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Unregistered
10-20-2003, 02:55 PM
Hey!

When I started to file my cds on the computer, I ripped them using Windows Media Player 9.0 (?!?)... I'm not really a computer pro,so I only noticed later, that all my music files are saved as WMA files instead of mp3. Does anybody know how to convert them into MP3s for free? What software do I need and which one works the best?
Thanks
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RossRoy
10-20-2003, 04:07 PM
dBPowerAmp works really really well, is free, and is easy to use. Just make sure you download the WMA codec from Codec Central.

Unregistered
10-21-2003, 08:57 PM
Thanks a lot,that was great help!
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Razgo
10-22-2003, 03:59 AM
and just have to hope none of them were wma protected when you ripped them...

RossRoy
10-22-2003, 07:34 AM
Actually, by default, they are protected..

Razgo
10-22-2003, 07:39 AM
ok, well the answer in advance then is as far as i know there is no way to unprotect all those files.

Unregistered
10-22-2003, 03:51 PM
ok, well the answer in advance then is as far as i know there is no way to unprotect all those files.

If you dont' mind spend $30 bucks http://www.mediatwins.com/downloads.htm will allow to to convert wma's if they are dmr protected. As long as they are your legal songs!

Spoon
10-22-2003, 04:35 PM
Have you tried it?, does it break the protection? (if so they better have good lawyers, Microsoft are a big company).

Paraguayita
10-11-2004, 07:43 PM
Hi ! You seem to know about MP3's - I purchased songs from Napster and it turned out that they are all WMA with DRM (Protected Files) - Is there any easy way to convert these files into MP3 ???

ChristinaS
10-11-2004, 11:09 PM
Hi ! You seem to know about MP3's - I purchased songs from Napster and it turned out that they are all WMA with DRM (Protected Files) - Is there any easy way to convert these files into MP3 ???
Unfortunately the link to a site that had a program reputed to be capable of cracking the wma drm barrier is now dead.

Sometimes you can burn an audio cd using Windows Media Player and putting all those protected wma files on it. Mind, it has to be an audio cd, not a data cd.

Then try to rip back this cd's tracks using dMC Audio CD Input or dMC directly, saving to whatever file format you like.

If this doesn't work, you can use dMC Auxiliary Input and play the wma files one by one through whatever player plays them (WMP should work if the files are on the pc where you downloaded them when you bought them) and record them to mp3. Refer to thread http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=5362 in FAQ.

stefanpaz
10-15-2004, 12:05 PM
hmmmm Ive tried to convert mine, i installed the codecs but poweramp says it cant convert - anyone know why?

xoas
10-15-2004, 12:50 PM
Start with looking at the WMA FAQ's in the Support section here:
http://www.dbpoweramp.com/dmc-support.htm
And make sure you have your wma codec properly installed (as per the instructions for that Codec in Codec Central on the page you downloaded the wma codec from).

If the message you get indicates that the file is encrypted you may be able to record the file as you play it in Windows Media Player or try burning the tracks to cd and then ripping them to another format as ChristinaS. suggested in the post just before yours.

If the error message you get indicates that the codec required to compress or decompress cannot be opened, please send us a copy of the error message and an indication of the properties of the file you are trying to convert (format, bitrate, frequency, channels, bit setting) and the wma settings you are trying to convert to.

Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen

Rage
10-15-2004, 10:09 PM
When I start converting I select my encoder or codec which is Mp3(MPEG Suite 2000 CLI) but when the real converting starts if shows a screen saying unable to run encoder C:\codec.exe. I am was What should I do? I am new using this software and that's I am having some promblems.

ChristinaS
10-15-2004, 10:24 PM
When I start converting I select my encoder or codec which is Mp3(MPEG Suite 2000 CLI) but when the real converting starts if shows a screen saying unable to run encoder C:\codec.exe. I am was What should I do? I am new using this software and that's I am having some promblems.
Well, have you tried just a Test conversion? This is in the list of dMC codecs, it only tests if it can understand the input file, it doesn't actually convert it to anything.

