Convert M4P to MP3

[Unregistered]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

I just bought my 1st song from itunes and i won't be doing it again!

WHY:

1- its only 128k/bits/sec

2-it's protected (i agree with earlier posts - i bought i should be able to do what i want with it) - no i have to convert it to a format i want (and maybe even that is illegal - don't know!)

3- The price - ok 79p for 1 track is a bit much but £7.99 for an album is a ripoff considering what costs are involved for the suppliers!

I will definatly not be buying tracks again online!!

Cheers for the advice on what to do to convert. I will use the hymn command line tool

[Unregistered]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

I just installed iopener!

Why does it ask me for my itunes username and password!

Is this a dodgey program so the developer can use my account and credit card info to d/l more tunes?

[semysig]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

Wrong. It will create a lossy copy of the original lossy (just like going from lossy to lossy would).

A lossless codec will produce a file generally .4 to .6 times the size of the original wav file assuming they are the same frequency and number of channels, etc.

I generally discern differences up to about 240 kbs in mp3, Ogg or mpc. But this really is a matter between your ears, your equipment, your music and your listening environment (listening in my car 192 is fine and I am not sure I could distinguish between 192 and 240 kbs or between 128 and 192 kbs in my car).

Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen

Bummer. Thanks, and for the previous reply (I think both were you).
Any idea why? How about going say M4P to WAV to MP3, w/same bitrate and everything? I'd think there's just gotta be a way to preserve quality converting in a digital medium!

Thanks for the experience on the bitrates too.
Glad I asked before I did alot of archiving.

[ChristinaS]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

The original WAV file from which the M4P was created is taken as the perfect file. The M4P is somewhat less then perfect, since it is a lossy format. Going from M4P to WAV again will not restore the original WAV file, it creates another one somewhat, lets's say for the sake of argument, equivalent to the M4P. Going from this new WAV to MP3 creates again a less than perfect file with respect to the second WAV file, thus with respect to the M4P and ultimately with respect to the original WAV.

How imperfect all these files are is a matter that you alone can judge. It can range from totally unnoticeable to quite awful.

[xoas]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

[/QUOTE]How about going say M4P to WAV to MP3, w/same bitrate and everything? I'd think there's just gotta be a way to preserve quality converting in a digital medium!
[QUOTE]
Transcoding from m4p to wav to mp3 is a direction a lot of people have taken simply for the sake of portability between different environments. But as Christina says, converting an m4p file to another lossy format will result in some loss of audio information. Depending on your settings and the other factors I mentionned previously, this loss may be imperceptable. And the practical advantages in having a more portable file that you can use in more ways may well make the m4p to mp3 conversion a good option despite some loss of audio quality. If disc space is no object then converting m4p to wav to other lossless codec will preserve the quality of the original m4p the best but these files will be larger than the original m4p file.
One point to remember is that all other considerations being equal, any audio file (lossy or lossless) will always be its own best copy.
Another is that a difference that does not make a difference is not a difference. Even if there is a loss of audio quality in converting from mp3 to mp4 or the other way around, if you cannot tell a difference then it maybe it shouldn't be a worry. I am reminded of a song by the duo of Flanders and Swann called "High Fidelity", which dealt with the fascination of the then-new stereo sound. One verse in particular is relevent here:
"High Fid-el-ity,
Hi-Fi's the thing for me.
All the highest notes
neither sharp nor flat.
The ear can't hear
as high as that.
Still I ought to please
any passing bat
with my high fidelity!"

Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen

[semysig]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

How about going say M4P to WAV to MP3, w/same bitrate and everything? I'd think there's just gotta be a way to preserve quality converting in a digital medium!

Transcoding from m4p to wav to mp3 is a direction a lot of people have taken simply for the sake of portability between different environments. But as Christina says, converting an m4p file to another lossy format will result in some loss of audio information. Depending on your settings and the other factors I mentionned previously, this loss may be imperceptable. And the practical advantages in having a more portable file that you can use in more ways may well make the m4p to mp3 conversion a good option despite some loss of audio quality. If disc space is no object then converting m4p to wav to other lossless codec will preserve the quality of the original m4p the best but these files will be larger than the original m4p file.
One point to remember is that all other considerations being equal, any audio file (lossy or lossless) will always be its own best copy.
Another is that a difference that does not make a difference is not a difference. Even if there is a loss of audio quality in converting from mp3 to mp4 or the other way around, if you cannot tell a difference then it maybe it shouldn't be a worry. I am reminded of a song by the duo of Flanders and Swann called "High Fidelity", which dealt with the fascination of the then-new stereo sound. One verse in particular is relevent here:
"High Fid-el-ity,
Hi-Fi's the thing for me.
All the highest notes
neither sharp nor flat.
The ear can't hear
as high as that.
Still I ought to please
any passing bat
with my high fidelity!"

Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen

Heh, hadn't heard that one before.
I've heard some really really equip. though, and on that you can "tell" but whether it really increases your enjoyment of the music that much is another story
That said, I used to have really great system, and on it with a fav U2 song, it could almost bring tears to your eyes it was so perfect!
On the other hand, crappy recordings/quality sound WORSE on good systems than on crappy ones!

Anyway, I digress. That was great info, this turned out to be a really good thread. Makes sense to with the explaination there. Thanks.
I can see how the brute force way of burn to CD, then re-encode to MP3 makes loss then.
Sounds like the best compromise if you've got the space is MP3/4 to WAV to Flac (or other lossless, not wav because lossless saves some).
I'm assuming that even a lossy to other lossy converter program is using an intermediary temp WAV file? Guess it wouldn't matter for quality though if I'm getting the concept right.

Now if I can just break the stupid copy protection crap without having to have iTunes installed, be one of the 5 computers it's been played on, and then use Hymn. So far, no other way than that except the burn to CD method?
Hmm, making me think here though: does the original file record internally somehow every time it's copied? Otherwise, you could play the 1st copy in the chain on an infinite # of computers/devices if you got it from the original computer.
Then if that file isn't played, but sent to another (i.e. Kazaa) does it still think it's #2 copy? If not, it'd have to alter the file every copy. So, no CRC check possible. I dunno how the stupid thing really works to preserve corporate greed that way though, unless that's not how it works.
Just makes it a pain for legitimate users, but no prob. for pirating.
Hmm, kinda reminds me of the stupid security gate on my apt. complex!
Anybody who wants in gets in, unless you live here and you're in a hurry and forgot your stupid remote.

[xoas]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

On the other hand, crappy recordings/quality sound WORSE on good systems than on crappy ones!

I fully agree.

Sounds like the best compromise if you've got the space is MP3/4 to WAV to Flac (or other lossless, not wav because lossless saves some).

I do not understand where this is true. The original mp3 or mp4 will be smaller and the Flac or other lossless file won't be any better.

[QUOTE]Now if I can just break the stupid copy protection crap without having to have iTunes installed, be one of the 5 computers it's been played on, and then use Hymn. So far, no other way than that except the burn to CD method?[QUOTE]
There are at least two other programs that will do the same as Hymn. I don't know if either is any better for your purposes than Hymn. These are iOpener (available from the same site as Hymn) and iFreesoft. For links see: http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=5907.

There is also a program called TuneBite which is designed to help record protected files off of your soundcard as you play them into non-protected copies. See this link here: http://www.tunebite.com/

I have no experience with any of these.
Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen

[Unregistered]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

The software at the "Spoon" link DOES NOT handle M4P files

[xoas]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

The software at the "Spoon" link DOES NOT handle M4P files

I'm not sure what you are referring to. There is NO program within dBpowerAMP that can read, play or convert m4p files, with the possible exception of the Sveta program which can help you arrange and move tracks to a (Windows-based) iPod.

If you can play m4p files in iTunes you should be able to record the files to a different format from the soundcard (as they play) using dBpowerAMP Music Converter and Auxilary Input.

If any of the above are not true, could you please clarify where the above is incorrect?

Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen

[Quasmadio]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

I have the same problem but I bought these files at work on my PC and now I wont to play them at home on my Mac. Dose any one know how I can convert them for the mac? Or get a free version of Tost?

Please poet a reply.

q

[Unregistered]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

I get an eror when I run HYMN. It is "Couldn't get DRM key for user". The resuting files do not work.

I have iTunes rights to play the .M4P files on my computer.

Exactly where is the DRM file stored on my WIndows XP computer?

[lucky]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

All you people talking about real player, command line things, and such, please just do what people are doing about 6 posts up! It works and it's the fastest thing to do and easiest. I'll spell it out for you..again.

