Bye MP3, Hello AAC Says Wii

[Sky Blue]

http://wii.nintendo.com/photo_channel.jsp

Personalize your Wii Menu by making one of your favorite digital images from an SD memory card as the Photo Channel icon.

The Wii console will replace MP3 compatibility with the ability to play AAC files, which provide a greater sound quality than an MP3 of the same size. This new compatibility will work with MP4 audio files in the .m4a format. Additionally, you can now choose to have the songs play back in a random order.

*Wii consoles sold in retail stores starting in December 2007 should include AAC file support.

*For Wii Console owners without the AAC file compatibility, you can download the updated version of the Photo Channel from the Wii Shop Channel starting in early December 2007. Please note that once you download the updated Photo Channel (ver 1.1), you will no longer be able to play MP3 format music files.

Let the Apple/Nintendo theories continue!

 

[Lord Blackadder]

Why not give it the capability to play both?

 

[0098386]

I suspect the boggy plains of MP3 licensing is to blame. Either way it's better for me since my iTunes library is all in AAC.

Heh. At first I thought this was a thread about Metroid Prime 3 and some new Animal Crossing game.

 

[GFLPraxis]

While AAC support is good, removing MP3 support is stupid. I've purposefully converted my whole library to MP3 just because it's easier to burn MP3 CDs and transfer songs to other devices that might not support AAC.

 

[Lord Blackadder]

My library is over 90% MP3, with the rest being stuff purchased from iTunes. But since I'm not going to convert 3500 tracks to AAC, I'm pretty much married to the MP3 format for the foreseeable future.

 

[michaelltd]

I'm in the same boat as Praxis and Blackadder. Removing MP3 support is a terrible idea.

 

[Mechcozmo]

Removing MP3 support is a terrible idea.

...unless the lawyers are the ones going, "uh, guys? We really ought to do something about this..."

 

[Lord Blackadder]

That might be the case - I don't think AAC is a bad format, but MP3 is still the most widespread standard, and manufacturers ignore it at their peril.

 

[0098386]

I'm about ready to jump onto the 4th page of channels now. I'd like Nintendo do give us more pages, or do they automatically expand when you fill the 4th?

 

[srobert]

I'm about ready to jump onto the 4th page of channels now. I'd like Nintendo do give us more pages, or do they automatically expand when you fill the 4th?

Or even better: sub-channels. This would be my number 1 request. Arguably, this could go against the Wii's "TV channels" analogy and simplicity philosophy. I'd like one sub-channel for each virtual console type.

 

[twoodcc]

yeah i don't see why it can't play both

 

[0098386]

If I made a game that uses mp3s and decide to sell it, I'd have to buy a license off whoever runs it. I don't know about the terms for an AAC license, but I know a lot of other devs now opt for OGG and their own music formats (or license these off other devs for less cost, like MusyX and Factor5) to cut costs.

Isn't AAC owned by Dolby and Apple? The less people holding a license the cheaper it'll be.

Though it's odd seeing Nintendo selling a console like the Wii, becoming the 2nd richest (or was it profitable?) Japanese company and not wanting to pay for the MP3 license.

[I can't remember if I'm using the UK or US version of license]

 

[michaelltd]

Or even better: sub-channels. This would be my number 1 request. Arguably, this could go against the Wii's "TV channels" analogy and simplicity philosophy. I'd like on sub-channel for each virtual console type.

Agreed 100%!

 

[zero2dash]

Maybe they didn't want to pay to license the mp3 codec and/or aac was cheaper?

Who knows. It's Nintendo. Half the $#!t they do makes me scratch my head in bewilderment; they march to the beat of their own drum and really don't give a crap about what the concensus says. Love 'em or hate 'em for it - that's they way they are.