Playing .wma files

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I have discovered that my newly transferred music files can't be played on my Mac Mini Mavericks 10.9.5.
I get 'Quick time Player can't open (title) .wma'.
All of them are .wma files.
Do I have to buy and, if so, any recommendations?
Thanks.
 
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Real Player should play those files OK. Sorry I haven't got a link for you, just do a Google search and it will come up with it.

I think you will also find it in the App Store.
 
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chas_m

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You could convert those files in iTunes on Windows to some standard format, like the preferred AAC or the old standby, MP3.

If you no longer have access to iTunes for Windows, you can download a free converter such as Mediahuman Audio Converter to do the job, then import them into iTunes. Be aware that if the WMA files you're talking about are copy-protected (ie bought from a WMA music seller), then they won't convert and you'll need to re-buy the songs to use them anywhere else. If that becomes the case, I naturally recommend iTunes or Amazon.
 
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I have discovered that my newly transferred music files can't be played on my Mac Mini Mavericks 10.9.5.
I get 'Quick time Player can't open (title) .wma'.
All of them are .wma files.

Hello and welcome to the forum! :) I'm assuming that you have migrated from a Windows based computer setup over to Apple - correct? If so, you likely compressed your music w/ Windows .wma (Windows Media Audio) codec which is not going to work w/ your Apple system w/o some extra effort. First, as already suggested, you can find an audio app that has an OS X version and will play the *.wma files (kind of a pain since you have iTunes). Second, you could convert the *.wma files to ones compatible w/ iTunes, i.e. MP3 or AAC (Apple Audio Codec).

Now, I do have specific recommendations since my audio files are all MP3 which works fine w/ iTunes. But a little googling (e.g. convert wma to mp3) should bring up plenty of hits - not sure 'how many' would need conversion but batch processing is usually a feature of many of these programs. Good luck - Dave
 
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Download and install Perian. Although it isn't supported anymore, I think Realmac, or Panic, or one of those companies are keeping a eye on it, its now on GitHub as open source, but once installed it will be in your System Preferences, and Perian will extend QuickTime support for many popular types of media in Quicktime.

If all else fails, install VLC and you won't have a issue with ANY video or audio you want to play.
 

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I read a thread or two about this on another forum. The jury seems to still be out on whether these programs are any good. If you still have access to a Windows machine the simplest solution is probably to covert the files using iTunes for Windows and transfer the resulting files to the Mac. That should work assuming that the files are not copy protected.
 
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Ive always had Perian installed, but not sure if it has ever been used. You use to need Flip4Mac from Telestream, but now it seems to be a paid for App, so again, I would download VLC and be done with it.
 
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I have just tried downloading VLC because that seems the simplest for me, but I get 'The address wasn't understood.....Firefox doesn't know how to open...' and goes on to make helpful suggestions which I can quote here but don't really understand.
Ever-present music is not something that I want so I will come back to this in a few days.
My thanks to everyone who is advising.
 
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Thanks, I have just downloaded VLC and now I want to introduce it to my music files, or the other way round.
They were transferred from my pc all of a lump with My Docs ie they are not in a Mac Music section, they are in Dock/Documents.

When I open VLC I am invited to 'Drop media here' then 'Open media'. On the left of the screen is a long panel offering My Videos/Music/Pictures but they are empty.
I could begin to drag and drop my music files all over the place but I would soon get myself into a mess.
How can I connect my music to VLC?
Sorry for these simple questions.
and thanks for the replies.
 
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...just to add my $0.02 worth...I used Flip4Mac from Telestream when I first got my Mac. IMO VLC is a wonderful app that can handle 95+% of media formats. It can also do file conversions. I was impressed enough to make a donation.
Regards,
Brent
 
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My apologies!
After asking a few minutes ago about introducing VLC to my .wma files I have just clicked on one of them and good old VLC was waiting, ready to start playing.
Thanks again.
 
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My apologies!
After asking a few minutes ago about introducing VLC to my .wma files I have just clicked on one of them and good old VLC was waiting, ready to start playing.
Thanks again.

Yes that will happen with most files, look for the most appropriate App, to open the file. Glad to hear you got it working.
Another happy customer :)
 
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My apologies!
After asking a few minutes ago about introducing VLC to my .wma files I have just clicked on one of them and good old VLC was waiting, ready to start playing.
Thanks again.



Not knocking VLC but I'm a bit surprised you didn't try the suggestion of using Flip4Mac.

Which you might want to have and install anyway, but you might want to download the older version that works well with Mavericks and the price is better. Checkout and note the comment:
"The last free versions is 3.2.1 and is here: Flip Player Download …"
Flip4Mac Player for Mac | MacUpdate
 
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I just took advice from TattoedMac and I am satisfied.
I don't mind paying for anything like this but I don't know how that would be done, so it seemed a bit of a faff when VLC was shouting at me in upper case and no distortion of the language conventions.
I try to move with the times but assemblies of letters like Flip4Mac (sic) still slightly ruffle my feathers.
 
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Just so you know, Flip4Mac (also known as F4M) is just a Preference Pane that does various conversions on various music and video formats in the background so that they will play in various Applications, and originally designed to work with QuickTime Player, but other apps can and will use its services. No feathers ruffled, and nice and simple. ;)
 
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playing WMA

to Asking:
I have discovered that my newly transferred music files can't be played on my Mac Mini Mavericks 10.9.5.
I get 'Quick time Player can't open (title) .wma'.
All of them are .wma files.
Do I have to buy and, if so, any recommendations?
Thanks.

Your best bet is VLC player, absolutely compatible with all Mac OSX.
Yo do not need Perian, which is not supported any more, and not Realplayer, because the updates are too late. All codecs are in VLC.
LexS
 
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chas_m

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Not knocking everyone's enthusiasm for VLC (Mplayer, et al) but there is a HUGE difference in user experience between VLC (which is an app that you launch to play a video you've downloaded to your computer) and stuff like Flip4Mac WMV Player and Perian, which enable foreign/odd/stupid video codecs to "just work" in native apps for streaming video as with Safari. These functions are so completely different to each other that I'm often surprised people even bring up VLC in these sorts of discussions, as it doesn't do jack squat for making a WMV video on some local channel's web page play automatically.
 
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VLC for me. Pretty crap that any Mac Os even the new one will not read 'non' Mac codecs. grrrr.
 

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