If Kind="Stream", Time is negative (Screenshot) + how to change Kind tag?

[Hanna]

As you can see, Time is reported as a negative value, if Kind=Stream.


All the files in the screenshot, are .m4b (AAC files).
These files are very early rips by me when I was very young and inexperienced. I ripped to .m4b and used in iTunes.
Not sure how Kind was set to stream when it is in fact a local .m4b file.

I can't see the Kind tag anywhere! How can I manually change it to AAC audio file?  

(Plus maybe you want to take a look at whether the negative value is really correct behaviour from the app... )

[phred]

Just taking a guess here, and someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but a stream is not on your PC. It is downloaded as it plays. Therefore (I think) MB can't determine the time since the entire "file" hasn't downloaded.

Sorry - I just reread the original post and I see that the files in question have actually been downloaded to the PC.

[Hanna]

Thanks for the response!  Yeah, I double checked that immediately. These are not streams but local files.
I think I actually ripped those books from TAPES.
Maybe that's why it's stream? They were among the first rips I did...

But how to I change the "Kind" value from stream to AAC Audio?

[phred]

But how to I change the "Kind" value from stream to AAC Audio?

Again, just a guess since we don't know what the actual format of those files is. First make a backup of one file. Then right-click > send to > format converter > encode as > aac
If that works, then go ahead and do the rest of them.

[Hanna]

But how to I change the "Kind" value from stream to AAC Audio?

Again, just a guess since we don't know what the actual format of those files is. First make a backup of one file. Then right-click > send to > format converter > encode as > aac
If that works, then go ahead and do the rest of them.

The file is already AAC audio, with file extension .m4b.
It behaves exactly as an .m4b but MusicBee believes it is a "Stream" (see screenshot. Kind=Stream).
MusicBee reports the length of streams as negative numbers, see screenshot.
I have uploaded a file that is affected by the problem, if anyone has time to take a look. https://mega.nz/file/IcxghJQS#arJ7ZnYX5fp-HSddpcD8aBBUCwOzwPryST1AIM0jXi4

It seems that the Kind property cannot be changed anywhere.

[phred]

I missed the fact that these are audio books. Drag them into the audiobooks node in the left side panel navigator and they will appear as they should.

[Zak]

I downloaded the file from mega.nz and it works fine for me.

Kind = AAC audio file
Duration = 603:49
Bitrate = 79k VBR

[phred]

I downloaded the file from mega.nz and it works fine for me.

From the music node? It wouldn't show up for me in the music node. But did when I put it in the audio books node.

[Zak]

Yep. Normal Inbox and Library views.

[Steven]

The file from mega is a .mp4 file not a .m4b file, so perhaps the wrong file was uploaded?
In any case, update to v3.5 if not already using it and then try right click/ Send To/ Rescan File

[Hanna]

I downloaded the file from mega.nz and it works fine for me.

From the music node? It wouldn't show up for me in the music node. But did when I put it in the audio books node.

Thanks everyone for looking at this. i'm in the process of uploading another .m4b which does not have the problem.
I'm writing up a proper bug report for this issue (although I'm not claiming this is a showstopper bug, just a bit "ugly"  and not an ultimate user experience. )

The behaviour in MusicBee in this particular situation, is not as good as iTunes ----- BUT ,  I have to admit that putting books (.m4b files) in a playlist is unconventional and so it might not be something that was tested for, or that a lot of people would experience.

Time should never be displayed as a negative value though, imo. Even if the user puts an  AAC file in a playlist!

Steps-to-reproduce and a compareison with iTunes are coming!    

[Hanna]

The file from mega is a .mp4 file not a .m4b file, so perhaps the wrong file was uploaded?
In any case, update to v3.5 if not already using it and then try right

The file from mega is a .mp4 file not a .m4b file, so perhaps the wrong file was uploaded?
In any case, update to v3.5 if not already using it and then try right click/ Send To/ Rescan File

/ Send To/ Rescan File

Are you on Windows with File extensions enabled?  The file I uploaded has file extension .m4b  

I will follow these instructions, but I want to say that .m4b and .mp4 are actually the same thing.
The encoding is the same.

You can take an Audio mp4 file and change the extension to m4b and it will behave exactly as an Apple .m4b.   For example, if it is an Audiobook, the player will remember where you stopped listening. It also has some properties that regular books don;t have.

