Just hit the realisation of not being able to play purchased .m4a files from itunes on another computers itunes that is not internet connected. And cant convert to MP3 ('protected files cannot be converted') My scenario is that I have purchased the track at home and wish to take it into my workplace, an educational institution where I teach music and singing for them to hear the song. This is not breach of copyright and is an exercise of fair use of rights of a purchased recording. Any thoughts, help?
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iPod .m4a conversion rights!
- Thread starter flyinhigh
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Yes, that is pretty much the big complaint about DRM.
Firstly though, the computer doesnt have to be internet-connected to play the song. It does have to be connected to authorize the computer on your account, but once its authorized, you can disconnect and play any of your songs. You can authorize up to 5 computers at once.
iTunes has switched now to selling all iTunes Plus tracks, which mean higher audio quality and no DRM. You should be able to upgrade individual tracks for a small fee. Or if you would rather not, you can always burn your tracks to an audio CD and then re-rip them, and they wont have any DRM, so youre free to use them however you like.
Firstly though, the computer doesnt have to be internet-connected to play the song. It does have to be connected to authorize the computer on your account, but once its authorized, you can disconnect and play any of your songs. You can authorize up to 5 computers at once.
iTunes has switched now to selling all iTunes Plus tracks, which mean higher audio quality and no DRM. You should be able to upgrade individual tracks for a small fee. Or if you would rather not, you can always burn your tracks to an audio CD and then re-rip them, and they wont have any DRM, so youre free to use them however you like.
thanks to all above. I have options! Still I'm resentful of itunes for what I consider as a unreasonable hack at my reasonable rights of exercise of my purchase. In this scenario of what I'm trying to do, they are stopping me from introducing an artists music to a new audience. It's a lot of kafufull over sharing some listening pleasure.
Don't i have to convert it first to Mp3? Not aware that there is such a thing as an 'mp3 Cd'. Thanks for advice sounds the best way to go in my circumstance.burn them onto an mp3 cd, and import them back into your library. et voila!
P.S. This site gives good help.
Yeah, but unfortunately the record companies were less than happy with the idea of their music being sold DRM-free. It was their decision, not Apples. They came around eventually though, and any music you buy from iTunes now wont have these restrictions. It still has information about the account it was purchased with embedded into it, so if you upload it online and spread it everywhere, its possible to trace it back to you. But there is nothing stopping you now from using it as freely as you like.
mp3 CDs are just CDs of mp3s. The advantage is that you can fit a lot more songs onto one CD, since normal audio CDs use a much higher bitrate. But youre right, you would have to convert them first. Id be VERY surprised if iTunes converts them for you in this case, since theyre protected, so I think youre going to have to burn a regular audio CD and then rip it (either to an mp3 or AAC, whichever you like, there will be no DRM either way).
Important
Keep in mind that if you burn an audio cd of your protected files and re-rip them as a lossy file (m4a or mp3) that you will lose quality quite substantially! It's called lossy transcoding and it's going to happen if you convert your m4p files into any lossy format.
Keep in mind that if you burn an audio cd of your protected files and re-rip them as a lossy file (m4a or mp3) that you will lose quality quite substantially! It's called lossy transcoding and it's going to happen if you convert your m4p files into any lossy format.
This is true. Your other options would be to authorize the computer youre trying to play on (and keep the same audio quality) or pay to upgrade your tracks to iTunes Plus (which will both remove all DRM and actually give you higher quality).
although ^^^^ are right, I have done it, and I couldn't really hear the audio difference. And to burn the cd, i think you just make a playlist, and when you burn burn it as an audio cd, and when you inmport, do it as .mp3's or .aac's. the import preferences are in the bottom right corner when you have a cd inserted. Glad to help!
p.s. I am not sure if aac works to remove drm, so you can try it, but if it doesn't, just do mp3
p.s. I am not sure if aac works to remove drm, so you can try it, but if it doesn't, just do mp3