Convert Legally Downloaded songs off iTunes for MP4 Players
 

I posted this originally on our sites blog, but considering how many emails i get on this topic, i thought i would post it here. Original Blog Post with images BTW This is 100% legal, you aren't breaking any law or violating iTunes' TOS.


A common question that we receive is if MP4 players, the type we sell, can they work with music downloaded off iTunes. The answer is Yes and No.

Lets start with the NO first, iTunes was designed to work specifically with iPods, therefore the music was encoded in a special music format making them only work in iTunes and on iPods, however in early 2007 Apple announced that some of its music offerings would not be restricted to being used on iPods.

Now for the Yes, iTunes now has a special section called iTunes Plus, this is where they carry their non Digital Rights Managed (DRM FREE) music, but the price of one of these downloads is $1.29, as opposed to $0.99 if you download them with DRM.

How to download and convert DRM music from iTunes, this method will also preseve the ID3 tags such as artist name, song name, album name etc:

First you will need the latest version of iTunes from Apples website. You will also need a iTunes account enabled for iTunes plus - if you are signing up for the first time, you will be prompted for this option, if you already have a iTunes account then you will be prompted to enable iTunes plus when you first select iTunes Plus from the menu.

Once in iTunes Plus, find a song(s) you want and download them, then goto your music library select the songs you want converted then do the following:

1. Goto Edit > Preferences

2. Click on the Advanced Tab, then select ‘Import’, under ‘Import Using’, choose MP4 Encoder. Then under ‘Settings’ select the audio quality you want - if you want higher than 192kbps then select custom and set your own KBPS for the outputted file.

You may get a message saying you do not have high enough permission level - ignore it.

3. Select the songs you want, then right click and choose ‘Convert Selection to MP3′ this will then start to convert all the files you selected to MP3, don’t worry, your original downloaded files won’t be deleted. Once the conversion is done you will see duplicate files of each song.

4. The converted files will be in your iTunes music folder, just copy the converted MP3 files to your MP4 player and your done!

The entire process is not long, the conversion process is fast and easy, depending on what type of player you have you can either use your regular directory explorer to copy files or use iTunes or Windows media to sync your music files to your player. This method does retain your ID3 tags.

razzer, there has always been another simple way to do this. Of course, Apple doesn't like us to talk about it on their site (I and others have recently had threads pulled for even mentioning part of the process) due to legal issues involving the record labels.

Since the iTunes store opened, it has always been possible to burn purchased music to CD. That CD acts in every way like a CD you buy in a store. That means you can then import the CD as mp3 tracks.

The process will produce a track with exactly the same quality as your process, as transcoding is transcoding and you will loose quality no mater what. Best part? My tracks only cost 99 cents each ;-)

Nola i know about the method you state, this is the more legal way and easier.

Do the ID3 tags convert if you make a audio cd and then convert back to mp3?

If you convert an entire CD you have a good chance. I also use another app (Mac only) that corrects my ID3 tags.

As for legality, there is nothing blatantly illegal about either of these methods. In fact, until recently Apple allowed the posting of my method. But, with the new Terms of Use for their boards, any discussion of the removal of DRM or changing format of purchased music is not allowed. Not illegal, just not allowed.

And since the entire library is not available as "iTunes Plus" (Virtually none of my purchased fit this category), I thought it should be mentioned for others how to use iTunes protected music for personal use.

looks like more people are joing the DRM free train:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070810/...jeCeUpSkMjtBAF