If you participate in private filesharing sites for books, most people prefer their audiobooks as .m4b because you get the entire book in one or two files, instead of a series of .mp3 which was the norm a bit earlier. Also, people like that the .m4b are split in chapters and remember how far into the file you listened.

Audiobooks from commercial vendors like Audible, also stick with as few files as possible, for user convenience.

[Hanna]

Versions:  MusicBee 3.5.8296
Scenario: User has an extensive audiobook library and wants to organise audiobooks into PLAYLISTS
Problem:  Some .m4b (AAC encoded) files are reported in MusicBee as Kind = Stream. This in turn, leads to the TIme property of the file, being reported as a negative number.  




STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1)  Download audiobook files "Marie Lu - Champion.m4b" and "Marie Lu - Legend.m4b"
2) Observe how both files have file extension .m4b
2) Create a playlist in Music Bee.
3) Add the two files to the playlist.
4) Enable "Detailed" view, i.e. not the "pretty" view with grid and cover.
5) Ensure that the fields "Kind" and "Time" are enabled.
4) Observe how the book Champion and Legend display different,  with the Kind and Time properties.

5) Observe undesirable behaviour:  Champion is listed as "Stream" and the Time value is displayed as a negative number (seems to be the correct time, but with a minus sign in front!)  
6) Legend is listed as you would expect. Kind = AAC media and Time is a positive value.

EXPECTED BEHAVIOUR:
Both files should behave the same, as happens in iTunes.

Comment:
If I check these files in Mediainfo, I see that they were encoded in different ways.  The Champion file is in fact a merge of a bunch of .mp3 files that were then converted to .mp4 , just like Steven said.

However, when merging in this way (which is common in filesharing) you merge to .mp4 because this is what the available tools offer, basically. But you can then simply change the file extension to .m4b afterwards and in iTunes, the file behaves exacty as any other .m4b,  for example direct rips from Audible .aax  copyrighted fields.

I.e. iTunes is slightly "kinder" in its treatment of these non-optimal rips.  There is no distinction in how it treats these two files, whereas MusicBee is stricter and treats the "Champion" file differently, due to it having slightly different properties, because of how it was created.
I think that MusicBee should care only about the file extension. If the file has extension .m4b then the user expects it to be treated as an audiobook because  .m4b has no other purpose.

Perhaps take a look at the file properties in MediaInfo tool and consider if it is possible to change how MusicBee sets the "Kind" property (it is set automatically with no way to change it, I think!)  Perhaps also try to figure out why Time is reported as a negative number!  This is bug like behaviour imo, since Time can't really be negative, at least not in this context, right?

[Steven]

Using both files and the steps provided i have no issues with either.
Did you try rescanning the files as I suggested?

[Hanna]

Using both files and the steps provided i have no issues with either.
Did you try rescanning the files as I suggested?

I'm not sure what re-scanning mean?  Removing and re-adding? Or something else?  I've done that. If it's something else, can you explain, please?

Here is my screenshot of the problem, as I see it... (warning, loads slowly!)

I.e.  MusicBee might be reading the file properties differently than iTunes, possible taking in more parameters about the file.  

iTunes:   "Yup, I know this .m4b file format. It's an AAC encoded audiobook even if it's a bit of a hack.  Oh well, I'm Apple and my users are stupid! I'll give them a break...
MusicBee:  "What the hell is this? Not good enough!   It has an .m4b extension, but I reckon it's an .mp4. Is it a Stream or what? So it can't have a Time, I'll negate it!  "  


UPDATE

The file from mega is a .mp4 file not a .m4b file, so perhaps the wrong file was uploaded?
In any case, update to v3.5 if not already using it and then try right click/ Send To/ Rescan File

Thanks Steven!!
Damn you were right from the start!  I was so caught up in my description and missed your instructions.
When I re-scan, it works! Sorry about my miss!

But the thing is, I had JUST added those files to the library. If they sat there for 5 years, I get it, but.... How did this happen?
Best scenario of course, would be that there is no need to Re-scan, but rescanning sure works as a workaround/fix.
Good for me, since I'm organising the library and had 100s of books like this.

What does Re-scan DO, that wasn't done when the file was added??  Seems like a great "catch-all" fix... I'll remember for next time.

If this comes up again, I think it's likely going to be for somebody with tons of audiobooks of which some are from less official sites, or, they did some re-encoding or merging themselves.