Slightly OT: iTunes music downloads

[GmElliott]

Tonight is the first night I messed around with iTunes. I purchased a few albums for my iPod and was wondering:

1) Is it possible to sync another computer with my iPod playlist if it wasn't the computer I purchased the albums from (ie Connect the iPod to a new computer and back up all my music there as well)?

2) It downloads as an .m4v format. How can I (a) Convert them to a format that an NLE can use and (b) How can I burn a CD from my downloaded songs playlist(s)

I know these are probably very simple questions but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. THX

[Billy]

The only way I know to convert to something usable is to play the file with iTunes and record it with something like Audition at the same time. You'll have to chop the beginning and end (unless you can click 2 things at the same time), but it's no big deal. And of course it can only be done in real time.

[LarsCA]

To convert the music files to play in FCP, you need to make them .aiff. For music purchased at iTunes, since these files are locked, you need to burn them to a CD, then import them back to iTunes (that will take the locked function out of them). Then hit <apple - R> to display the song file, drag it to Quicktime, export it as <sound to aiff> and viola. There's a little hacker program that can unlock the files without importing, but when I tried it it didn't work so this is how I do it.

Hope this helps.

[gl]

You can set your preferences in iTuens to rip everything to aiff. You will need to convert the d/led songs however...as mentioned above.

-gl

[AndrewMSV]

Tonight is the first night I messed around with iTunes. I purchased a few albums for my iPod and was wondering:

1) Is it possible to sync another computer with my iPod playlist if it wasn't the computer I purchased the albums from (ie Connect the iPod to a new computer and back up all my music there as well)?

2) It downloads as an .m4v format. How can I (a) Convert them to a format that an NLE can use and (b) How can I burn a CD from my downloaded songs playlist(s)

I know these are probably very simple questions but I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. THX

The solution to all your problems, Glen, is a website called AllOfMP3.com

The price of two songs on iTunes will buy you the entire album at allofmp3.com. The files are lossy MP3s, true, but you can select your higher quality bitrate (something Apple/iTunes is very bad at) for a slightly higher cost.

You have to 'pre-purchse' a minimum of $10. That is to say, you have to put $10 worth of credit into their store and use it up as you go. I've been doing it for a little while now and it's safe. Nothing hinky.

The download features are not as elegant as iTunes' are, but for the price of admission, it's worth it.

Good luck! Happy downloading.
:asmiley:

[GmElliott]

Great thanks all!

[gl]

Andrew,

Is this site offering this legally or is it another russian setup?

-gl

[AndrewMSV]

Andrew,

Is this site offering this legally or is it another russian setup?

-gl
This is another Russian setup. But technically, it's legal.
I found this article when I was researching it earlier this year (of course, who knows who the author is... it might be the Russian mafia, for all I know.)

I found this information:


Strict copyright legislation
Now for the country that may well have the strictest rules on copyrights, the USA. A thread in the Fatwallet forums (http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.php?start=100&catid=18&threadid=259565) brings some light in his confusing subject. We will not bother you with all the details. Here is a concise version of the interesting parts:


“MP3's, OGG's, etc are not illegal in the USA and therefore can be imported. There is also no law against importing music from other countries (including Russia). Because you are buying this legally in Russia and then importing to the USA, this should be 100% legit. For example, assuming that Russian Vodka is illegal to buy in the USA on Sunday, but you buy the Russian Vodka in Moscow on Sunday, then you import it into the USA, you have done nothing wrong. Again, this assumes that 1) it is illegal to buy Russian Vodka on Sunday in the USA 2) it is legal in Moscow and 3) it is legal to import Russian Vodka.”Title 17 Chapter 6 Sec. 602 of the U.S. Code covers “Infringing importation of copies or phonorecords”. You can find this title here (http://assembler.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode17/usc_sec_17_00000602----000-.html)
Subsection (a) tells us:


