Windows 7: WMP12 refuses to convert files when syncing

I've set WMP12 to convert files to a maximum of 192kbps when syncing (you don't get an option of what file format). Most of my files are 320kbps MP3 and some WMA files of various bitrates. When syncing WMP doesn't convert or copy across any files that are greater than 192kbps, they just fail and in the sync log the only error message is "error", not exactly helpful. Here's a screenshot of my settings
http://www.etg-software.co.uk/other_...cs/Capture.JPG



Any ideas why the conversion is not happening?

This happens when you have broken codec "packs" installed. Use none. To play MKV and AC3 use only the free DivX codec (deselect other options when installing) and the free AC3filter software. Both offer 64-bit versions and are the ONLY options currently available that support Windows 7 native Media Foundation instead of the ancient DirectShow failsafe kludge that's causing you problems.

Not sure if that is the problem as I downloaded a hotfix KB978529 and it then did do the conversion before copying over to the device. However, in doing the conversion it doesn't add the tags to the converted file so it's still utterly useless at doing what it's supposed to do.

So it looks like yet again I need to look for a 3rd party piece of software to do something that should be done by the Microsoft software I've already paid for.

It didn't add any tags? Were these MP3 files or what? That's really quite important. IDv2 or 3? Latin-1 or Unicode? If you strip the dirty tags and readd do they get copied after transcode? I just need to understand the problem to solve it.

I tested it with two albums, both ripped using cdex at 320kbps, not sure if IDv2 or 3, these have then been indexed by WMP12, which I have set up to complete missing tag information automatically but not to overwrite existing info so WMP12 could well have inserted other tag fields, not sure if unicode or latin-1. All files from both of these albums were auto converted as per settings in wmp12 to wma 192kbps before syncing to the device. The files copied to the device have no tag information at all or at least no tag information that is picked up by WMP12 or Windows Explorer.

So cdex looks to have added some tags that WMP12 cannot rewrite. Have you tried ripping with WMP12 just as a test?

Ok, just given that a go, ripped a CD using WMP12, synced it to the device (with conversion enabled) and the resulting file that is on the device has no tag information. Here's a couple of screens.

Resulting entry in library after ripping and auto tagging in WMP12
http://www.etg-software.co.uk/other_...s/Capture3.JPG

After syncing with auto conversion and viewing resulting file on the device.
http://www.etg-software.co.uk/other_...s/Capture4.JPG

Yea its a right pain that.. carbonara have you found any good alternative for syncing music to a device? I'm not lookin for a full media player just something that can do the re-encoding to a lower bitrate, enforce an artist folder structure and keep the existing tag information!!