wma files - why don't they play?

OK, here goes.

I would like to play some wma files (audio books, old time radio shows, etc) on my Jornada 720. Actually, I want to play them on the 720, plug a cassette adaptor into the Jornada and have the whole family listen to them in the mini-van.

I found some that play fine on my laptop, but I can't get Windows Media Player to play them on the Jornada.

I've tried simply copying them. Media player doesn't recognize the format. I gleaned from the Media Player that I should use Media Player 7.01.00.3055 on the laptop to copy them over. I've tried that. I've tried copying one with Media Player to the Jornada instead of the storage cards. The playlist shows them, but Media Player skips over them!

Mike

Ok! Mike.

Firstly, if you are a Windows XP user, you can simplify the process greatly here by installing Windows Media Player 10 and connecting the 720 via USB.

If that either isn't an option or you are not a Windows XP user. Please install Windows Media Player 9 (98SE, Millennium, 2000)

You will then need to follow this support guide:
http://www.hpcfactor.com/support/cesd/s/0068.asp

WME can be obtained from Microsoft.

The reason why it is skipping your tracks is because the bitrates are unsupported.

If you are a 95, NT4 of 98FE user there is a different process.

You could try to download something to convert the wma files to mp3's, which the media player does support. Just off the top of my head, I know it can be done but I don't know what software to do it with, though I know a quick google search will give you an answer.

Hmmm. The laptop and home computer both have Media Player 7.01.00.3055. The laptop is a work computer (Windows 2000 OS) and I don't want to get in trouble with the corporate computer police. The home computer (Windows 98 OS) has a new modem that doesn't want to cooperate. Given those limitations, would it be best to download WMP 9 and WME 7 onto CD and install them on the home computer or download WMA-MP3 s/w and load it onto the home computer? What are the pro's and cons of either retaining WMA format or converting to MP3?

Sorry, I think I may have strayed off topic in multiple directions.

Mike

mewiedman,

With Windows Media Player 7.1 you should be able to connect your H/PC to media player and automatically sync & convert the music files directly from the player.

7.1 is the last version of Media Player that supports the Handheld PC over serial cable. Windows Media Player 9 doesn't support the H/PC at all. Version 10 does support the devices - but only over USB.

In the main window view in 7.1, it's the "Portable device" button down the left hand side (second from bottom).

I recommend that you install this:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/format/codecdownload.aspx
Just to update the codec set - contains decoder codecs to change the bitrate.

The bitrate for portable device copied music has to be either 32, 64 or 128 kbps. It cannot be anything in between or anything higher. Please check the device settings in options.

Sorry for the bit of thread necromancy, but I was wondering if they expanded the number of bitrates that WMP for H/PC ver. 1.2 supports.

I'm running ver. 1.2, build 0099, and while I couldn't get a couple of 160 kbps mp3s to play, I'm getting mp3s at 96 kbps, 192 kbps. In fact, I'm getting some 160 kbps mp3s to play, and have been unable to get others.

Either way, I'm seeing a wider range of bitrates than you mentioned. Do different builds of 1.2 have different bitrates supported?

WMP 1.2 will attempt to play bitrates that it doesn't formally support. Sometimes it can and sometimes it cannot (and ignores the file). In my experience most of the time it's 'cannot'.
I guess it's down to how it was encoded, but I've never seen a pattern to it or had any success in replicating it.