I-pod woes

**BDC** · 11-17-2006, 00:08

You're screwed over by DRM.

I hope you learnt your lesson. Buy it on CD next time. It's the same price and if you order it online you don't even need to move. It's better quality too.

iTunes has no end of issues when you try and play it on another machine. I just suggest you get a 3.5mm to 3.5mm lead and plug it into the mic socket or something.

**Big King Sanctaphrax** · 11-17-2006, 06:07

This is why I refuse to buy media jukeboxes which force me to use proprietary software to access the music on them. Windows explorer all the way!

**Xiahou** · 11-17-2006, 07:54

Don,

See if this is of any help to you.

**screwtype** · 11-24-2006, 17:12

Originally Posted by BDC

You're screwed over by DRM.

I hope you learnt your lesson. Buy it on CD next time. It's the same price and if you order it online you don't even need to move. It's better quality too.

iTunes has no end of issues when you try and play it on another machine. I just suggest you get a 3.5mm to 3.5mm lead and plug it into the mic socket or something.

According to drone's article above, you can just burn your iTunes song onto a CD and then convert it to MP3 format from the CD. Once you've got it into MP3 format, you should be able to use it on any machine, shouldn't you?

**caravel** · 11-24-2006, 17:28

I agree 100% with BKS. You're better off with a bog standard MP3 player that allows you to drag and drop MP3's into the players memory via Explorer. You can then do exactly what you like without restriction and you don't need to run restrictive proprietary software like the Apple iPod service in order to manage it. iPods are just a gimmick.

**scotchedpommes** · 11-27-2006, 09:15

Ah, an iPod as a birthday gift. How nice. At least your better half didn't say, "I
know these are ****, but I got you one anyway."

I just wanted to clarify one point really:

Originally Posted by Manco Capac

You're better off with a bog standard MP3 player that allows you to drag and drop MP3's into the players memory via Explorer. You can then do exactly what you like without restriction and you don't need to run restrictive proprietary software like the Apple iPod service in order to manage it. iPods are just a gimmick.

It is possible to drag and drop .mp3 files, from Explorer to and from the player,
which have not been purchased through iTunes. There is no restriction in that
regard, as far as I am aware. The only problem I had was when the compression
of one file in particular would not be accepted by the player - but that was more
an issue with that file itself.

As long as you purchase the music outwith the iTunes system and have the files
present on your computer, transferring and using them is simple. [Until the
battery issues come about - and if anybody could tell me how to sort that out,
well...]

**Evil_Maniac From Mars** · 11-25-2006, 04:14

Originally Posted by screwtype

According to drone's article above, you can just burn your iTunes song onto a CD and then convert it to MP3 format from the CD. Once you've got it into MP3 format, you should be able to use it on any machine, shouldn't you?

You can. I've tried it, and it works.

**Beirut** · 11-25-2006, 12:06

Unless someone PMs me and explains that this is legal, I'm going to have to take Org-Rules Ave. and close the thread.

Even the hint of a smell of a whiff of piracy is a no-go.

Open.

It was PMd to me that there is no illegal copyright circumvention being discussed. I'll look into it some more. For now, we're open again.

**caravel** · 11-26-2006, 14:16

If you buy music CD's and copy those CDs for your own use, or transfer that music for your own use onto a personal MP3 player, then AFAIK you're not breaking any law anywhere.

**Lemur** · 11-26-2006, 18:07

It's fair use versus the DMCA, two laws that utterly contradict each other.

There was a recent case involving the MPAA suing people for transferring movies which they purchased on DVD to their iPods. I think that demonstrates rather clearly what the priorities of the MPAA and the RIAA really are; it's all about controlling all access to content.

**Blodrast** · 11-27-2006, 04:50

Originally Posted by Manco Capac

If you buy music CD's and copy those CDs for your own use, or transfer that music for your own use onto a personal MP3 player, then AFAIK you're not breaking any law anywhere.

AFAIK, you are partially correct.
IF in the process of copying those CDs for your own personal use, you are circumventing or eliminating any encryption/protection in the device, or in the data itself (e.g., DRM-ed music tracks), you ARE breaking the law in the US.

I admit I do not have a link to the precise page of the official document that clearly states this without a shadow of a doubt. Sorry. This is what I know based on what I read - and I read about this topic pretty much every day. I remember having seen this in several articles, such as printed by arstechnica & co, but you better believe that I'm not gonna read the entire body of the law with all its gibberish talk...
So, sorry to those who expect me to back my claim up with a link. Take it for what it is: my opinion

**Beirut** · 11-27-2006, 05:13

Originally Posted by Blodrast

AFAIK, you are partially correct.
IF in the process of copying those CDs for your own personal use, you are circumventing or eliminating any encryption/protection in the device, or in the data itself (e.g., DRM-ed music tracks), you ARE breaking the law in the US.

That was my concern.

I'm not questioning what's reasonable or not, only what's legal or not. Since this site concerns itself primarily with a copyrighted product - piracy and discussion of piracy techniques are clearly not allowed.

If anyone can help clarify all this it would be appreciated. Best we do so before we further the discussion of burning songs and so forth.

Thanks.