If that works, maybe you can try to first convert to wav, 16-bit, 44.1KHz, 2-channel stereo. If that works, then try to convert the wav to whatever else you wish. Try the different types of mp3 codecs too, in order to see which works best.

xoas
10-15-2004, 11:03 PM
When I start converting I select my encoder or codec which is Mp3(MPEG Suite 2000 CLI) but when the real converting starts if shows a screen saying unable to run encoder C:\codec.exe. I am was What should I do? I am new using this software and that's I am having some promblems.
It would be helpful to know what format and settings are the file(s) you are trying to convert and the settings you are using for the mp3 files you are trying to create. By settings, I am referring to bitrate, frequecy, number of channels, whether the encoding is variable or average or constant bitrate.

If the test conversion (which ChristinaS. mentionned) does not work, this would suggest possible problems with the file you are trying convert. If you are trying to convert other than cd, wav or mp3 you want to make sure you have the appropriate codec installed so that the program can do the conversion. If you have the right decoder codec installed for your source file to be converted, you might want to make sure you can play the file.

So try out Christina's suggestions and let us know what you find out.
Best wishes,
Bill mikkelsen

Drink Pimp
11-02-2004, 04:51 AM
Thanks for the info, just thought a quick note, i had a file with DRM protection for which i held a licence that i had downloaded from the internet.

Windows media player allowed me to burn it to an audio cd, from which the track could be instantly ripped back to an Mp3 using any decent ripping program. Musicmatch works a treat, and winamp as slow as it is also works.

So yeh it seems kind of stupid of microsoft to allow such an easy way to overcome the protection of these files.

ChristinaS
11-02-2004, 10:42 AM
Thanks for the info, just thought a quick note, i had a file with DRM protection for which i held a licence that i had downloaded from the internet.

Windows media player allowed me to burn it to an audio cd, from which the track could be instantly ripped back to an Mp3 using any decent ripping program. Musicmatch works a treat, and winamp as slow as it is also works.

So yeh it seems kind of stupid of microsoft to allow such an easy way to overcome the protection of these files.
You were only able to burn the audio cd for the wma file with DRM BECAUSE you had the license. The problems mostly revolve around people who have files with DRM and don't have the license - either never had it or lost it somehow. Also of course for those who don't like the idea of burning an audio cd first for whatever reason, whether they have the license or not, outright conversion is not possible with ordinary tools.

adaywayne
11-02-2004, 12:27 PM
For what it's worth, I had absolutely no problem converting downloaded Napster files form WMA to Wave using dBPowerAmp so that I could burn them to CD. I also just tried converting one directly from WMA to MP3 Lame.....no problem. The same for files ripped from a CD into WMA format and then converting to MP3.
Arnie

adaywayne
11-02-2004, 12:31 PM
P.S. I meant to add...."why would one want to convert from one loosy format to another lossy format?" The resulting file is bound to be inferior to the original. Most MP3 players (except iPods) will play WMA files.
Arnie

adaywayne
11-02-2004, 05:43 PM
Another P.S., I'm afraid. My memory was playing tricks on me. I was NOT able to convert the downloaded Napster files. I had to record them to wave files whilst playing them.....a very cumbersome process if you have many files to convert. Napster uses a proprietary WMA format, not the standard one (according to their website). Apologies for the wrong information.
Arnie

Unregistered
11-04-2004, 02:48 AM
For what it's worth, I had absolutely no problem converting downloaded Napster files form WMA to Wave using dBPowerAmp so that I could burn them to CD. I also just tried converting one directly from WMA to MP3 Lame.....no problem. The same for files ripped from a CD into WMA format and then converting to MP3.
Arnie

Could you please elaborate on what codecs (and versions) you had installed? I can't seem to be able to convert Napster files to MP3.

Wayne
11-04-2004, 08:53 AM
Arnie (adaywayne) withdrew his statement that he was able to directly convert Napster files to MP3.

It looks like he used the usual method of recording the tracks as wav files, using an application to record them whilst they were being played by another. The 'conversion' takes place in real time. i.e. a five minute track will take 5 minutes to convert to wav.

Wayne

Unregistered
11-21-2004, 11:17 AM
I have the same problem, I bought a bunch of cd's off napster, but my mp3 player only plays mp3s. I tried burning them to cd's & then converting them from the cd's back onto the computer as mp3s, but all of the protected songs still won't convert. :-(

xoas
11-21-2004, 01:14 PM
Unregistered (Post *23)-
Then your only opton is to see if you can record your tracks off of your sound card as you play them. See this thread from FAQ for dMC:
http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=5362

Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen