iBooks Fairplay DRM removal

mikedamirault · Nov 4, 2011

I wasn't sure where else to ask, so here I am

I just made a huge mistake by buying two books from the iBookstore without checking about DRM protection first

I rarely buy ebooks (these are my first, and maybe last two), so this is my first real experience with iBooks

For the longest time after downloading the books (on my iPhone), I first had a problem trying get them to show up in iTunes over iCloud, so I couldn't get the epub files onto my MacBook Air, I found out that I was logged into the wrong Apple ID, after logging in with the right AppleID, I was able to find the two ebooks and download them from iCloud to my MBA

After finding out that they were protected by Fairplay DRM, I tried searching for a way to remove it

Now I have heard from everywhere (including on here) that there is no way (currently) to remove the Fairplay DRM protection from the epub files (which is funny being that iBooks and the iBookstore has been out for over a year, plenty of time to crack Fairplay)

That said, while searching, I have came across a site that claims to offer software to strip the Fairplay DRM protection from epub files so they can be opened from any ebook reader

Now because of all the broken english on the site and the fact they don't offer a demo of their software, I wasn't sure if this software was legit or if it was just some sort of scam

Here's the link to the site I am talking about http://pdf-converter.for-mac-download.com/remove-fairplay-drm-from-epub-on-mac.html

The screen on my iPhone is just too small and annoying to read the books off of, and I don't plan on getting an iPad anytime soon

Mackilroy · Nov 4, 2011

I don't go for software such as that personally – you might look into calibre. Not sure it'll strip the DRM, but it's worth a shot (free, and a very good program).

mikedamirault · Nov 4, 2011

Thanks Mackilroy for your reply

I have the EPUBReader add-on for Firefox, which as far as an epub reader, it works pretty well, though when I try to import the epubs into it, I get a message saying they can't be opened due to DRM protection

I'll give Calibre a try and see how it works and post my results, thanks

Edit: I just tried out calibre, I first tried it on my MBA and I got the error "The operation could not be completed. An unexpected error occurred (error code -10822)", I then tried the portable version on Win7, and got a message saying that it couldn't open the epub because of the DRM protection

DewGuy1999 · Nov 4, 2011

From the MacRumors Forums Rules:

Things Not to Do

These habits can produce warnings and repeated violations can produce bans.

Warez/Serials/Keys. Do not post software serial numbers or keys or refer people to specific websites, software, or techniques whose purpose is to break or bypass software licensing methods, distribute cracks, or obtain or use commercial software or media in violation of its license and/or for copyright violation. Do not ask for or give such help.

P Mentior · Nov 4, 2011

I would suggest you look in to buying your future ebooks from amazon if you really want to read them on anything other than iOS devices.

Amazon ebooks are still protected buy DRM but they can be read on any kindle device, iOS device, Android device, any Windows/Mac computer using the Kindle reader software, or any device that has a web browser with the Kindle cloud reader.

I used to buy from amazon and strip the DRM but now that so many things can read the ebooks with DRM there is no real need.

Mackilroy · Nov 4, 2011

DewGuy1999 said:
<snip>

To be fair, that isn't calibre's primary purpose, and he isn't trying to steal content he doesn't own.

DewGuy1999 · Nov 4, 2011

Mackilroy said:
To be fair, that isn't calibre's primary purpose, and he isn't trying to steal content he doesn't own.

No, he's not trying to steal content, but he is trying to defeat the DRM, which I believe makes my post relevant.

aziatiklover · Nov 4, 2011

DewGuy1999 said:
No, he's not trying to steal content, but he is trying to defeat the DRM, which I believe makes my post relevant.

give us a break would you?! Like you never download or ask for anything drm related on the interweb. Its like those commercial at the movie theater about downloading is like stealing a movie at blockbuster! Well, guess wat if I could download a damn car I would too from the internet of course.

DewGuy1999 · Nov 4, 2011

aziatiklover said:
give us a break would you?! Like you never download or ask for anything drm related on the interweb. Its like those commercial at the movie theater about downloading is like stealing a movie at blockbuster! Well, guess wat if I could download a damn car I would too from the internet of course.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't help him, what I'm trying to point out that we're all violating the MacRumors Forums rules by doing so.

thewitt · Nov 4, 2011

The Fairplay DRM used in iBooks has not been cracked. Don't bother wasting your time or money.

mikedamirault · Nov 4, 2011

Ok, here's the reason why I am asking, Like I said in my first post, I made the mistake of downloading two ebooks from the iBookstore, had I known ahead of time, I would probably have downloaded from Amazon instead

The problem came in when I was reading the ebooks from the iPhone, the screen is just too small, so when you have a legible font size (not too small to read), it doubles or triples the amount of pages there are, and makes the ebooks (in this case "For Dummies" guides) unreadable

