# VBR / playlength

**URL:** https://community.mp3tag.de/t/vbr-playlength/4587
**Category:** General Discussion
**Created:** [March 9, 2007, 1:33pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/vbr-playlength/4587 "2007-03-09T13:33:06Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![analox](https://community.mp3tag.de/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/278dde/32.png) [@analox](https://community.mp3tag.de/u/analox)
#### Post date: [March 9, 2007, 1:33pm UTC](https://community.mp3tag.de/t/vbr-playlength/4587/1 "2007-03-09T13:33:06Z")

</div>

I am well aware of the usual probs with VBR files in case they lack a XING header.

Question is: how does MP3TAG support the LENGTH tag in IDV2?  
MP3TAG's length calculation and bitrate display fails if no XING present.  
(btw- why not take at least a dozen frames for building an average, spread widely over the file.  
Vbr files (all music files .. ) usually start with very little volume/close to silence , thus the encoder chooses a very low bitrate -\> so the resulting length of the file becomes usually far to big)

I do think VBR files without XING must be considered as valid mp3 files .. so this problem should be solved within MP3TAG. Repairing all vbr and adding a XING ist not a good solution (yes, I found [VBRFIX](http://www.willwap.co.uk/Programs/vbrfix.php) and gave it a try)

I think MP3TAG should be capable of scanning entire files in case they are vbr and contain no XING in order to  
a ) recreate a XING haeder  
or  
b ) write at least the correct length into the IDV2 tag "length"  
this could help a lot , as some progs look for that tag if no XING present

(And yes, I am aware this would be a lengthy task ..)

how is that tag accessible at all?  
Did not find any options to get hold of it

regards