Posted by NRen2k5 on 09/12/07 12:04

Thomas G. Marshall wrote:
> "Broadway Blue" <blueshirt@indigo.news> wrote in message
> news:fc6feo$4bd$1@reader01.news.esat.net...
>> Thomas G. Marshall wrote:
>>> Now that several download music providers including Apple seem to
>>> be stepping into the DRM-free music world for major releases and
>>> not just independent stuff (about time), have any providers
>>> floated to the top? Any music supplier for MP3 or WMA that
>>> people here like?
>>>
>>> Apple seems to be the biggest player in this, but they're a
>>> proprietary format and I'm looking for wma/mp3.
>> And WMA isn't proprietary?!
>
> I was under the [apparently wrong] impression that AAC files were
> only supported by ipods and were a closed format. WMA's seemed a bit
> more open to me. {shrug}

Yeah, sometimes the truth is the exact opposite of what it seems. AAC is
the open format, and WMA is closed.

However, WMA *is* more commonly supported.

>> Actually the AAC file format does not belong to Apple, but more MP3
>> players will play WMA files than AAC at the moment. But I haven't
>> seen any DRM free WMA files around. But 7Digital do MP3's @
>> 320kbps, no DRM of course.
>>
>> The "iTunes Plus" no DRM AAC files @ 256kbps, will play on any
>> non-iPods that support AAC files.
>
> I'm stuck with an older sandisk player: MP3/WMA/WMA-DRM only. I
> would have downloaded DRM stuff for it already, but the DRM business
> is in such flux at the moment, and I would certainly love to avoid
> the DRM crap if possible.

One option you have is to buy music from a store that allows you to burn
audio-CD’s from their WMA downloads. Burn the WMAs to audio-CD format,
then just rip back to MP3. There will be a loss in sound quality, but at
least you’ve liberated your music. ;)

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