The MP3 file format is used in most consumer audio products including CD players, portable MP3 music players, and car audio units. There are times when you need to convert from other audio formats to MP3. In this article, we will cover the basics of converting MPEG-4 based file formats such as MP4, M4A, and M4V to MP3.
MP4, M4A, M4V and M4P File Formats are Very Similar to Each Other
The MP4, M4A, M4V and M4P formats are almost identical to each other. The best way to think of this is all of those file formats are part of the same family. For example, Apple started using the M4A (MPEG 4 Audio) extension for audio-only files when encryption or DRM is not used (eg. iTunes Plus). Apple also created the M4P format for files from the iTunes store that are encrypted by the FairPlay Digital Rights Management to prevent copying.
Because all of these formats are very similar, software that is capable of reading or converting MP4 files can handle any of the other derivative file formats as long as the file does not have encryption or DRM. For example, if you are looking to convert a MP4 file to MP3, audio conversion software designed to handle MP4, M4A, or M4V should be able to do the job.
Keep in mind that it is not legal to copy M4P files with audio conversion software even if the user is able to find software capable of stripping the DRM data. M4P files are most commonly purchased from the iTunes store with copy protection to prevent sharing or copying.
One of the most popular free MP4 converters is the ManiacTools Free M4A to MP3 Converter which will work with M4A, MP4, 3GP, M4B and AAC file formats. It is available on the Windows platform. It is truly free since there are no limitations and no registration required.
Converting MP4 to MP3 Because Many MP4 Players Don't Play MPEG-4 File Formats
A popular reason that many users need to convert MP4 to MP3 is that their MP4 files won't play on their portable media player even when it advertises itself to be a MP4 player.
Although some portable media players are called MP4 devices, this does not mean that they necessarily play MPEG-4 files such as those in the MP4 file format. Instead, the term is used to describe the next generation portable media player above the previous MP3 players. It does not imply that the player is capable of playing MP4 files or any derivatives. Another way to think of this is that manufacturers will increase the number if there are major or minor features added to the media player. As of 2010, there are portable media players that use the MP5 name even though there is no such thing as a MPEG-5 file format.
