How To Play Your iTunes Music On Other Systems 243
ptorrone writes "Engadget has a step-by-step for the non-uber geek on how to play your purchased music from iTunes on other systems. To be clear, this isn't a way to take music you bought and give it to someone else, this is so you can listen to your own purchased music on other systems or devices. In fact, your personal info is still in the file."
Sweet! (Score:5, Informative)
My previous solution was to burn then to CD, then rip them using something else, like Grip under linux.
my 2
-H
Re:I have a way to do that too..... (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Cool... But... (Score:5, Informative)
By purchasing songs from the iTMS you have contractually agreed NOT to bypass their DRM system in anyway other than those provided (ie burning to cd and re-ripping). Any other means, such as this is a violation of said contract and you are liable for any and all damages, regardless of if they are actual (ie 10,000 people didn't buy a CD because they got the song from you instead) or imaginary (ie they think 10,000 didn't buy a CD because they had the remote ability to get the song from you).
Easier with VLC (Score:5, Informative)
I prefer this 3 step procedure instead:
1. Install VLC [videolan.org].
2. Open your M4P file in VLC.
3. Click play.
That's it!
Re:4 cents (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Sweet! (Score:2, Informative)
I have an easier method: (Score:3, Informative)
Step 2: Use winamp to rip the CD to your computer.
Step 3: Enjoy restriction-less CDs and MP3s.
Then again, I stopped using iTunes now too..
Re:It just works? (Score:5, Informative)
The same "protection" was used in the OS 9 DVD player so that MacsBug could not attach to the player. But with that, DVD player just refused to run if it detected MacsBug was loaded.
Re:strange name, eh? (Score:1, Informative)
Re:Not necissarily (Score:3, Informative)
Right. Which means if you run PlayFair or Hymn or I'mABigScriptKiddieLookAtMeWoo or whatever on one of your iTunes songs, you are no longer legally authorized to listen to any of your iTunes songs. You are, at that point, engaging in copyright violation, which if you do it enough is a felony!
Simply not true. once they've sold you a track, the doctrine of first sale applies, and apple CANNOT impose greater restrictions than copyright law allows. Copyright law prevents you distributing copies (and a few other rights such as not pretending you wrote the music). Nothing else.
It specifically does not prevent you playing those tracks back. If you violate your TOS with apple, they can refuse to sell you any more tracks, but they cannot prevent you using, decoding, transcoding, ripping, or even deleting your existing itunes tracks. They can sue you if you give them to others, nothing else. Once they've taken your money, and the sale is completed, the contract with them regarding that track is over.
Burn, Rip? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Not necissarily; DMCA provisions (Score:3, Informative)
Merely breaking a contract is not "illegal" if by "illegal" you mean "criminal" (as opposed to incurring only civil liability). However, violation of the DMCA may (or may not) be "illegal" -- i.e., criminal. The DMCA, and particularly 17 U.S.C. sec. 1201(b) [cornell.edu] provides in pertinent part:
17 U.S.C. sec. 1201(b) [cornell.edu] (emphasis added)
It appears the software in question violates section 1201(b). I suspect the DMCA takedown notice is on the way.
However, it does not appear there is any criminal (as opposed to civil) liability. 17 U.S.C. sec. 1204(a) [cornell.edu] provides in relevant part:
17 U.S.C. sec. 1204(a) [cornell.edu] (emphasis added). Because the author of the software at issue doe not appear to be acting "for purposes of commercial advantage or private financial gain," it looks like there is no criminal liability.
On the other hand, the potential civil liability is substantial. 17 U.S.C. sec. 1203(c) [cornell.edu] provides in relevant part:
Re:Not necissarily (Score:3, Informative)
No.
Copyright deals with half an assload of different things. Distribution is one of them, but only one of them.
The biggies are reproduction, creation of derivatives, distribution, and certain public performances or displays. Read 17 USC 106.
You may also want to read MAI v. Peak, and Utah Lighthouse v. Intellectual Reserve, which go into some detail as to how things already on your computer can be copied illegally without leaving.
Re:Not necissarily (Score:5, Informative)
This evening while looking for something completely unrelated I found an interesting page providing some case law regarding emulation at: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/EmuFAQ2000/Appendi
Quoting from it:
Playboy Enterprises, Inc. v. George Frena. 839 F.Supp. 1552 (M.D. Fla., 1993).
George Frena, the sysop of the Techs Warehouse BBS, had 170 digitized images from both Playboy and Playgirl magazine posted to his computerized bulletin board system. The two magazines were commercial adult publications protected under copyright law. Playboy Enterprises, owner and publisher of both magazines, sued Frena for copyright infringement. The Federal District Court acknowledged Frena's claims that the uploading had been done by his users without his approval; however, it still found him liable for intellectual property violation. It ruled that Frena's users had illegaly copied the pictures by digitizing them; furthermore, Frena had infringed on exclusive vendor distribution rights by making the pictures available for download by his users. It also found Frena in violation of trademark law, since the infringing material contained registered trademarks belonging to Playboy Enterprises (the Playboy and Playgirl logos).
This case established two things. First, courts can find against a defendant in an intellectual property dispute whether or not the defendant is aware of such activity. Second, intellectual property protection extends to all copies of a given work regardless of how they are made or the media on which they are presented.
It would not be hard for a plaintiff to argue that in bypassing a DRM system, the resulting file could very easily end up being copied by potentially thousands and thousands of users, with or with out the knowledge of the original copier of the file give how most P2P apps work.
There does exist the principal of "substantial non infringing use", however when a system exists to prevent rampant copying and is bypassed, it is not unheard of (and some would say not unreasonable) for a content owner/licensee owner (ie Apple) to fear unauthorized distribution and sue preemptively.
Re:Not necissarily (Score:5, Informative)
If it's hosted offshore from the US, then it's not illegal under the DMCA to download and use it on something you legally own.
Re:I have an easier method: (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Not necissarily (Score:3, Informative)
This is *only* true in the US.
Re:Not necissarily (Score:3, Informative)
Can be... not must.
And, to the best of my knowledge... the government, or any other entity, has no standing to bring chages for breach of contract unless it is a party to the contract.
It is a PRIVATE matter.
Of course, IANAL... and YMMV... and void unless otherwise prohibited... etc...
GUI (Score:4, Informative)
Re:itunes is awesome, but... (Score:2, Informative)