protected WMA problem

[Beowulf]

[Darth Vader voice]I find my lack of geekiness disturbing...[/Darth Vader voice]

ok .. an odd one here. I have a number of protected WMA files which I've purchased from Napster or some such place. I can play them fine on my PC.. and on my old MP3 Player (Zen touch 40gb) . However I transfer them over to my new smaller MP3 player (Zen stone 2gb) and only about 1/3 of them play.

I suspect it's something to do with licensing but I can play them all on my PC and I used the MP3 player transfer program which (I assume) would transfer any media rights to the Mp3 player? Actually I don't know how this works..

Any Ideas? I must have the license on my PC to play them or they'd bomb out there? And I don't understand why some will play on my MP3 player and others (purchased most likely from the same place) wont.

My Geek skills are failing me.. I'm beginning to feel normal !

[dep]

go to DIYaudio.com and ask there.
You have to register, for free, to post and there are a few limitations until you have built a reputation.

[ducasi]

Is it possible that the DRM restriction on these particular songs (maybe from the same group of labels?) don't allow them to be on more than one MP3 player?

[Brian Doolan]

Why don't you download a program that will rip out the DRM while converting the WMA files to mp3? they'll then play on anything.
I don't think there should be a moral question in using such a program as you've legitimately purchased the WMAs.

[Beowulf]

Originally Posted by ducasi

Is it possible that the DRM restriction on these particular songs (maybe from the same group of labels?) don't allow them to be on more than one MP3 player?

That's what i thought at first but I took all the wma's off the mp3 player then loaded them again.. this time they all play Obviously some glitch with the transfer earlier.

But this has soured me over the use of DRM protected WMA files. So I'll be taking Mr Doolan's sage advice and looking at DRM strippers (I could always use Napster to burn to CD then Re-rip.. but I end up with a pile of "useless" CD's then )

In my 40gb + mp3 collection I think I have 1 ..perhaps 2 Audio files I have acquired from friends without proper licence to use them. All in all I'm a law abiding user.. but not being able to play "my" music on my devices.. it's so annoying.

[Brian Doolan]

Originally Posted by Beowulf

(I could always use Napster to burn to CD then Re-rip.. but I end up with a pile of "useless" CD's then )

You could mount a virtual CD drive and burn to it, that'll save a heap of plastic and go some way to help save the planet

[Beowulf]

Originally Posted by Brian Doolan

You could mount a virtual CD drive and burn to it, that'll save a heap of plastic and go some way to help save the planet

Indeed.. I'd considered doing that.. I have a copy of Alcohol 120% kicking around somewhere.. I wonder if that will work?

but if not I downloaded a trial copy of TUNEBITE which seems pretty cool and works well (only 1m per track in the demo.. but it shows promise... and worth the meagre registration fee.

[ducasi]

Originally Posted by Beowulf

... but I end up with a pile of "useless" CD's then

CD-RW?

[clevedonboy]

Originally Posted by Beowulf

Indeed.. I'd considered doing that.. I have a copy of Alcohol 120% kicking around somewhere.. I wonder if that will work?

but if not I downloaded a trial copy of TUNEBITE which seems pretty cool and works well (only 1m per track in the demo.. but it shows promise... and worth the meagre registration fee.

It's a PITA - often chops off the beginning of tracks.

I've been recommended Soundtaxi but haven't tried it yet (again it's cheap)