“Importation into the United States, without the authority of the owner of copyright under this title, of copies or phonorecords of a work that have been acquired outside the United States is an infringement of the exclusive right to distribute copies or phonorecords under section 106, actionable under section 501.”So it's illegal you may think. But take a close look at sub (a)(2):


“This subsection does not apply to importation, for the private use of the importer and not for distribution, by any person with respect to no more than one copy or phonorecord of any one work at any one time, or by any person arriving from outside the United States with respect to copies or phonorecords forming part of such person's personal baggage;”If MP3’s, OGG’s etc are in fact considered phonorecords, U.S. citizens can legally buy these as long if they are for private use and not for distribution. If MP3s, OGG’s etc. are not considered phonorecords, no import laws apply. The sections of digital audio recording and sound recording have no mention of importation.
So in layman's terms the bottom line of this discussion is:


Downloading from Allofmp3 is legal for U.S. Citizens, as long as the files are for private use and not for distribution.

But also this:


The most frequently asked question. We have thoroughly investigated this.
You will not find Allofmp3 in the list of legal music services supported by the IFPI at www.pro-music.org (http://www.pro-music.org/).
Organizations like IFPI and the RIAA are doing their best to avoid any publicity when it comes to the legal services in Russia. There is a loophole in the Russian copyright legislation that makes services like Allofmp3 possible. Apparently this loophole cannot be closed easily.


Cheers!

[AndrewMSV]

Oh, and one more thing - to the RIAA who might be listening - I never said I use AllOfMP3.com nor have I admitted to ever downloading a single byte of music from that site.

:)

I'm just relaying information that I ... umm... HEARD about from a friend... NO! ... a stranger I met on a bus.

:)

[D4rK F0CuS]

Glen, now that you are trying iTunes, I might suggest if you haven't already set this option, in iTunes preferences, under Advanced, have both "Keep iTunes Music folder organized" and "Copy files to iTunes Music folder when adding to library" checked.

I hear many PC users like to keep their own music folders categorized, but iTunes works a bit differently in that it handles music management using mp3 tags. Music management will be much less of a headache if you allow iTunes to manage music for you, and you use the iTunes interface to browse and select music.

In answer to 1) You can't sync your iPod with more than one computer. Each iPod can only be mated to one computer, and if you bought tunes from the iTMS, you can copy the music on as many computers as you like, but you can only have authorization to play that music on up to five computers.

I own 3 iPods (ipod, mini, and nano), and each one is mated to each of the 5 macs that I own.

2) Use iTunes burning feature. Make a new playlist, insert a CD-RW, and hit the burn icon located at the upper right hand corner. You may first need to go into advanced preferences under the burning tab to create an Audio CD.

[GmElliott]

I experimented with the different options. Plus turning on and off the "Allow File Storage" (forget the exact name) option that lets you use the iPod to story ANY type of file like a removable drive. Problem is when I do this it automatically greys out the "Automatically Update Playlist" options.

Even with them enabled I've had a little bit of trouble getting the freshly downloaded content to update to the iPod. Often times having to hit "Update iPod" twice before it recognizes it and moves it to the iPod. This is with the Auto Update enabled. :confused: That was with video content (if that matters) gotta have my Comedy Central: Brian Regan.

With music I downloaded one album. Oddly enough when I choose "Artists" on my iPod it lists all the tracks from the album rather than the actual "artist" of the album. Could this be due to the fact I originally had "Manage my own library" enabled rather than letting iTunes organize it?

When I first installed iTunes it did a scan of my computer and added every f*$ing media file on my system into iTunes. I selected them all and chose "clear" to remove them from the iPod library. Oddly enough a few of the files (MP3's) went to the recycle bin rather than simply removing them from the library. Any idea why this was?

Lastly, I installed iTunes and mated the iPod on my desktop PC computer. Does that mean I can use my MBP now to buy music and sync it with my iPod? I don't quite understand.

[gl]

I'm just relaying information that I ... umm... HEARD about from a friend... NO! ... a stranger I met on a bus.

:)

Nice cover up :snork_blin:

-gl