fox_m

Level 6

12,226 points

Apr 2, 2015 12:12 AM in response to nicopiro

I tried some music I purchased on iTunes (High Tide > Time Guages and National Lampoon's Lemmings > Highway Toes) in FCPX. Both worked.

FCPX does not handle MP4 very well, but it will try — your files are probably actually .m4a files. They need converting. Right click on the audio in the Event Browser and Transcode Media (Optimized). FCPX should convert the file to WMV format (that's the native audio for FCPX.)

FCPX (10.1.4) converted the audio automatically when I imported (even without setting the transcode option) both when I dragged the file in from the finder and when I imported via the import dialog...

If you're still faced with the same problem after optimizing, open the song up in iTunes. Right click on the song in your playlist and select Create AIFF version and try importing that.

BTW: you are not automatically licensed to use purchased iTunes music as soundtrack audio (not without paying royalties or other obtaining other permissions.) The license you get from an iTunes purchase is for personal use only.

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Answer 3

Apr 2, 2015 12:49 AM in response to nicopiro

nicopiro wrote:

…It was regularly purchased in 2007... Any clues?

back then, Apple sold tunes with protection, check this

locate the file in Finder
select and cmd-i
under Name & Suffix you read … ?

if its m4p = protected, only way: burn a CD, re-import from disk ...

and, as others told you: private use only!

You never 'buy' a track/movie/software/… you only purchase varying licences of usage ...

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