Download and extract the HYMN program and it's files to a folder. Then do a search on your computer for m4p files (native itunes files with their DRM protection). *COPY* all of them, then go to the HYMN folder and paste them there (i did a batch of 60 songs named with spaces, hyphens and parenthesis..doesn't matter what the file name is). Then take those freshly pasted m4p files, and drag them to the HYMN.EXE file...you'll see a command prompt (dos style window) and you'll only see a cursor blinking..that means HYMN is converting your M4p files to M4As (unprotected, DRM free songs). When the command prompt window (dos style window) dissappears, hit F5 to refresh the view of that folder (HYMN folder), and you'll see an M4A copy of each M4P song!

If you wish to then convert those to MP3, get your free copy of dbPowerAmp and then convert those M4As to MP3!

it's a freakin joke how easy it is. Links above have the dbpoweramp and hymn download location..i downloaded the latest version of hymn on their page (near the bottom).

[semysig]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

[QUOTE=xoas]I fully agree.

I do not understand where this is true. The original mp3 or mp4 will be smaller and the Flac or other lossless file won't be any better.

[QUOTE]Now if I can just break the stupid copy protection crap without having to have iTunes installed, be one of the 5 computers it's been played on, and then use Hymn. So far, no other way than that except the burn to CD method?

There are at least two other programs that will do the same as Hymn. I don't know if either is any better for your purposes than Hymn. These are iOpener (available from the same site as Hymn) and iFreesoft. For links see: http://forum.dbpoweramp.com/showthread.php?t=5907.

There is also a program called TuneBite which is designed to help record protected files off of your soundcard as you play them into non-protected copies. See this link here: http://www.tunebite.com/

I have no experience with any of these.
Best wishes,
Bill Mikkelsen

I meant that it seemed the best way to get it out of damn copy protected M4P without quality loss. However, I failed to consider that going from M4P to M4A might not result in any loss if it's really the same format/algorithm and just using Hymn or other only removes the protection, not really altering or re-encoding anything.
Should have thought of that.. if that's right. Is it?

Thanks for the links to the other 3 progs, will have to try them and see if they work w/o iTunes and being on the originating computer.

Thanks

[Outlier]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

You guys are making it way too complicated. Here's the simplest way to listen to your iTunes music on your pocket pc and/or convert to any format without buying any outside software or wasting a CD.

Open your Sound Recorder program which comes with Windows XP. Locate it at Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Entertainment. Or simply do a Windows search for "Sound Recorder".

Start up iTunes and the Sound Recorder program. Also, open the Windows Volume Mixer Control by double-clicking the speaker icon in the system tray.

In the Mixer, click "Options" - "Properties"

Select the "Recording" radio button, then OK.

You should see a number of sliders with checkboxes at the bottom labeled "Select".

Make sure the Microphone is selected. Here is the only outside piece of equipment you'll need which you may already have lying around somewhere. It's the standard audio jack with 2 males at each ends (RadioShack for less than a few bucks). Plug one end into your Line Out (where your speaker is attached) and plug the other end into the microphone. As you can see, you're basically going to be recording what comes out of your speaker directly into the microphone without loss of noticeable sound quality. This method is like sticking a microphone right at your speaker but the connection is direct so you don't lose the sound quality.

Close the Mixer.

Now, go to your Sound Recorder program and start recording. Then, switch to iTunes and start playing whatever you want to record. When the song stops, stop your sound recorder. Now you can save it as whatever you want....without wasting a CD!!!!

Be sure to monitor your recording. You may need to adjust the recording level to get a good quality recording. I usually do a sample run through by skipping the song around in iTunes and checking the recording level before I actually record the whole song. On my computer, I have these 2 Microphone Boost options which I played around with to get rid of a background "hiss". In the end, the song turned out perfectly!

[Outlier]

Re: Convert M4P to MP3

I just discovered that the Windows Sound Recorder only lets you record 1 minute, which probably wouldn't be useful if you're recording a song. So I may end up purchasing sound recorder software. I downloaded a trial and it seems alot of sound recorder software out there allow you to record sounds coming directly out of your sound card (without the need for audio jacks and plugging into the microphone jack). This seems much more convenient than the method I just outlined earlier. And there are options to control the quality and the format which you want. The price? They seem to range between $20 to $30 but I think I may purchase just to get the listening pleasure of my iTunes music on my pocket pc.