mp3 file not playing within QLAB on one Mac, but does play on other Macs

[Victor Russo]

We have a newer MacBook Pro (intel), os 10.14.6, Qlab 4.6.11.  

one MP3 file plays on the desktop / in finder however when dropped into lab it shows a 0 line for the wave form.  This file plays on other Macs that are Mac os 12.2 and 12.4, Qlab 4.6.12.  Also used 4.6.11 on os 12.4 and the file worked on all.  

Will continue to troubleshoot, update os, qlab etc post show.  however, has anyone seen this particular issue before? 

Victor Russo 

[micpool]

Yes,  with the popularity of dodgy online mp3 converters this comes up quite regularly, particularly on the QLab Facebook page.

 I would imagine that although there are many sites, most  are using the same engine, as the purpose of the sites is for them to get you to download various bits of software and chrome extensions that you really don't want any where near your system. The files produced  are often just some sort of weird mp4  wrongly given an mp3 extension. Just changing the  extension to mp4 will allow them to play in QuickTime Player in many OS but they wont't play in QLab and loads of other programs  unless you convert them to something else.

Bizarrely, In  Monterey they will play fine in just about everything including QLab, but not Twisted Wave!

So to sum up.
Properly formatted mp3s will play in QLab but are not recommended. DON'T

Anything downloaded from a dodgy converter website may or may not play, and you will waste lots of time trying to find out why. DON'T

Using online converters may render you susceptible to all sorts of malware, or expose you to attempts to get you to buy dodgy mac cleaner software. DON'T

If you have to play a file you have been given, and it won't work in QLab,  then One  method is to use VLC and File>Convert/Stream then drop media in, choose mp3 profile. Other mac apps may work and are hugely  preferable to any online site. If you have an audio editor that will open the file, then saving it to any format should sort it out. 

But unless you are experiencing any other problems, don’t waste time troubleshooting QLab or the OS. It’s entirely down to the files.

Mic

[aroom]

Hi

What’s the consensus about XLD for conversion ? https://tmkk.undo.jp/xld/index_e.html or https://sourceforge.net/projects/xld/

I find it very useful

aroom

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