Jump to content
IGNORED

iTunes DRM Solutions?


Recommended Posts

Hi,

 

Sorry but  a search for itunes+drm yielded no results although I imagine a tompis beaten to death here... so...

 

I made the mistake years ago of buying a LOT of music via iTunes. Usually just my change from Coinstar but still I have ~100 DRM albums I can not access via 3rd party apps like Audirvana or Bluesound and lord knows what down the line.

 

Redownloads dosen't solve in the cases I've tried. I heard iTunes Match will but will fubar your library for sure (I tried it a few years ago and it turned my Waylon Jennings into, I kid you not, "A Tribute to Margaret Thatcher" .

 

I call apple and the "geniuses" act like they've never heard of such a thing...and start with the typcal algorithm "restart the computer>update> etc..." all of which I have done.

 

Hopefully a solution has been found ...... Thanks,

 

R44

Link to comment

Well, my guess would be you can either re-buy them without DRM, or try iTunes Match. With Match, let it sync, then delete the DRM music, empty trash, and re-download them. I've found iTunes Match to be pretty good at identifying stuff. Note that the "matched" downloads are still linked to your AppleID, and thus "traceable", and it's very hard to remove. I've taken to buying second hand CD's for a few cents and ripping them.

Link to comment
13 hours ago, mjb said:

Well, my guess would be you can either re-buy them without DRM, or try iTunes Match. With Match, let it sync, then delete the DRM music, empty trash, and re-download them. I've found iTunes Match to be pretty good at identifying stuff. Note that the "matched" downloads are still linked to your AppleID, and thus "traceable", and it's very hard to remove. I've taken to buying second hand CD's for a few cents and ripping them.

Why would you be worried about tracing them? Your Apple ID is still in the file - this can be removed, it's not very difficult - but unless you're planning to put them on file sharing networks, what's the problem?

I write about Macs, music, and more at Kirkville.

Author of Take Control of macOS Media Apps

Co-host of The Next Track podcast.

Link to comment
6 hours ago, kirkmc said:

Why would you be worried about tracing them? Your Apple ID is still in the file - this can be removed, it's not very difficult - but unless you're planning to put them on file sharing networks, what's the problem?

Even though there's no longer any DRM in Apple's tunes, the purchasing account information is still embedded in the file, and its not easy to remove. This "personal information" may or may not be of concern to someone, who for example loses their iPod.

Link to comment

Sorry to go off-topic, but I have worried about the email address water mark in music files.  I had my car broken into a few years ago, and was relieved of my iPod classic (and iPad and a few other items).  So now the music files I had on that are potentially out in the wild, and out of my control.  (Hopefully whomever the meth addict sold it to just wiped the disc, but one never knows ...).

Link to comment

I'm more worried about my iTunes/Apple ID  getting out in the wild (although I suppose anyone could guess it, looking at my user name here). It is kind of an unpleasant feeling when your personal stuff gets into the hands of someone, who, by definition, is a criminal. At least in the case of my iPad, I could wipe it immediately and remotely.

Link to comment
Just now, wgscott said:

I'm more worried about my iTunes/Apple ID  getting out in the wild (although I suppose anyone could guess it, looking at my user name here). It is kind of an unpleasant feeling when your personal stuff gets into the hands of someone, who, by definition, is a criminal. At least in the case of my iPad, I could wipe it immediately and remotely.

I think worrying about someone getting your email address is futile these days. 

I write about Macs, music, and more at Kirkville.

Author of Take Control of macOS Media Apps

Co-host of The Next Track podcast.

Link to comment
Just now, Rounder44 said:

All the years!?

 

I have 2015 bought albums with DRM!

 

 

Can you give me an example? iTunes eliminated DRM in 2009; there shouldn't be anything with DRM there any more. This said, I still have some purchases that haven't been updated to non-DRM format, but they are no longer available on the store. 

I write about Macs, music, and more at Kirkville.

Author of Take Control of macOS Media Apps

Co-host of The Next Track podcast.

Link to comment
1 minute ago, kirkmc said:3 minutes ago, kirkmc said:

I think worrying about someone getting your email address is futile these days. 

 

It isn't so much the email address per se, but the fact that it is (or in my case, was) the Apple ID associated with my account.  Most banks and credit card companies I have used allow you to choose a non-email-address-based username, which adds a (small) additional layer of protection.

Link to comment
8 minutes ago, kirkmc said:

Can you give me an example? iTunes eliminated DRM in 2009; there shouldn't be anything with DRM there any more. This said, I still have some purchases that haven't been updated to non-DRM format, but they are no longer available on the store. 

Here ya go!

 

drm.jpg

Link to comment

Match is as poor a solution as any!

 

"Genius'" at apple store hate it! I used it once and it fubared my library something fierce! Waylon Jennings transmogrified to Margaret Thatcher as I said above!

 

I think I may try it but make an iTunes folder/library of just mp4's and match those. If it works slide them over to real library.

 

I guess to do that I'd put the mp4's in a folder and name it "itunes" , rename REAL itunes folder, and have iTunes attach to mp4 iTunes THEN Match...... Right?

Link to comment

Create a new library like this:

 

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201596

 

Since they're purchases, they'll populate right away. You can then match them, download them, and switch back to the other library. Make sure to turn off iTunes Match before switching back, however, so iTunes doesn't start uploading the rest of your music. 

I write about Macs, music, and more at Kirkville.

Author of Take Control of macOS Media Apps

Co-host of The Next Track podcast.

Link to comment
1 minute ago, kirkmc said:

I don't see any artist's name; I can find one of the songs, but not with the same artwork. 

 

Can you take a screenshot of one of the songs' Info pane, with the Details tab visible? (Blur your email address if you're worried about that.)

Sure!

 

Album is a soundtrack "Heartworn Highways"

 

 

mp4a.jpg

Link to comment

It says m4p, and should be recognized by third party apps. Can you share one of those files with me, by Dropbox or something else? 

 

If there's DRM, you can't play it using Quick Look (select a file in the Finder and press the space bar). I have a bunch of m4p files that are old, and were never available in non-DRM versions, but I have other m4p files that don't have DRM and work in Quick Look. 

I write about Macs, music, and more at Kirkville.

Author of Take Control of macOS Media Apps

Co-host of The Next Track podcast.

Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



×
×
  • Create New...