Now if I had an iPad, the screen would be large enough and it would be easy to read, but I do not own and iPad, and do not plan to get one anytime soon

Because of that, it would be a lot easier for me to just read it off the computer, or print it out (for my own personal use of course)

Now my question was if that site was legit, by what I have heard so far, I am guessing no

Is there any chance that a Fairplay DRM stripper may come out someday? I do find it funny that iBooks has been out for longer than a year, yet there still is no info on a Fairplay DRM stripper

Mackilroy · Nov 5, 2011

No idea you might try calling Apple and asking for a refund though.

sapporobaby · Nov 5, 2011

mikedamirault said:
I wasn't sure where else to ask, so here I am

I just made a huge mistake by buying two books from the iBookstore without checking about DRM protection first

I rarely buy ebooks (these are my first, and maybe last two), so this is my first real experience with iBooks

For the longest time after downloading the books (on my iPhone), I first had a problem trying get them to show up in iTunes over iCloud, so I couldn't get the epub files onto my MacBook Air, I found out that I was logged into the wrong Apple ID, after logging in with the right AppleID, I was able to find the two ebooks and download them from iCloud to my MBA

After finding out that they were protected by Fairplay DRM, I tried searching for a way to remove it

Now I have heard from everywhere (including on here) that there is no way (currently) to remove the Fairplay DRM protection from the epub files (which is funny being that iBooks and the iBookstore has been out for over a year, plenty of time to crack Fairplay)

That said, while searching, I have came across a site that claims to offer software to strip the Fairplay DRM protection from epub files so they can be opened from any ebook reader

Now because of all the broken english on the site and the fact they don't offer a demo of their software, I wasn't sure if this software was legit or if it was just some sort of scam

Here's the link to the site I am talking about http://pdf-converter.for-mac-download.com/remove-fairplay-drm-from-epub-on-mac.html

The screen on my iPhone is just too small and annoying to read the books off of, and I don't plan on getting an iPad anytime soon

Just be sure. You are asking for instructions on how to circumvent copy right protection. In short, help you do something illegal? Is this right?

DewGuy1999 · Nov 5, 2011

sapporobaby said:
Just be sure. You are asking for instructions on how to circumvent copy right protection. In short, help you do something illegal? Is this right?

Yeah, we've already been down that road, but apparently only you and I think something illegal is being done, not to mention the fact that it's a violation of MacRumors Forums' rules.

Mackilroy · Nov 5, 2011

DewGuy1999 said:
Yeah, we've already been down that road, but apparently only you and I think something illegal is being done, not to mention the fact that it's a violation of MacRumors Forums' rules.

I'm sure you don't rip your own DVDs either, do you. If the OP were asking to circumvent copy protection on stolen content, then I'd have a problem with it.

If you truly think the thread violates the forum rules, your best bet isn't to keep posting in it, but to report it to a moderator. Then they'll do as they see fit. However, I took care of that for you, having just reported this topic.

DewGuy1999 · Nov 5, 2011

Mackilroy said:
I'm sure you don't rip your own DVDs either, do you. If the OP were asking to circumvent copy protection on stolen content, then I'd have a problem with it.

If you truly think the thread violates the forum rules, your best bet isn't to keep posting in it, but to report it to a moderator. Then they'll do as they see fit. However, I took care of that for you, having just reported this topic.

No I don't rip DVDs. We know the content isn't stolen because...the OP said it wasn't...and everything on the internet is true, right?

sapporobaby · Nov 5, 2011

DewGuy1999 said:
No I don't rip DVDs. We know the content isn't stolen because...the OP said it wasn't...and everything on the internet is true, right?

Wikipedia is true right???

Letsjet · Nov 5, 2011

Do you know what I find interesting about Ebooks?

It used to be you could purchase a book, read it, then loan it out as many times as you like or sell it used.

Now, for the same price they charge you to produce a physical book, paper and shelf space and all, they restrict an Ebook with DRM so you can't even read the book you paid for.

Maybe a topic for another thread, but something to consider.....

I've even heard the argument that the Ebook price reflects the production costs to format the book in different readers. I wonder if they get non-techies to buy into that?

Never the less, I think DRM needs some major adjustment.

I understand now Amazon lets you loan an Ebook ONCE for a period of 30 days. Thank you Amazon......

DewGuy1999 · Nov 5, 2011

Letsjet said:
Do you know what I find interesting about Ebooks?

It used to be you could purchase a book, read it, then loan it out as many times as you like or sell it used.

Now, for the same price they charge you to produce a physical book, paper and shelf space and all, they restrict an Ebook with DRM so you can't even read the book you paid for.

Maybe a topic for another thread, but something to consider.....

I've even heard the argument that the Ebook price reflects the production costs to format the book in different readers. I wonder if they get non-techies to buy into that?

Never the less, I think DRM needs some major adjustment.

