Digital Rights Management and iTunes



This topic has been mentioned in a few threads for various reasons.

It seems many of us are trying to better organize our digital music libraries on computers.

Although I like iTunes and the iPod interface, I do not like DRM complicating my life for files I have purchased and rightfully own.

Similarly, I am currently frustrated that the Apple "lossless" format is proprietary and therefore cannot be used on my new HiFiMan player as I try to migrate to that player for higher portable fidelity.

So for the first time last night thanks to a suggestion in another thread, I noticed that it is not so complicated to back up a purchased iTunes library by "ripping" to CD.

Then, if I take that ripped music, and RE rip my backup CD - presto - I get unencumbered WAV files on my hard drive?

I suppose that adds a step in the process, but otherwise pretty surprising that DRM is so easily defeated?

Again, I am only doing this with music and files I have purchased and paid for from iTunes.

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions.
cwlondon

Showing 3 responses by tobuns

Let's see if that link works this time. www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/01/06itunes.html
The music you buy through itunes has been DRM free for two years. Here is the press release...http://www.apple.com/pr/library/2009/01/06itunes.html.
Srwooten. MP3 files are also (generally) 16/44.1k (but can in fact be higher). You're confusing sample rates and encoding bit rates. Apple itunes downloads are 256kbps bit rate in an AAC encode (which provides for better resolution than a comparable bit rate MP3) To say they are not CD quality is true (by technicality), but to say they aren't "anything close" or "(very) low res" is just wrong. The days of lossy 128kbs mp3's are long gone.