Windows 7: Conversion dialog box when copying files to mp3 player

Every time I copy audio files to my mp3 player, a dialog box pops up warning me that the device may not play them in their current format, and asking me if I want to convert them, or just copy them. This is very annoying, as the player, a Coby MP 305-4G, is able to handle the files with no trouble.



Windows 7 didn't always do this; I think it may have started after I installed iTunes, although I recall telling iTunes during the initial setup NOT to be the default app for managing players. I also disabled all of the stuff that iTunes wanted to start automatically in the background.

Does anyone know how to get Windows to realise that my mp3 player is capable of playing mp3 files?

What kind of files are they....just basic music? And what bitrates are they?

Re install the drivers of your MP3 player (the ones on your computer of course)

LAME VBR, with cover art.

I never installed drivers, Windows is using its own. Device manager shows it as an "MTP USB Device".

Here's something to try, out of curiosity. Have you let it convert any of them? You should try it with one of them and see what happens. Either that, or try using a program to load them on the player....WMP12, Mediamonkey, Winamp, etc.(obviously iTuns wouldn't work.

OK, I let it convert, and what looked like a normal copy box, with a progress bar, appeared. However, when I looked in process explorer, I saw that mfpmp.exe was running and using a good deal of cpu cycles.

After the copy box closed, I used MediaInfo to check the converted file, and here are the pertinent entries:

Format : MPEG Audio
File size : 44.3 MiB
Duration : 1h 4mn
Overall bit rate : 96.0 Kbps

File type : MPG/3

Audio
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Mode : Joint stereo
Mode extension : Intensity Stereo + MS Stereo
Duration : 1h 4mn
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 96.0 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Stream size : 44.3 MiB (100%)


Here's the Mediainfo output for the original file:

Format : MPEG Audio
File size : 32.0 MiB
Duration : 1h 4mn
Overall bit rate : 69.4 Kbps

Writing library : LAME3.91
Cover : Yes
Cover type : Cover (front)
Cover MIME : image/jpeg

Audio
Format : MPEG Audio
Format version : Version 1
Format profile : Layer 3
Duration : 1h 4mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 69.4 Kbps
Minimum bit rate : 40.0 Kbps
Channel(s) : 1 channel
Sampling rate : 44.1 KHz
Stream size : 32.0 MiB (100%)
Writing library : LAME3.91
Encoding settings : -m m -V 0 -q 0 -lowpass 10 --vbr-old -b 40


So, the converted file is bigger, in stereo, has a constant bit rate, and the cover art has been stripped.

I don't know why it does that, as the player isn't bothered by VBR or the cover art.

The only programs you suggest trying that I have are Winamp and WMP12, and I can't figure out how to use them to copy the files to the player! I've never used them for that, I just use explorer.

Very interesting. I've only had to deal with that conversion message once, when I was trying to get a podcast to play on a player without a seperate podcast menu.....and it also made the files bigger, but let them play.

I've never used Winamp, bit with WMP12, open the program, and plug in your player, then follow the snips below.

OK, I tried that, and the files were converted to wma stereo, but with the album art embedded.

Ah, yes.....WMP and its lovely options menu....forgot about that, as I use Mediamonkey.

Give me a little while, and I'll work up some new snips for you that should clear up the WMP options.

Well, hopefully, if you click on the highlighted sections, you can disable the conversions.


I hope it works for you, but I can't say for sure it will. I don't like using WMP for mp3 player management, never have liked it....it's good that you asked this question here in this forum though ,because some mp3 player forums would have members that simply would say, "get rid of the Coby and get something real!"......I wanted to try and help you out, if I could. Good luck!