iTunes DRM Solutions?

[kirkmc]

If you burn a CD then rip it, you'll be ripping 128 kbps files that have been converted to PCM, but still at the 128 kbps quality. 

 

iTunes Match is the only way to do this. Ideally, you create a new iTunes library with just the purchased tracks. Download them, then turn off iTunes Match, and switch back to the other library, adding the newly downloaded tracks. The $25 it would cost for the year of using iTunes Match will be more than compensated by the music you download. 

[kirkmc]

13 hours ago, mjb said:

Well, my guess would be you can either re-buy them without DRM, or try iTunes Match. With Match, let it sync, then delete the DRM music, empty trash, and re-download them. I've found iTunes Match to be pretty good at identifying stuff. Note that the "matched" downloads are still linked to your AppleID, and thus "traceable", and it's very hard to remove. I've taken to buying second hand CD's for a few cents and ripping them.

Why would you be worried about tracing them? Your Apple ID is still in the file - this can be removed, it's not very difficult - but unless you're planning to put them on file sharing networks, what's the problem?

[kirkmc]

And what do you think is going to happen? In all the years since Apple removed DRM, I've never heard of a case of anyone being prosecuted or even mentioned for files shared with their Apple ID. I think if this had happened, it would have been publicized. 

[kirkmc]

Just now, wgscott said:

I'm more worried about my iTunes/Apple ID  getting out in the wild (although I suppose anyone could guess it, looking at my user name here). It is kind of an unpleasant feeling when your personal stuff gets into the hands of someone, who, by definition, is a criminal. At least in the case of my iPad, I could wipe it immediately and remotely.

I think worrying about someone getting your email address is futile these days. 

[kirkmc]

Just now, Rounder44 said:

All the years!?

 

I have 2015 bought albums with DRM!

 

 

Can you give me an example? iTunes eliminated DRM in 2009; there shouldn't be anything with DRM there any more. This said, I still have some purchases that haven't been updated to non-DRM format, but they are no longer available on the store. 

[kirkmc]

I don't see any artist's name; I can find one of the songs, but not with the same artwork. 

 

Can you take a screenshot of one of the songs' Info pane, with the Details tab visible? (Blur your email address if you're worried about that.)

[kirkmc]

Create a new library like this:

 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201596

 

Since they're purchases, they'll populate right away. You can then match them, download them, and switch back to the other library. Make sure to turn off iTunes Match before switching back, however, so iTunes doesn't start uploading the rest of your music. 

[kirkmc]

Just now, Rounder44 said:

Sure!

 

Album is a soundtrack "Heartworn Highways"

 

 

No, the info window in iTunes. It has more info. 

[kirkmc]

That's not got DRM; it's a purchased AAC file, not a protected AAC file. 

[kirkmc]

It says m4p, and should be recognized by third party apps. Can you share one of those files with me, by Dropbox or something else? 

 

If there's DRM, you can't play it using Quick Look (select a file in the Finder and press the space bar). I have a bunch of m4p files that are old, and were never available in non-DRM versions, but I have other m4p files that don't have DRM and work in Quick Look. 

[kirkmc]

That one does have DRM; it says FairPlay, which is the DRM system. 

[kirkmc]

Make a smart playlist by bit rate 128 kbps. Assuming your other tracks are not at that bit rate, any tracks with DRM will be in the playlist. 

[kirkmc]

3 hours ago, wgscott said:

Aren't the iTunes DRM files the ones having the file suffix .m4p  ?

Some purchased files also have that extension. I don't know why, because not all purchased files are m4p.

[kirkmc]

I don't use Match any more. But won't it just match the tracks, since they're purchased tracks? 

[kirkmc]

I don't understand what you're saying about the songs and playlists. Can you post a screenshot?

[kirkmc]

What original playlists? When you buy music from the iTunes Store, it's added to a Purchased playlist, but no others. You can add anything you like to any playlists. Just find the tracks and drag them to a playlist. 

[kirkmc]

The playlist in question is a smart playlist, presumably searching for tracks at 128 kbps. If it's being replaced after matching by a 256 kbps track, than it cannot show up in that playlist. 

[kirkmc]

2 hours ago, dalethorn said:

my conversions have retained everything

 

No they haven't. Every lossy conversion loses something, even though it won't necessarily be audible. I'm a bit surprised that anyone on this forum - where people debate which USB cable makes their music sound better - would think that nothing is lost in such conversions. 

[kirkmc]

You can't convert tracks with DRM. The only option would be to play them and "record" them with something like Audio Hijack, which would give you essentially the same files without DRM, but you have to do this in real time. 

[kirkmc]

Right, whereas "recording" with Audio Hijack records without the decompression/compression. 

[kirkmc]

It's not the exact same loss. If you decompress then recompress, the compression won't be exactly the same, and you're likely to introduce artifacts, kind of like when you photocopy a photocopy.