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General discussion

mp3 file conversion from protected wma?

Dec 31, 2005 11:06PM PST

I have some old music files on my computer that I would like to put on a mp3 cd for my auto. The files are for example:
duration 3:29
windows media file
bit rate 64 kbps
protected yes
size 1.61 mb

I have downloaded a mp3 converter but it still will not convert these files to mp3.
Can someone give me some direction on how to proceed?
thanks

Discussion is locked

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Forbidden topic.
Dec 31, 2005 11:34PM PST

Please read the forum rules which forbid this area of discussion.

-> However, contact the protected content provider for their solution.

Bob

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thanks for the help
Jan 1, 2006 12:20AM PST

Thanks Bob, didn't mean to be bringing up a forbidden topic. I can record these in one format so I didn't realize it would be wrong to change the format. I have had these on my computer for a long time.
When you say protected content provider, are you referring to the maker of the music, cd or download from where it came, or the wma file company?
You can probably guess that I am a novice and not very computer literate.
thanks

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Yes.
Jan 1, 2006 12:34AM PST

"are you referring to the maker of the music, cd or download from where it came, or the wma file company?"

They hold the rules and if there is a way, they'll have to offer it.

-> In closing, be careful not to create such since you might get a Mac or Linux box in the future and lament the protected WMA format.

Bob

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Contact the people you bought it from...
Jan 1, 2006 1:51AM PST

The DRM protection can be used in different ways, including having it expire after a designated time period, not work on portable devices, not be copied for mass distribution, etc. While the issue of Fair Use comes up frequently (I purchased the music, so I should be able to do whatever I want with it), circumventing copy protection is illegal here in the United States (see the Digital Millenium Copyright Act for the primary brick wall) and also usually violates the licensing agreement and/or terms of service with the group you purchased the music from. For both reasons, obtaining help in doing such violates the forum policies. (That's the explanation of why it's a forbidden topic.)

If you need the music in an unprotected format, you can contact the company you purchased it from and ask for assistance and/or complain, but you'll rarely get anywhere. They have chosen to protect the music for a reason, and since their terms of service probably state that the music's protected, and thus restricted as to its use, they're under no obligation to help. But, it may be worth a try. This is one of the few reasons that good old-fashioned CDs are still a big seller.

Sorry.
John

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drm and wma Files
Jan 1, 2006 8:48AM PST

Over a two or three year period beginning in 2001 I copied many of my personal cd's to my computer hard drive. My idea was that by doing so I could make cds containing only the tracks I wanted to listen to in my car and not be burdened with carrying 20 cds to listen to only 20 tracks. This I believe has been fairly common among those of us that burn cd's.

Sometime within the last year I must have downloaded an update to Windows Media Player that is now preventing me from burning cds or downloading to an MP3 player any track that I originally copied using Windows Media Player.

My question is this: Is there any solution to my problem short of recopying the original cds, but this time using a media player which will copy in MP3 format?

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That's the DRM trap.
Jan 1, 2006 11:13AM PST

It's why I write to use something like CDEX which will make plain jane non-DRM MP3 files. Yes there are some that pursue WMA or leave the PROTECT CONTENT setting or WMP in place and the world comes crashing down when you discover the one-way door of WMP.

-> Let me take this moment to write that I don't use WMP since I've seen others get burnt by it. No reason for me to use it with other fine software out there.

Bob