iPod Now that music is DRM-free....

[Fuzzy Orange]

Can we use different MP3 players with iTunes? I have an iPod right now, and my iTunes library is pretty big. But my iPod just died...again. I've gone through 3 bad iPods so far... I love Apple, but I don't really like the iPod. However, iTunes is great. So would I be able to upgrade my music/videos to be DRM-free and put them on another player? Thanks.

 

[zap2]

Not sure if other players work with iTunes, but if not it'd be possible to take the files from iTMS, and put them into the software for the new Mp3 player(assuming the new player used AAC format) as for them using iTunes I don't thing so, unless other companys start programing support for iTunes into there players

 

[nateDEEZY]

Not sure if other players work with iTunes, but if not it'd be possible to take the files from iTMS, and put them into the software for the new Mp3 player(assuming the new player used AAC format) as for them using iTunes I don't thing so, unless other companys start programing support for iTunes into there players

What he said.

I read an article talking about this saying iTunes won't recognize the MP3 player's like it recognizes the iPod, But you'd be able to download the DRM-Free AAC and then use the proprietary software your new mp3 player comes with and import it into that library. (Assuming it supports AAC, like most mp3 players do these days)

 

[Benjamindaines]

Any MP3 Player will work with iTunes (you won't be able to synch but it will show up in the source list and you will be able to manually add songs to it).

 

[mojohanna]

Keep in mind that only EMI songs will be available DRM free. To get to the point you are talking about will be some time yet. I would say you are talking at least a year to 18 months before all of the other labels get on board with this (if at all).

 

[Snowy_River]

... So would I be able to upgrade my music/videos to be DRM-free and put them on another player? Thanks.

Videos? No. There's the rub in all of this. SJ isn't really against DRM. He's just against DRM in music. At the press conference he made a comment that was total rubbish:

Video’s pretty different than music because the video industry does not distribute 90% of its content DRM-free — never have. So I think they’re in a pretty different situation

The primary means of delivering video has been the air-waves and cable. Neither of these means offer any kind of copy protection. How easy is it to record high quality video right off of cable? You can even record it right onto your computer! So, video doesn't distribute 90% DRM-free? Sorry, but I'd guess if you compared the amount of video being delivered over cable, satellite and broadcast, you'd find that something a lot closer to 99% of all video being watched in homes is content that is distributed "DRM-free". The argument just doesn't fly. And the fact that the DRM is far more restrictive than the audio DRM makes it that much worse.

If the movie studios are so paranoid that they insist of having DRM, fine, I actually can live with that. But I really want to be able to burn a video that I bought to a DVD (at least once, if not two or three times) so I can take that DVD to a friend's house and watch it with their DVD player. Yes, I know how to take my computer and hook it up to a TV. I've done it quite frequently. It just seems to me that it shouldn't be necessary. If I buy a DVD, say Pirates of the Caribbean, I can watch it on any DVD player I want. If I buy the same movie through iTunes, I pay $4 less, get a lower quality video and I'm restricted to only being able to play it on my computer (unless I go to extraordinary lengths to do something else with it). While the TV shows are more reasonable, as far as bang for the buck goes, the issue with portability remains.

So, in general, forgive me if I fail to have much confidence in Steve Jobs right now. When he takes a stand against all DRM, I'll applaud him. Not before.

 

[SPinc33]

So, in general, forgive me if I fail to have much confidence in Steve Jobs right now. When he takes a stand against all DRM, I'll applaud him. Not before.

Point taken...

I recently read the Counting Crows blog http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?f...&MyToken=1f148352-1d6e-4af6-ac33-a6f25be259b3 and their guitarist (I think) made a really good point:

We've all demonized the recording industry and are championing Apple/EMI for the DRM-free "movement" because it's in the average user's interest.

We can't forget that there is simply a conflict of interests...the music industry wants to make as much profit as possible off music, continue to invest in new artists, etc etc. Apple, in particular, wants to sell as many iPods/computers as possible. Apple's "ecosystem" scares the crap out of the music industry because their interests are being undermined, while Apple is putting itself in a better position to profit AND looking good in the eyes of the consumer.

Anyway, it's a good read and gives a different perspective than the oversimplified "boo music industry, hooray apple".

Link-http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=78625593&blogID=244317730&MyToken=1f148352-1d6e-4af6-ac33-a6f25be259b3

 

[MOFS]

Not sure if other players work with iTunes, but if not it'd be possible to take the files from iTMS, and put them into the software for the new Mp3 player(assuming the new player used AAC format) as for them using iTunes I don't thing so, unless other companys start programing support for iTunes into there players

Doesn't <shudder> Real player </shudder> support AACs/MP4s? So I imagine the new tracks will work on that at least.