Microsoft KB Archive/306507

= Track Time Is Displayed Incorrectly for .MP3 Files in Windows Media Player =

Article ID: 306507

Article Last Modified on 1/31/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Media Player 8.01
 * Microsoft Windows Media Player 8.01

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This article was previously published under Q306507



SYMPTOMS
When you play certain Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) layer 3 (.mp3) files in Windows Media Player for Windows XP, the total track time may be displayed incorrectly. Also, you may not be able to seek correctly on these files and the file properties for the file may also display an incorrect bit rate.



CAUSE
This behavior can occur if the .mp3 file was encoded at a Variable Bit Rate (VBR). Windows Media Player requires that the TLEN (or total length) field of the ID3v2 tag is set correctly to determine the appropriate length of a VBR .mp3 file. If this field is not set, the Windows Media Player samples the first few frames of the file and then estimates a length.



WORKAROUND
To work around this behavior, use an .mp3 encoder that supports the optional TLEN field of ID3v2 version 3 or later. If you do this, Windows Media Player can correctly determine the length of the .mp3 and enable accurate seek support.



STATUS
This behavior is by design.



MORE INFORMATION
ID3v2 is a general tagging format for audio files that makes it possible to store meta data about the audio inside of the audio file itself.

For more information about the TLEN field of ID3v2 version 3 or later, view the following ID3v2 Web site:

http://www.id3.org/

Additional query words: MP3

Keywords: kbenv kbfile kbprb kbsound KB306507

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