I understand now Amazon lets you loan an Ebook ONCE for a period of 30 days. Thank you Amazon......

I think it's only 2 weeks for the loan. On top that when you buy a Kindle eBook it's yours forever. You can't sell it, you can't trade it, you can't give it away. As best I can understand the terms when you die, your library of eBooks should be buried with you because they can't be owned by anyone else.

Letsjet · Nov 5, 2011

DewGuy1999 said:
I think it's only 2 weeks for the loan. .........

your library of eBooks should be buried with you because they can't be owned by anyone else.

Damn, you better be a fast reader.....haha.

I better scratch that out of my will so my heirs don't run into trouble.

Letsjet · Nov 5, 2011

This is crazy.........

Amazon must have heard about my complaints issues regarding DMA.

Because, I just went on their site and read this on the front page:

"Dear Customers,

Today we're announcing a new benefit for Kindle owners with an Amazon Prime membership: the Kindle Owners Lending Library.

Kindle owners can now choose from thousands of books to borrow for free, including over 100 current and former New York Times Bestsellers as frequently as a book a month, with no due dates. No other e-reader or ebook store offers such a service................

"

Well, at least it's a start.

mikedamirault · Nov 5, 2011

sapporobaby said:
Just be sure. You are asking for instructions on how to circumvent copy right protection. In short, help you do something illegal? Is this right?

It's not that I have any plans to do anything illegal, but I paid for the ebooks, and so far the only way I can read them is on a screen so small, the title of a chapter takes up roughly 3 pages (just imagine how hard it is to read an ebook like that, and being guide books, you have to go back to view figures, which in this case, could be 2 or 3 pages back)

I have to agree with Letsjet, for the cost of one ebook off the iBookstore, I can get 2 copies of the same book in paperback/hardback (the ebooks I purchased were actually more expensive than the print version), now when I pay more for something, I usually expect a little more (or at least a better experience), yet we can barely read them

Had Apple made iBooks available for the Mac, and had a feature for, say a limit of 3 printings, then I wouldn't have an issue with the Fairplay DRM

I feel, that with my purchase of the ebooks, I have the legal right to view it on something else than just my iPhone, it's not like I want to make a bunch of copies and sell it (or give it away), then that would be illegal

Like the thing about copying a DVD movie, if I went out and bought a movie on DVD, took it home and made a copy of it for my own personal use (not pirating it, just making a backup or secondary copy for my own use), is there anything illegal about that?

DewGuy1999 · Nov 5, 2011

mikedamirault said:
It's not that I have any plans to do anything illegal, but I paid for the ebooks, and so far the only way I can read them is on a screen so small, the title of a chapter takes up roughly 3 pages (just imagine how hard it is to read an ebook like that, and being guide books, you have to go back to view figures, which in this case, could be 2 or 3 pages back)

I have to agree with Letsjet, for the cost of one ebook off the iBookstore, I can get 2 copies of the same book in paperback/hardback (the ebooks I purchased were actually more expensive than the print version), now when I pay more for something, I usually expect a little more (or at least a better experience), yet we can barely read them

Had Apple made iBooks available for the Mac, and had a feature for, say a limit of 3 printings, then I wouldn't have an issue with the Fairplay DRM

I feel, that with my purchase of the ebooks, I have the legal right to view it on something else than just my iPhone, it's not like I want to make a bunch of copies and sell it (or give it away), then that would be illegal

Like the thing about copying a DVD movie, if I went out and bought a movie on DVD, took it home and made a copy of it for my own personal use (not pirating it, just making a backup or secondary copy for my own use), is there anything illegal about that?

I think the difference between coping a DVD for a backup is that a DVD does not have Terms and Conditions that you have to accept/agree to before you can purchase it, iBooks (and Amazon, etc.) do, and when you accept/agree to those Terms and Conditions you're legally responsible for following them. If they're too onerous for a person, then that person doesn't have to accept/agree to them. I don't like those Terms and Conditions and don't/won't buy eBooks.

Teleharmonic · Mar 27, 2012

Removing DRM is not, in fact, illegal in the US as long as what you do with the material falls within fair use. See here:

http://arstechnica.com/software/news/2010/07/court-breaking-drm-for-a-fair-use-is-legal.ars

So the original question is both legal and valid (as I came here to try and find a way to unlock my iBook files). Since there doesn't seem yet to be a way to break the iBooks DRM I will, sadly, have to move on and simply not purchase iBooks. However, once someone DOES build a way to strip the DRM from iBooks I will happily and legally do so.

CylonGlitch · Mar 27, 2012

Teleharmonic said:
Since there doesn't seem yet to be a way to break the iBooks DRM I will, sadly, have to move on and simply not purchase iBooks. However, once someone DOES build a way to strip the DRM from iBooks I will happily and legally do so.

There is, you're just not looking hard enough.

iBooks Fairplay DRM removal

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