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splashtech

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 25, 2007
151
0
All I want to do is move my music onto my macbook from my (soon to be replaced) windows PC. A simple task you might think... but no. I have some purchased music from MSN Music, which as you might guess comes as WMA files laced with DRM poison.

I've trawled the net for some kind of solution and there is none that I can find/get. If you are to even consider transcoding from WMA to MP3 you seem to be considered a pirate. I own the music files, I bought them! Is it really too much to ask to be allowed to play them on my own device of my choosing? Apparently so!

If anyone has a solution I have missed, I'd be really greatful. But more than anything I wanted to vent. Because it means I'll be either losing a good 100 or more tracks, re-purchasing them somehow (yeah right), or burning loads of audio CDs, re-ripping and re-adding all the track information.

Argh!! :mad:



rant over
 

heatmiser

macrumors 68020
Dec 6, 2007
2,431
0
Basically, pretty much any attempt to circumvent the DRM will qualify as a breach of copyright/terms of use/etc. So it's up to you to decide what's more important to you: getting the music, or obeying the corporations you loaned it from. Keep in mind you don't 'own' the music files; you merely leased them to play them on approved software and approved hardware. If you want to do as you please, you'll have to play outside the sandbox.
 

splashtech

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 25, 2007
151
0
That's very much like buying a CD and only being allowed to play it on "approved" CD players.

Maybe I should go back to buying music that way...
 

killmoms

macrumors 68040
Jun 23, 2003
3,752
55
Durham, NC
That's very much like buying a CD and only being allowed to play it on "approved" CD players.

Maybe I should go back to buying music that way...

CDs are still the only guaranteed way to get original-quality music that gives you the freedom to play it on whatever devices you choose. So yes, you should go back to buying music that way.

Not that the record companies are HAPPY about us being able to rip music from CDs we've purchased to play it on other devices, mind you. :rolleyes:
 

splashtech

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 25, 2007
151
0
That sucks but you could just burn them like you said it's not that bad. Or just buy CD's like me and millions of others.

I think from now on I will make a point to indeed buy CDs, and buy DRM-free content when it is provided such as iTunes DRM-free. I guess burning it all is my only solution for all the WMAs... just going to mean days of hassle. Oh well...
 

phuong

macrumors 6502a
Aug 16, 2006
523
0
burning CDs and re-ripping them won't guarantee original qualities.
it's like making a photocopy of a photocopy book.
 

splashtech

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 25, 2007
151
0
burning CDs and re-ripping them won't guarantee original qualities.
it's like making a photocopy of a photocopy book.

I know :( But I dont think there is a better way, besides re-purchasing it all. And I cant really afford that.
 

mpw

Guest
Jun 18, 2004
6,363
1
...I own the music files, I bought them! Is it really too much to ask to be allowed to play them on my own device of my choosing? Apparently so!...
At least the WMA files you bought from MSN you had a selection of players to play them on, once you buy from iTMS you're locked into Apple's iPod range.
 

splashtech

macrumors regular
Original poster
Oct 25, 2007
151
0
At least the WMA files you bought from MSN you had a selection of players to play them on, once you buy from iTMS you're locked into Apple's iPod range.

True... although strangely not their own Zune...
 

Tom B.

macrumors 65816
Mar 22, 2006
1,459
0
London
Just a theory, but is it possible to burn the songs onto a DVD, and then rip them into iTunes? If it is possible, that would be a lot quicker than using CDs.
 
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