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[jameslew]

So with my fancy Ipod, I can download from iTunes and play AAC encoded music on the Ipod and on my computer.  But I can't play on my wife's Rio Karma, nor on my Audiotron.  I cannot download to it from any other services because everyone else supports WMA (w/DRM), and the iPod doesn't.  And apple doesn't seem to have a device that integrates well with my home theater, so I have to move my computer down there, or by an iPod for the house.

So if the iPod is so cool, why am I completely hamstrung here?  Or am I missing something?

[Galley]

As with any unsupported, protected file, you use burn it to a CD, and then rip it to the format of your choice.

[ThatAdamGuy]

Or you can use MC or JetAudio to convert the music YOU paid for to an unrestricted format ;-)

[jameslew]

Sad part is, I don't even mind the DRM; recording artists & such need to get paid too.  

I just wish that they didn't play power games with each other and that everyone supported the major formats, at the very least from a read perspective.

Can't we all just get along?  

[tlongacre]

So with my fancy Ipod, I can download from iTunes and play AAC encoded music on the Ipod and on my computer.  But I can't play on my wife's Rio Karma, nor on my Audiotron.  I cannot download to it from any other services because everyone else supports WMA (w/DRM), and the iPod doesn't.  And apple doesn't seem to have a device that integrates well with my home theater, so I have to move my computer down there, or by an iPod for the house.

So if the iPod is so cool, why am I completely hamstrung here?  Or am I missing something?

re: the home theatre query -- why don't you get a Linksys wireless Media Adapter? This will play any music on your computer through your home theatre and show any photos on your TV. Then you can keep that little iPod all for yerself <g>.

[rocketsauce]

as with any unsupported, protected file, you use burn it to a CD, and then rip it to the format of your choice.

Or you can use MC or JetAudio to convert the music YOU paid for to an unrestricted format ;-)

Of course, just keep in mind that transcoding a file from one lossy format (.aac) to another lossy format (.mp3, .ogg, .wma) will result in a loss of sound quality. And, just in case you're thinking about it, converting to .wav, burning to cd and then ripping to another format does not prevent the loss of sound quality either.

Rob

[Drowbe]

Sad part is, I don't even mind the DRM; recording artists & such need to get paid too.  

DRM is not about paying the artists.  DRM is about crippling the end user.  Artists deserve to get paid for their work...and end users deserve to listen to the music they paid for on whatever device they want.  Imagine if you had to register every cd player you wanted to play a cd on before they'd let you play the darned thing...

We should pay the artists and cripple the RIAA instead.

[ThatAdamGuy]

Let me play devil's advocate for a moment.

Let's say someone starts the ideal music service:  "HonestMusicCo.com".

All downloads are reasonably priced, come in high quality audio (minimally compressed in your choice of AAC, WMA, and MP3), and each download has *NO DRM*.

On the first day, many folks flock to the service and buy tons of tracks.  All is good with the world!

"See!" says HMC, "People will honestly pay for music!"

Three weeks later, a handful of the HMC tunes show up on the P2P-services-which-shall-not-be-named.  Within two months, the majority of HMC's catalog is duplicated on these free services.

While many people continue to pay HMC for their music, millions of college students and others who have more time than money gleefully descend en masse on the free P2P services, enjoying the higher quality of the freshly supplied music.  And for those who don't want to download P2P apps, a new company that's sprung out of a country with lax digital rights laws is reselling the HMC tracks at 40% below the HMC prices, eroding HMC's market.

---

Ah, the beauty of no DRM!  Now everyone's happy!  Er, wait a minute, no, the artists aren't happy because their "sales" are now in Lithuania and they make no money off this.  The labels aren't happy for similar reasons.  HMC execs, several of whom just got laid off in their firm's budget crunch, aren't happy either.  Consumers?  Well, after hearing that HMC is cutting back on what songs they can afford to offer and the rate at which they add new music, well, consumers aren't happy anymore, either.

---

Do I really believe all of this will happen when DRM is removed?
Yes and no.
I'm a bit more optimistic, but I see the above scenario as quite possible :|

[Drowbe]

Imagine this...some guy named Johnny Normalguy buys a cd...rips it...shares it.  His pal, Billy Bythebooks downloads a song with DRM.  He love the album, so he takes it to work to listen to...oops...can't play it there.  Now off in the shadows is Sneaky Pete.  He sees Johnny's album and downloads it.  

Who's the loser here?  Johnny paid for the album and can listen to his music anywhere.  Pete got his for free and can listen anywhere.  Billy paid for his too...but it is crippled and he can only play it on the devices and the places the store he bought it from tells him he can.

Eventually Billy Bythebooks is going to get frustrated...he'll meet Sneaky Pete who will tell him, "Dude...just burn it to CD then rip it and do what you want with it..."

DRM doesn't prevent the sharing of music.

[ThatAdamGuy]

Drowbe, I agree with you that DRM is hardly a secure lock on content.  Heck, I can make a CD with stuff I download from iTunes, rip the CD, and voom!... send it all to P2P services.

It is, however, a speed bump.  Personally, I'd like to see DRM eliminated on music in the future (and, believe it or not, I think it'll happen eventually!)... but I also wanted to provide a Devil's Advocate opinion to chomp on in the meantime.

[Drowbe]

Oh...I hope you didn't think I was attacking you personally...it was aimed at the devil.

I would love to see artists get the money they deserve...but even outside of P2P, they haven't got a fair share in a long time.  That is the  fault of the record companies and the RIAA.

I can *live* with the current DRM....but it would have to be at a greatly reduced cost.  (kind of an inconvienience penalty)  $1 is far too much for a DRM track...they aren't lossless, you can't play them anywhere, and there are not "production costs" to warrant them costing almost as much as a CD.  Does the "leftover" money go to the artists?  Not a chance.  Again, DRM is all about the record companies...

The best way to support the artists is to buy their cds direct, go to the shows and buy their t-shirts & goodies.  I try to buy from places that make sure the money goes to the artists...independant record stores, sites like eMusic (where the artists gets a cut), or direct from the artists site.

[8thNote]

No, you can't convert DRM-protected media with MC or other software. It's made to not be converted. I already tried.

[Charlemagne 8]

No, you can't convert DRM-protected media with MC or other software. It's made to not be converted.

Nothing is impossible. This is doubly true for anything digital. What can be made can be unmade. What can be prevented can be overcome. There are millions of minds working on the latter and merely thousands working on the former. You can't stop an avalanche with a snow plow, regardless of it's size and technical superiority.

Maybe MC can't convert DRM but DRM can be converted.

I've said too much.

CVIII